Our 1B of the future.

[Jerksticks]

I feel like our future at 1B all of a sudden needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. No longer does it look like we'll be signing Paulie to 1 yr deals til he hangs em up, and maybe we get another year to solve the problem if we use Dunn next year, but really what is the plan moving forward?

 

Dan Black? NotaChance Gallagher? Viciedo?

 

I hate all three of those choices but if you think the FO will go there do explain.

 

Wilkins? Lohman?

 

Since it looks like we are going to be sellers, who are the top guys in other farm systems or freshMLB that we can snag? I'd like to assume nobody is untouchable.

 

Please redirect this thread if it is misplaced or delete it if it sucks.

[southsider2k5]

Our 1B of the future will come from another position or organization. None of the guys we have playing 1st in the minors now are going to be our 1B of the future. I wouldn't be shocked if one of the OFs we have in the system ended up at 1B

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

I still have hope for Barnum. He's definitely young enough if he can only stay healthy.

[Eminor3rd]

Our 1B of the future will come from another position or organization. None of the guys we have playing 1st in the minors now are going to be our 1B of the future. I wouldn't be shocked if one of the OFs we have in the system ended up at 1B

 

This. Usually first basemen "happen" much more often than they are drafted. Guys tend to not be able to stick at other positions but have enough bat to move up. In our case, all our OFs tend to still be OFs at this point, which means that if nothing else changes, I believe it is Viciedo because there will be guys pushing up to the ML in OF positions for the next couple years. And Viciedo sucks in the OF, despite his arm.

[Eminor3rd]

I still have hope for Barnum. He's definitely young enough if he can only stay healthy.

 

He's several years away though -- Dunn can only fake it there for one more year before his contract runs out.

[southsider2k5]

I still have hope for Barnum. He's definitely young enough if he can only stay healthy.

 

Honestly I forgot about Barnum. He is so far away, it is hard to even project him right now.

[southsider2k5]

This. Usually first basemen "happen" much more often than they are drafted. Guys tend to not be able to stick at other positions but have enough bat to move up. In our case, all our OFs tend to still be OFs at this point, which means that if nothing else changes, I believe it is Viciedo because there will be guys pushing up to the ML in OF positions for the next couple years. And Viciedo sucks in the OF, despite his arm.

 

He is shorter and dumber than I would like to see at 1B, but he seems to be playing himself to either there or DH.

[Eminor3rd]

He is shorter and dumber than I would like to see at 1B, but he seems to be playing himself to either there or DH.

 

Yeah, it isn;t ideal by any means, but as long as he remains one of the 9 best bats in the system, that's where he's going to get pushed. Fast OF guys are just what we have the most of in the system, and they're all substantially better than tank out there.

 

Of course, I assume Rios is gone soon, so if De Aza goes too, we may have some holes to fill.

[Balta1701]

Yeah, it isn;t ideal by any means, but as long as he remains one of the 9 best bats in the system, that's where he's going to get pushed. Fast OF guys are just what we have the most of in the system, and they're all substantially better than tank out there.

 

Of course, I assume Rios is gone soon, so if De Aza goes too, we may have some holes to fill.

At least for next year, it's very, very, very difficult to see the Sox having enough OF's that the team can afford to move one to 1b unless they spend serious FA money on that position. The only guy who was set up to have a shot at the bigs next season was Mitchell, and he's fallen apart.

 

We might well be looking to replace our CF after this season, frankly.

 

We might well have an OF ready in 2015 if they continue developing (see other thread) but we'll be looking to replace Rios then and De Aza would be deep into arb years.

 

We're not overloaded with OF's at the upper levels just yet.

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

He's several years away though -- Dunn can only fake it there for one more year before his contract runs out.

 

Honestly I forgot about Barnum. He is so far away, it is hard to even project him right now.

 

Unfortunately I think the Sox are several years away from being relevant again. I'm sure the Sox will have someone ahead of him in the mean time, but the draft reports of his power and comparisons to Howard make it hard not to dream. But like you both said, he's about as raw as you can get.

[Jake]

Hard to say anything about Barnum, he's hardly had an at bat. He could need more or less time than originally thought, but who knows?

[Jerksticks]

Unfortunately I think the Sox are several years away from being relevant again. I'm sure the Sox will have someone ahead of him in the mean time, but the draft reports of his power and comparisons to Howard make it hard not to dream. But like you both said, he's about as raw as you can get.

 

 

I think Tank is our LF at least through next year. Too short and dumb for 1B like someone said. Wilkins and Black seem like 2014 late season call-ups at the very earliest...if you even believe they are prospects.

 

All this talk just confirms my suspicion that 1B might be our major target when we start selling.

[Jake]

If you want to rebuild, you keep Tank in LF and hope his young self can get better. If you're trying to win, you want a more sure thing at 1B (Morales? A revitalized Dunn that appears later this season?). I just don't see Dayan at 1B for a while.

[Chicago White Sox]

Tank could be in LF or RF next year and maybe even a DH.

 

Rios, De Aza, Dunn (probably not but I can hope) and Konerko could all be gone in any combination.

 

Not only is there going to be holes but we will have some money to spend. These next two years are when Hahn's plan takes shape.

 

To reply to the OP, if our 2014 first baseman is not Dunn or Viciedo, he will come from another organization.

I'll keep repeating it, but I think Morales makes perfect sense as Paulie's replacement. We need a left-handed middle of the order bat and Morales is still relatively young and hopefully shouldn't be too expensive. Plus none of the 1B types we have in AA & AAA profile as major league regulars. I have little faith in Wilkins or Black.

[caulfield12]

Morales, Carlos Pena, Adam Lind....someone like that, from another organization.

[southsider2k5]

Hard to say anything about Barnum, he's hardly had an at bat. He could need more or less time than originally thought, but who knows?

 

Yeah, the kid is a year out of HS, and had a ton of injuries already. It isn't even on the radar yet.

[harfman77]

I'll keep repeating it, but I think Morales makes perfect sense as Paulie's replacement. We need a left-handed middle of the order bat and Morales is still relatively young and hopefully shouldn't be too expensive. Plus none of the 1B types we have in AA & AAA profile as major league regulars. I have little faith in Wilkins or Black.

 

 

Not sure that Morales is worth the draft pick, he is not going to save the offense by himself. Viciedo or Dunn will be at 1B next year. There aren't any plug and play 1B any team is going to give up for what the Sox are willing to trade.

[Balta1701]

Not sure that Morales is worth the draft pick, he is not going to save the offense by himself. Viciedo or Dunn will be at 1B next year. There aren't any plug and play 1B any team is going to give up for what the Sox are willing to trade.

Is he seriously going to be good enough to get back draft compensation? He might have under the old CBA but he'd have to be ridiculous this year to get it under the new one.

[Jake]

Is he seriously going to be good enough to get back draft compensation? He might have under the old CBA but he'd have to be ridiculous this year to get it under the new one.

 

That's what I was thinking

[harfman77]

Is he seriously going to be good enough to get back draft compensation? He might have under the old CBA but he'd have to be ridiculous this year to get it under the new one.

 

Under the new CBA, it doesn't matter how good you are, only if your team makes a qualifying offer (which will probably $14M this season). Seattle is not going to let their only decent offensive player out of town. Odds are he gets extended before the end of the year.

[Chicago White Sox]

Under the new CBA, it doesn't matter how good you are, only if your team makes a qualifying offer (which will probably $14M this season). Seattle is not going to let their only decent offensive player out of town. Odds are he gets extended before the end of the year.

They're not going to tender him a $14 million offer though.

[Balta1701]

They're not going to tender him a $14 million offer though.

Yeah, so unless he's playing so well that they'd willingly offer him a year at $14 million, he won't involve comp.

[Chicago White Sox]

Yeah, so unless he's playing so well that they'd willingly offer him a year at $14 million, he won't involve comp.

Exactly, although I do agree with IowaSoxFan that the Mariners could look into reupping him before the end of the season.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Exactly, although I do agree with IowaSoxFan that the Mariners could look into reupping him before the end of the season.

 

 

Are Montero and Justin Smoak done then? Is Morse playing the OF for them? Zunino will have the catcher the position on lockdown soon. If they sign Morales to be their DH then that leaves Montero and Smoak battling for 1B? Smoak may be a bust. Not sure if they are ready to give up on Montero though.

[Balta1701]

Are Montero and Justin Smoak done then? Is Morse playing the OF for them? Zunino will have the catcher the position on lockdown soon. If they sign Morales to be their DH then that leaves Montero and Smoak battling for 1B? Smoak may be a bust. Not sure if they are ready to give up on Montero though.

Montero's name is on the list in the other thread.