White Sox Bullpen Battle

[Y2Jimmy0]

The White Sox have added a lot of interesting Non-Roster Invites and minor league guys to compete for bullpen spots. As of last week, I assumed the bullpen was pretty set with something like this: Jones/Soria/Avilan/Bummer/Infante/Minaya/Farquhar. A lot has changed since then. There are a few minor league signings that could very easily make this team.

 

RHP

 

Nate Jones

Joakim Soria

Juan Minaya

Danny Farquhar

Gregory Infante

Chris Beck

Dylan Covey

Connor Walsh

Michael Ynoa

Thyago Vieira

Jose Ruiz

Gonzalez German

Rob Scahill

Jeanmar Gomez

Bruce Rondon

 

LHP

 

Luis Avilan

Xavier Cedeno

Aaron Bummer

Jace Fry

TJ House

Brian Clark

 

I believe that Nate Jones, Joakim Soria and Luis Avilan are all locks for the bullpen. I could see any of Scahill, Rondon, Gomez, and Cedeno displacing someone from above. Vieira and Ruiz will be given a shot as well. If I had to guess, I would think they'll try and send down the "prospect" types and keep as many veteran flip types as possible even though that means creating roster spots.

 

I could see this for Opening Day (Yes it's way too early)

 

RHP Nate Jones

RHP Joakim Soria

RHP Jeanmar Gomez

RHP Bruce Rondon

RHP Juan Minaya

LHP Luis Avilan

LHP Xavier Cedeno.

 

This allows Sox to send Aaron Bummer, Jace Fry, Jose Ruiz and Thyago Vieira to Charlotte for a 1/2 season if necessary. Obviously these veterans could all suck in spring training but I would imagine that we see a couple of them break camp with the major league club.

 

What do you guys think?

[Bob Sacamano]

The White Sox have added a lot of interesting Non-Roster Invites and minor league guys to compete for bullpen spots. As of last week, I assumed the bullpen was pretty set with something like this: Jones/Soria/Avilan/Bummer/Infante/Minaya/Farquhar. A lot has changed since then. There are a few minor league signings that could very easily make this team.

 

RHP

 

Nate Jones

Joakim Soria

Juan Minaya

Danny Farquhar

Gregory Infante

Chris Beck

Dylan Covey

Connor Walsh

Michael Ynoa

Thyago Vieira

Jose Ruiz

Gonzalez German

Rob Scahill

Jeanmar Gomez

Bruce Rondon

 

LHP

 

Luis Avilan

Xavier Cedeno

Aaron Bummer

Jace Fry

TJ House

Brian Clark

 

I believe that Nate Jones, Joakim Soria and Luis Avilan are all locks for the bullpen. I could see any of Scahill, Rondon, Gomez, and Cedeno displacing someone from above. Vieira and Ruiz will be given a shot as well. If I had to guess, I would think they'll try and send down the "prospect" types and keep as many veteran flip types as possible even though that means creating roster spots.

 

I could see this for Opening Day (Yes it's way too early)

 

RHP Nate Jones

RHP Joakim Soria

RHP Jeanmar Gomez

RHP Bruce Rondon

RHP Juan Minaya

LHP Luis Avilan

LHP Xavier Cedeno.

 

This allows Sox to send Aaron Bummer, Jace Fry, Jose Ruiz and Thyago Vieira to Charlotte for a 1/2 season if necessary. Obviously these veterans could all suck in spring training but I would imagine that we see a couple of them break camp with the major league club.

 

What do you guys think?

 

I could see an 8-man bullpen depending on what the bench looks like so you could even add one more.

[bmags]

I think only one of Gomez and Rondon make it to start, and they let Infante start out again.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I think only one of Gomez and Rondon make it to start, and they let Infante start out again.

 

Maybe. I believe Infante is older than both of those guys though as well. I guess that doesn't really matter though.

 

[flavum]

I don't really believe in spring training competition anymore. They start out with a 25-man roster, and if they stay healthy, that's who they go with.

 

Just a guess, if healthy-

L- Avilan, Cedeno

R- Farquhar, Infante, Minaya, Jones, Soria

 

Gomez or Rondon as the 8th guy.

 

Somebody won't be ready to go on Opening Day though, and they'll end up using around 30 pitchers this season.

 

Also, I don't think Germen got a big league camp invite.

Edited February 2, 2018 by flavum

[bmags]

Maybe. I believe Infante is older than both of those guys though as well. I guess that doesn't really matter though.

 

It's not a big deal, but he was pretty good last year except for walks and the other guys are already on a minors deal.

[Bob Sacamano]

I don't really believe in spring training competition anymore. They start out with a 25-man roster, and if they stay healthy, that's who they go with.

 

Just a guess, if healthy-

L- Avilan, Cedeno

R- Farquhar, Infante, Minaya, Jones, Soria

 

Gomez or Rondon as the 8th guy.

 

Somebody won't be ready to go on Opening Day though, and they'll end up using around 30 pitchers this season.

 

Also, I don't think Germen got a big league camp invite.

 

? When the bullpen is this wide open, there is competition.

[ptatc]

I could see an 8-man bullpen depending on what the bench looks like so you could even add one more.

I think with the way the game is going an 8 man bullpen is most likely, especially early in the season when they are still building endurance for the starters.

[Bob Sacamano]

I think with the way the game is going an 8 man bullpen is most likely, especially early in the season when they are still building endurance for the starters.

 

Yeah and they went 3-man bench/8-man bullpen all of last year. It helps when you have the DH spot as a rotating spot (Davidson getting a chunk but can also play 3B and 1B while Sanchez sits or fills in at 2B/SS).

Edited February 2, 2018 by soxfan2014

[GenericUserName]

Something else to keep in mind is that our 40 man is currently full, so if it comes down to a NRI and a guy on the 40 and they are about equal, the spot will probably go to the guy already on the 40.

 

Also I could definitely see us going with 13 pitchers for a lot of the year, because it will help protect the young arms as well as showcase more guys who we are open to trading.

[Bob Sacamano]

Something else to keep in mind is that our 40 man is currently full, so if it comes down to a NRI and a guy on the 40 and they are about equal, the spot will probably go to the guy already on the 40.

 

Also I could definitely see us going with 13 pitchers for a lot of the year, because it will help protect the young arms as well as showcase more guys who we are open to trading.

 

They could try to sneak guys through waivers when teams are making their cuts at the end of camp. If Rodon ends up missing time, that could be a 60-day dl stint. Same goes for anyone else who gets injured in camp (circles Charlie Tilson's name).

Edited February 2, 2018 by soxfan2014

[WBWSF]

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

[Bob Sacamano]

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

 

Yes, trading a guy signed for one more year, a year your team isn't expected to compete is nuts. Pure insanity.

[Knackattack]

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

Good thing we aren't trying to contend this season!

[WBWSF]

I'm not all doom and gloom. I like to think positive in life, especially when it comes to the White Sox. I'm not the second coming of Jay "Woman Beater" Mariotti. There is a chance that the 2018 starting rotation of the White Sox could actually turn out to be good. Rodon, Kopech, Lopez, Fulmer and Giolito could actually become a good rotation. Wouldn't you want Robertson closing these games instead of what they have in the bullpen now? I don't find anything good about young pitchers pitching good games and have a useless bullpen blowing those games. Then again if the objective of the team is to lose as many games as possible in order to get a high draft, I can understand that thinking.

[Knackattack]

I'm not all doom and gloom. I like to think positive in life, especially when it comes to the White Sox. I'm not the second coming of Jay "Woman Beater" Mariotti. There is a chance that the 2018 starting rotation of the White Sox could actually turn out to be good. Rodon, Kopech, Lopez, Fulmer and Giolito could actually become a good rotation. Wouldn't you want Robertson closing these games instead of what they have in the bullpen now? I don't find anything good about young pitchers pitching good games and have a useless bullpen blowing those games. Then again if the objective of the team is to lose as many games as possible in order to get a high draft, I can understand that thinking.

I'm sure everyone would prefer seeing Robertson come out in the 9th other than anyone we have now (save a resurrected Nate Jones), but having Blake Rutherford in the system as a potential high ceiling starting CF was more valuable to the FO's vision of what the current state of the Sox is and those are the guys we have to trust to make our team a winner.

[Y2Jimmy0]

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

 

 

I think they've had worse bullpens in compete years honestly

[southsider2k5]

Yes, trading a guy signed for one more year, a year your team isn't expected to compete is nuts. Pure insanity.

 

I hate top 100 prospects, don't you?

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

Infante still has 1 minor league option left. I would not be surprised to see him start the year in Charlotte. Farquhar is out of options, so I almost consider him a "lock" to make the team unless he completely implodes this spring. Out of all the arms invited to ST, I think we're going to see Cedeno break with the team. It won't kill Fry and Bummer to begin the year in Charlotte, plus they could both use a little more work, IMO. Should be a really interesting competition this spring. With the 40-man already full, you have to figure that currently there is only room for 1 guy to break camp (Rodon to the 60-day D.L.).

[Kyyle23]

I think they've had worse bullpens in compete years honestly

 

2007

[GenericUserName]

Infante still has 1 minor league option left. I would not be surprised to see him start the year in Charlotte. Farquhar is out of options, so I almost consider him a "lock" to make the team unless he completely implodes this spring. Out of all the arms invited to ST, I think we're going to see Cedeno break with the team. It won't kill Fry and Bummer to begin the year in Charlotte, plus they could both use a little more work, IMO. Should be a really interesting competition this spring. With the 40-man already full, you have to figure that currently there is only room for 1 guy to break camp (Rodon to the 60-day D.L.).

I wonder if they can start Nate Jones on the DL to get the extra spot to see what they have in a guy before they have to make a decision.

[Balta1701]

I wonder if they can start Nate Jones on the DL to get the extra spot to see what they have in a guy before they have to make a decision.

If Nate Jones can pitch, they should pitch him. I have 0 confidence that he's going to be healthy in 2019 or 2020, so if we can get 2-3 months of health out of him, we should trade him as soon as we get a good offer. Pitch him as long as we can and then let someone else take the chance on him being healthy for a playoff drive.

[greg775]

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

On paper this is a miserable bullpen. Nate and Soria are very bad and they are the best of the bunch. Sign Holland or lose 105 games

[southsider2k5]

I wonder if they can start Nate Jones on the DL to get the extra spot to see what they have in a guy before they have to make a decision.

 

Jones is supposed to be ready to go for spring training this year.

[Bob Sacamano]

On paper this is a miserable bullpen. Nate and Soria are very bad and they are the best of the bunch. Sign Holland or lose 105 games

 

Wow completely forgot Holland is still out there.