Sox likely to rely on same cast in '12

[southsider2k5]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...ce=home_oneline

 

CHICAGO -- The 2011 debacle that was the 79-83 White Sox has produced a number of interesting descriptive terms regarding the organization's 2012 plans.

 

Let's start with "holding pattern." Then, there's "taking a step back," and, of course, "retooling," not rebuilding.

 

But here are a couple of more ideas to throw into the mix.

 

 

How about "standing pat" and "American League Central champions?" Yes, those phrases can go together with the South Siders pretty much as is.

 

Before anyone checks to see if rose-colored glasses come with this story or whether a new brand of "White Sox Kool-Aid" is being marketed, check out the following facts.

 

Most teams committing a franchise-record $127 million toward payroll, as was done by the White Sox in 2011, would follow up a subpar season with wholesale changes. The truth facing the White Sox, though, is that there really aren't many moves to be made.

 

Designated hitter Adam Dunn is coming off of a historically bad inaugural campaign with the White Sox -- in which he hit .159 with 11 homers, 42 RBIs, 177 strikeouts and 75 walks in 415 at-bats. The remaining $44 million owed him over three years seems to belong to the White Sox, assuming scouts from opposing teams watched Dunn's ineptitude for more than a game or two last year.

 

The same can be said for center fielder Alex Rios, who is due $39.5 million over the next three years, on the heels of a .227 effort with 13 homers and 44 RBIs. Jake Peavy is in a slightly different group than the previous two veterans, in that he's hoping to be back at full strength more than 18 months removed from surgery to reattach his detached lat muscle. Peavy still has $21 million left in his one year with the White Sox.

 

Here's the caveat to this somewhat dire picture. All three of these players are not only talented and proven, but proven at an All-Star level.

 

Rios seems to be on a one-year off, one-year on sort of trend, meaning he could be back in line for another performance approaching 30 homers and 30 stolen bases, as he challenged during his stellar 2010 showing. As for Dunn, there were few people complaining about his addition back at his inaugural press conference last December.

 

Not with Dunn's raw power. Not in a hitter-friendly ballpark such as U.S. Cellular Field.

 

Concerns existed over Dunn's first move to full-time DH work, his first move to the AL and his first move to a team holding lofty preseason expectations. Those issues translated, maybe, into a .220 or .230 average with 30 homers and 90 RBIs, at worst.

 

Nobody could have predicted what happened to Dunn in 2011. If people are ready to write off players such as Dunn and Rios based on one really bad season, then they can't overlook Dunn's yearly average of 38 homers, 95 RBIs and a .374 on-base percentage as a reason for encouragement. Any sort of reasonable showing by this duo in '12 strengthens the middle of the order, and should make the team tougher with runners in scoring position.

 

Aside from bounce-back efforts from these three key performers, the White Sox look set at pretty much every other position. Paul Konerko comes off another Most Valuable Player-caliber effort at first base, with the infield rounded out by Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez and Brent Morel.

 

Beckham's struggles for parts of the last two years have been well-documented, but his spirit to find his offensive game has not been broken. Ramirez needs to produce a slightly bigger on-field impact to go with solid numbers, while Morel's defense is Major League quality and his offensive production grew as his rookie year progressed.

 

Carlos Quentin, Dayan Viciedo and Alejandro De Aza figure into the outfield picture with Rios. The starting rotation has seven candidates for five spots, even without free agent Mark Buehrle factored in, while the bullpen features closer Sergio Santos with right-handed setup man Jesse Crain and left-handed setup man Matt Thornton in front.

 

Arbitration-eligible players such as Quentin and left-handed starter John Danks have been mentioned as possible trade candidates, as a way to reduce payroll commitments. But general manager Ken Williams has talked about only trading White Sox players for Major League-ready talent -- which Quentin, 29, and Danks, 26, clearly rank far above.

 

With $90 million already committed to 12 players, and factoring in raises for Danks and Quentin, the payroll goes over $100 million. Re-signing Buehrle probably takes that same payroll between $115-$118 million, and it remains to be seen if that drop from $127 million is enough to offset 2011's shortcomings, with young players filling in the remaining roster voids.

 

Of greatest concern to the White Sox should be the high level of returning talent on the Detroit Tigers, and rising young teams such as the Indians and Royals. The White Sox could have the ingredients to challenge, even in Robin Ventura's first year as manager and with this same group that fell short in 2011.

 

In the long run, faith in what has been assembled might be Williams' and the White Sox greatest asset.

[Rowand44]

I'm going to get tired of reading all this PR bulls*** all offseason but the basis of the article is very true.

[Balta1701]

So kennys going to blow the whole thing up I see.

[elrockinMT]

Take the article for what it is and that's trying to put the best light on a debacle. But, we will continue to see this type of thing and stories about individual players painted in the msot rosey of colors. That's the off season fans and that's all. If we stay put fine but I hope we keep the likes of Danks and Floyd and Quentin. The ones who need to be spanked or sent on their way are getting the bulk of the money talked about in the article and they didn't earn it. But, maybe they will next year? 2012 commeth...

[southsider2k5]

I'm going to get tired of reading all this PR bulls*** all offseason but the basis of the article is very true.

 

It was interesting to see someone actually not make the assumption that just because guys sucked in 2011, they had to suck again in 2012.

[greg775]

The only way this same cast will win anything of note is for almost every player to shatter his career high in single season home runs.

The team has shown no ability to manufacture runs and that won't change IMO just because Robin is aboard.

 

Also the pitching has to be a bit more consistent and less jeckyll-hydeish IMO.

 

It seems like one or more facets of the game implode when the Sox take the field the last couple seasons.

 

Overall I'd say lift and pull balls over the fence with regularity to go with the same kind of pitching we got last year and the team has a chance to finish at the most 15 over .500.

Edited October 26, 2011 by greg775

[Jordan4life_2007]

Lol@Beckham's "spirit" hasn't been broken. WTF?

[Cali]

I'd prefer Kenny sell off parts of this wreckage and get some prospects and try and catch lighting in a bottle with them instead of the "Well they can't ALL be terrible again, right?" strategy and try and win that way. At least with the prospects, if they fail you're in a better position for 2013 instead of yet another year behind everyone else and trying to play catch up....

[southsider2k5]

I'd prefer Kenny sell off parts of this wreckage and get some prospects and try and catch lighting in a bottle with them instead of the "Well they can't ALL be terrible again, right?" strategy and try and win that way. At least with the prospects, if they fail you're in a better position for 2013 instead of yet another year behind everyone else and trying to play catch up....

 

You aren't getting anything from the wreckage.

[macsandz]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...ce=home_oneline

 

I'm calling BS big time. No way this roster isn't adjusted as much as possible.

[SI1020]

Dunn looks to me like a hitter's version of Steve Blass, the ace of the 71 Pirates who suddenly and inexplicably lost the ability to throw a strike. I think we'll know real early next year if he has a comeback in him. Rios is one of my all time disliked White Sox players. Lousy attitude, lousy effort, and terrible results. Please get rid of him. Peavy was on the decline before his unusual and pretty horrific and without precedent injury. I expect very little from him, and in a best case scenario his Cy Young days are long gone. Am I really supposed to look forward to these three leading the Sox back to pennant contention?

[southsideirish71]

Well if is isnt broke.....

[DirtySox]

I'm calling BS big time. No way this roster isn't adjusted as much as possible.

 

I hope so. Standing pat is just delaying the inevitable. Being stuck in between contention and rebuilding/retooling is maddening.

[kjshoe04]

98% of the time I forget Jake Peavy is or ever was a member of the White Sox.

[macsandz]

So the board has one writer's thread called "Pieces to start moving soon" and another local writer's article called "Sox likely to rely on same cast in '12"

 

NICE.

[nickofypres]

I'm fine with them going at it again with almost the same team. Maybe they just needed a new voice in the clubhouse. Maybe Rios and Dunn won't completely suck again?

[southsider2k5]

So the board has one writer's thread called "Pieces to start moving soon" and another local writer's article called "Sox likely to rely on same cast in '12"

 

NICE.

 

With Ozzie out of town, I think you will see that this kind of confusion returns to what the Sox are doing, instead of everything being leaked to the media.

[Balta1701]

I hope so. Standing pat is just delaying the inevitable. Being stuck in between contention and rebuilding/retooling is maddening.

Quite simply...that's where we are based on last season, but one can make the best of this if they do their job well.

[Balta1701]

Dunn looks to me like a hitter's version of Steve Blass, the ace of the 71 Pirates who suddenly and inexplicably lost the ability to throw a strike. I think we'll know real early next year if he has a comeback in him. Rios is one of my all time disliked White Sox players. Lousy attitude, lousy effort, and terrible results. Please get rid of him. Peavy was on the decline before his unusual and pretty horrific and without precedent injury. I expect very little from him, and in a best case scenario his Cy Young days are long gone. Am I really supposed to look forward to these three leading the Sox back to pennant contention?

You could go for the more recent comparisons and go with Chuck Knoblauch or Rick Ankiel.

[southsider2k5]

Dunn looks to me like a hitter's version of Steve Blass, the ace of the 71 Pirates who suddenly and inexplicably lost the ability to throw a strike. I think we'll know real early next year if he has a comeback in him. Rios is one of my all time disliked White Sox players. Lousy attitude, lousy effort, and terrible results. Please get rid of him. Peavy was on the decline before his unusual and pretty horrific and without precedent injury. I expect very little from him, and in a best case scenario his Cy Young days are long gone. Am I really supposed to look forward to these three leading the Sox back to pennant contention?

 

I have to imagine Dunn's plunge offensively is historically unprecedented. I'd be curious to see what the biggest BA/SLG/OPS drops are for one season to the next.

[daggins]

You could go for the more recent comparisons and go with Chuck Knoblauch or Rick Ankiel.

Dunn reminds me of Rich Sexson, unfortunately.

[Balta1701]

Dunn reminds me of Rich Sexson, unfortunately.

You know, I could have swore he was on one of the official steroid lists, but I just googled his name and steroids and only the usual vague accusations came up.

[daggins]

Yeah, I never really drew a connection between Sexon and roids. Dude just forgot how to hit a baseball.

 

 

[Steve9347]

98% of the time I forget Jake Peavy is or ever was a member of the White Sox.

That's because Jake Peavy is a myth. We've got some less than league average dude who talks a big game, not the former NL Cy Young Award winner.

[NorthSideSox72]

That's because Jake Peavy is a myth. We've got some less than league average dude who talks a big game, not the former NL Cy Young Award winner.

Yeah that's it. He didn't suffer a massive injury or anything.