The White Sox Body Ain't Even Cold Yet, And We Got Our First Nightengale Bomb of the Offseason

Obligatory "Kimbrel's option getting declined" comment before we start. Glad we got that out of the way. But this is looking like it's a sad ending to what looked like a great trade for both clubs on paper. I know there will be some disagreement with this, but I absolutely loved the trade. I'm very on record as not caring too much about Nick Madrigal as a player. He was a poor defensive 2B, he wasn't great on the bases, and he had zero power. Sure, he has a lot of value in his bat as someone who you know will make contact in 95%+ of his plate appearances, but I personally prefer someone who will make contact in 80% of their plate appearances and do WAY more damage offensively than Madrigal was capable of. 

It is what it is. I will never ever get pissed at the White Sox for making this move. No, it didn't come close to working out. Kimbrel was flat out bad on the White Sox. I don't know what happened. I don't have the slightest clue. I do know that he was the best reliever in baseball in the 1st half and that he looked like he was his vintage self. I also know that he completely stunk for the Sox and I DEFINITELY know he shouldn't have been closing.

The last part of that paragraph needs its own focus. There are a LOT of White Sox fans that think Kimbrel should have been the closer, in spite of his struggles, and in spite of Hendriks being dominant all year. I don't think so. There is NO WAY I would have just given Kimbrel the ball in the 9th inning with how he was pitching, especially when you compare him to Hendriks.

Shit happens. Pick up the option, trade him, and see what you can get in return. The raw "shit" is still there with Kimbrel, the command was not in his short tenure on the south side. It was bad. That's fixable though and there are still PLENTY of bullets in his arm. I don't have the slightest clue what kinda value he'd have, but once his market sets itself, dish him out, save some money, and fill holes with that saved money elsewhere. 

I'll have a full on off season plan once the World Series is over. Until then, John Cusack can go fuck himself.