2020 Lineup and Rotation You Reasonably Want to See

[richig07]

1. Nick Madrigal 2B
2. Yoan Moncada 3B
3. Eloy Jiminez LF
4. JD Martinez DH
5. Jose Abreu 1B
6. Luis Robert CF
7. Tim Anderson SS
8. James McCann C
9. Leury Garcia RF

1. Gerrit Cole
2. Lucas Giolito
3. Micheal Kopech
4. Dylan Cease
5. Reynaldo Lopez (I guess...? He has to earn his rotation spot the rest of this year and in spring training. Obviously)

I realize those are all right-handed starters, but this is a rough draft. So, I haven't really worked that part out yet.

If we cannot land Cole, I would pursue Odorizzi. Substitutes for Martinez could be Castellanos or Ozuna (you could also obviously play Ozuna in RF in lieu of Garcia and move some things around). If we swing and miss on the bigger name positional players. You could very likely wind-up with Justin Smoak at 1B and Abreu at DH.

Yasiel Puig and (guess who?) Avisail Garcia are also due to be free agents.

If the current team is heading into the break 42-44. The above team can certainly make noise (especially with a decent bullpen). Obviously, you need to bank on Madrigal and Robert panning out. I really like both (especially Robert) but that's clearly no sure thing.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

While I really like that lineup and starting pitching staff you posted, I question that Reinsdorf (or to not anger idseer, whoever controls the Sox pursestrings) will open the checkbook for two major FA signings. Perhaps one? Hopefully at least that and my choice would be Cole or Odorizzi. I think we're in much more dire need of starting pitching than a big, productive stick.

Also, I might be the single biggest fan in here of seeing Nick Madrigal & Luis Robert make the roster, but I'm wondering if we see them start next season in the bigs, especially Madrigal. The brass always seems to be a bit cautious at promoting our top prospects quickly. But hey, you never know. The good thing is it WILL happen at some point and hey, if the Sox deem them ready to play in 2020, I'll be rooting big time for them.

 

[richig07]

While I really like that lineup and starting pitching staff you posted, I question that Reinsdorf (or to not anger idseer, whoever controls the Sox pursestrings) will open the checkbook for two major FA signings. Perhaps one? Hopefully at least that and my choice would be Cole or Odorizzi. I think we're in much more dire need of starting pitching than a big, productive stick.

Also, I might be the single biggest fan in here of seeing Nick Madrigal & Luis Robert make the roster, but I'm wondering if we see them start next season in the bigs, especially Madrigal. The brass always seems to be a bit cautious at promoting our top prospects quickly. But hey, you never know. The good thing is it WILL happen at some point and hey, if the Sox deem them ready to play in 2020, I'll be rooting big time for them.

Both are headed up to Charlotte this week and there's talks of September call-ups with each of them now. It's no longer an outside shot for them to make the opening day roster next season, at all. Madrigal hit .397 in AA. Robert is making a mockery of minor league pitching. They'll come up sooner rather than later if they keep it up.

As for money, I mean... we threw quite an offer at Machado. That whole thing sucked, but it did prove that we're willing to show up to the party.

And this team has no DH. Ideally, it will be Abreu (I'm assuming we extend him - it just seems like what's going to happen) but he's said he has no interest in it.

We will make some kind of a positional splash this off-season. It won't be Machado big (that isn't even out there this year) but it will be something. Martinez won't warrant a crazy amount of money or length in a deal due to his age. Same with Ozuna. We have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball and a lot of money to spend. They know after the fiasco of missing out on Machado and Harper that they absolutely have to do something.

We're going to see spending... I just hope it's on the right guys.