White Sox grades for the first term of the 2019 season

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The White Sox are currently sitting with a record of 13-15.  I believe most White Sox fans are okay with that.  The Sox have had some especially good production from some position players at the start of the season.  Some of that may not be sustainable, but some of it may be.  As a team, I’d give the Sox a grade of B-.  A lot of that is based on low expectations.  The Sox have also played a cream puff schedule.  Having said all that, here are grades for Sox position players through May 1.

James McCann: A. James currently has an OPS of .907.  I didn’t see that coming and I doubt anybody else did.  McCann also has a defensive WAR of 0.2.  At the present, his WAR sits at 0.9.  He’s playing at an all star level.  The Sox improved start to the 2019 season is based, in part of McCann’s play.

Jose Abreu: A.  I’m shocked I’m giving Jose this grade.  Up until recently he was having his usual slow April, then he started going berserk with the bat.  Jose currently leads the AL in RBIs with 30.  He's still a liability with the glove, but he’s out hitting his sins in the field.

Yolmer Sanchez: D.  Yolmer had an absolutely terrible start to the season in the plate and in the field.  His early season glove woes contributed to a couple of Sox losses.  His WAR is 0.0.  It seems like it should be lower. 

Tim Anderson: B+.  Tim leads the AL in batting average with a mark of .365.  He also leads the AL in stolen bases and has hit six home runs.  His OPS is .917.  All of that is great.  The bad thing is he’s committed eight errors and is second in the AL in that category.  His defensive WAR is an abysmal 0.6.  His overall WAR, however, is 0.7.  Tim’s glove is holding him back from being an elite shortstop.

Yoan Moncada: B+.  Has Yoan really turned the corner?  I hope so.  Yoan is currently hitting .301 with a .908 OPS and six home runs.  His strikeouts are still high but down a bit from last year.  Right now is WAR is at 1.0.  Last season it was 2.0.  That’s progress.

Eloy Jimenez: C. Honestly, it should probably be incomplete, but I wanted to give him something.  Eloy looks like he will be a horse has a hitter and something less than a gazelle has a fielder.  The power is prodigious and he looks like more than a feast or famine guy.

Adam Engle: C.  I tend to be hard on Adam because I think he Sox should have replaced him by now.  Engle does have a legitimate glove and great speed, there’s just not much offense there.  His OPS is .677 but his defensive WAR is 0.3.  Overall his WAR is 0.2.  Adam belongs on a big league roster, but he’s seeing too much playing time for any team wanting to be good.

Ryan Cordell: D.  Well, he’s been better than Dan “Beer Barrel” Palka, but that’s a low bar.  Ryan has seen limited playing time but has hit two homers in 42 at bats with an OPS of .731.  Ryan is obviously a place holder, but has helped a little in the meantime.

Yonder Alonso: D+.  Having failed as Machado bait, Alonso will help the Sox with his bat.  The immediate returns aren’t impressive, though I expect they’ll improve.  Yonder’s OPS is only .696 but he’s driven in 16 runs and drawn 16 walks against 19 strikeouts.  That’s a refreshing ratio to see in the White Sox lineup.

Leury Garcia: B.  Leury’s versatility helps the Sox and he has some speed and a little pop in his bat.  His numbers seem strange to me. His OPS isn’t particularly good at .692 but his WAR is strong at 0.8. I think the Sox are a better team when he’s in the lineup.

Welington Castillo D.  Beef is off to a slow start with the bat, hitting only .189 with an OPS of .668.  That’s not such a big deal due to the start McCann has had.  Still, look for Welington to pick it up.

Jose Rondon. C .  Jose is basically a standard issue utility guy.  A .748 OPS and a WAR of 0.1 are about par for the course in the role Rondon is expected to play, so thus his grade.