Levine Article: Sox Rebuilding

[Hatchetman]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/11/11/lev...ebuilding-mode/

“Last year we saw the opportunity to be aggressive and address certain areas of need,” Hahn said. “We wanted to build around the core we had. In the future, you would want your core to be bigger and activity in free agency being a little less.”

 

“We are trying to do this (rebuild properly) as soon as possible,” Hahn said.

 

“If you look at the teams right now that you would praise or emulate — Houston, Kansas City, the Cubs and Pittsburgh — they all spent a minimum of five years under .500. They did it by the draft, trades and international signings. So there is a template out there that shows it takes time.”

[Baron]

So in other words nothing new. Same plan as before. Thanks Bruce.

[LDF]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/11/11/lev...ebuilding-mode/

“Last year we saw the opportunity to be aggressive and address certain areas of need,” Hahn said. “We wanted to build around the core we had. In the future, you would want your core to be bigger and activity in free agency being a little less.”

 

“We are trying to do this (rebuild properly) as soon as possible,” Hahn said.

 

“If you look at the teams right now that you would praise or emulate — Houston, Kansas City, the Cubs and Pittsburgh — they all spent a minimum of five years under .500. They did it by the draft, trades and international signings. So there is a template out there that shows it takes time.”

 

so is he insinuating that now it is a 5 yr plan instead of 3 yr ?????

is it safe to assume that it is now yr what of how many, ye 2 or 5 or is it now 5 more yrs???

[southsider2k5]

I'll be honest, with the Rick Someone mistake, I couldn't take anything else Levine wrote seriously.

 

https://twitter.com/WriteSox/status/664479541549621248

[Baron]

I mean if they are going for 5 years then trade Sale and Jose Abreu. Jerry should fire them immediately if that's the plan.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Baron

[spiderman]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/11/11/lev...ebuilding-mode/

“Last year we saw the opportunity to be aggressive and address certain areas of need,” Hahn said. “We wanted to build around the core we had. In the future, you would want your core to be bigger and activity in free agency being a little less.”

 

“We are trying to do this (rebuild properly) as soon as possible,” Hahn said.

 

“If you look at the teams right now that you would praise or emulate — Houston, Kansas City, the Cubs and Pittsburgh — they all spent a minimum of five years under .500. They did it by the draft, trades and international signings. So there is a template out there that shows it takes time.”

 

What we don't know is how satisfied Rick Han is with his core group of players. If he is satisfied with that group, they may not be as aggressive in free agency. In referring to the template that KC, Cubs and Pittsburgh took, he's only acknowledging that there are different options to rebuild. I think he's more interested in the express rebuilding plan.

 

The White Sox are a top heavy club - some stars and excellent building blocks with Sale, Quintana, Rodon, Robertson, Abreu, Melky Cabrera, Eaton and maybe a few of their bullpen arms. That's maybe 10-12 guys if we stretch it a bit and there are major deficiencies in defensive play and offense.

 

Are they going to be able to add 5-7 useful players to the roster that can contribute to a 2016 roster without dipping into free agency? Unlikely.

 

I would expect them to add 3-5 players in free agency (some of them could be bargain shopping that they hope to get value from), and a trade could bring immediate help in 1-2 spots as well depending on their level of aggression.

 

Overall, it would be surprising to me if the Sox didn't have an active off-season since this is a team NOT taking the 5 year rebuilding path.

[LDF]

so is he insinuating that now it is a 5 yr plan instead of 3 yr ?????

is it safe to assume that it is now yr what of how many, year 2 or 5 or is it now 5 more yrs???

 

i guess i am just as bad as levine,

 

i am making a pun of his article to stir the pot.... i admit it. but really, can't a professional reporter do a better job??

[LDF]

What we don't know is how satisfied Rick Han is with his core group of players. If he is satisfied with that group, they may not be as aggressive in free agency. In referring to the template that KC, Cubs and Pittsburgh took, he's only acknowledging that there are different options to rebuild. I think he's more interested in the express rebuilding plan.

 

The White Sox are a top heavy club - some stars and excellent building blocks with Sale, Quintana, Rodon, Robertson, Abreu, Melky Cabrera, Eaton and maybe a few of their bullpen arms. That's maybe 10-12 guys if we stretch it a bit and there are major deficiencies in defensive play and offense.

 

Are they going to be able to add 5-7 useful players to the roster that can contribute to a 2016 roster without dipping into free agency? Unlikely.

 

I would expect them to add 3-5 players in free agency (some of them could be bargain shopping that they hope to get value from), and a trade could bring immediate help in 1-2 spots as well depending on their level of aggression.

 

Overall, it would be surprising to me if the Sox didn't have an active off-season since this is a team NOT taking the 5 year rebuilding path.

 

a really nice post.

 

for this discussion only, i really like this idea of it is a full blown rebuild after last yr disaster, then the sox really have a great group to assemble many prospects.

 

however, i can see that the sox really can't do that and again it is b/c of the success of the northside team. they can not let them get more entrenched with the idea of success and that team.

[Jose Abreu]

I'll be honest, with the Rick Someone mistake, I couldn't take anything else Levine wrote seriously.

 

https://twitter.com/WriteSox/status/664479541549621248

My god, how does guy have a job as a baseball writer? Here's a groundbreaking tweet from him:

 

Bruce Levine

‏@MLBBruceLevine 2h

Sully is my personal photographer

[Bigsoxhurt35]

Bruce's tweets are just awful...like his reporting.

[Hatchetman]

so you guys think these are phony quotes or is it that Hahn's words were not intended to convey any message.

[southsider2k5]

so you guys think these are phony quotes or is it that Hahn's words were not intended to convey any message.

 

Re-reading the article I think he is obviously trying to put things into perspective. All of these other teams that people want to emulate took between 5 and 10 years of being awful to get to where they are now. The Sox are trying to speed that time line up.

 

He is trying to realign expectations a bit, but still send the message that they aren't punting for a half of a decade.

 

At no point does he say they are starting a new rebuild, only continuing what they started a few years back.

[spiderman]

a really nice post.

 

for this discussion only, i really like this idea of it is a full blown rebuild after last yr disaster, then the sox really have a great group to assemble many prospects.

 

however, i can see that the sox really can't do that and again it is b/c of the success of the northside team. they can not let them get more entrenched with the idea of success and that team.

 

I do think it's a mistake to be making decision (specifically strategic decisions that could impact the club for a decade) around how the Cubs are performing.

[fathom]

I do think it's a mistake to be making decision (specifically strategic decisions that could impact the club for a decade) around how the Cubs are performing.

 

Problem is that the Chicago media now thinks it's the only way you can build a team.

[LDF]

so you guys think these are phony quotes or is it that Hahn's words were not intended to convey any message.

 

quotes and misquotes can be taken out of any quotations that is given.

 

i believe when he said that the sox are trying to do it quickly. that i believe.

 

now come what i choose to believe in or in this case what not to believe.

 

the rest.

 

for me it was probably meant to say that most rebuilds takes x amount of yrs and the sox knows this but are trying to do it faster.

 

until a second, third source are saying the same thing, i chose not to believe in levine stories.

[LDF]

I do think it's a mistake to be making decision (specifically strategic decisions that could impact the club for a decade) around how the Cubs are performing.

 

if the sox were the only team in this city, no....

 

but this club had a WS ring and yet this team plays 2 nd fiddle. why???

 

i have voiced my ideas. i really don't really want to rehash my lost faith in the owners and the FO.

 

so the answer to your question is yes, they have to keep an eye on the golden ring and not let the media and popularity get too far out of reach.

 

those remaining die hard fans are finding it a rough time keeping the faith.

[OmarComing25]

Problem is that the Chicago media now thinks it's the only way you can build a team.

What's continually frustrating about it is that this Cubs team was not built by high draft picks for the most part, and they have the money to hand out multiple 9 figure deals, something we'll never be able to do.

Edited November 11, 2015 by OmarComing25

[Leonard Zelig]

What's continually frustrating about it is that this Cubs team was not built by high draft picks for the most part, and they have the money to hand out multiple 6 figure deals, something we'll never be able to do.

The Sox have plenty of players making 6 figures.

[shysocks]

The Sox have plenty of players making 6 figures.

 

Everybody in the league makes six figures. Probably meant 9.

[Hatchetman]

Hahn's quotes seem to be different from the "all in" type of rhetoric we heard last offseason. So a change in strategic philosophy? Intentionally tempering expectations for 2016? Does this mean trading away Quintana?

 

There are no rumors going around so this is the best I have to ponder over.

[OmarComing25]

 

Everybody in the league makes six figures. Probably meant 9.

Haha yes I did mean 9.

[Harry Chappas]

Problem is that the Chicago media now thinks it's the only way you can build a team.

 

sadly that is for every sport and 90% of sports fans as well

 

The Bears need to trade everyone for high draft picks

[Thad Bosley]

Re-reading the article I think he is obviously trying to put things into perspective. All of these other teams that people want to emulate took between 5 and 10 years of being awful to get to where they are now. The Sox are trying to speed that time line up.

 

He is trying to realign expectations a bit, but still send the message that they aren't punting for a half of a decade.

 

At no point does he say they are starting a new rebuild, only continuing what they started a few years back.

On the contrary - that's exactly the message he's conveying. When he talks about a template to "praise" or "emulate" that involves a record below .500 for a "minimum of five years", then that's him realigning our expectations, big time.

 

Gladly (if you can actually use that word this way), to your point, we are not starting that rebuild right now. Many aspects of a rebuild started in 2013, stalled only by last offseason's activity. But in resuming those rebuild efforts now, by the time this team is competitive again, given the current state of the team, "half of a decade" and maybe then some will have been "punted". Think 2013 to whichever the next year is that we'll be competitive after this rebuild is complete. Unless you think rebuild efforts involving obtaining young, cost-controlled players will somehow make us competitive in the next couple of years.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Thad Bosley

[LDF]

On the contrary - that's exactly the message he's conveying. When he talks about a template to "praise" or "emulate" that involves a record below .500 for a "minimum of five years", then that's him realigning our expectations, big time.

 

Gladly (if you can actually use that word this way), to your point, we are not starting that rebuild right now. Many aspects of a rebuild started in 2013, stalled only by last offseason's activity. But in resuming those rebuild efforts now, by the time this team is competitive again, given the current state of the team, "half of a decade" and maybe then some will have been "punted". Think 2013 to whichever the next year is that we'll be competitive after this rebuild is complete. Unless you think rebuild efforts involving obtaining young, cost-controlled players will somehow make us competitive in the next couple of years.

 

and that is what i am hoping it means.

[LDF]

Hahn's quotes seem to be different from the "all in" type of rhetoric we heard last offseason. So a change in strategic philosophy? Intentionally tempering expectations for 2016? Does this mean trading away Quintana?

 

There are no rumors going around so this is the best I have to ponder over.

 

trading Q will always be an option. now maybe moreso than before.