My/Your Off Season Plan

[OmarComing25]

Just wondering. Who is Jeff Sullivan?

 

Mark

A writer on Fangraphs, he usually is very pessimistic when it comes to the White Sox, so I thought that comment was interesting. Then again, the competition among teams 10 under .500 is pretty light, so it could mean nothing.

[Dick Allen]

Just wondering. Who is Jeff Sullivan?

 

Mark

Fangraphs . Obviously a know nothing if he thinks the White Sox can even be average in 5 years as long as Jerry Reinsdorf is around.

 

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/1980.shtml

 

Check out that roster. That was what JR inherited when he bought the team. Less than 3 years later, they almost won it all. It is amazing how hopeless people want to make this current situation.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Hatchetman]

.......and they immediately fell into baseball oblivion for the next 7 years or so.

[southsider2k5]

From Jeff Sullivan's chat today:

 

Comment From Rexdale

Of all the teams 10+ games under .500 who do like best next year?

11:26

Jeff Sullivan: A’s, then White Sox

 

Comment From Nick

What would be the best way for the White Sox to fix their 3b problem? Is Quintana and his favorable contract too much for 8 years and$100m of a 30 year old Longoria… too little for Arenado?

10:36

Jeff Sullivan: oh what the hell. sign Juan Uribe!

 

Longoria is a name I had in the back of my head. He fits the bill as both a hitter, and fielder.

[GGajewski18]

Longoria is a name I had in the back of my head. He fits the bill as both a hitter, and fielder.

 

Dont think we'd have to give up Q for him though.

[Dick Allen]

.......and they immediately fell into baseball oblivion for the next 7 years or so.

Not immediately but it did happen when they did the Cubs model total rebuild. You know the rebuild so many are clamouring for?

 

They have a far better small core now though than back in 1980.

[Hatchetman]

ah yes the collusion era when they refused to sign any free agents. followed a few years later by the owner lockout that maybe cost us another playoff.

[Dick Allen]

ah yes the collusion era when they refused to sign any free agents. followed a few years later by the owner lockout that maybe cost us another playoff.

1995 that was Sabo and Kruk and Bevington disaster

1996 they signed Tony Phillips and traded for Tartabull.

 

One thing Schueler was pretty good at was picking up RFs for one season.

 

1997 Albert Belle Era begins

1998 Albert Belle Era ends and White Flag

 

1999 Rebuilding

 

2000 AL Central Champs. Just one year before Jerry Manuel became an idiot.

 

[OmarComing25]

His point is that things can change fast in baseball, and he's right. Hell over half of the teams in baseball this year will have a 10+ swing in wins in either direction from 2014.

[Dick Allen]

His point is that things can change fast in baseball, and he's right. Hell over half of the teams in baseball this year will have a 10+ swing in wins in either direction from 2014.

Who saw the 1977 Southside Hitmen coming?

Who saw the 1990 or 2000 teams coming?

 

2 years after the White Sox White Flagged it and had to wear a Scarlett letter for eternity, they were back in the playoffs.

 

 

The Sox have some really good parts, and some parts who played like crap but a bounce back shouldn't be out of the question. More additions, a couple of hitters, someone who can catch the ball, and they are contending. I think most that could go wrong, went wrong this year. You make your own breaks, but that should start evening out next season. It doesn't have to be a blistering start but a decent start could keep the pressure off everyone from trying to do too much. The defense stared out horrible, but has improved. Missed cut offs appear a thing of the past. Guys actually get thrown out now. If they could find a 3B who can hit and catch, that would be sweet. I don't think they will give up on Avi yet, but might if a guy like Puig could be had. (Not for Avi,I am not a clueless Cubs fan). Say the did add Puig and Longoria, lost Q, Longoria's contract probably means Saldino is playing SS. I don't know what the price woul be for Puig, but it sure did seem the Dodgers are at least thinking about dumping him. I wonder what their scouts think of Trayce. I think LaRoche can bounce back a bit. There is no way he got that bad that fast.

[shysocks]

Seriously. Our three biggest contracts ever add up to a good over/under for Heyward. 194.5 what you guys got?

I'll take the under.

[Balta1701]

Seriously. Our three biggest contracts ever add up to a good over/under for Heyward. 194.5 what you guys got?

over

[Chicago White Sox]

Seriously. Our three biggest contracts ever add up to a good over/under for Heyward. 194.5 what you guys got?

Not targeted at you raBBit, but the Sox have gone after big fish in the past but simply couldn't land them. Tanaka is the most recent example, but there are few others like Hunter & Fukudome. Also, I'm almost positive the Sox were willing to go 10/$190M on A-Rod before he signed with the Rangers.

 

Point is while the Sox haven't signed a lot of crazy contracts in the past, it doesn't mean they haven't been willing to. And with their TV deal expiring in a few years, they should be very motivated to build up interest in the team beforehand and that could very well mean being major players in free agency the next few off-seasons.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Chicago White Sox

[kitekrazy]

Not targeted at you raBBit, but the Sox have gone after big fish in the past but simply couldn't land them. Tanaka is the most recent example, but there are few others like Hunter & Fukudome. Also, I'm almost positive the Sox were willing to go 10/$190M on A-Rod before he signed with the Rangers.

 

Point is while the Sox haven't signed a lot of crazy contracts in the past, it doesn't mean they haven't been willing to. And with their TV deal expiring in a few years, they should be very motivated to build up interest in the team beforehand and that could very well mean being major players in free agency the next few off-seasons.

 

So glad Fukudome signed with the Cubs for less money. They do need someone to compliment Abreu. Career NL power hitters are not going to cut it.

 

 

[fathom]

My way-too-early opening day starting lineup prediction for Sox:

 

CF- Eaton

3B- Prado

1B- Abreu

LF- Melky

C- Wieters

DH- LaRoche

RF- Thompson

SS- Ramirez

2B- Sanchez

SP- Sale

 

3 main offseason acquisitions will be Wieters, Prado (trade) and Buehrle

 

[LDF]

My way-too-early opening day starting lineup prediction for Sox:

 

CF- Eaton

3B- Prado

1B- Abreu

LF- Melky

C- Wieters

DH- LaRoche

RF- Thompson

SS- Ramirez

2B- Sanchez

SP- Sale

 

3 main offseason acquisitions will be Wieters, Prado (trade) and Buehrle

 

my 2 questions, ref wieters - how many yrs and the cost??

Martín Prado - what will seattle accept for this trade.

 

i really do like the prado.

 

ref - TT i will discussed this in spring training. i still have some thoughts to think out.

[Chicago White Sox]

My way-too-early opening day starting lineup prediction for Sox:

 

CF- Eaton

3B- Prado

1B- Abreu

LF- Melky

C- Wieters

DH- LaRoche

RF- Thompson

SS- Ramirez

2B- Sanchez

SP- Sale

 

3 main offseason acquisitions will be Wieters, Prado (trade) and Buehrle

Don't see this team taking a step forward until they add legit impact bat to pair with Abreu. IMO, we have to sign one of the big four OFs or Chris Davis, unless they want to go the trade route for a guy like Puig. Once you land that guy, it becomes a matter of filling holes, but Wieters & Prado alone isn't moving the needle enough.

[VAfan]

Here's what I think the Sox WILL DO, not what I want them to do.

 

1. Keep Ventura another year. As I said in my post above, this would be a very big mistake. He really hasn't brought anything to the table. No one can make even a shred of a case that he's helped the team win more games than it would without him. He doesn't manage pitching well, is a bad in-game tactician, and the team is HORRIBLE at fundamental baseball. It's this last part that should get him fired. But it won't.

 

2. Keep Adam LaRoche and hope he rebounds. With Trayce Thompson, the Sox may have the right-handed platoon for LaRoche, but otherwise, I think the Sox aren't going to eat his $12.5M contract, and no one would take him off our hands on the trade market.

 

3. Keep Avisail Garcia in RF. Like they did with Viciedo, the Sox will reason that this was Garcia's first full season, and will hope that he still has upside. This is really a futile exercise, but because he's still so cheap, the Sox will talk themselves into it.

 

4. Pick up Alexei's $10M option. This is a tricky one. They might try to get him to sign a cheaper deal, but to do so they have to cut him loose, at which point he can sell his services to anyone. I expect he'll think he can get the $10M (or more) from somewhere else, and/or more years at the same time. Knowing this, the Sox will cave and keep him.

 

5. Keep John Danks. Again, no takers on the trade market for Danks' last season. Sox will see him as a bridge to Fullmer, and will keep hoping he gets slightly better.

 

6. Plan for 2B to be the same contest it was this year -- Sanchez v. Micah Johnson. Sanchez had only one good month, and the rest has ranged from crap to awful crap. But he plays good defense, and like Garcia, the Sox will hope for his hitting to improve. Johnson's fielding still won't be good enough to displace Sanchez.

 

7. Keep Flowers at C. The differential between Flowers and Soto for certain pitchers will persuade the Sox to keep Flowers rather than look for a free agent replacement. Sox might also bring Soto back.

 

8. Tender the Shark, and let him go. The Sox will likely fill this rotation spot from within, with Eric Johnson in the lead. But I expect we'll also sign a cheap starter to have competition for this spot.

 

9. Keep Quintana. Sox will realize if they trade Q, it will just create a hole in the pitching staff.

 

10. Sox will do something at 3B, and this will be their "big splash."

 

In short, I think the Sox will not be hugely active this offseason. Instead, they will hope for rebound years from LaRoche, Cabrera, Ramirez, and improvement years from Garcia and Sanchez or Johnson, plus perhaps more from Abreu. And they will hope that the pitching will have a better result with a little more offense.

 

In 2017, LaRoche, Ramirez, and Danks will be gone, which will free up money for the Sox to make another free agent foray. The pitching will be led by Sale, Rodon, Quintana, and Fullmer, and a solid bullpen. If the Sox have somehow fixed 3B this offseason, their focus will be on RF, DH, 2B, and C, with Anderson coming up to play SS.

 

If they don't jettison Ventura, it won't really matter.

 

 

Well, I got the first bullet point right. Wish I had been wrong.

 

We'll see if my last point also proves true. Another point I'd be glad to be wrong about.

[Bigsoxhurt35]

Just give me Heyward. Then move Q in a blockbuster for Arenado. Then add a SP in FA.

[soxfan49]

Not sure if this has been discussed but I heard today from a friend of mine who works for the Sox and he said Hahn is going to make a big play for Todd Frazier

[Jose Abreu]

Not sure if this has been discussed but I heard today from a friend of mine who works for the Sox and he said Hahn is going to make a big play for Todd Frazier

People have been saying that he has been terrible lately, but other than that, it hasn't really been discussed

[Jose Abreu]

IMO:

Players who should have a spot on the 2016 roster:

Matt Albers

Zach Duke

Erik Johnson

Nate Jones

Jake Petricka

Jose Quintana

David Robertson

Carlos Rodon

Chris Sale

Jose Abreu

Carlos Sanchez

Melky Cabrera

Adam Eaton

Trayce Thompson

----------------------

Players who should be fringe players in 2016/ST position battles:

Dan Jennings

Zach Putnam

Tyler Flowers

Tyler Saladino

Avisail Garcia

----------------------

Wild cards:

Frank Montas

Micah Johnson

Alexei Ramirez

JB Shuck

----------------------

Players who should not be on the 2016 roster but probably will be due to contracts:

John Danks

Adam LaRoche

----------------------

Players who should not be on the 2016 roster whatsoever:

Jeff Samardzija

Daniel Webb

Geo Soto

Gordon Beckham

Mike Olt

 

 

[Balta1701]

Not sure if this has been discussed but I heard today from a friend of mine who works for the Sox and he said Hahn is going to make a big play for Todd Frazier

Quintana for Frazier seems so much like a kind of move I'd make sarcastic, insulting jokes about them being dumb enough to do that somehow I think it'll really happen. That'll be the moment I walk into a thread, say "I'm out", and then that'll be it for me with this franchise for a while.

 

We'll probably throw in Danish to make it happen.

[Quin]

Quintana for Frazier seems so much like a kind of move I'd make sarcastic, insulting jokes about them being dumb enough to do that somehow I think it'll really happen. That'll be the moment I walk into a thread, say "I'm out", and then that'll be it for me with this franchise for a while.

 

We'll probably throw in Danish to make it happen.

 

Q-for-Frazier is such a bad deal unless the Reds are throwing significant prospects back.

[OmarComing25]

Please no.