Grading the offseason to date

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here are the more significant moves/signings so far in this offseason:

Signed free agent SP Dallas Keuchel
Signed free agent SP Gio Gonzalez
Signed RP Tayron Guerrero (off Miami waivers)
Traded for RF Nomar Mazara (from Texas for #6 prospect OF Steele Walker)
Signed free agent C Yasmani Grandal
Released '19 starting 2b Yolmer Sanchez

Overall grade: B

Altho the Sox missed out on their #1 offseason target, Zack Wheeler, they recuperated fairly well with the signings of Keuchel and Gonzalez, who bring not only veteran experience, but some needed L/H balance to the rotation to boot. I have Guerrero in this batch even tho it's easy to say his signing wasn't really significant. He's more of a boom or bust project. The man is one of the hardest throwing pitchers in baseball, with a FB that more often than not tops 100mp. The problem is he often can't hit the side of a barn. If Coach Cooper can perform some magic and rein in his control, this could turn out to be one of those sneaky-good signings. Not happy with the trade for Mazara, especially for our #6 prospect, but he's young and has that 'potential' tag pasted all over him, so we'll just have to wait and see. Yes, Grandal was not a cheap signing by any stretch of the imagination, but he plays at a premium position and it commands higher than average $$. Regardless, he's an upgrade to James McCann and he really fortifies the battery. I'll miss Yolmer's defense and team spirit, but Danny Mendick can capably hold down the fort until Madrigal arrives.

The reason for not giving an 'A' grade at this point is even tho our roster is without question better than it was at the end '19, I still think we needed a better quality RF and/or DH upgrade. And I wouldn't mind obtaining a veteran RP to bolster our BP. There is still a lot of offseason left, so the grade can still be changed down the road.

 

[Jiddy]

Personally think that Keuchel is just as good of a signing as Wheeler would have been.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Personally think that Keuchel is just as good of a signing as Wheeler would have been.

Would love to agree with you Jid, but there's more plus to Wheeler's outlook than Keuchel's. And YET......maybe you will turn out to be 100% correct, which hopefully means good news for all things Southside.

 

[richig07]

Personally think that Keuchel is just as good of a signing as Wheeler would have been.

Wheeler's upside is twice as high as Kuechel.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here are the more significant moves/signings so far in this offseason:

Signed free agent SP Dallas Keuchel
Signed free agent SP Gio Gonzalez
Signed RP Tayron Guerrero (off Miami waivers)
Traded for RF Nomar Mazara (from Texas for #6 prospect OF Steele Walker)
Signed free agent C Yasmani Grandal
Released '19 starting 2b Yolmer Sanchez

**UPDATE** Signed free agent DH Edwin Encarnacion

Revised overall grade: B+

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Potential starting lineup after both Robert and Madrigal have been called up:

Tim Anderson, SS
Yoan Moncada, 3B
Jose Abreu, 1B
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Eloy Jimenez, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Luis Robert, CF
Nomar Mazara, RF
Nick Madrigal, 2B

Not a bad lineup at all.

 

[msgkings322]

Potential starting lineup after both Robert and Madrigal have been called up:

Tim Anderson, SS
Yoan Moncada, 3B
Jose Abreu, 1B
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Eloy Jimenez, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Luis Robert, CF
Nomar Mazara, RF
Nick Madrigal, 2B

Not a bad lineup at all.

The lineup is playoff quality. The pitching has potential to be. I definitely still think they are getting a wild card at least this year. They are making their move in year 3 of the rebuild, as planned all along

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The lineup is playoff quality. The pitching has potential to be. I definitely still think they are getting a wild card at least this year. They are making their move in year 3 of the rebuild, as planned all along

Definitely feel more confident with the hitting vs the pitching. I think we have ourselves a solid lineup and bench. As for pitching, altho I'm thrilled that they were able to nab some veteran experience in adding two seasoned starters, I'm still a bit leery with the rotation. I'd like to see at least one veteran RP signed to bolster the pen, which I already feel is adequate, but it would make it that much stronger and when the starters falter here and there, at least we can call on the pen to get us thru.

I'm also still remaining a bit skeptical this is a postseason roster, yet I'm firmly in the camp that we'll have a winning season this year. And if nothing else, it's pretty obvious that both the Twins and Indians are now looking over their shoulders. We're coming.

 

[Jiddy]

Wheeler's upside is twice as high as Kuechel.

It's not about either of these two. It's about who we sign next year if this pile of hodge podge we've put together can make itself legitimate this season. We have a mountain of "upside"...I'm more than happy with "proven"...especially if said proven comes with a smaller tag so we can go bonkers next offseason. If we sign Wheeler to 120 million contract and he screws the pooch, Jerry might shell up. If Keuchel screws the pooch for half the price, we're still moving forward next offseason. Downside matters too.

 

[Jiddy]

I think we did well this offseason...Exactly what any reasonable Sox fan should have expected. Kinda funny, though. Anything less would have (and should have) been seen as a disaster so it was either do well or be ready for the public outcry from the fans. Never in a million years was Jerry gonna throw 200 million plus at a single pitcher for a 72 win team.

 

[msgkings322]

Definitely feel more confident with the hitting vs the pitching. I think we have ourselves a solid lineup and bench. As for pitching, altho I'm thrilled that they were able to nab some veteran experience in adding two seasoned starters, I'm still a bit leery with the rotation. I'd like to see at least one veteran RP signed to bolster the pen, which I already feel is adequate, but it would make it that much stronger and when the starters falter here and there, at least we can call on the pen to get us thru.

I'm also still remaining a bit skeptical this is a postseason roster, yet I'm firmly in the camp that we'll have a winning season this year. And if nothing else, it's pretty obvious that both the Twins and Indians are now looking over their shoulders. We're coming.

Indians are.on the downswing, the Sox will win more games than them. Twins are the competition

 

[Jiddy]

Indians are.on the downswing, the Sox will win more games than them. Twins are the competition

That face when dude says that a team that won over 90 games for the past 4 seasons is not competition for a team that hasn't won 90 games in 14 years.

 

[msgkings322]

That face when dude says that a team that won over 90 games for the past 4 seasons is not competition for a team that hasn't won 90 games in 14 years.

You'll see

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'm banking more on the Indians and Twins falling back than us being able to get into the 90's win column. If the Tribe trades Lindor and Clevinger, with whom both names have been bandied about in the various hot stove conversations, then that definitely signals a major white flag for them, ala the '97 Sox. I would then see us moving past them, leaving the Twins as our chief rival for a division title.

 

[Jiddy]

I'm banking more on the Indians and Twins falling back than us being able to get into the 90's win column. If the Tribe trades Lindor and Clevinger, with whom both names have been bandied about in the various hot stove conversations, then that definitely signals a major white flag for them, ala the '97 Sox. I would then see us moving past them, leaving the Twins as our chief rival for a division title.

The winner of this division is winning 90+ games...It is assured when KC and Detroit are so horribly bad. It's why we had 2 90+ winners last year.

So if you don't think we're winning 90+, we're not winning the division.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The winner of this division is winning 90+ games...It is assured when KC and Detroit are so horribly bad. It's why we had 2 90+ winners last year.

So if you don't think we're winning 90+, we're not winning the division.

At this point I'm not sure we have a 90+ win team. Maybe we do, but I'm not banking on it. However, I'm also not ruling out the possibility that no Central team wins 90+ this season. Of the two clubs that did last year, I feel the Twins have the best shot at winning that many, but so far they haven't exactly done a lot to maintain that overachieving '19 season. I think they're due for a pullback. The question is how many games will that be.

 

[Jiddy]

At this point I'm not sure we have a 90+ win team. Maybe we do, but I'm not banking on it. However, I'm also not ruling out the possibility that no Central team wins 90+ this season. Of the two clubs that did last year, I feel the Twins have the best shot at winning that many, but so far they haven't exactly done a lot to maintain that overachieving '19 season. I think they're due for a pullback. The question is how many games will that be.

72 teams have won 90+ games in the past decade. Half of them won 90 again next season.

Odds are, as per the norm when dealing with anything regarding the White Sox's success, against you that BOTH 90+ win teams in our division fall.

Possibilities are endless...with anything...Probability, however, is what it is.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

72 teams have won 90+ games in the past decade. Half of them won 90 again next season.

Odds are, as per the norm when dealing with anything regarding the White Sox's success, against you that BOTH 90+ win teams in our division fall.

Possibilities are endless...with anything...Probability, however, is what it is.

I never said that both teams will definitely dip below the 90 win mark. But there's also no guarantee that both or either team for that matter will win more than 90 as well. If I'm a betting man, I'm wagering that at least one of them, likely the Twins, will win 90+. Yet you just posted that only half of the teams winning 90 games the previous year managed to duplicate this feat the following season. So we know the possibility that both may tank exists. I suggest we focus on the positive and be happy that our organization appears to be finally on the upswing, then let the chips fall as they may starting in late March.

 

[Jiddy]

I never said that both teams will definitely dip below the 90 win mark. But there's also no guarantee that both or either team for that matter will win more than 90 as well. If I'm a betting man, I'm wagering that at least one of them, likely the Twins, will win 90+. Yet you just posted that only half of the teams winning 90 games the previous year managed to duplicate this feat the following season. So we know the possibility that both may tank exists. I suggest we focus on the positive and be happy that our organization appears to be finally on the upswing, then let the chips fall as they may starting in late March.

I won't be excited until at least May with verified on-field results.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I won't be excited until at least May with verified on-field results.

You can hang with idseer, he can use the company.