White Sox win the offseason - again!

[VAfan]

Don't mean to sound like a cynic with that title. I'm excited by the haul Rick Hahn has gotten for two of the White Sox' most valuable players. And it had to be done. Plus, he's just getting started.

 

I'm just pointing out that for the 3rd year in a row, Rick Hahn has made the most waves at the Winter Meetings, and gotten everyone talking about the White Sox.

 

But then the season comes around, and things haven't worked out so well. Of course, this year, we will at least not have any expectations for on-field success!

 

(On a side note, of the tradeable players, I think Nate Jones is the one who doesn't make much sense, as his value would likely increase if Robertson is moved and Jones proves he can close.)

[greg775]

But then the season comes around, and things haven't worked out so well. Of course, this year, we will at least not have any expectations for on-field success!

Not to beat the dead horse, but you do remember who our manager has been the last few seasons? Yes he was that bad.

[LittleHurt05]

2026

[LittleHurt05]

Not to beat the dead horse, but you do remember who our manager has been the last few seasons? Yes he was that bad.

 

Not to beat the dead horse, but you do realize a manager doesn't add 10-12 wins to a baseball team? Yes he was that insignificant.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Check this s*** out...

 

Of the Top 11 prospects in the system right now... only TWO of them were in this system prior to June.

 

In SIX months, the Sox added 9 of their top 11 to this system. That's an unbelievably quick rebuild, and we still have 2 giant assets (Q, Jones) to trade yet. I honestly think we can acquire 4 or 5 MORE top 100 guys before the season starts. That could put us at 10-11 top 100 prospects. I'm not sure when the last time that was ever the case for any organization.

[Jerksticks]

Check this s*** out...

 

Of the Top 11 prospects in the system right now... only TWO of them were in this system prior to June.

 

In SIX months, the Sox added 9 of their top 11 to this system. That's an unbelievably quick rebuild, and we still have 2 giant assets (Q, Jones) to trade yet. I honestly think we can acquire 4 or 5 MORE top 100 guys before the season starts. That could put us at 10-11 top 100 prospects. I'm not sure when the last time that was ever the case for any organization.

Hell yea, with a payroll of zilch. We are set up to dominate this division for a long time. Does anybody else feel like Minnesota completely whiffed on their rebuild? Their young guys are meh and they don't have pieces to really sell and replenish. Just have to draft their way back.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Jerksticks

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Hell yea, with a payroll of zilch. We are set up to dominate this division for a long time. Does anybody else feel like Minnesota completely whiffed on their rebuild? Their young guys are meh and they don't have pieces to really sell and replenish. Just have to draft their way back.

 

We were in a much better position to rebuild because our major league team was stacked with good players with amazing contracts. Minnesota has to put all their rebuild efforts in their draft and trading Dozier NOW while his value is very high.

[WBWSF]

1)I read where a couple of the pitching prospects the White Sox received the past few days have already had arm injuries. This is what we gave up 2 of our best players for. I wish I could put a better spin on this situation but I can't. I'm really worried that this franchise is going to return to the days of the 1968-1970 White Sox teams. I figure after a couple of 100 loss seasons we might be hearing rumblings of the franchise moving out of state and most people won't care if they leave.

2) I grew up in a family of White Sox fans and Chicago Cardinals fans. My older relatives always talked how the Chicago Cardinals traded off their best players in the late 1950s for bums. They traded future Hall of Famers Ollie Matson and Night Train Lane for a bunch of stiffs. The team was so bad during the 1950s (they averages 2 wins a year during the 1950s) that when they moved to St. Louis there was no sense of loss in the Chicagoland area.

3) I keep reading that the team is going to trade Quintana, Abreu, Cabrera, Robertson and Frazier. I have no doubt if that happens this team might challenge the 1962 Mets as the worse team ever in modern history. Maybe some people want to see this, but I sure don't. This team will become as bad as a expansion team.

4) Some people have posted that the new TV contract comes up before the 2019 season. After 2 bad 2017+2018 seasons does anybody really think that some TV station is going to give the White Sox a big TV contract?

5) I hope my above comments don't depress some people. Believe me, I want nothing better than to be wrong about my feelings. I really fear for the worse for this White Sox franchise. I simply don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Edited December 9, 2016 by WBWSF

[BlackSox13]

As we found out during the '14/'15 off season, the only wins that matter are the ones on the field. That said, it's obvious that what the Sox were doing wasn't working so there was no choice but to try something different. We all know the definition of insanity.

[Mattchoo]

Not to beat the dead horse, but you do realize a manager doesn't add 10-12 wins to a baseball team? Yes he was that insignificant.

 

I disagree with this perspective. Choaching has an affect on what type of adjustments a player make make to thei approach. Coaching has an affect on chemistry and style. These are the sides of the game that affect how individuals may perform. It is difficult to quantify because in the end it is all the performance of the player.

[HeGone7]

1)I read where a couple of the pitching prospects the White Sox received the past few days have already had arm injuries. This is what we gave up 2 of our best players for. I wish I could put a better spin on this situation but I can't. I'm really worried that this franchise is going to return to the days of the 1968-1970 White Sox teams. I figure after a couple of 100 loss seasons we might be hearing rumblings of the franchise moving out of state and most people won't care if they leave.

2) I grew up in a family of White Sox fans and Chicago Cardinals fans. My older relatives always talked how the Chicago Cardinals traded off their best players in the late 1950s for bums. They traded future Hall of Famers Ollie Matson and Night Train Lane for a bunch of stiffs. The team was so bad during the 1950s (they averages 2 wins a year during the 1950s) that when they moved to St. Louis there was no sense of loss in the Chicagoland area.

3) I keep reading that the team is going to trade Quintana, Abreu, Cabrera, Robertson and Frazier. I have no doubt if that happens this team might challenge the 1962 Mets as the worse team ever in modern history. Maybe some people want to see this, but I sure don't. This team will become as bad as a expansion team.

4) Some people have posted that the new TV contract comes up before the 2019 season. After 2 bad 2017+2018 seasons does anybody really think that some TV station is going to give the White Sox a big TV contract?

5) I hope my above comments don't depress some people. Believe me, I want nothing better than to be wrong about my feelings. I really fear for the worse for this White Sox franchise. I simply don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

 

1) In this day and age, TJ is as close to a good thing as you can have for an injury. And while I agree there are concerns, it is related more to their play/projectability that concern me. Everyone is nitpicking the best case scenario on these guys and we're setting ourselves up for failure. We'll see if Coop can right Giolito, harness Kopech and develop the others. I have some faith in our staff with arms but there are quite a few failed experiments as well. The injury part of it is secondary.

 

2) this isnt 1950. There is a science to a lot of what people do now to give them the most informed decision on prospects. This isn't solely an eye test. The Sox have acquired some good pieces. Not nearly enough but some good ones.

 

3) yeah they're going to be bad, but it's for a purpose. Band-aiding teams to win 90 on paper has failed over and over. And people werent coming out in droves then. Additionally, you have from what I understand are two of the best college prospects in the last 15 years in this draft class. The first pick in 2018 will be a an important one. Bryce Harper / Kris Bryant important.

 

4) I agree and disagree. It may hurt but it may help. If you're selling the unknown, having the number 1 farm system is definitely leverage. The life of the contract will cover those kids and their primes, I'm sure no one wants to make a mistake like that if things should pan out.

 

5) Not depressing comments. People need to wake up. Some of us are excited and some aren't, but it's the reality of what is happening and what was needed. But people can't keep going to the extreme's either for their side of the debate. We are not remotely as good as say the Cubs are or were in their farm. Stop talking about Basabe like he is even remotely an elite player. He isn't nor does he project to be. And on the flip side we aren't going to fold up the franchise from sucking. Regardless of everything, this is what they're doing so lets see it play out.

 

[KMule2545]

Hell yea, with a payroll of zilch. We are set up to dominate this division for a long time. Does anybody else feel like Minnesota completely whiffed on their rebuild? Their young guys are meh and they don't have pieces to really sell and replenish. Just have to draft their way back.

 

Yeah, I'm kind of questioning what's going on with Minnesota. Best case for them, Buxton and Sano still become stars or superstars and Max Kepler a good regular. They don't have much else on the MLB team currently in terms of long-term pieces. They've got two more position prospects in Nick Gordon and Alex Kirilloff, but their inability to develop pitching has killed them/will kill them.

[joejoedairy]

I guess this is a good place to post this. Michael Baumann at the Ringer wrote about the sox prospects.

 

LINK

[southsider2k5]

When will they win in season? Check back next decade.

[KMule2545]

When will they win in season? Check back next decade.

 

Very early next decade

[Thad Bosley]

When will they win in season? Check back next decade.

At least we are fairly certain that will happen, given the kind of talent we are now accumulating. Under the approach of the past few seasons, to which you grabbed your pom poms and ran into the street to celebrate, god only knows when we would have stopped being "mired in mediocrity". Now we can at least see some light at the end of the tunnel. The same couldn't be said during the past several years.

[southsider2k5]

At least we are fairly certain that will happen, given the kind of talent we are now accumulating. Under the approach of the past few seasons, to which you grabbed your pom poms and ran into the street to celebrate, god only knows when we would have stopped being "mired in mediocrity". Now we can at least see some light at the end of the tunnel. The same couldn't be said during the past several years.

 

Fairly certain is WAY overstating the case.

[KMule2545]

Fairly certain is WAY overstating the case.

 

Much more certain that we were on Monday. On Monday, we had no present AND no future. Now we're being called a team of the future industry-wide. We're in a much better position and still have 5-7 flippable assets. We'll have the top farm in baseball after moving Q, Frazier, Robertson, Melky, Jennings, and Jones - and it won't even be close.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Ro Da Don

[nickofypres]

I love the rebuild too, but most prospects don't pan out. But the more we add as we sell off other guys, our chances do get better.

 

But, I'm just glad we have a direction and, for now, I'm just going to be optimistic enjoy the potential future.

Edited December 10, 2016 by ypres

[Y2Jimmy0]

When will they win in season? Check back next decade.

 

 

This is insane man. They are setting themselves up nicely to be pretty good and fun in 2019.

[caulfield12]

It's nearly impossible to present a scenario where they competed with the rest of the AL with the likes of Beltran and Fowler getting the money they did.

 

I suppose you could at least argue Trumbo, Bautista or EE at DH would give you a puncher's chance...but who was going to play center and catch?

 

What about Shields? Can you count on Gonzalez to be another 2.5 war guy? Rodon to put it together for a full season? Anderson to improve? Saladino and Lawrie at 2b?

 

Were they simply going to rush Burdi and Collins to fill in holes?

 

What happens when/if Sale, Eaton or Q get/got injured in the process of finishing with 75-83 wins and they're still stuck with another mid teens draft pick?

Edited December 11, 2016 by caulfield12

[Blackout Friday]

They committed to a direction and are thus far executing it brilliantly. This was long overdue.

[LittleHurt05]

Fairly certain is WAY overstating the case.

 

100% accurate. I am all for the rebuilding but it's entirely possible they don't sniff a playoff berth in the next 5 seasons. But they probably wouldn't have with their old strategy either so might as well change it up. But people are a bit too confident in immediate success.

[Polar Bear]

I honestly believe that if the Sox trade Q for a great package then they will have a legit chance to improve on their finish from last year. I can see a 3rd place finish in the division or even 2nd depending on the performance of the prospects when they hit the big leagues.

[Chicago White Sox]

I honestly believe that if the Sox trade Q for a great package then they will have a legit chance to improve on their finish from last year. I can see a 3rd place finish in the division or even 2nd depending on the performance of the prospects when they hit the big leagues.

WTF.