"How the White Sox win the World Series"

[WBWSF]

Honestly, 2018 could be worse than 2017. Our offense will be losing at least two key contributors in Frazier & Melky and maybe even Abreu. The only prospect worth a damn replacing them at the moment is Moncada. That could be a really ugly dropoff. The pitching side should be better with Giolito, Lopez, Fulmer, & Burdi all up, but they'll all have their growing pains and will have to offset any potential contributions from Quintana, Robertson, and possibly Jones this year. That's not a guarantee by any means.

 

We're going to need add a few more near major league prospects and see some fast development for 2018 to be an improvement. This is all assuming they don't plug some holes with legit options in free agency.

I agree with your assessment of the 2018 White Sox. You could have the worse offensive team in MLB. Does anybody really think that JR is going to spend big money on premier free agents? He hasn't done that since he signed Albert Belle.

[Chicago White Sox]

I agree with your assessment of the 2018 White Sox. You could have the worse offensive team in MLB. Does anybody really think that JR is going to spend big money on premier free agents? He hasn't done that since he signed Albert Belle.

I think he will, but it won't be until the following year most likely. Hahn made it clear at SoxFest that the money will be there when the Sox are a few pieces away.

[southsider2k5]

Honestly, 2018 could be worse than 2017. Our offense will be losing at least two key contributors in Frazier & Melky and maybe even Abreu. The only prospect worth a damn replacing them at the moment is Moncada. That could be a really ugly dropoff. The pitching side should be better with Giolito, Lopez, Fulmer, & Burdi all up, but they'll all have their growing pains and will have to offset any potential contributions from Quintana, Robertson, and possibly Jones this year. That's not a guarantee by any means.

 

We're going to need add a few more near major league prospects and see some fast development for 2018 to be an improvement. This is all assuming they don't plug some holes with legit options in free agency.

 

Totally agree. I really see 2018 being our bottom, not 17.

[ChiSox59]

Totally agree. I really see 2018 being our bottom, not 17.

 

Which is why I say take your time with the kids. No reason to blow service time in 2017 (and 18) if the team sucks balls and the player didn't force their way onto the ML roster.

[Thad Bosley]

I think he will, but it won't be until the following year most likely. Hahn made it clear at SoxFest that the money will be there when the Sox are a few pieces away.

Ah, but be careful. The question was would ownership pay for "premier" free agents the next time the Sox are a few pieces away. That exact opportunity presented itself about as good as it could last offseason when Yoenis Cespedes was available, and the team failed to make it happen. You expect a different outcome the next time around with the same ownership and management in place? I hope you are right, but color me skeptical right up until that time when I see it happen.

[GreenSox]

Honestly, 2018 could be worse than 2017.

Probably will be although Melky, Frazier et al will only be contributing for 60% or so of the season if Hahn does his job.

That's fine.

62 wins or 72 wins....no difference if you are actually trying to build a winning organization.

Edited February 18, 2017 by GreenSox

[Chicago White Sox]

Ah, but be careful. The question was would ownership pay for "premier" free agents the next time the Sox are a few pieces away. That exact opportunity presented itself about as good as it could last offseason when Yoenis Cespedes was available, and the team failed to make it happen. You expect a different outcome the next time around with the same ownership and management in place? I hope you are right, but color me skeptical right up until that time when I see it happen.

Completely different situations. In your scenario the Sox were approaching some theoretical payroll threshold, whereas the Sox should have minimal payroll commitments entering the epic 2018/2019 free agent period. What exactly do you think Reinsdorf will do? Not allow Hahn to sign free agents above a certain AAV or for a certain amount of years? I just don't see it unless Hahn is looking to sign an elite pitcher to a crazy long-term contract. Otherwise, I expect Hahn to a fair amount of autonomy on how he spends his budget.

[Jerksticks]

Completely different situations. In your scenario the Sox were approaching some theoretical payroll threshold, whereas the Sox should have minimal payroll commitments entering the epic 2018/2019 free agent period. What exactly do you think Reinsdorf will do? Not allow Hahn to sign free agents above a certain AAV or for a certain amount of years? I just don't see it unless Hahn is looking to sign an elite pitcher to a crazy long-term contract. Otherwise, I expect Hahn to a fair amount of autonomy on how he spends his budget.

Yes I agree. When your opening day payroll projects to be $20-$30M, you have some wiggle room.

[Thad Bosley]

Completely different situations. In your scenario the Sox were approaching some theoretical payroll threshold, whereas the Sox should have minimal payroll commitments entering the epic 2018/2019 free agent period. What exactly do you think Reinsdorf will do? Not allow Hahn to sign free agents above a certain AAV or for a certain amount of years? I just don't see it unless Hahn is looking to sign an elite pitcher to a crazy long-term contract. Otherwise, I expect Hahn to a fair amount of autonomy on how he spends his budget.

What I'm saying is that I don't expect current ownership to change course from nearly 40 years of precedence and suddenly compete for the "elite" talent that will be available at the time when it's deemed the team will only be a few pieces away from seriously competing.

 

Oh, they'll spread some cash across the mid-tier types like whoever the Melky and LaRoche equivalents are at that point in time, and there should be enough payroll to avoid the embarrassing kind of dumpster dive signings that were made last offseason. But the "elite" talent, the Bryce Harpers and Clayton Kerhsaws of the world and so on? No way.

 

You can count on one hand and still have a finger or two leftover of those types of signings made by the Sox over the past four decades. Just don't see it happening unless there is a new owner in place when the time comes.

[steveno89]

Totally agree. I really see 2018 being our bottom, not 17.

 

2017 and 2018 are going to be rough, rebuilding seasons

 

By 2019 we should be trending in the right direction, even if still a losing team

 

We obviously need additional position player talent that will need to come in via the draft, as well as shrewd trades

 

Quintana / Robertson / Jones / Abreu are our remaining trade chips that could bring a significant return

 

I can't see us getting much back in exchange for Melky, Frazier or Lawrie at this point

[ChiSox1917]

If we are looking at the roster as currently constructed, plus the minors as currently constructed we have zero offense in our future and barely any in our pipeline. If our hitters are coming from prospect trades and the draft this team is at least next decade away.

 

Collins, Anderson, Moncada, and Basabe are all in the pipeline. If one of Fisher, Call, Engel, or Tilson hits, that's not a bad pipeline. But I'm in the camp of going all out for Machado when he hits free agency, and there's always the chance that Abreu is still a productive DH into his mid to late 30's.

[southsider2k5]

Collins, Anderson, Moncada, and Basabe are all in the pipeline. If one of Fisher, Call, Engel, or Tilson hits, that's not a bad pipeline. But I'm in the camp of going all out for Machado when he hits free agency, and there's always the chance that Abreu is still a productive DH into his mid to late 30's.

 

When you look at the offense we have now, and realize we gave up Eaton, and will be losing Frazier in the next year, plus Abreu before we are good again, that isn't very much help.

 

Not being able to add in any offense this winter (really Moncada in with Eaton out is probably close to a wash long term) just means another year of rebuilding and looking for offense on the back side of this.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

When you look at the offense we have now, and realize we gave up Eaton, and will be losing Frazier in the next year, plus Abreu before we are good again, that isn't very much help.

 

Not being able to add in any offense this winter (really Moncada in with Eaton out is probably close to a wash long term) just means another year of rebuilding and looking for offense on the back side of this.

After the Sale and Eaton trades, I'm glad they didn't add any offense via FA this winter. I hope they do the same next offseason. This team is at least 2-3 years away from competing so might as well save that $ for when it is really needed like two winters from now. At some point, they do need to unload Q, Jones, and Robertson for position player prospects though. While it may be realistic to sign two players like Brian Dozier and Wilson Ramos two years from now, they are going to need a lot more than that to compete even if guys like Anderson, Collins, and Moncada are contributing.

[greg775]

After the Sale and Eaton trades, I'm glad they didn't add any offense via FA this winter. I hope they do the same next offseason. This team is at least 2-3 years away from competing so might as well save that $ for when it is really needed like two winters from now. At some point, they do need to unload Q, Jones, and Robertson for position player prospects though. While it may be realistic to sign two players like Brian Dozier and Wilson Ramos two years from now, they are going to need a lot more than that to compete even if guys like Anderson, Collins, and Moncada are contributing.

Save that money?? The White Sox?? I think they will enjoy the low payroll. Hopefully the fans won't come and won't buy any merchanidise and speed the rebuild which IMO is off to a slow slow start.

[steveno89]

After the Sale and Eaton trades, I'm glad they didn't add any offense via FA this winter. I hope they do the same next offseason. This team is at least 2-3 years away from competing so might as well save that $ for when it is really needed like two winters from now. At some point, they do need to unload Q, Jones, and Robertson for position player prospects though. While it may be realistic to sign two players like Brian Dozier and Wilson Ramos two years from now, they are going to need a lot more than that to compete even if guys like Anderson, Collins, and Moncada are contributing.

 

Rebuilding is going to be a multi year process

 

The organization will look different 12 months from now than it does today with the draft, trades, shrewd signings, player development, etc.

 

We certainly have a long way to go with bats, but everyone has to like us stockpiling young arms with high upside

 

The Sox are in a great payroll position moving forward, with very little on the books past the next couple seasons once Frazier, Melky and Shields are gone

 

They certainly will have enough to add to the roster via free agency, but building from within will be important too. It's not just about the near future within 5 years, but building an organization from the ground up that is capable of sustained success for the long term as well.

 

 

[BlackSox13]

Rebuilding is going to be a multi year process

 

The organization will look different 12 months from now than it does today with the draft, trades, shrewd signings, player development, etc.

 

We certainly have a long way to go with bats, but everyone has to like us stockpiling young arms with high upside

 

The Sox are in a great payroll position moving forward, with very little on the books past the next couple seasons once Frazier, Melky and Shields are gone

 

They certainly will have enough to add to the roster via free agency, but building from within will be important too. It's not just about the near future within 5 years, but building an organization from the ground up that is capable of sustained success for the long term as well.

Agree with everything you say. Glad the Sox are rebuilding the entire organization from rookie ball to the big League club. If they do this right, and I do believe in Hahn, then we won't be hearing "retooling/rebuilding on the fly" as well as " three year window" in the future. Imo, the White Sox goal is to have a sustainable farm to rely on much like the Cardinals have. There's been on alot of focus from the FO on scouting, drafting and player development but it's still in the early stages. Looking at the last few drafts it's easy to see the Sox have changed their approach on drafting hitters from toolsy position players to high contact/OBP position players and I really like it. Sox fans just need to be patient while these players develop over the next few years.