Grading the White Sox: Liam Hendriks

Nov 25, 2022 - 9:39 PM

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At midseason, the SSS staff graded the 46-46 White Sox, from head of the class Dylan Cease all the way down to Dallas Keuchel. We invented a WARsss metric that could very well be just a cute way to trot out our special site grades — but really for all you know could be the product of years of research in a stats lab.

Our expanded report card will take us through everyone who saw time in uniform for the White Sox, plus some front-office types. Most of our writers will take on a couple of players, with final grades and short writeups, running through the end of November. Enjoy!

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Liam Hendriks
Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
Midseason: 4.0 WARsss
Final: 4.85 WARsss

The talented reliever posted excellent numbers in 2022, which is no surprise. Hendriks’ 2.81 ERA was in line with his peripherals (2.59 xERA, 2.68 FIP, 2.64 xFIP), which are often reliable predictors for future performance. Hendriks accumulated 1.6 fWAR, and given how often relief pitchers are off the field, this WAR total puts him on the border of elite territory. Granted, Hendriks is earning elite reliever money, as he made more than $13 million this season. So, Hendriks has more pressure than most to deliver high-quality late innings, and so far, he has delivered.

Hendriks earned a lot of money for a reliever, but he was worth the price. (This is a rare example of a time the White Sox made a sizable investment, and it paid off.) Fans of other teams probably would look at his numbers and not draw any further conclusions. However, especially given the way 2022 shaped up, Hendriks deserves more credit than his pitching statistics. Despite the abundance of talent (at least on paper), the 2022 White Sox lacked energy and excitement. From taking a stand against a ridiculous Supreme Court decision to his fiery statement after the brief hot streak when Miguel Cairo took over (“We need to embrace who we are instead of trying to be that stoic, old-timey baseball player. Show some emotion, get angry and piss everyone off.”), Hendriks was a much-needed source of energy.

If the White Sox had more players like Hendriks, both on and off the field, 2022 would not have played out the way it did.

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2022 White Sox Grades

Liam Hendriks, RHRP, 4.85
Danny Mendick, UTIL, 4.4
Ethan Katz, PIT COACH, 4.3
Tanner Banks, LHRP, 4.27
Andrew Vaughn, “LF,” 4.25
Davis Martin, RHSP, 4.1
Seby Zavala, C, 4.0
Luis Robert, CF, 3.7
Lance Lynn, RHSP, 3.5
Miguel Cairo, Bench Coach/MGR, 3.48
Tim Anderson, SS, 3.43
Kendall Graveman, RHRP, 3.1
Josh Harrison, 2B, 3.0
Gavin Sheets, RF-1B, 2.5
Jake Burger, 3B, 2.2
Romy González, IF, 2.0
Aaron Bummer, LHRP, 1.8
AJ Pollock, OF, 1.3
Matt Foster, RHRP, 1.2
Yoán Moncada, 3B, 0.92
Lenyn Sosa, SS, 0.85
José Ruiz, RHRP, 0.83
Mark Payton, OF, 0.6
Carlos Pérez, C, 0.399
Lucas Giolito, RHSP, 0.392
Adam Engel, OF, 0.237
Vince Velasquez, RHP, -0.4
Reese McGuire, C, -1.1
Kyle Crick, RHRP, -1.65
Joe Kelly, RHRP, -1.75
Daryl Boston, 1B Coach, -2.0
Anderson Severino, LHRP, -2.2
Jerry Reinsdorf, OWN, -2.321
Jake Diekman, LHRP, -2.366
Rick Hahn, GM, -2.401
Bennett Sousa, LHRP, -2.425
Frank Menechino, BAT COACH, -2.469
Yasmani Grandal, C/DH, -2.549
Leury García, UTIL, -2.7
Adam Haseley, OF, -3.146
Joe McEwing, 3B Coach, -3.167
Ryan Burr, RHRP, -3.4
Tony La Russa, MGR, -3.5
Dallas Keuchel, LHSP, -3.9

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