2015 Offseason

[witesoxfan]

Why would we just magically assume Ethier's going to put up a 2 WAR converting to the American League when he's a 0 WAR or slighly negative player right now...?

 

And that Dayan would be a -0.7 again in 2015 when he's the far younger player? That's not even taking into consideration WAR/$. If Viciedo has another bad season, you non-tender him, but you're stuck for years with an aging Ethier (see Dunn/Rios/Danks).

 

Believing that playing Carlos Sanchez over Gordon Beckham next year will make much of a difference...not buying that one, either.

 

Joba? Yikes.

 

I'm not even going to buy that Santana's going to pitch that well as is being projected, back in the AL again with how tough the Tigers, Indians and even Twins (Buxton and Sano) and Royals (only losing Butler and Aoki, Perez and Hosmer should be better, along with Moustakas) look offensively.

 

The Twins have a bunch of guys in Vargas, Arcia, Salazar, Plouffe, Dozier, Suzuki, Mauer, Buxton, Sano, etc., that will be able to hurt you....

 

 

Finally, assuming Rodon's already going to be a +3....well, we would have said the same thing about Erik Johnson heading into this year. I'm not counting on those numbers until 2015.

 

Did you even read the post or just look at the names? Because I clearly state that "names aren't important but will be included as examples."

 

We assume these things because they are projection based predictions. We do not assume anything about Dayan Viciedo's future because he's been a bad player with the White Sox and was a bad player this year. I don't doubt that he can improve, but he WAS a -0.7 WAR player this year.

 

And, I'm assuming Rodon is a 3 WAR player because he's an incredibly talented pitcher. He could be a 4 or 5 WAR player or a 1 WAR player or he might not pitch in the majors. Assuming he WON'T pitch in the majors next year is a far worse assumption.

 

Frankly, picking apart a post like this is ridiculous. I'm providing an example of how the Sox could turn around quickly using WAR (wherein I make it a point to say "TAKE THIS WITH A GIANT, GIANT GRAIN OF SALT) without spending a lot. There would a lot of differentiation, but there was nothing in that post that was really that objectionable or unreasonable.

 

[Dick Allen]

Hawk knows what is going on inside the team as much as anyone. I can't believe his comments a few weeks ago saying if you want to win, you have to spend money, went pretty much un noticed.

 

You will be able to tell where the Sox think they are in this rebuild by their payroll. If it is as low as many are anticipating, they don't really think winning is probable. If they add a couple of guys making some cash, they believe they can win. JR mentioned a back of the rotation starter. I think it's safe to assume a back of the rotation starter is added. A LH bat will definitely be added, and a couple of bullpen pieces. Hopefully, a couple of the current bullpen pieces will pull a Cotts/Politte and be stellar next year. A young guy emerges, and suddenly this team is cooking with gas.

[greg775]

Hawk knows what is going on inside the team as much as anyone. I can't believe his comments a few weeks ago saying if you want to win, you have to spend money, went pretty much un noticed.

 

You will be able to tell where the Sox think they are in this rebuild by their payroll. If it is as low as many are anticipating, they don't really think winning is probable. If they add a couple of guys making some cash, they believe they can win. JR mentioned a back of the rotation starter. I think it's safe to assume a back of the rotation starter is added. A LH bat will definitely be added, and a couple of bullpen pieces. Hopefully, a couple of the current bullpen pieces will pull a Cotts/Politte and be stellar next year. A young guy emerges, and suddenly this team is cooking with gas.

 

That's true. Hawk's comment would have gotten a lot of announcers fired on different teams.

But Dick Allen is right again. We're going to find out.

[LDF]

 

here is the first of which I know may be several more coming out. the

re-ranking of the org and their system. according to bleacher rpt, the sox

now is at 22.

 

btw, any posters have faith on Erik Johnson coming back?

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2202809...-season/page/10

[Eminor3rd]

here is the first of which I know may be several more coming out. the

re-ranking of the org and their system. according to bleacher rpt, the sox

now is at 22.

 

btw, any posters have faith on Erik Johnson coming back?

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2202809...-season/page/10

 

I don't because it really seems like his stuff declined, rather than him simply failing to put it all together. Had to be an injury.

[southsider2k5]

I don't because it really seems like his stuff declined, rather than him simply failing to put it all together. Had to be an injury.

 

Yeah I don't know what else would cause the drop off in stuff we saw from Johnson.

[Rowand44]

I don't because it really seems like his stuff declined, rather than him simply failing to put it all together. Had to be an injury.

Ya he's done unfortunately, unless his stuff magically comes back of course.

[NorthSideSox72]

I wouldn't write off a guy like Johnson yet, any more than I would Davidson. But in both cases, they need to come out guns blazing next year, or then I do start to think "bust".

 

[BlackSox13]

As a starter Johnson's fastball sat 90-92 and straight as an arrow, that's just too easy for MLB batters to hit.

 

Give him another shot at starting for Charlotte next year but if he picks up where he left off the I'd try him in the pen.

[Rowand44]

I wouldn't write off a guy like Johnson yet, any more than I would Davidson. But in both cases, they need to come out guns blazing next year, or then I do start to think "bust".

I haven't given up on Davidson because I don't think his skillset deteriorated, he was just plain awful this year. I've given up on Johnson because if his stuff is where it was last year then he's just not a good pitcher.

[Eminor3rd]

I haven't given up on Davidson because I don't think his skillset deteriorated, he was just plain awful this year. I've given up on Johnson because if his stuff is where it was last year then he's just not a good pitcher.

 

This is my view, too. Hopefully the stuff comes back, but there was really never a huge margin for error with him to begin with.

[Balta1701]

As a starter Johnson's fastball sat 90-92 and straight as an arrow, that's just too easy for MLB batters to hit.

 

Give him another shot at starting for Charlotte next year but if he picks up where he left off the I'd try him in the pen.

Actually this isn't right.

 

Last year when he was moderately effective in a short stint, his fastball averaged 92, you're right on that.

 

This year though his average fastball was 89.5.

[NorthSideSox72]

I haven't given up on Davidson because I don't think his skillset deteriorated, he was just plain awful this year. I've given up on Johnson because if his stuff is where it was last year then he's just not a good pitcher.

I don't think anyone would argue his stuff was good this year. The question is why, and no one seems to know. But when a guy's stuff just disappears like that, I'm not ready to say he's just not good. There's likely an explanation. And if it is something that can be addressed, I like his chances of contributing.

 

[BlackSox13]

Actually this isn't right.

 

Last year when he was moderately effective in a short stint, his fastball averaged 92, you're right on that.

 

This year though his average fastball was 89.5.

I don't deny what you say but what the hell happened to him? I watched video of him from an April 15th start against Boston in which he struck 9 bosox hitters and his fastball was sitting 90-92 but straight as could be. So he lost velocity as well as control?

[southsider2k5]

I don't deny what you say but what the hell happened to him? I watched video of him from an April 15th start against Boston in which he struck 9 bosox hitters and his fastball was sitting 90-92 but straight as could be. So he lost velocity as well as control?

 

He lost velocity for sure. That was the red flag. No one has really said what happened, but he didn't seem right all year long.

[BlackSox13]

He lost velocity for sure. That was the red flag. No one has really said what happened, but he didn't seem right all year long.

Ah, OK. I just looked at his stats from Charlotte and noticed his BB9 went from 3.0 in 2013 to 4.6 in 2014. That's a pretty significant increase in BB9.

[Chicago White Sox]

I don't think anyone would argue his stuff was good this year. The question is why, and no one seems to know. But when a guy's stuff just disappears like that, I'm not ready to say he's just not good. There's likely an explanation. And if it is something that can be addressed, I like his chances of contributing.

100% agree, which is why I like his chances of returning to form more so than Davidson's. Contact issues are very difficult to overcome once you reach the high minors. I think some people bought too much into the Baseball America hype and refuse to let it go. Hope he proves me wrong though.

[greg775]

Reading the comments on Erik Johnson made me wonder something else ... Is Felipe Paulino one of the top 20 worst acquisitions in modern team history? Is Keppinger?

Off the top of my head I'd say some of the bad ones: Bobby Bonds, Dan Pasqua, Ron Blomberg, Felipe Paulino, Keppinger as well as Don Kessinger, Ron Santo. We've had some bad ones.

[Quin]

Reading the comments on Erik Johnson made me wonder something else ... Is Felipe Paulino one of the top 20 worst acquisitions in modern team history? Is Keppinger?

Off the top of my head I'd say some of the bad ones: Bobby Bonds, Dan Pasqua, Ron Blomberg, Felipe Paulino, Keppinger as well as Don Kessinger, Ron Santo. We've had some bad ones.

 

Felipe Paulino cost a minuscule amount as a 5th starter. Not even nearly a bad acquisition. He was also completely offset by Noesi.

 

Keppinger, yes.

[Al Lopez's Ghost]

Reading the comments on Erik Johnson made me wonder something else ... Is Felipe Paulino one of the top 20 worst acquisitions in modern team history? Is Keppinger?

Off the top of my head I'd say some of the bad ones: Bobby Bonds, Dan Pasqua, Ron Blomberg, Felipe Paulino, Keppinger as well as Don Kessinger, Ron Santo. We've had some bad ones.

May I introduce you to Jaime Navarro?

[BlackSox13]

May I introduce you to Jaime Navarro?

Any time busts come up its Navarro and rightfully so. People should have a look back at just how bad he was. Navarro to the Sox is like Edwin Jackson to the cubs. Very similar in how bad they were.

[southsider2k5]

Any time busts come up its Navarro and rightfully so. People should have a look back at just how bad he was. Navarro to the Sox is like Edwin Jackson to the cubs. Very similar in how bad they were.

 

And also fond of blaming his teammates when he failed. His teammates hated him.

[CyAcosta41]

Any time busts come up its Navarro and rightfully so. People should have a look back at just how bad he was. Navarro to the Sox is like Edwin Jackson to the cubs. Very similar in how bad they were.

 

Navarro was abysmal.

 

And the Sox were afflicted with the double whammy -- he was horrible AND durable.

 

As a Sox fan I hated his on field performance like none other (and heard all the rumors about what a terrible teammate he was as well). But a good friend bought into the Navarro hype for his Fantasy Team and Navarro just killed his team all year long -- THAT was hilarious.

[BlackSox13]

And also fond of blaming his teammates when he failed. His teammates hated him.

 

 

Navarro was abysmal.

 

And the Sox were afflicted with the double whammy -- he was horrible AND durable.

 

As a Sox fan I hated his on field performance like none other (and heard all the rumors about what a terrible teammate he was as well). But a good friend bought into the Navarro hype for his Fantasy Team and Navarro just killed his team all year long -- THAT was hilarious.

You guys aren't kidding. I remember wanting to pull my hair out because of that guy! Wasn't it Karim Garcia that almost hit one out of Tiger Stadium in left field on a change up Navarro? I'm pretty sure it was. Good grief I hated that signing and every time Navarro pitched it was pure misery! I could seriously go on and on about how much I despised him. I remember a sports writer took a jab in the sun times saying when the Sox went on the road the team needed a uhaul to carry Navarro's ERA. I'll never forget that one.

 

Its memories like that, that make me want to horde pitchers like Sale and Q. As well as a few youngsters.

[LDF]

I don't deny what you say but what the hell happened to him? I watched video of him from an April 15th start against Boston in which he struck 9 bosox hitters and his fastball was sitting 90-92 but straight as could be. So he lost velocity as well as control?

 

I don't know, I always thought he had a tired arm. he put a lot of innings in with pitching in the

minors and then in the winter league.