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Should White Sox Hold or Fold?


Jake

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linky

It might have some actual value, too. The White Sox enter today’s action with one of the best run prevention units in the game. As we can see from our handy and quite dandy new standings page, we see that only five teams are allowing fewer runs per game than are the White Sox, with only one of those teams (Rangers) counting themselves as an AL team. As you scroll to the right, you can see that it’s not something that is expected to continue, but as the Orioles showed us last year, just because we don’t expect something to continue doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. Perhaps Sale and Peavy can keep carrying the rotation, and the bullpen has room for improvement too, particularly from Thornton and Nate Jones. If Konerko starts hitting, and if Jeff Keppinger can manage a few more good results, and maybe one or two other guys heat up and who knows, maybe they can find enough offense to support the pitching staff. After all, the team isn’t losing by much. They’ve only lost three games by five or more runs, and they enter play today with the same run differential as the Nationals. Crazier things have happened.

 

The White Sox are probably not a good team, and don’t have much chance of a postseason run — Cool Standings gives them just a 10.9 percent chance of reaching the postseason today. However, since the team has few tradeable assets (and the ones that they have can be traded at a later date) and the fact that it is the last season under contract for the 37-year-old Konerko, there is reason to think about putting the rebuild on hold for one more summer. Obviously no decision has to be made in mid-May, but if the Sox are hanging around come the trade deadline, don’t be surprised if they stand pat.

 

It's worth reading all the way through.

 

Basically, a tear down doesn't offer enough benefit -- especially when our pitching is basically elite.

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QUOTE (Jake @ May 13, 2013 -> 05:47 PM)
linky

 

 

It's worth reading all the way through.

 

Basically, a tear down doesn't offer enough benefit -- especially when our pitching is basically elite.

We don't have an ML-caliber offense. Tearing down is the only way to become a yearly contender. I will gladly take 2-3 years of crap in order to have sustained success rather than years of mediocrity.

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QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:11 PM)
We don't have an ML-caliber offense. Tearing down is the only way to become a yearly contender. I will gladly take 2-3 years of crap in order to have sustained success rather than years of mediocrity.

 

How do you know it's only gonna take 2-3 years? It could take 10 years if you are lucky.

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QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:16 PM)
How do you know it's only gonna take 2-3 years? It could take 10 years if you are lucky.

 

 

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:17 PM)
Yeah, I am still waiting to see who has been able to do it in that short of a time period.

Well if it takes five years, then so be it. But we do have a terrific young pitching core which is generally the hardest part of rebuilding. We have that nailed, at least.

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QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:11 PM)
We don't have an ML-caliber offense. Tearing down is the only way to become a yearly contender. I will gladly take 2-3 years of crap in order to have sustained success rather than years of mediocrity.

Can you point out some examples of total teardowns that led to "sustained success" 2 or 3 years later.

 

 

 

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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:19 PM)
Can you point out some examples of total teardowns that led to "sustained success" 2 or 3 years later.

It was a generic time frame. Ok, so maybe it's five years. I don't care.

 

It's amazing how critical everyone is on this board over posts. Wow.

Edited by maggsmaggs
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All I know is what they've tried to do the last FIVE years hasn't worked, if you assume this season is lost. And if not for a coin flip and a weak division in 08, it would be 8 years without the playoffs.

 

I'm not one to say blow it up for the sake of blowing it up. But if they fall out of it over the next month, you got to find out what Peavy and Rios are worth. And Thornton and Crain. And if there's a surprise move in there somewhere, you do it if it makes sense.

 

The Sox need to rebuild the offense over the next couple years. If they can get a couple offensive pieces that can be here in 2014 or 2015, then you got to try to do it.

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QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:20 PM)
It was a generic time frame. Ok, so maybe it's five years. I don't care.

 

It's amazing how critical everyone is on this board over posts. Wow.

It's amazing how many complain that the Sox suck, but then only want them to be worse, and given the current state of the Sox farm system, and what their veterans would bring back in a trade, 5 years is way too optimistic.

Edited by Dick Allen
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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:25 PM)
It's amazing how many complain that the Sox suck, but then only want them to be worse.

So what are Sox fans suppose to do oh wise one?

 

Complaining about the current state of team precludes the want of the team to rebuild? Makes sense.

Edited by maggsmaggs
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QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:17 PM)
Yeah, I am still waiting to see who has been able to do it in that short of a time period.

 

Boston?

 

They tore the team apart last season and used their resources to load back up and have been pretty good so far this year.. I think that would be a path the Sox could take since we have the money and resources to do some things if we dumped a lot of assets this year..

 

Not a perfect example, but I think the Sox could do something in a similar fashion as what Boston did..

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The main thing that article showed to me is that Alexei should be traded if possible. Lot of money being spent on him the next few years with some serious offensive decline taking place. I still think Alexei for Matt Adams makes a lot of sense for both teams.

Edited by fathom
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QUOTE (TRU @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:30 PM)
Boston?

 

They tore the team apart last season and used their resources to load back up and have been pretty good so far this year.. I think that would be a path the Sox could take since we have the money and resources to do some things if we dumped a lot of assets this year..

 

Not a perfect example, but I think the Sox could do something in a similar fashion as what Boston did..

 

Not really. The Red Sox have about $50 million more in payroll they can spend annually.

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QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:27 PM)
So what are Sox fans suppose to do oh wise one?

 

Complaining about the current state of team precludes the want of the team to rebuild? Makes sense.

Why not try to win? If they lose, they are in the same place they would be if they do what you are suggesting, just with a bigger payroll, and you aren't signing the checks so that shouldn't matter. The evidence points to about 10 years or more of being horrible if you really want to rebuild, and then you still may have problems.

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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:30 PM)
I alrady pointed it out. The pitching is fine. There will be plenty of money to use to acquire hitters through trades and free agency.

 

LOL! What free agents? Who do the Sox trade that doesn't send this thing into a rebuild?

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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2013 -> 12:30 AM)
I alrady pointed it out. The pitching is fine. There will be plenty of money to use to acquire hitters through trades and free agency.

 

This is where the awful farm system really hurts the Sox. Who can they use in the minors to actually go out and acquire MLB caliber hitters?

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QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 14, 2013 -> 12:35 AM)
LOL! What free agents? Who do the Sox trade that doesn't send this thing into a rebuild?

 

Good luck signing high priced free agents with the Dodgers, Cubs and other big market teams lurking. If healthy, someone like Chase Utley (mentioned on this board quite often) seems like a perfect fit for the Dodgers (born in California, college at UCLA).

Edited by fathom
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QUOTE (fathom @ May 13, 2013 -> 06:36 PM)
This is where the awful farm system really hurts the Sox. Who can they use in the minors to actually go out and acquire MLB caliber hitters?

If you are willing to take on some money, you can get some guys for just about nothing every year.

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QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 13, 2013 -> 11:37 PM)
If you are willing to take on some money, you can get some guys for just about nothing every year.

 

It seems like there are less teams than usual that might be looking to sell. It must be the optimism about TV rights, etc. Teams like the Mets and Padres are talking about adding payroll despite losing records this year.

Edited by fathom
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QUOTE (Jake @ May 13, 2013 -> 11:39 PM)
Our glut of pitching should yield a major league hitter at some point. Axelrod should be worth a 1 WAR hitter

 

If you think there is a chance of getting anything of value for Axelrod, you should trade him right this second. I don't think he has near the trade value that you do. He's not exactly a young, high ceiling pitcher that teams covet.

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