Carlos Rodon prospect watch

[caulfield12]

I would be pretty pumped about a Sale/Q/Shields/Danks/Rodon rotation. Add in a veteran LH bat like Markakis or VMart and that is a serious playoff contender.

 

I'm not sure Markakis has enough pop.

 

He's a good player, but I'm not sure if he's a reliable run producer at this point in his career like Martinez. Most would describe him as a complementary piece of a team.

 

Victor just scares the heck out of me...he's been so good the last two years, after being written off. I can just see him hitting that wall that every player hits in their mid to late 30's. Nelson Cruz is reaching that same point in his career, 34 or 35.

 

Maybe he's the rare exception, another Julio Franco or Omar Vizquel...but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

 

 

And the White Sox aren't contending for anything except last place without major improvements in the bullpen.

[oneofthemikes]

I think that, at this point, Carlos will start 2015 in Chicago. But odds are that he isn't going to be a 200+ inning pitcher right away. So, I think that I would rather see him coming out of the pen to start the season to avoid a Strasburg situation from a few years ago when they shut him down for the remainder of the season. I think that spending April and May in the pen would allow him to conserve enough innings that he could be a starter the rest of the year and really help out down the stretch for a playoff run.

[Balta1701]

I would be pretty pumped about a Sale/Q/Shields/Danks/Rodon rotation. Add in a veteran LH bat like Markakis or VMart and that is a serious playoff contender.

I gotta keep noting this. The Tigers are almost certain to offer Martinez a qualifying offer after this season barring a huge injury in the next couple weeks. That means the White Sox would have to both pay him a market price deal and give up our 2nd round pick (or maybe even 1st round pick if we win a couple more games) to get him.

 

I find it extremely unlikely that they will part with that draft pick for Victor Martinez. He's a very short term lease given his age and injury history. They're not signing him to a 5 year deal to be part of their long term core and that's the only type of player that I could see them parting with a draft pick for.

[witesoxfan]

I'm positive it means he will be on the roster next year. Whether they choose to give him a full season in the bullpen like they did with Sale is not known until next March.

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92849

 

"Carlos is going to start. He will not be the closer. There is simply too much value he can provide as a starter.

 

Considering it came from the horse's mouth, I think you can be pretty assured that Rodon is a starter.

[caulfield12]

Well, it's a double-edged sword.

 

Don't start him in April or May and you're increasing the risk you get buried by another team early in the season...of course, this isn't like 2006 when the Twins, White Sox and Tigers were all 90 win teams and you couldn't putter along around .500 and hope to stay in the race.

 

On the other hand, you don't want to end up pulling him from the starting rotation in the middle of August when the White Sox are one game back.

[ptatc]

The Sox have $46M in payroll commitments for next year. If they think they can compete, which starting the year with Rodon would imply, then they'll definitely spend some money this offseason. That means adding a starting pitcher that is much better than Noesi (or Danks).

This isn't necessarily true. They may look at it as a year to get him acclimated to the MLB and plan on challenging for the division the following year.

[ptatc]

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92849

 

 

 

Considering it came from the horse's mouth, I think you can be pretty assured that Rodon is a starter.

 

You will know by how many innings/pitches they allow him in his AAA starts. If he is still limited to 60 pitches or 3 innings, he will not start games this year, he will be in the pen.

Edited August 18, 2014 by ptatc

[ptatc]

I think that, at this point, Carlos will start 2015 in Chicago. But odds are that he isn't going to be a 200+ inning pitcher right away. So, I think that I would rather see him coming out of the pen to start the season to avoid a Strasburg situation from a few years ago when they shut him down for the remainder of the season. I think that spending April and May in the pen would allow him to conserve enough innings that he could be a starter the rest of the year and really help out down the stretch for a playoff run.

Very true. He will not make 33 starts next year. I'm not sure what is max innings was in college but he will be on an inning limit. You can't go too far over a recent max inning level too far in a single year.

[witesoxfan]

You will know by how many innings/pitches they allow him in his AAA starts. If he is still limited to 60 pitches or 3 innings, he will not start games this year, he will be in the pen.

 

Right, I'm referencing next year. This year, for all intents and purposes, won't matter come September, so I'm guessing he'll come up and work 2-4 innings at a time, perhaps even on some kind of schedule still.

[ptatc]

Right, I'm referencing next year. This year, for all intents and purposes, won't matter come September, so I'm guessing he'll come up and work 2-4 innings at a time, perhaps even on some kind of schedule still.

Even next year he will be on an inning limit.

[witesoxfan]

Even next year he will be on an inning limit.

 

Right, but he'll still be starting games.

[southsider2k5]

Even next year he will be on an inning limit.

 

I bet you will see the same treatment that Sale and Q got their first years. It won't be a number limit per se, but you will see things like side sessions being limited. You will see turns skipped around off-days. If there aren't off days there, you will see other off-days used to push him back to six or seven days in between starts. They will keep an eye for dead arm periods and a real close watch on mechanics.

[Buehrlesque]

I'm not sure Markakis has enough pop.

 

He's a good player, but I'm not sure if he's a reliable run producer at this point in his career like Martinez. Most would describe him as a complementary piece of a team.

 

Victor just scares the heck out of me...he's been so good the last two years, after being written off. I can just see him hitting that wall that every player hits in their mid to late 30's. Nelson Cruz is reaching that same point in his career, 34 or 35.

 

Maybe he's the rare exception, another Julio Franco or Omar Vizquel...but I'll believe it when I see it.

So what if Markakis is more of a complementary piece than a centerpiece? I don't think there are many, of any, centerpiece-type hitters hitting FA this winter. Between OF and DH, the Sox have 4 spots with only two players penciled in next year (Avi and Eaton). Barring any trades for young, major league ready OFs, or a castoff from the Dodgers surplus, the Sox will need to find help somewhere. Markakis would fit in nicely. That is, if the Sox are serious about contending next year, which I believe they are.

 

 

I gotta keep noting this. The Tigers are almost certain to offer Martinez a qualifying offer after this season barring a huge injury in the next couple weeks. That means the White Sox would have to both pay him a market price deal and give up our 2nd round pick (or maybe even 1st round pick if we win a couple more games) to get him.

 

I find it extremely unlikely that they will part with that draft pick for Victor Martinez. He's a very short term lease given his age and injury history. They're not signing him to a 5 year deal to be part of their long term core and that's the only type of player that I could see them parting with a draft pick for.

Good point. That might make VMart less realistic.

 

[southsider2k5]

So what if Markakis is more of a complementary piece than a centerpiece? I don't think there are many, of any, centerpiece-type hitters hitting FA this winter. Between OF and DH, the Sox have 4 spots with only two players penciled in next year (Avi and Eaton). Barring any trades for young, major league ready OFs, or a castoff from the Dodgers surplus, the Sox will need to find help somewhere. Markakis would fit in nicely. That is, if the Sox are serious about contending next year, which I believe they are.

 

 

 

Good point. That might make VMart less realistic.

 

Is Melky Cabrera available? I'd love to see him in LF next year.

[shysocks]

Good point. That might make VMart less realistic.

I'm guessing he would be unrealistic before the qualifying offer roadblocks. Buying high on a 36-year-old doesn't really seem to fit the plan.

[lasttriptotulsa]

Very true. He will not make 33 starts next year. I'm not sure what is max innings was in college but he will be on an inning limit. You can't go too far over a recent max inning level too far in a single year.

 

He threw 132.2 in 2013 and 98.2 in 2014. With his college, MiLB, and MLB innings this year, he should end up right around 150. I think it would be perfectly reasonable to expect him to start 26 or 27 games next year and end around 170-180 innings. He would then be set up good to go for 200 in 2016 when the Sox should for sure be ready to compete.

Edited August 18, 2014 by lasttriptotulsa

[shysocks]

Would it be outrageous to suggest that Rodon, if put into the Sox rotation in 2015, could struggle and return to the minors?

 

He will be 22.

[southsider2k5]

Would it be outrageous to suggest that Rodon, if put into the Sox rotation in 2015, could struggle and return to the minors?

 

He will be 22.

 

Depends on what the "struggle" looks like. I think it is obvious at this point that they want him to learn on the job. If he mentality is strong, they will let him have the type of year that John Danks had as a rookie, assuming his mechanics don't suffer, or anything else happens.

[ptatc]

He threw 132.2 in 2013 and 98.2 in 2014. With his college, MiLB, and MLB innings this year, he should end up right around 150. I think it would be perfectly reasonable to expect him to start 26 or 27 games next year and end around 170-180 innings. He would then be set up good to go for 200 in 2016 when the Sox should for sure be ready to compete.

This sounds reasonable. Wasn't the Strasburg controversy over a 180 inning limit?

[Dunt]

Is Melky Cabrera available? I'd love to see him in LF next year.

 

Yup, and I think he would be a great option as well

[southsider2k5]

I'll be interested on what he is going to fetch in FA for his 30, 31, 32 year season.

 

I think he is a guy that is more in the Sox price range. He won't be getting a really long, or top of the market contract.

[lasttriptotulsa]

This sounds reasonable. Wasn't the Strasburg controversy over a 180 inning limit?

 

They shut him down at 159.1. He didn't pitch after September 7th and didn't pitch in the playoffs. I think that's what was the problem to a lot of people is that 160 seems low and it could have really cost them a shot in the playoffs.

[lasttriptotulsa]

Is Melky Cabrera available? I'd love to see him in LF next year.

 

I'd like to see them take a shot at Rasmus. With his down year, I would have to think his price dropped dramatically.

[ptatc]

They shut him down at 159.1. He didn't pitch after September 7th and didn't pitch in the playoffs. I think that's what was the problem to a lot of people is that 160 seems low and it could have really cost them a shot in the playoffs.

I can see that. The 160 may have been reasonable depending on how long he missed and his max limit prior to the injury. His long term health should be the priority.

Edited August 18, 2014 by ptatc

[Buehrlesque]

Is Melky Cabrera available? I'd love to see him in LF next year.

Yup. He'd be a good fit as well. Might be expensive though, as he's having a great (theoretically "un-aided") season- currently at .316/.369/.479.