Who Should Be In The Lineup Next Year?

[witesoxfan]

I have a feeling they are looking at making a free agent splash this offseason. KC is not going to let Hosmer walk, but that could open Moustakas up to be swiped. 4 years/$80m seems reasonable for both sides, if not a little bit of a bargain for the Sox. Free agency isn't what it used to be, though.

 

dh Davidson/Delmonico/Gillaspie (or Abreu and one of these guys plays the field)

c Narvaez/Smith (perhaps a FA)

1b Abreu

2b Moncada

ss Anderson

3b Moustakas

lf Delmonico/Cordell/Polo

cf Engel/Leury (possible FA)

rf Avi

 

Gotta like that infield, especially if Anderson figures it out. Sox don't have much at 3b really, if Burger mashes his way to the majors the DH spot can be used to get him AB's.

 

Considering what the pitching staff will look like, I think signing anyone to a significant contract would be a mistake. They will stick with 1 and 2 year deals and will flip those guys at the deadline.

[SCCWS]

I think Moustakas has hit the jackpot with the timing of this season in which he's become a power hitter deluxe. Boston or the Yankees figure to offer more than 4 years 80 million. Don't you think he's headed to Boston for money we can't even imagine?

 

I don't. Boston has brought Devers up and even if they send him back to AAA, 3B will be his next ST to lose. I don't see Boston spending mega bucks on another 3B. If Moustakas could play 1B, that is another story but his whole career has been at 3B.

 

[Chicago White Sox]

I have a feeling they are looking at making a free agent splash this offseason. KC is not going to let Hosmer walk, but that could open Moustakas up to be swiped. 4 years/$80m seems reasonable for both sides, if not a little bit of a bargain for the Sox. Free agency isn't what it used to be, though.

 

dh Davidson/Delmonico/Gillaspie (or Abreu and one of these guys plays the field)

c Narvaez/Smith (perhaps a FA)

1b Abreu

2b Moncada

ss Anderson

3b Moustakas

lf Delmonico/Cordell/Polo

cf Engel/Leury (possible FA)

rf Avi

 

Gotta like that infield, especially if Anderson figures it out. Sox don't have much at 3b really, if Burger mashes his way to the majors the DH spot can be used to get him AB's.

You are going to be in for a world of dissapointment next year.

[Wanne]

I have a feeling they are looking at making a free agent splash this offseason. KC is not going to let Hosmer walk, but that could open Moustakas up to be swiped. 4 years/$80m seems reasonable for both sides, if not a little bit of a bargain for the Sox. Free agency isn't what it used to be, though.

 

dh Davidson/Delmonico/Gillaspie (or Abreu and one of these guys plays the field)

c Narvaez/Smith (perhaps a FA)

1b Abreu

2b Moncada

ss Anderson

3b Moustakas

lf Delmonico/Cordell/Polo

cf Engel/Leury (possible FA)

rf Avi

 

Gotta like that infield, especially if Anderson figures it out. Sox don't have much at 3b really, if Burger mashes his way to the majors the DH spot can be used to get him AB's.

 

Nah...I can't possibly see any FA acquisitions unless it's pitching fill-ins like a Holland or MGo type throwers...and maybe some bullpen fodder. I'd love to see Polo up...and I'd imagine Cordell will get a very long look too. Seems like a complete waste even considering Asche...the should just let him go at some point and quit wasting everyone's time.

 

[BaconOnAStick]

Yankees need to spend more on pitching and really need to start thinking now about the Harper sweepstakes. They could go after Moustakas, but I would doubt it.

 

Boston will not complicate their 3b situation needlessly. They'll go into next season with Devers as the starter and a utility acquisition as insurance.

[BaconOnAStick]

You are going to be in for a world of dissapointment next year.

There is absolutely no reason to give up on 2018. If they do I lose a lot of faith in the future.

 

But knowing what I know about Hahn, Kenny and Jerry I think they feel the way I do. The farm is loaded, they have talented players set to be arriving at a consistent pace and tons of money to spend. They can seize a weak division in 2018 if they get a couple breaks, but the goal should be .500 baseball.

[Chicago White Sox]

There is absolutely no reason to give up on 2018. If they do I lose a lot of faith in the future.

 

But knowing what I know about Hahn, Kenny and Jerry I think they feel the way I do. The farm is loaded, they have talented players set to be arriving at a consistent pace and tons of money to spend. They can seize a weak division in 2018 if they get a couple breaks, but the goal should be .500 baseball.

I don't know how you can look at our roster and see a team that could "seize a weak division" next year. Next year will likely be just as ugly as this year and that will be good for rebuild. The first wave of talent will get a chance to work through their growing pains, multiple fringy prospects will get everyday opportunities and perhaps we find a diamond or two in the rough, and we'll end up with another high draft & huge bonus pool to infuse even more talent into the system. And please don't say we have enough talent, you can NEVER have enough talent the first year of a rebuild.

 

Doing some halfass "going for it" strategy next year would be disastrous and could have a negative long-term impact on the rebuild. I hate losing as much as anyone here, but you seem unable to accept what next year needs to be and that's ugly.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Chicago White Sox

[beautox]

I think both Yolmer & Avisail are gone before the start of the season.

 

DH - Abreu

C - Narvaez*

1B - Gillaspie#

2B - Moncada#

SS - Anderson

3B - Davidson

LF - W. Garcia

CF - Engel

RF - Garcia#

 

SP - Rodon*

SP - Shields

SP - Santiago* - FA

SP - Lopez

SP - Giolito

 

CL - Jones

SU - Petricka

SU - Goldberg

MR - Rule V

MR - FA

LO - Bummer*

LR - Danish

 

C - Smith

UT - Hanson#

UT - Delmonico*

OF - Tilson* if healthy if not Cordell

[Chicago White Sox]

I just don't see Gillaspie making the opening day roster. He'd have to absolutely kill it in spring training and at this point I don't understand why that should be expected. I think they'll use Abreu as the primary 1B next year and use the DH spot to get bunch of guys playing time. Given that Gillaspie offers no positional versatility, it's pretty much start or best for him IMO. I fully expect him to have to prove himself in AAA for a few months to get an everyday opportunity with the Sox.

[BaconOnAStick]

When people say they will be worse next year I wonder if they understand what that means for the players everyone is counting on for the future. For them to actually get worse would require that Moncada, Gioltio and Lopez (not to mention midseason arrivals like Kopech and Jimenez and the tier below guys like Polo, Cordell, Delmonico etc) are basically all 0.0 WAR players. That's not good. That puts the rebuild in serious peril if nobody they call up is worth anything.

 

 

[Eminor3rd]

My guess at the lineup:

 

C - Omar Narvaez, since all of the catching prospects are in A-ball.

1B - Abreu/Casey Gillaspie

2B - Moncada

SS - Anderson

3B - Davidson/Sanchez

LF - Leury

CF - Engel

RF - Avi

DH - Abreu/Davidson

 

Oh, boy.

 

Yep, we gon' lose.

[Chicago White Sox]

When people say they will be worse next year I wonder if they understand what that means for the players everyone is counting on for the future. For them to actually get worse would require that Moncada, Gioltio and Lopez (not to mention midseason arrivals like Kopech and Jimenez and the tier below guys like Polo, Cordell, Delmonico etc) are basically all 0.0 WAR players. That's not good. That puts the rebuild in serious peril if nobody they call up is worth anything.

Those players will essentially be rookies and there will be a learning curve. The rest of the roster will be filled with question marks outside of a handful of good players. Unless Moncada, Lopez, & Giolito are stars from the get go, this team will not sniff .500 next year. And that's simply not a realistic expectation. Hope they prove me wrong though, but if they don't, it does not mean the rebuild is doomed.

[beautox]

Even in the best case scenario where the '18 white sox pull off a '06 marlins I don't see us breaking .500; the marlins finished 78-84 with a pythag of 80-82 and a negative run differential of 14.

[Quin]

Yep, we gon' lose.

 

UNLESS

 

C - Omar Narvaez just keeps doing Omar

1B - Abreu hits like he just learned Ron made a thread about him

2B - Moncada is promised a box of twinkies for every hit

SS - Anderson rebounds to last year, tweets out that he loves Fathom.

3B - Davidson, idk, Mark Reynolds

LF - Leury continues being super Leury

CF - Engel thinks he's actually back in the AFL

RF - Avi hits like All-Star Avi

DH - Casey Gillaspie thinks he's Conor in the NLCS against the Cubs

 

[Chicago White Sox]

Those players will essentially be rookies and there will be a learning curve. The rest of the roster will be filled with question marks outside of a handful of good players. Unless Moncada, Lopez, & Giolito are stars from the get go, this team will not sniff .500 next year. And that's simply not a realistic expectation. Hope they prove me wrong though, but if they don't, it does not mean the rebuild is doomed.

 

[Lillian]

UNLESS

 

C - Omar Narvaez just keeps doing Omar

1B - Abreu hits like he just learned Ron made a thread about him

2B - Moncada is promised a box of twinkies for every hit

SS - Anderson rebounds to last year, tweets out that he loves Fathom.

3B - Davidson, idk, Mark Reynolds

LF - Leury continues being super Leury

CF - Engel thinks he's actually back in the AFL

RF - Avi hits like All-Star Avi

DH - Casey Gillaspie thinks he's Conor in the NLCS against the Cubs

 

 

How fun!! I love it. The only thing you forgot was that awful pitching staff, unless all the young arms are prematurely called up, and somehow win a "joint" Rookie of the Year award.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Lillian

[witesoxfan]

When people say they will be worse next year I wonder if they understand what that means for the players everyone is counting on for the future. For them to actually get worse would require that Moncada, Gioltio and Lopez (not to mention midseason arrivals like Kopech and Jimenez and the tier below guys like Polo, Cordell, Delmonico etc) are basically all 0.0 WAR players. That's not good. That puts the rebuild in serious peril if nobody they call up is worth anything.

 

Of players traded already:

 

Quintana - 2 WAR

Swarzak - 1.7 WAR

Kahnle - 1.4 WAR

Frazier - 1 WAR

Robertson - 0.8 WAR

 

 

That's about 7 WAR. The Sox are currently on pace to lose about 100 games. Those players you mentioned could just as easily combine for 7 WAR, which would be phenomenal for their development, and the Sox are still at square one record wise.

 

That's not including guys like Melky and Gonzalez, who will also be gone next year.

 

This team will be bad next year and that is OK. The key is that they are a much better team at game 162 than they are at game 1, which is exactly the opposite of this season, which was the intention all along.

[BaconOnAStick]

Those players will essentially be rookies and there will be a learning curve. The rest of the roster will be filled with question marks outside of a handful of good players. Unless Moncada, Lopez, & Giolito are stars from the get go, this team will not sniff .500 next year. And that's simply not a realistic expectation. Hope they prove me wrong though, but if they don't, it does not mean the rebuild is doomed.

They need to be literally worthless for the Sox to be as bad next year as they are this year. Look at the production they are replacing, you expect the difference between Yoan Moncada and Tyler Saladino to be negligible? If you do that's fine, but that also means you think this whole rebuild is screwed. If Giolito and Lopez are as bad as Pelfrey I'm going to be alarmed. If Rodon and Anderson continue to be terrible I'll be ready to write them off completely.

 

I think there is a board-wide desire to see the team be bad but the players be good. Thats certainly possible, but I think it's far more likely that players playing well will lead to wins. Or conversely, players playing poorly lead to losses. And it almost certainly not work out so conveniently that everyone you want to look good next year will look good, and everyone you don't care about will be so terrible that they drag the team down. "Good" is a binary scale, and taking into account the expectations for next I would say .500 would cross the "good" threshold. I would much rather Moncada, Giolito, Lopez, Kopech etc. carry this team to respectability than us accrue more bonus pool or high draft picks. In fact, if they don't and this team continues to be embarrassing, I'll start having doubts about whether the Sox have done the right thing.

[BaconOnAStick]

Of players traded already:

 

Quintana - 2 WAR

Swarzak - 1.7 WAR

Kahnle - 1.4 WAR

Frazier - 1 WAR

Robertson - 0.8 WAR

 

 

That's about 7 WAR. The Sox are currently on pace to lose about 100 games. Those players you mentioned could just as easily combine for 7 WAR, which would be phenomenal for their development, and the Sox are still at square one record wise.

 

That's not including guys like Melky and Gonzalez, who will also be gone next year.

 

This team will be bad next year and that is OK. The key is that they are a much better team at game 162 than they are at game 1, which is exactly the opposite of this season, which was the intention all along.

There's a lot more to baseball than just adding/subtracting WAR numbers. This year's team has clearly quit, they are fine with being walked all over. WAR is not going to capture the aura of dread that surrounds the current squad.

 

It's ok to have one season like this, but losing is a plague. I dont think it's a good idea to have an MVP talent like Moncada waste his service time on a team that won't be trying to contend this decade.

[Soha]

There is absolutely no reason to give up on 2018. If they do I lose a lot of faith in the future.

 

But knowing what I know about Hahn, Kenny and Jerry I think they feel the way I do. The farm is loaded, they have talented players set to be arriving at a consistent pace and tons of money to spend. They can seize a weak division in 2018 if they get a couple breaks, but the goal should be .500 baseball.

 

My guess has been that they only spent $50 million on Luis Robert, because they knew the payroll would be vastly lower for at least next year. In other words, I think they re-allocated some of next year's payroll to sign him.

[witesoxfan]

There's a lot more to baseball than just adding/subtracting WAR numbers. This year's team has clearly quit, they are fine with being walked all over. WAR is not going to capture the aura of dread that surrounds the current squad.

 

It's ok to have one season like this, but losing is a plague. I dont think it's a good idea to have an MVP talent like Moncada waste his service time on a team that won't be trying to contend this decade.

 

I don't know what more you want me to tell you. They aren't going to make any big splashes, and having an uber talented player like Moncada develop at the MLB level is just as important.

 

They are going to have two seasons like this where they lose close to 100 games. The Astros lost 324 games between 2011-2013, which is an average of 108 per season. That is one of the worst stretches a team has probably ever had in MLB history, but they started with literally almost nothing - they didn't have assets to trade from the MLB level and didn't have much in the minors. They lost 92 in 2014, and then won the division in 2015.

 

To correlate this to the White Sox, figure the White Sox are in the 2nd year of the Astros losing phase. They are going to be bad again next year, and 2019 will show signs of life with them ready to take off in 2020.

[BaconOnAStick]

The So have like 10 top 100 prospects, 3 of which are top 10 caliber, and a top 3 pick in 2018 all but sewn up. There is no way the Astros compiled that kind of talent after one draft.

 

But hey, if you want to run with the Astros comparison...do you think it's worth punting an entire season of baseball to get ourselves a Mark Appel?

[Quin]

The So have like 10 top 100 prospects, 3 of which are top 10 caliber, and a top 3 pick in 2018 all but sewn up. There is no way the Astros compiled that kind of talent after one draft.

 

But hey, if you want to run with the Astros comparison...do you think it's worth punting an entire season of baseball to get ourselves a Mark Appel?

 

I think the Sox are less likely to get cute and would have taken Rodon over Aiken. As for Appel, well, Kris Bryant went number two. Is it worth getting him?

 

Or back to back, is it worth punting a season to get...Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper?

[witesoxfan]

The So have like 10 top 100 prospects, 3 of which are top 10 caliber, and a top 3 pick in 2018 all but sewn up. There is no way the Astros compiled that kind of talent after one draft.

 

But hey, if you want to run with the Astros comparison...do you think it's worth punting an entire season of baseball to get ourselves a Mark Appel?

 

It doesn't matter what I think, the White Sox are not going to be good next year.

[BaconOnAStick]

I think the Sox are less likely to get cute and would have taken Rodon over Aiken. As for Appel, well, Kris Bryant went number two. Is it worth getting him?

 

Or back to back, is it worth punting a season to get...Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper?

If Bryce Harper was in the 2019 draft you'd know it already.