White Sox unlikely to chase big free agents

[WBWSF]

Because next years free agent class is significantly better than this years, and why lose picks this year for lesser players that will make you marginally better?

 

It isnt hard to figure out, but you just want to dive right back into the mediocrity that we suffered through from 2007 through 2016

Next years free agent class might be better and those players will be super expensive. Does anybody really think that JR is going to throw out big money for them?

 

[Kyyle23]

Next years free agent class might be better and those players will be super expensive. Does anybody really think that JR is going to throw out big money for them?

 

You think the guys you mentioned will be cheap?

[Balta1701]

Next years free agent class might be better and those players will be super expensive. Does anybody really think that JR is going to throw out big money for them?

If we're not willing to do so, then we've missed the point of these trades.

[bmags]

If there is a plan that I like including FAs this year, it's spending to get top BP arms now and then spending big on the class next year. In the BP arms case, truly feel we could get rid of them if needed even if they are lesser performing.

[Balta1701]

If there is a plan that I like including FAs this year, it's spending to get top BP arms now and then spending big on the class next year. In the BP arms case, truly feel we could get rid of them if needed even if they are lesser performing.

I feel like the real trick this year is to try to find a Kahnle/Swarzak/Morrow/Wade Davis/Andrew Miller - a guy who is picked up for little cost who then breaks out in a relief role. There's a bunch of them around, but it seems like they come out of no where every year. If you find 1 or 2 of those in the next 2 seasons and then you throw in the one big money FA next to them, then you have the strong core of a bullpen.

 

I'd like to go and sign like 3 or 4 guys who have ERAs above 4 as starters or relievers for moderately small money and see if 1 or 2 of them can break out into what Swarzak did last year. That or grab a guy or two in trades who similarly has some chance of breaking out.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Even for a rebuilding team, there is nothing wrong with signing a guy like Addison Reed as their "premier" FA acquisition this off-season. Won't lose a pick and the commitment should be relatively small (4 years $36MM MLBTR prediction) for someone that can actually close games over the next few years. Right now they have a bunch of guys that are unproven or just bad (most fall in the just bad category). It can take a few years to build a strong bullpen anyways so why not start now? Especially if there are any plans to start competing in 2019/2020.

[Lillian]

Oh, I thought you meant Addy with the Reed and assumed he was a FA.

 

Anywho, I don't want a utility outfielder. Throw Engel and Leury out in CF and see if one of them can hold the job, and Tilson's shattered body, Polo, May, and Willy Garcia give enough depth there that I don't see why we need the extra warm body, at least for 2018.

 

Don't forget Cordell, who may be near the top of the list of internal candidates.

[steveno89]

Even for a rebuilding team, there is nothing wrong with signing a guy like Addison Reed as their "premier" FA acquisition this off-season. Won't lose a pick and the commitment should be relatively small (4 years $36MM MLBTR prediction) for someone that can actually close games over the next few years. Right now they have a bunch of guys that are unproven or just bad (most fall in the just bad category). It can take a few years to build a strong bullpen anyways so why not start now? Especially if there are any plans to start competing in 2019/2020.

 

Perhaps inquire about Reed, but I feel like he will have higher demand from contenders looking to add bullpen help? Plenty of suitors will likely increase his price tag beyond what we want to spend right now.

[southsider2k5]

Even for a rebuilding team, there is nothing wrong with signing a guy like Addison Reed as their "premier" FA acquisition this off-season. Won't lose a pick and the commitment should be relatively small (4 years $36MM MLBTR prediction) for someone that can actually close games over the next few years. Right now they have a bunch of guys that are unproven or just bad (most fall in the just bad category). It can take a few years to build a strong bullpen anyways so why not start now? Especially if there are any plans to start competing in 2019/2020.

 

Let me spin that around and ask why Reed would want to sign here unless we overbid for him?

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Let me spin that around and ask why Reed would want to sign here unless we overbid for him?

Locked into the closing role for the next two years at a minimum, familiarity with the city, organization, and pitching coach, and prospects of winning a championship starting in 2019. I don't see why the White Sox wouldn't have as good of a shot as the next team if they match the highest bid. I'm guessing most contending teams (except perhaps the Cubs) view him as a setup man rather than closer.

 

I think signing someone that can close games is the number one priority this off-season. Whether that's Reed, Swarzak, Morrow, Minor, Cishek or some combination of those guys I don't care. But it's demoralizing for a young team if you are constantly blowing leads in the late innings.

[Eminor3rd]

Bullpen arms of Addison Reed's quality are available every winter. No reason to buy now and burn the best year or two hoping they asset doesn't depreciate.

[greg775]

How do you STILL not get this? It's a matter of TIMING.

 

TIMING, greg. Not being cheap. Spending money at the RIGHT TIME. No one gives a flying f*** about how rich Jerry Reinsdorf is. No one ever has. No one ever will.

I hope your post is true.

 

Next year and/or the year after, JR will open the wallet. The Sox will have a better idea where their prospects are at, and what they are going to be. Hopefully, many will reach their potential. It's just fact some of these rebuilds are going to spectacularly fail.

I hope that's true. Once a payroll is as low as the Sox and the money pours in, it'll be pretty easy for the owners to keep a tiny payroll and enjoy all the money rolling in. Especially if the young guys are good. Sox can claim rebuild is working while spending pennies. Hope they do what's right next offseason. Don't forget ... wait til next year is a sad saying in sports and it seems to me we have a lot of undemanding fans who love the idea of "wait til next year" or "wait til 2020 through 25."

Edited November 7, 2017 by greg775

[BlackSox13]

Reed is going to get offers from teams that will contend in 2018. There's no reason for him to want to sign with a rebuilding White Sox team that just traded their closer and setup guy 3+ months ago. Not even an overpay is going to bring Reed to the White Sox.

[southsider2k5]

Locked into the closing role for the next two years at a minimum, familiarity with the city, organization, and pitching coach, and prospects of winning a championship starting in 2019. I don't see why the White Sox wouldn't have as good of a shot as the next team if they match the highest bid. I'm guessing most contending teams (except perhaps the Cubs) view him as a setup man rather than closer.

 

I think signing someone that can close games is the number one priority this off-season. Whether that's Reed, Swarzak, Morrow, Minor, Cishek or some combination of those guys I don't care. But it's demoralizing for a young team if you are constantly blowing leads in the late innings.

 

He has other organizations he can close for, he is familiar with, other pitching coaches who he is familiar with, and teams that can win a title in 2018. Anything the Sox can offer, someone else can offer more of.

[Dick Allen]

I hope your post is true.

 

 

I hope that's true. Once a payroll is as low as the Sox and the money pours in, it'll be pretty easy for the owners to keep a tiny payroll and enjoy all the money rolling in. Especially if the young guys are good. Sox can claim rebuild is working while spending pennies. Hope they do what's right next offseason. Don't forget ... wait til next year is a sad saying in sports and it seems to me we have a lot of undemanding fans who love the idea of "wait til next year" or "wait til 2020 through 25."

I will agree that it is very surprising the percentage of fans who think there is about a 0% failure rate on a rebuild. Hopefully it all works out. They do have a few really good looking prospects.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Bullpen arms of Addison Reed's quality are available every winter. No reason to buy now and burn the best year or two hoping they asset doesn't depreciate.

Agree to disagree. I don't view next year as a waste for Reed on the Sox. Would be nice to have a steady bullpen arm at the back end to close games for a young team full of unknowns in the pen. If one of those unknowns emerges as a potential closer in the next couple years you can always slide Reed back to his setup role. 4 years/$36MM is not a large commitment by today's standards (assuming that's his price tag). Consider the White Sox traded 4 relievers just last season alone (Swarzak, Jennings, Robertson, Kahnle), there is plenty of room to sign a couple this offseason and a couple next. I don't think signing Reed this offseason precludes them from acquiring a couple more next winter.

[BlackSox13]

Also, for those whining about the JR being cheap. See a 19 year old kid named Luis Robert whom the Sox just invested a total of 52M in.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

He has other organizations he can close for, he is familiar with, other pitching coaches who he is familiar with, and teams that can win a title in 2018. Anything the Sox can offer, someone else can offer more of.

Like who? Boston is set at closer. The Mets aren't contending in 2018. And I highly doubt the Diamondbacks (or Reed for matter) have any interest in reuniting considering the way their first run together went.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Reed is going to get offers from teams that will contend in 2018. There's no reason for him to want to sign with a rebuilding White Sox team that just traded their closer and setup guy 3+ months ago. Not even an overpay is going to bring Reed to the White Sox.

Many said the same thing about David Robertson in 2014....

[steveno89]

Agree to disagree. I don't view next year as a waste for Reed on the Sox. Would be nice to have a steady bullpen arm at the back end to close games for a young team full of unknowns in the pen. If one of those unknowns emerges as a potential closer in the next couple years you can always slide Reed back to his setup role. 4 years/$36MM is not a large commitment by today's standards (assuming that's his price tag). Consider the White Sox traded 4 relievers just last season alone (Swarzak, Jennings, Robertson, Kahnle), there is plenty of room to sign a couple this offseason and a couple next. I don't think signing Reed this offseason precludes them from acquiring a couple more next winter.

 

Why buy now when we do not expect to compete in 2018 though?

 

There are relievers on Reed's level available every year, why not buy next offseason when we have a good idea of what we will need?

 

Why wouldn't he go to a contender unless we overpay significantly?

 

We need to face the fact that this will not be a splashy offseason whatsoever, expect bargain bin shopping.

[BlackSox13]

Many said the same thing about David Robertson in 2014....

Like who?

 

The 2014 White Sox were not rebuilding. Look at the roster then and now. It's vastly different.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Why buy now when we do not expect to compete in 2018 though?

 

There are relievers on Reed's level available every year, why not buy next offseason when we have a good idea of what we will need?

 

Why wouldn't he go to a contender unless we overpay significantly?

 

We need to face the fact that this will not be a splashy offseason whatsoever, expect bargain bin shopping.

It generally takes a few years to build a strong bullpen. There is next to nothing to work with on the current depth chart. They are basically starting over. Why not start adding legitimate pieces now when the goal is to contend starting in 2019? Or does everyone expect to build an entire bullpen next offseason? Ideally, you lock in a proven closer now and then hope others emerge next year as solid 6-8th inning guys. If they don't, then you need to sign additional proven late inning relievers next year. They will probably need to add another 2 or 3 proven arms regardless. If they end up with 5 guys that can close after next season, great! Can never have enough late inning relievers, especially in the playoffs.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Like who?

 

The 2014 White Sox were not rebuilding. Look at the roster then and now. It's vastly different.

They were coming off a 89 loss season in 2014. Do you honestly believe DRob thought he was coming to a contender?

[BlackSox13]

They were coming off a 89 loss season in 2014. Do you honestly believe DRob thought he was coming to a contender?

Yes. I'm positive of it.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.mlb.com/10...ertson.amp.html

 

"First of all, I think the White Sox have a great club. I love the city of Chicago, and I love what Rick Hahn has been doing this offseason," said Robertson during a conference call. "I like the moves he's making with getting [Adam] LaRoche and Zach Duke and the trade for [Jeff] Samardzija. I feel like he's building a good squad that's really going to be a competitor next year, and I'm hoping we end up back in the playoffs.

 

"Every time we played the White Sox, they were an incredibly tough team to beat. They just grinded it out against us. Obviously, they were on my radar from the beginning and I was glad that I was approached by them and once they -- making those extra moves really helped solidify the direction I wanted to go, which was being a Chicago White Sox."

[southsider2k5]

It generally takes a few years to build a strong bullpen. There is next to nothing to work with on the current depth chart. They are basically starting over. Why not start adding legitimate pieces now when the goal is to contend starting in 2019? Or does everyone expect to build an entire bullpen next offseason? Ideally, you lock in a proven closer now and then hope others emerge next year as solid 6-8th inning guys. If they don't, then you need to sign additional proven late inning relievers next year. They will probably need to add another 2 or 3 proven arms regardless. If they end up with 5 guys that can close after next season, great! Can never have enough late inning relievers, especially in the playoffs.

 

With the arms we have in our system the last thing I am worried about is getting eight figure bullpen arms on long term contracts. Odds are 100% that some of the arms we are looking at as starters now are going to wash out and will be our bullpen arms when we actually are competitive again. There is zero reason to rush into a (at best) second tier closer at those prices.