Does Leury Garcia deserve a ‘20 starting spot?

[BamaDoc]

I am not sure how Gennett fits?   I wonder if Dickerson has the arm for RF but find him much more interesting.  With regard for the question, Leury has a starting role on the team if supersub/utility is a starting position.  He should be a defensive sub on days he is not playing and we have a lead in LF.  He should start about four times a week.  His value is in roster construction.  He can play all three outfield and middle infield spots.  Third in emergency.  If you use him to rest people, he should play that much especially when you combine some of the rest people into the DH spot.  I worry about his bat if he only gets in once or twice a week but maybe he has overcome that.  If you have a multi headed monster at C,1B, DH involving McCann, Abreu, Collins and others you need the multi positional player to make up for that.  

[caulfield12]

6 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

I am not sure how Gennett fits?   I wonder if Dickerson has the arm for RF but find him much more interesting.  With regard for the question, Leury has a starting role on the team if supersub/utility is a starting position.  He should be a defensive sub on days he is not playing and we have a lead in LF.  He should start about four times a week.  His value is in roster construction.  He can play all three outfield and middle infield spots.  Third in emergency.  If you use him to rest people, he should play that much especially when you combine some of the rest people into the DH spot.  I worry about his bat if he only gets in once or twice a week but maybe he has overcome that.  If you have a multi headed monster at C,1B, DH involving McCann, Abreu, Collins and others you need the multi positional player to make up for that.  

Gennett would go back and forth between 2B and RF/DH depending on the opposing pitcher and how long they wait to bring up Nick Madrigal.  But he’s really having quite a down season...it would be like the Schoop deal for Minnesota, where he was clearly playing hurt last year for the Brewers and his value bounced back nicely.

This would be the budget type of moves....Gennett, or someone like Dickerson if not Gennett for balance, one or two veteran starters but definitely not Cole or Strasburg.  One middling reliever of the Albers/Clippard/Swarzak/Soria tier.  

No big contracts for Grandal, RF or DH.  Maybe one of those pitchers gets $45-60 millionish.

Edited August 18, 2019 by caulfield12

[BamaDoc]

See Gennett has 15 outfield appearances all in 2017.  I expect us to look at something like that as a cheap placeholder for a year or two.  He is making 9.7 million this year and obviously will have to take a paycutt.  Worth watching how he finishes for SF.  I could see us take a flier on Chisenhall or bring in a vet LH RF.  I am not crazy about the name free agents for RF.  Thinking more Dickerson(can play RF?), Calhoun(will Angels keep at 14 mill), Gardner,Bruce.  I expect short term and not high dollar.

[Chicago White Sox]

19 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I'm just thinking it'll be very hard to expect the Sox to sign 4 or 5 quality FA's . I could pick 5 I want but to fit them into the proper positions and into payroll limits ,whatever they end up being,  probably is expecting too much especially if I start the list with Rendon and one of the top 3 starting pitchers and a few of them have to be LH .

I don’t expect all our additions to come via free agency, I fully expect us to add a few pieces by trade as well.  

That being said, there will be plenty of pitching available in free agency that can help us achieve our objectives.  While Cole and Strasberg are probably long-shots, one of Wheeler or Bumgarner would be a huge addition for us (or even Ryu).  If we decide to add two starters or a swing-man, there are quite a few less options that will only cost us money.  I also think there will be plenty of relief options in free agency for what we’ll need.  Point is, no reason to trade assets for pitching when our payroll will be $100M below the league median coming into the offseason.  

I do think we’ll have to be more creative when it comes to the positional side of things.  I absolutely love Rendon, but I think he’s going in high demand, much moreso than Machado & Harper were last year.  After him, the star power is really lacking.  I love Ozuna’s bat but if his arm isn’t what it once was, he’s a tough fit for a OF with Eloy in the other corner (plus isn’t LH).  I think Grandal would be a phenomenal addition and hope they prioritize him, but I could see the Sox viewing him as a luxury with McCann & Collins in place.  Not a ton of other guys that warrant big, multi-year deals after that really fit our needs.

To me, we’ve got to find one left-handed bat to help anchor the lineup.  Grandal would fit the bill, but we may ultimately have to go the trade route to fill that need.  After that, I think we’d be smart to prioritize positional guys that will accept shorter term deals and/or offer flexibility.  That’s a big reason I like Gennett, because he may very well take a pillow contract, he can contribute at a few different spots, and is left-handed to boot.  While less ideal fits, Moustakas & Dickerson could be cost-efficient, short-term stopgaps if you want to buy more time and what you have in Sheets, Walker, and the AA OFs.

I guess what I’m getting at is there zero excuse to enter the 2020 season with gaping holes at any position.  Add a few big pieces (especially on the pitching side) and then plug the remaining holes with short-term veterans.  We need to leverage our financial flexibility to create depth that the organization is currently lacking at the upper levels.  It may not be realistic to accomplish all that in free agency, but money should be leveraged as much as possible, even potentially in trades.  Hahn will have to be both aggressive and creative, but adding a half dozen good / useful pieces should be more than doable this offseason.

[GreenSox]

15 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2019&team=0

Or do you go after a free agent/trade candidate for RF, with Robert eventually settling in CF?

Considering some on the above list aren’t even CFers, like Kepler, this puts him in the Top 8-10 at one of the most important positions on the field.

Other than Ozuna, who might be expected to be “considerably” (2.5+ fWAR) better for that spot?   

Would you still prefer someone like Corey Dickerson, with Leury as the designated “supersub” with Yolmer likely off the team?

Trade him at peak value?

Peak value, such as it is, was in July.  They wouldn't get much for him in December.
Does he deserve RF? No, of course not.  Would I prefer him to signing Ozuna for multiple years - yes; or Dickerson - double yes.

Edited August 18, 2019 by GreenSox

[greg775]

3 hours ago, tray said:

The answer to the question might have something to do with what kind of a line-up you want. If you want to play the HR/juiced baseball game that Minnesota has been playing this season, then forget Leury and Madrigal as well.   Lead off with Yoan or TA.  Get a 2nd basemen that can hit 20 HR , a RF that can hit 25 HR, and a DH that can hit 25-30 HR.   Power up and down the line-up. Don't worry about traffic jams on the bases, Just swing for the fences.  

 

 

Good post, Tray. Homers and strikeouts. The new rage.

[poppysox]

13 hours ago, YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES! said:

Leury has far exceeded my expectations this offseason, but be should be the utility guy in 2020. A guy who plays 2-3 times a week all over the field when the starters need a day off. They need sign a legitimate right fielder, Leury Garcia is not that guy.

Leury  is a good fall back if we can't find that right fielder,  but I too would prefer him as super-sub.  Between injuries and normal days off I think he is liable to get 4 or 5 games per week.  Someone always is in need of a few days off.  His switch hit tool always helps when balancing the lineup.

[poppysox]

8 hours ago, greg775 said:

Good post, Tray. Homers and strikeouts. The new rage.

It might be the new rage but you won't be winning any WS rings.  Power with speed, pitching and defense wins the big prize.

[ChiSox59]

He'll be in the CF until Robert arrives.  He should then shift to 2B full time until Madrigal arrives, unless Madrigal comes up with Robert around 4/20.  After which, he becomes super sub / injury replacement.  He'll still get a ton of at bats if he can stay healthy.