Five players you would keep to build around

[Greg Hibbard]

Let's have some fun since the reality of this situation sucks. 

Say you could blow the whole org up including contracts ( and including owner, FO, and staff) but you must keep 5 White Sox players to build the new team around. 

Who are the 5 you are keeping? 

Me: 

Hendriks, Robert, Colas, Cease, Burger

[bmags]

Cease, Colson, Ramos, Schulz, Mena

[flavum]

I’m not “building around” anyone. Everyone would go and we start over. Keep Banks and Martin to start games. Zavala to catch. And Oscar Colas and Bryan Ramos of the 40-man. They literally could trade everyone else and I’d be happy about it. 

[Quin]

If they're current White Sox:

- Robert, especially now that his defense is back.

- Colas

- Vaughn. I'm content waiting for the power (that he has shown in the past) considering he still has 16 RBIs with this team.

- Cease barring a KING'S ransom.

- Eloy because you're not getting enough for him in a trade unless he goes on a tear. 

If it includes the entire system:

Cease, Colas, Montgomery, Mena and Ramos.

[Jerry McNertney]

I don't think there are five keepers.

[SoxAce]

Nobody on the current team. I'd trade Robert for a haul + others. Montgomery, Schultz and a couple others in the farm I would start there.

[Quin]

6 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

Nobody on the current team. I'd trade Robert for a haul + others. Montgomery, Schultz and a couple others in the farm I would start there.

Sad Colas noises.

[Bob Sacamano]

17 minutes ago, Jerry McNertney said:

I don't think there are five keepers.

Yeah, it's a tough exercise. Because even a guy like Cease, if you can't sign him to an extension, you might as well make available. Also, don't really know if minor leaguers count. I'm looking at it like the current roster if everyone were healthy.

One of the default 5 is Robert for me just based on having him 4 more years and selling now would be at a low point.

[chitownsportsfan]

Maybe Montgomery and Robert. That's about it.

[joejoesox]

Keep Vaughn and Kopech. they might still have some untapped potential, and bc they won't get you much in return

trade everyone else if you get great offers

you're gonna be stuck with Moncada and Eloy unfortunately

Cease and Robert might get you a haul though

[The Kids Can Play]

I know it was five but I'm sorry, it has to be eight players for me.

1. Hendricks - He is a warrior and I want guys on this team with his fire. He is a leader and we don't have any true leaders on this team. I know he will work harder than ever to make a strong comeback. 

2. Colas - He is young and raw. His upside is huge and I don't think we would get a lot for him yet. I am tired of watching players leave the Sox and go be stars somewhere else.

3. Cease - He has special talent, but he just doesn't have the right pitching coach to refine him. Yes you could probably get some decent prospects for Dylan, but then you have no starters left. 

4. Burger - We have hung so long with Jake and we are now seeing the huge potential. We need to see it through and not let some other team make him a star. 

5. Ramos - He has such electric stuff and needs a pitching coach because he could be a nasty reliever with the right development and tweaking.

6. Montgomery - Too much upside talent to not keep.

7. Schultz - He is young and raw. His fastball is strong and lively and his slider according to many experts, could be one of the best in baseball at some point. 

8. Vaughn - I just think in time the power will be there and for driving in runs. We spent a #3 overall pick on him and its too early in his development to give up. 

The rest of the players can all be traded or DFA no matter how much or little we get back. I just wish it wasn't Hahn doing the trades. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by The Kids Can Play

[TheBooneLoganEra]

Keep Cease, Vaughn, Kopech, Robert, and Burger. Trade Anderson, Hendricks, Grandal, Kelly, Eloy and Moncada. But I Trade them all for mlb ready talent. I'm not waiting 3 more seasons for a competitive team and few others will either. I keep Tendi too because he slots in perfectly as the 2 hole hitter in a competent lineup. Don't care what the return is for Moncada and Eloy since they are large parts of the problem. 

[YonderLaroche]

Diekman .. Leury .. Lynn.. Grandal.. Kelly.. Gravemen.  Let's get that #1 pick next 5 years 

Edited April 25, 2023 by bryank1202

[Snopek]

1 hour ago, Quin said:

If they're current White Sox:

- Robert, especially now that his defense is back.

- Colas

- Vaughn. I'm content waiting for the power (that he has shown in the past) considering he still has 16 RBIs with this team.

- Cease barring a KING'S ransom.

- Eloy because you're not getting enough for him in a trade unless he goes on a tear. 

If it includes the entire system:

Cease, Colas, Montgomery, Mena and Ramos.

This looks about right to me. Might swap Colas for Robert in the "entire system" scenario.

[JoshPR]

Cease, colas maybe Robert

[baseball_gal_aly]

2 hours ago, joejoesox said:

Keep Vaughn and Kopech. they might still have some untapped potential, and bc they won't get you much in return

trade everyone else if you get great offers

you're gonna be stuck with Moncada and Eloy unfortunately

Cease and Robert might get you a haul though

I could get behind this. 

Wait for Moncada and Eloy's contracts to expire, decline option. 

I think they might be able to salary dump Eloy for no return. There might be a team out there that thinks they can get him to hit the ball in the air. 

[Balta1701]

Out of the big league roster, here's the guys who probably shouldn't be traded and why.

 

Robert: There's no strong reason to believe that any team will give up the kind of value he would return if he did break out, and there's no pressing financial reason to move him any time soon. A true breakout season would make him worth a fortune, and it costs only $20 million or so to keep him for this year and next year.

Sosa, Colas, Romy Gonzalez: All are pre-arbitration. Each of them could be allowed several years to see if they turn into an actual solid big leaguer. None of them have performed well enough that they would have substantial trade value right now, and there's no financial reason to trade them.

Zavala, Perez: Same thing, the White Sox have a pair of young catchers, no strong motivation to move them either financially or for a return.

Vaughn: is still pre-arbitration this year. Has not yet broken out with the bat to the point you'd hope he would. No strong reason to move him for another year.

Burger: Limited big league experience, but definitely hits the ball hard. Could have potential to develop into a valuable DH, unlikely to be a good fielder. Multiple pre-arb years remaining, so again, no reason for the White Sox to move this player.

Gavin Sheets: Ugh, maybe, he has a minor league option remaining for now so I guess I'm not pushing to get rid of him, but that does give us 2 1b and a DH in Burger. Eventually he seems like a guy who will be released after running out of options, but I guess there's no harm in holding onto that.

Kopech: On pace to be paid about $4-5 million next year. Has the potential to be worth more than that, this is a small expense to pay to hold onto a player with breakout potential for 1 more year. I don't know when, but at some point we have to start mentioning bullpen for him again.

Jimmy Lambert: Sure, why not. Someone does have to pitch and he's not expensive, I doubt anyone gives up anything of value for him at least this year.

Gregory Santos: Sure why not, plenty of pre-arbitration time for him. Maybe if he has an incredible next 3 months, someone will overpay for him in July, but it seems much more likely that you'd want to hold him until at least next July.

[GreenSox]

I don't think you can build around any of these guys.
I would keep these 6 more  for strategic purposes:
Vaughn:  I would trade him, but I don't think that he has a ton of value; better coaching and some state-of-the-art analytics  could improve his trade value or keep him as a cornerstone.  Same with Kopech
Crochet - there's something there, so I'd keep him and hope he can get healthy
Colas  - Rookie
Moncada and Benintendi:  it would cost a lot more to trade these 2 than to keep them.


 

Edited April 25, 2023 by GreenSox

[Texsox]

The guys many want to keep are the same guys that fetch the most in a trade and the most likely to not sign another contract with this team. 

[4uckOffCommieScum]

Santos looks like a future closer to me

[Tnetennba]

Goose egg.  Burn it all the the ground. 

[South Side Hit Men]

2026-2027 is the earliest realistic target of creating the first legitimate White Sox "multi-championship competitive window" since Larry Himes' core in the early 1990s. It will take 2-4 years for a significant core of minor league players to begin to bloom and build around. Everyone on the 40 man today should be available, assuming a solid new GM is given time to evaluate and rebuild the organization including scouting, analytics, and player development and coaching (minors and majors).

The top five, primarily focused on the 2026-2027 target years are Robert Jr., Colas and the three youngest players who haven't had their clock started (Montgomery (21), Ramos (21) and Mena (20)). I'd be open to a trade of either Robert or Colas by a competent GM, based on either getting a solid haul and or if they did not want to commit to either/both long term.

I listed my thoughts in the linked thread, including the players I want a new GM assessing, not Hahn. 

[Tnetennba]

15 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Out of the big league roster, here's the guys who probably shouldn't be traded and why.

 

Robert: There's no strong reason to believe that any team will give up the kind of value he would return if he did break out, and there's no pressing financial reason to move him any time soon. A true breakout season would make him worth a fortune, and it costs only $20 million or so to keep him for this year and next year.

Sosa, Colas, Romy Gonzalez: All are pre-arbitration. Each of them could be allowed several years to see if they turn into an actual solid big leaguer. None of them have performed well enough that they would have substantial trade value right now, and there's no financial reason to trade them.

Zavala, Perez: Same thing, the White Sox have a pair of young catchers, no strong motivation to move them either financially or for a return.

Vaughn: is still pre-arbitration this year. Has not yet broken out with the bat to the point you'd hope he would. No strong reason to move him for another year.

Burger: Limited big league experience, but definitely hits the ball hard. Could have potential to develop into a valuable DH, unlikely to be a good fielder. Multiple pre-arb years remaining, so again, no reason for the White Sox to move this player.

Gavin Sheets: Ugh, maybe, he has a minor league option remaining for now so I guess I'm not pushing to get rid of him, but that does give us 2 1b and a DH in Burger. Eventually he seems like a guy who will be released after running out of options, but I guess there's no harm in holding onto that.

Kopech: On pace to be paid about $4-5 million next year. Has the potential to be worth more than that, this is a small expense to pay to hold onto a player with breakout potential for 1 more year. I don't know when, but at some point we have to start mentioning bullpen for him again.

Jimmy Lambert: Sure, why not. Someone does have to pitch and he's not expensive, I doubt anyone gives up anything of value for him at least this year.

Gregory Santos: Sure why not, plenty of pre-arbitration time for him. Maybe if he has an incredible next 3 months, someone will overpay for him in July, but it seems much more likely that you'd want to hold him until at least next July.

This is all sound thinking.  A full tear down/sell off/tank will be a multiple year effort.  If Robert breaks out on a tanking team maybe his value jumps.  If not he doesn’t cost you a ton and you at least have a stellar defensive CF.    

[Middle Buffalo]

19 hours ago, joejoesox said:

Keep Vaughn and Kopech. they might still have some untapped potential, and bc they won't get you much in return

trade everyone else if you get great offers

you're gonna be stuck with Moncada and Eloy unfortunately

Cease and Robert might get you a haul though

I feel like the major issue with 95% of the roster is the Sox would be selling low. Nobody’s ever healthy long enough to have any real value.

The exception is Cease.

[Chimpton]

9 minutes ago, Middle Buffalo said:

I feel like the major issue with 95% of the roster is the Sox would be selling low. Nobody’s ever healthy long enough to have any real value.

The exception is Cease.

Unfortunately that is Hahn's mantra 'sell low, buy high'.