Ventura: "White Sox have potential to be dangerous"

[Dick Allen]

What if they win 85 games?

The guy is a Royals fan who twice said he was leaving this site until KW or Robin were fired. What he is showing now is his true colors basically saying the Sox will suck, Robin will be fired, and then he will be back with all his every move the Sox make is stupid posts.

[captain54]

Goods points and could not agree with you more. Too many fans are focused on what did not or has not happened yet instead taking a few steps back to see what has actually been accomplished so far. The Sox are in a much better place than they were at seasons end.

 

Was talking to some Angels fans…. the FO starts the season, and the fans come to expect nothing less than at least a playoff spot every year, a chance to compete for a World Series in October.... the mindset is that anything less than that and the season is a failure..

 

Here in Chicago, Sox fans are pleased that. "at least we are better than last year"

 

Pretty sad that our standards are so low..

[LDF]

Was talking to some Angels fans…. the FO starts the season, and the fans come to expect nothing less than at least a playoff spot every year, a chance to compete for a World Series in October.... the mindset is that anything less than that and the season is a failure..

 

Here in Chicago, Sox fans are pleased that. "at least we are better than last year"

 

Pretty sad that our standards are so low..

with the owners and management that the sox have or had, can't anyone see why we as fans have low expectations.

[shipps]

Yeah they probably have the most potential to be dangerously bad. Is the Lawrie/Frazier addition going to make last years team THAT much better? No I personally dont think so. They should be better but not enough to make a significant jump from last year in wins.

[shipps]

I think my anger that I suppressed last year with the thought of "next year things can be better" has now caught up to me because now that next year is almost here I am not sure that things are going to be much better at all.

 

Not looking forward to going through another frustrating season.

[Thad Bosley]

Was talking to some Angels fans…. the FO starts the season, and the fans come to expect nothing less than at least a playoff spot every year, a chance to compete for a World Series in October.... the mindset is that anything less than that and the season is a failure..

 

Here in Chicago, Sox fans are pleased that. "at least we are better than last year"

 

Pretty sad that our standards are so low..

Depends on which Sox fans you talk to. "At least we are better than last year" certainly doesn't cut it for me, and seemingly for the majority of the fans who frequent this board. Unfortunately the track record for the organization is so poor that the fan base has been conditioned not to expect much. When your team has only made it to the postseason 5 times over a 55 year period, how in the world could you expect the fans to have the mindset that "anything less than earning a playoff spot is a failure"? I want the team's performance to improve to the point that we are all operating under that kind of mindset. But we'll only get there once this team starts setting a precedent with some sustainable winning. That's what this organization so sorely needs to get this fan base invigorated and interested in the product.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Thad Bosley

[LDF]

 

if any posters who are older than i.... lets say 65 yrs young, can anyone relate to the impossibility of sustaining that hope of a continuous hope of next yr, the the first of many seasons of my team competing in the playoff..... shiiite, i would even hope for those days of hoping of being a team, a team of substance....

 

 

[LDF]

Depends on which Sox fans you talk to. "At least we are better than last year" certainly doesn't cut it for me, and seemingly for the majority of the fans who frequent this board. Unfortunately the track record for the organization is so poor that the fan base has been conditioned not to expect much. When your team has only made it to the postseason 5 times over a 55 year period, how in the world could you expect the fans to have the mindset that "anything less than earning a playoff spot is a failure"? I want the team's performance to improve to the point that we are all operating under that kind of mindset. But we'll only get there once this team starts setting a precedent with some sustainable winning. That's what this organization so sorely needs to get this fan base invigorated and interested in the product.

 

nice post, but i am leaning on the side of saying, in the past yrs, the sox team had great players but it was the FO that failed the fans of the sox and by default the baseball fans of chi,

[BlackSox13]

I don't know. The Sox had a .611 OPS from the 3B position in '15 while Frazier had an .806 OPS. 2B for the Sox had a .564 OPS while Lawrie had a .706 OPS. Just my opinion but I'd call that a significant upgrade.

[cabiness42]

I think my anger that I suppressed last year with the thought of "next year things can be better" has now caught up to me because now that next year is almost here I am not sure that things are going to be much better at all.

 

Not looking forward to going through another frustrating season.

 

These position players are no longer on the Sox: Alexei Ramirez, Tyler Flowers, Gordon Bekcham, Conor Gillaspie and Micah Johnson. That was 1519 PA worth of pure suck. Between Melky, Avisail and Laroche, the good bet is the combined production of the three of them is at least a little bit better than last year, if not significantly better.

 

On the pitching side, Jeff Samardzija, Hector Noesi, Daniel Webb and Frankie Montas are 292 innings of suck that are either gone or figure to be in AAA to start the season. Every single pitcher slated to make the Opening Day roster except Danks was at least good if not very good or excellent last year.

 

This team is going to be a lot better. Maybe not enough to make the postseason, but close enough that the money coming off the books after Laroche and Danks are gone can make a big difference.

 

Plus I still think this team adds a free agent OF before ST begins.

[Dunt]

Yeah they probably have the most potential to be dangerously bad. Is the Lawrie/Frazier addition going to make last years team THAT much better? No I personally dont think so. They should be better but not enough to make a significant jump from last year in wins.

 

For reference:

 

Sox 3B fWAR last season: -1.3

Todd Frazier fWAR last season: 4.4

 

Sox 2B fWAR last season: -1.2

Brett Lawrie fWAR last season: 0.6

 

Those 2 changes alone add roughly 7.5 wins to last years team, so a pretty significant difference IMO.

[shipps]

For reference:

 

Sox 3B fWAR last season: -1.3

Todd Frazier fWAR last season: 4.4

 

Sox 2B fWAR last season: -1.2

Brett Lawrie fWAR last season: 0.6

 

Those 2 changes alone add roughly 7.5 wins to last years team, so a pretty significant difference IMO.

 

They finished 19 games behind the Royals last year. I dont know if a 7.5 game difference will be significant and that's considering the best case scenario. I am not sure Frazier is going to produce a +4WAR next year.

 

I am not trying to be negative or anything. I hope all goes well but I am not going to try to convince myself that this team is something that they are most likely not.

[SCCWS]

I agree with RV and have no problem with what he said. Frazier is a huge upgrade at 3B, Lawrie's bat is a sizeable upgrade at 2B with nice power potential and Avila/Navarro are sizeable upgrades at catcher. 3B and Catcher got better defensively and while I don't expect Lawrie to be as slick as Sanchez with the glove at 2B but Lawrie's arm is a big upgrade to that position. Saladino should be a defensive upgrade at SS so the infield overall should much improved defensively and in the batting lineup as well.

 

All I'm saying is that the Sox look much better now than they did at seasons end. Unless of course fans prefered to go with revolving doors at 3B and 2B with Flowers at catcher and an aging/declining Alexei at SS.

 

You think Frazier will be better defensively than Saladino was??? I think Frazier is an average 3B and Saladino is slightly better than average. I think Sanchez is an outstanding 2B and I think Lawrie is a very good one. I have no clue if Saladino is better at SS than the 2nd half Alexei. I think the infield is slightly worse defensively than last year but they needed more offense and the infield will be much better offensively. That is why I feel they need to improve the outfield defensively to offset what I perceive to be a drop in the infield defense. I have no clue how the catcher defense will compare to last year.

 

[Dick Allen]

You think Frazier will be better defensively than Saladino was??? I think Frazier is an average 3B and Saladino is slightly better than average. I think Sanchez is an outstanding 2B and I think Lawrie is a very good one. I have no clue if Saladino is better at SS than the 2nd half Alexei. I think the infield is slightly worse defensively than last year but they needed more offense and the infield will be much better offensively. That is why I feel they need to improve the outfield defensively to offset what I perceive to be a drop in the infield defense. I have no clue how the catcher defense will compare to last year.

Infield defense wasn't a problem the second half of last year. The first half it was about as bad as it gets.

[southsider2k5]

I don't know. The Sox had a .611 OPS from the 3B position in '15 while Frazier had an .806 OPS. 2B for the Sox had a .564 OPS while Lawrie had a .706 OPS. Just my opinion but I'd call that a significant upgrade.

 

 

For reference:

 

Sox 3B fWAR last season: -1.3

Todd Frazier fWAR last season: 4.4

 

Sox 2B fWAR last season: -1.2

Brett Lawrie fWAR last season: 0.6

 

Those 2 changes alone add roughly 7.5 wins to last years team, so a pretty significant difference IMO.

 

You should know better than to introduce facts to irrationality.

 

[LDF]

For reference:

 

Sox 3B fWAR last season: -1.3

Todd Frazier fWAR last season: 4.4

 

Sox 2B fWAR last season: -1.2

Brett Lawrie fWAR last season: 0.6

 

Those 2 changes alone add roughly 7.5 wins to last years team, so a pretty significant difference IMO.

 

nice info.....

 

but bringing up stats that is based on last yr team is not the right way of looking or comparing. those stats, is to improve a team, when a team is starting off the season, it is something to look for as an improvement factor.

 

when all things being equal, will those additions help???? yes, with all new outlook.... i can say i can be somewhat excited, but damn, i want the sox to finish what they started.

 

to hell with 2017 when some salary relief can help, it is the now, that the fans want. we have had all the "next yr" bs.

[Y2Jimmy0]

nice info.....

 

but bringing up stats that is based on last yr team is not the right way of looking or comparing. those stats, is to improve a team, when a team is starting off the season, it is something to look for as an improvement factor.

 

when all things being equal, will those additions help???? yes, with all new outlook.... i can say i can be somewhat excited, but damn, i want the sox to finish what they started.

 

to hell with 2017 when some salary relief can help, it is the now, that the fans want. we have had all the "next yr" bs.

 

 

What?

[bear_brian]

if any posters who are older than i.... lets say 65 yrs young, can anyone relate to the impossibility of sustaining that hope of a continuous hope of next yr, the the first of many seasons of my team competing in the playoff..... shiiite, i would even hope for those days of hoping of being a team, a team of substance....

 

I am older than 65 and have followed the Sox since Luis Aparicio's rookie season in 1956. When they won the pennant in 1959 it ended a 40 year pennant drought. My grandfather - who was my biggest influence in my becoming a Sox fan - had endured those 40 years, and I remember how bad I felt for him having to wait that long. Little did I know that I would then endure a 46 year wait for the next AL pennant (but I also got the joy of a World Series championship!).

 

Bottom line is that we older fans are unfortunately very accustomed to the lack of championships. The only real difference between our suffering and those of our North side brethren is that we at least have enjoyed a fair number of good teams along the way, although not lately. It is truly a shame but, at this point, the only thing that will change our collective pessimism is success - similar to what the Hawks are doing, or to what the Bulls accomplished during the Jordan years.

[LDF]

I am older than 65 and have followed the Sox since Luis Aparicio's rookie season in 1956. When they won the pennant in 1959 it ended a 40 year pennant drought. My grandfather - who was my biggest influence in my becoming a Sox fan - had endured those 40 years, and I remember how bad I felt for him having to wait that long. Little did I know that I would then endure a 46 year wait for the next AL pennant (but I also got the joy of a World Series championship!).

 

Bottom line is that we older fans are unfortunately very accustomed to the lack of championships. The only real difference between our suffering and those of our North side brethren is that we at least have enjoyed a fair number of good teams along the way, although not lately. It is truly a shame but, at this point, the only thing that will change our collective pessimism is success - similar to what the Hawks are doing, or to what the Bulls accomplished during the Jordan years.

 

nice post,

 

but i agree with you, we as fans have waited and as young fans lived with the coined phrase of "what till next yr".

 

but you nailed it, we as chi sports fans have had the bulls, hawks, even bears superbowl to help in the sports excitement.

 

but the 90's of the wasted talent of the sox.....

[Dunt]

You think Frazier will be better defensively than Saladino was??? I think Frazier is an average 3B and Saladino is slightly better than average. I think Sanchez is an outstanding 2B and I think Lawrie is a very good one. I have no clue if Saladino is better at SS than the 2nd half Alexei. I think the infield is slightly worse defensively than last year but they needed more offense and the infield will be much better offensively. That is why I feel they need to improve the outfield defensively to offset what I perceive to be a drop in the infield defense. I have no clue how the catcher defense will compare to last year.

 

I dont think people give Frazier near the credit he deserves defensively. He is top 10 in both DRS and UZR. Tyler was great at third last year, but dude had no stick. His defense and bat play WAY better at SS and I think people will realize how bad of a defender Alexei was these last couple years once Tyler gets time there.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Dunt

[southsider2k5]

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 46s47 seconds ago

 

Robin believes Garcia can be a starter on a contender adding Garcia has work to do.

[southsider2k5]

JJ Stankevitz ‏@JJStankevitz 2m2 minutes ago Chicago, IL

 

Robin Ventura jokes on Adam LaRoche: "Sabermetrics show he has a good year every other year." #WhiteSox #SoxFest2016

[OmarComing25]

JJ Stankevitz ‏@JJStankevitz 2m2 minutes ago Chicago, IL

 

Robin Ventura jokes on Adam LaRoche: "Sabermetrics show he has a good year every other year." #WhiteSox #SoxFest2016

Maybe he can be Alex Rios 2.0? Rios was awful in 2009 and 2011 (overshadowed by Dunn that year, but 2011 Rios was somehow even worse than 2015 LaRoche), but great in 2010 and 2012.

[Dick Allen]

Avi is down 20 lbs. and worked 3 days in Miami with Steverson and is now done swinging at bad pitches.

[fathom]

Avi is down 20 lbs. and worked 3 days in Miami with Steverson and is now done swinging at bad pitches.

 

I do like hearing they are going to have him stand taller at the plate