White Sox Sign Austin Jackson

[VAfan]

Here's how I see it.

 

Jackson starting in CF, with Eaton and Melky on the corners most of the time.

 

Avi is the right handed platoon for LaRoche. And occasional OF starter.

 

JB Shuck plays about the same number of games as last year, giving Jackson time off against right handers.

 

If LaRoche doesn't bounce back, the Sox need to make another deal.

 

Not great, but passable. Just need everyone to come out strong, unlike last year when the offense was putrid.

Edited March 7, 2016 by VAfan

[Dunt]

If it's the same Jackie Bradley, Jr., from last year...but nobody is 100% convinced what they'll get from him offensively with everyday playing time.

 

The same applies to Rusney Castillo, for that matter.

 

 

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/rick-h...ay-cf-white-sox

Hahn: Jackson will play mostly CF

 

He had 2 good months last year. Avi was awesome in April/May last year, you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture though. Bradley Jr. has been absolutely awful since he was brought up.

[RockRaines]

Austin Jackson is going to start in CF, I have no doubts about that. Eaton and Melky with Avi sharing time with Melky and Laroche.

[LDF]

Austin Jackson is going to start in CF, I have no doubts about that. Eaton and Melky with Avi sharing time with Melky and Laroche.

 

do you think Avi is better defensively than Melky???

[southsider2k5]

They didn't give him $5mill to ride the bench. I agree with you.

 

I think you'll see a lot of at bats from the 4 OF.

 

Yeah, I think this feels right. I don't think they are looking at Jackson as a 150 game starter, but more in the 120 to 130 game range, with Avi getting 3-4 starts a week as well. Both Mellky and Eaton will also see a lot of time off.

[fathom]

Compared to two weeks ago, I love the construction of the bench. You have two guys with speed in Saladino and Shuck, as well as Avi who is a bad base runner but can score from 2nd on a base hit.

[southsider2k5]

It's really incredible how Hahn was able to make all these moves and not give up the draft picks. The Jackson move caps off a fascinating, yet productive offseason. Kudos to Hahn.

 

It is almost surreal how great of an off season that Hahn had when you consider how little money he had to run with, and protecting the picks that he had. Yes some will bemoan the lack of the big named player, but realistically, even if Hahn's off season turns out to be a disaster, none of the players brought in will have any long term damage to the franchise. If Cespedes regressed, that could have single handedly forced the White Sox into a full rebuild, just by sheer contract size alone.

[OmarComing25]

Kansas City (would have to be RF though), Detroit (over Maybin/Gose), Cleveland (while Brantley is out)... basically any team but Minnesota.

 

edit- lots of posters beat me to it- I'd say no to Minnesota because Rosario is probably better

Regarding Rosario, he and Jackson were equal in value last year, projections are higher on Jackson, Rosario has horrendous plate discipline and uninspiring minor-league numbers, and at least one Fangraphs writer thinks he will tank hard in 2016:

 

Sell your short-term Eddie Rosario stock, people. His 129 Contact Score is a mirage, all based on good fortune. Check out the hideous K-BB differential. Or the high pop-up rate. Or the high fly-ball rate that is likely to decline in 2016. Or the massive differential between his fly ball and grounder authority. Adjustments need to be made for him to effective in the long haul. He’s poised for a Danny Santana-like collapse (I did call that one) this time around.

[Lillian]

Assuming that both Rollins and Jackson are going to be in the regular lineup, and that Avi doesn't get traded or sent to AAA, I'd like to see this:

 

RF Eaton

SS Rollins

1B Abreu

DH Melky

3B Frazier

2B Lawrie

LF AVI

C Avila/Navarro

CF Jackson

 

Rollins is a smart hitter, who would be able to handle the 2 hole, leaving Melky to provide the LH bat in the middle of the order, to break up all the right handed hitters.

Of course, this would have to be altered until Eaton's shoulder is completely healthy.

LaRoche would then have to be a pinch hitter and defensive replacement for Abreu. It would be better if he weren't on the roster, but it is, what it is.

I like having the 3 speedsters in succession, 9TH, Leadoff and 2ND.

[Dick Allen]

I agree with the above. Pretty amazing how he was able to stretch a buck, get a middle of the order guy in Frazier, and fill holes, with minimal impact on the pitching front. Montas may come back to bite him one day, but if Frazier is as good as advertised and the team wins, that's more than OK.

 

Not trading Q was huge. The team still could use some more power, but if LaRoche could somehow be what they thought he would be, they could be OK there as well.

[cabiness42]

Assuming that both Rollins and Jackson are going to be in the regular lineup, and that Avi doesn't get traded or sent to AAA, I'd like to see this:

 

RF Eaton

SS Rollins

1B Abreu

DH Melky

3B Frazier

2B Lawrie

LF AVI

C Avila/Navarro

CF Jackson

 

Rollins is a smart hitter, who would be able to handle the 2 hole, leaving Melky to provide the LH bat in the middle of the order, to break up all the right handed hitters.

Of course, this would have to be altered until Eaton's shoulder is completely healthy.

LaRoche would then have to be a pinch hitter and defensive replacement for Abreu. It would be better if he weren't on the roster, but it is, what it is.

I like having the 3 speedsters in succession, 9TH, Leadoff and 2ND.

 

Melky isn't a good outfielder, but he's nowhere near as bad as Avi. There is no circumstance under which Melky is DH and Avi in the outfield. Laroche also has to be in the lineup vs RHP over Avi or Jackson.

[shysocks]

Also, I don't want Melky hitting cleanup just to break up the righties. That spot is Frazier's. Melky or Lawrie should hit 2nd depending on the opposing starter.

[Lemon_44]

Assuming that both Rollins and Jackson are going to be in the regular lineup, and that Avi doesn't get traded or sent to AAA, I'd like to see this:

 

RF Eaton

SS Rollins

1B Abreu

DH Melky

3B Frazier

2B Lawrie

LF AVI

C Avila/Navarro

CF Jackson

 

Rollins is a smart hitter, who would be able to handle the 2 hole, leaving Melky to provide the LH bat in the middle of the order, to break up all the right handed hitters.

Of course, this would have to be altered until Eaton's shoulder is completely healthy.

LaRoche would then have to be a pinch hitter and defensive replacement for Abreu. It would be better if he weren't on the roster, but it is, what it is.

I like having the 3 speedsters in succession, 9TH, Leadoff and 2ND.

I agree. Even is Saladino is starting, flipping him and Jackson in the order still works.

If LaRoche wasn't owed a bunch of money, he wouldn't even be considered to make the team. I think we're at the point of HOPING LaRoche can put up Connor Gillapsie type numbers and that's pretty bad.

[cabiness42]

This is what I would figure the lineups to be:

 

vs RHP

Eaton 9

Melky 7

Abreu DH

Frazier 5

Laroche DH

Lawrie 4

Avila 2

Rollins 6

Jackson 8

 

Bench: Navarro, Avi, Saladino, Schuck

 

vs LHP

Eaton 9

Lawrie 4

Abreu 3

Frazier 5

Avi DH

Navarro 2

Melky 7

Rollins 6

Jackson 8

 

Bench: Avila, Laroche, Saladino, Shuck

 

Shuck gets some starts vs LHP instead of Melky, Saladino gets some starts vs LHP instead of Rollins

Catchers also probably aren't strictly platooned. Navaro probably gets closer to half of the starts but Sox won't face anywhere near half LHP.

 

[bmags]

I feel a lot better about our depth in general now. I'm still concerned that Rollins will be awful, but clearly guy has his role of mentoring (Just like PK did in 14 which he took oh so seriously).

 

Vs LHP, we can use Austin/Garcia instead of Laroche. Vs RHP really hope LaRoche can pack a punch this year.

[Dunt]

I feel a lot better about our depth in general now. I'm still concerned that Rollins will be awful, but clearly guy has his role of mentoring (Just like PK did in 14 which he took oh so seriously).

 

Vs LHP, we can use Austin/Garcia instead of Laroche. Vs RHP really hope LaRoche can pack a punch this year.

 

If Rollins is awful, Saladino steps in and the Sox immediately have plus defense up the middle. Win-win IMO.

[OmarComing25]

@caseyboguslaw Eaton OK with a corner spot?

 

@AdamSpankyEaton I want to win

 

Great answer, Eaton.

 

https://twitter.com/AdamSpankyEaton/status/...640320507740160

[VAfan]

This is what I would figure the lineups to be:

 

vs RHP

Eaton 9

Melky 7

Abreu DH

Frazier 5

Laroche DH

Lawrie 4

Avila 2

Rollins 6

Jackson 8

 

Bench: Navarro, Avi, Saladino, Schuck

 

vs LHP

Eaton 9

Lawrie 4

Abreu 3

Frazier 5

Avi DH

Navarro 2

Melky 7

Rollins 6

Jackson 8

 

Bench: Avila, Laroche, Saladino, Shuck

 

Shuck gets some starts vs LHP instead of Melky, Saladino gets some starts vs LHP instead of Rollins

Catchers also probably aren't strictly platooned. Navaro probably gets closer to half of the starts but Sox won't face anywhere near half LHP.

 

 

Shuck is going to get AB against righties, with Jackson sitting down. Jackson's splits are not so good against RH, and Shuck didn't hit lefties well last year. It won't be a platoon, but that's who Shuck will replace, with Eaton moving to CF for those games.

[Bob Sacamano]

Shuck is going to get AB against righties, with Jackson sitting down. Jackson's splits are not so good against RH, and Shuck didn't hit lefties well last year. It won't be a platoon, but that's who Shuck will replace, with Eaton moving to CF for those games.

 

I expect Shuck to get into a bunch of games we're winning late for Melky and Avi.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

Mike Olt DFA'd

Good.

[chw42]

Shuck is going to get AB against righties, with Jackson sitting down. Jackson's splits are not so good against RH, and Shuck didn't hit lefties well last year. It won't be a platoon, but that's who Shuck will replace, with Eaton moving to CF for those games.

 

Jackson came here because he would be starting, not platooning. Jackson's career splits aren't even that far apart.

[Eminor3rd]

Yeah, Shuck is the "benchiest" of the bench guys. I expect him to get 150-200 AB unless someone gets hurt.

[chw42]

Yeah, Shuck is the "benchiest" of the bench guys. I expect him to get 150-200 AB unless someone gets hurt.

 

He's a late inning OF replacement for either Melky or Avi. He might get some platoon starts against some tough right handed pitchers if there's any concern over Jackson's splits. But there's no way he'd get more PAs than Jackson this year.

[bmags]

Jackson came here because he would be starting, not platooning. Jackson's career splits aren't even that far apart.

 

But his RH numbers continue to decline. Using shuck in that role will be helpful.

[Chisoxfn]

Solid solid signing. I don't know if this is enough, but if things bounce the Sox way they can certainly contend. Favorite, no way. This team is significantly deeper than a year ago's team and I have said for a while I like Avi in the 4th outfield role, taking advantage of match-ups, etc. Jackson solidifies this defense but his offense has had a 2 year downswing, so lets hope he can bounce back a bit vs. continue to trend downward. We still lack very many good position players but at least now, we have less totally negative players.