The Chicago White Sox '21-'22 offseason

[Jiddy]

i SO hope you're wrong about rodon! he does not nearly deserve to be in the top 15 salary bracket. i don't care HOW good he can look at times. does track record mean anything to you? the guy is made of glass and i'd look elsewhere for much less money than 18+mil.

We were put in a position where we HAD to depend on Rodon. I'd prefer that not to be a thing again as well. He did a great job for us this season overall, much more than I expected. But he's not good enough, nor durable enough for us to set aside a bona fide option for. If Jerry opens up and snags a legit bona fide #3 starter to go with Gio and Lynn....then Rodon/Keuchel/Kopech working for 4/5 I'm fine with. We need another staring pitcher. A playoff caliber one that is a no brainer start in every series. Period.

 

[msgkings322]

i SO hope you're wrong about rodon! he does not nearly deserve to be in the top 15 salary bracket. i don't care HOW good he can look at times. does track record mean anything to you? the guy is made of glass and i'd look elsewhere for much less money than 18+mil.

I know you have me blocked but for the rest of the board....paying "too much" for one year is not harmful. You're not locked in, the player is trying to justify more later which you benefit from even if you don't keep him, etc.

 

[Mingo]

However - fast or slow the CBA moves along - one thing for sure is the amount of service time before Free Agency will change. With that going on - I don't see a trade market since you don't know what kind of control you're going to have over players.

One solution would be to switch player control over to a 7 or 8 year period after the signing of the first pro contract. Then it wouldn't matter how much MLB time will trigger the clock. The players won't like that either - since it would tend to push players to the majors early - meaning veteran jobs will be truncated.

If the Sox don't retain Keuchel (and why would they?) and say goodbye to Rodon (I think he gets a qualifying offer) then they are only left with Right handed pitchers - Kopech - Giolito - Cease and Lynn. Does that mean Crochet and Kopech get stretched out for starter service - next season? Crochet is the only lefty the Sox have who can potentially be a starter. I think Rodon might sign on for another 1 year make good deal.

Moving Keuchel and Kimbrel - should shave about $36 million off the current salary allocation.

The Sox need a 2nd baseman, but the best minor league players the Sox have are middle infielders - not quite ready. Jose Rodriquez (age 20) burned up the high A classification and made it to AA for a week -figures to start in AA next year. Romy Gonzales (age 23) - is on the cusp of being ready at the plate.

IMO - Vaughn and Sheets should both be on the MLB roster next season. Vaughn because in a couple of years - and about 1,000 ABs is going to be a top 5 MLB hitter and Sheets because - he has charisma - provides LH power - and seems to not be fazed by high pressure situations. The problem is Abreu - has another year on his contract for 1B and DH - and likely will be able to stay with the Sox as long as he wants after that. IMO - there is way too much upside left in Vaughn and Sheets to trade them for other needs - which may lead to Eloy Jimenez as trade bait.

Menichino has been a very good hitting coach, but something needs to be done about the Sox ground ball rate - Eloy and Jose Abreu both hit into a load of double plays - I don't know what happened to fly balls, but the Sox can't seem to hit fly balls to score guys from 3rd with less than 2 outs. Opposing team - analytic departments seem to know how to position the infield for Sox hitters and their large amount of ground balls.

 

[Jiddy]

However - fast or slow the CBA moves along - one thing for sure is the amount of service time before Free Agency will change. With that going on - I don't see a trade market since you don't know what kind of control you're going to have over players.

One solution would be to switch player control over to a 7 or 8 year period after the signing of the first pro contract. Then it wouldn't matter how much MLB time will trigger the clock. The players won't like that either - since it would tend to push players to the majors early - meaning veteran jobs will be truncated.

If the Sox don't retain Keuchel (and why would they?) and say goodbye to Rodon (I think he gets a qualifying offer) then they are only left with Right handed pitchers - Kopech - Giolito - Cease and Lynn. Does that mean Crochet and Kopech get stretched out for starter service - next season? Crochet is the only lefty the Sox have who can potentially be a starter. I think Rodon might sign on for another 1 year make good deal.

Moving Keuchel and Kimbrel - should shave about $36 million off the current salary allocation.

The Sox need a 2nd baseman, but the best minor league players the Sox have are middle infielders - not quite ready. Jose Rodriquez (age 20) burned up the high A classification and made it to AA for a week -figures to start in AA next year. Romy Gonzales (age 23) - is on the cusp of being ready at the plate.

IMO - Vaughn and Sheets should both be on the MLB roster next season. Vaughn because in a couple of years - and about 1,000 ABs is going to be a top 5 MLB hitter and Sheets because - he has charisma - provides LH power - and seems to not be fazed by high pressure situations. The problem is Abreu - has another year on his contract for 1B and DH - and likely will be able to stay with the Sox as long as he wants after that. IMO - there is way too much upside left in Vaughn and Sheets to trade them for other needs - which may lead to Eloy Jimenez as trade bait.

Menichino has been a very good hitting coach, but something needs to be done about the Sox ground ball rate - Eloy and Jose Abreu both hit into a load of double plays - I don't know what happened to fly balls, but the Sox can't seem to hit fly balls to score guys from 3rd with less than 2 outs. Opposing team - analytic departments seem to know how to position the infield for Sox hitters and their large amount of ground balls.

My gut wants to tell me to not be so sure Keuchel is gone. This team LOVES to give 2nd...3rd...17th chances to players that are sucking ass. *cough Lopez cough*

But our rotation next year will include:

Lynn
Giolito
Kopech
Cease
?

So yeah, Keuchel does seem like the odd man out because there HAS to be a starting pitcher signed after how poorly our SP performed this postseason. I'm not sure the 4 listed and slotted in above there have what it takes anymore tbh. Cracks in the foundation in terms of "Can this iteration win the big game?" for sure without adjustment. If starting pitching is not there, running out 11 postseason wins is too. We'll see. We're in a strange limbo with this staff...Good...but not great/good enough.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Is right field a must address position? According to this article it is:

Intriguing Right Field Option For White Sox Set To Hit The Market

The White Sox have struggled to find a long-term solution in right field. Luckily for them an All-Star right fielder just became available.

www.sportsmockery.com

The very last line of this article states, "One thing is for sure, the right-field situation must be addressed."

Well I'm not so sure. No doubt adding the talented bat of someone like Nick Castellanos would boost our run production. But I'm also wondering if the platoon tandem of Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn wouldn't at least come close to matching such. I've said in the past we're already top heavy in 1b/DH/not very good defensive OF as it stands. Castellanos is opting out of a contract that guarantees him $34m for two years, so it's fair to assume he's gonna command a larger load. I'm sticking with the hopes that if we're gonna blow a wad of cash on a positional player, it should be directed at 2b, where the need for better production is real.

 

[idseer]

Is right field a must address position? According to this article it is:

Intriguing Right Field Option For White Sox Set To Hit The Market

The White Sox have struggled to find a long-term solution in right field. Luckily for them an All-Star right fielder just became available.

www.sportsmockery.com

The very last line of this article states, "One thing is for sure, the right-field situation must be addressed."

Well I'm not so sure. No doubt adding the talented bat of someone like Nick Castellanos would boost our run production. But I'm also wondering if the platoon tandem of Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn wouldn't at least come close to matching such. I've said in the past we're already top heavy in 1b/DH/not very good defensive OF as it stands. Castellanos is opting out of a contract that guarantees him $34m for two years, so it's fair to assume he's gonna command a larger load. I'm sticking with the hopes that if we're gonna blow a wad of cash on a positional player, it should be directed at 2b, where the need for better production is real.

it's almost like getting yasmani when we HAD an all star catcher (regardless how it looked after). go for your needs! not something it'd just be nice to have! if the sox didn't have robert, eloy, abreu, vaughn and moncada then maybe we'd need a big bat like castellanos. but they DO have those guys. what they NEED is a solid 2nd baseman and a starter (or two) and a reliever (or two). that much money surely can be put to better use.

 

[Mingo]

it's almost like getting yasmani when we HAD an all star catcher (regardless how it looked after). go for your needs! not something it'd just be nice to have! if the sox didn't have robert, eloy, abreu, vaughn and moncada then maybe we'd need a big bat like castellanos. but they DO have those guys. what they NEED is a solid 2nd baseman and a starter (or two) and a reliever (or two). that much money surely can be put to better use.

Tru Dat - Iddy boy!

 

[Jiddy]

We need a starting pitcher.

Stroman won't play for us...The top dogs Scherzer and Kershaw are going to be bid on way beyond what Jerry will pay with the Dodgers and Angels involved.

So what do we do?

 

[Jiddy]

We start the media machine on the RF position and pray nobody it paying attention is the answer.

 

[ChiSoxFan]

We need a starting pitcher.

Stroman won't play for us...The top dogs Scherzer and Kershaw are going to be bid on way beyond what Jerry will pay with the Dodgers and Angels involved.

So what do we do?

Keuchel lol

 

[Jiddy]

Keuchel lol

This post is both funny and sad.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The Dodgers Chris Taylor made the books with his 3 dinger performance the other night. He's been on my radar as a candidate to replace Leury Legend, who I continue to believe will hit the FA highway this offseason. The difference here is Taylor, who like Leury, can play multiple positions and play them very well, will most likely seek a starter's role along with a starter's paycheck. But in entering his age 32 season next year, he shouldn't command too large a salary, either in length or per annum. He could easily be slotted into the 2b spot, which BTW is his primary position, especially if we're not going after the likes of Semien or one of the major SS players and asking them to play 2b. He does have a propensity to strike out, but he also carries some pop in his bat.

 

[idseer]

The Dodgers Chris Taylor made the books with his 3 dinger performance the other night. He's been on my radar as a candidate to replace Leury Legend, who I continue to believe will hit the FA highway this offseason. The difference here is Taylor, who like Leury, can play multiple positions and play them very well, will most likely seek a starter's role along with a starter's paycheck. But in entering his age 32 season next year, he shouldn't command too large a salary, either in length or per annum. He could easily be slotted into the 2b spot, which BTW is his primary position, especially if we're not going after the likes of Semien or one of the major SS players and asking them to play 2b. He does have a propensity to strike out, but he also carries some pop in his bat.

kinda sounds like what we thought of hernandez

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

kinda sounds like what we thought of hernandez

Taylor has way more defensive versatility than Hernandez, plus is a better hitter.

 

[idseer]

Taylor has way more defensive versatility than Hernandez, plus is a better hitter.

beg to differ. how is he a better hitter than what we 'expected' from hernandez? hernandez is a .270 lifetime hitter. taylor .261. hernandez had 21 hr's last year, taylor had 20. he's NOT better. he'd be pretty much what we expected hernandez to be, maybe less. hernandez has played 2nd, ss, 3rd and even the outfield in the majors.
taylor, who has a lower range factor at 2nd and a much worse fldg % would be pretty much the same as what we expected hernandez would be! it would be a sideways move ... at best!

if they don't go after semien they are the same sox i've always known. losers!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

beg to differ. how is he a better hitter than what we 'expected' from hernandez? hernandez is a .270 lifetime hitter. taylor .261. hernandez had 21 hr's last year, taylor had 20. he's NOT better. he'd be pretty much what we expected hernandez to be, maybe less. hernandez has played 2nd, ss, 3rd and even the outfield in the majors.
taylor, who has a lower range factor at 2nd and a much worse fldg % would be pretty much the same as what we expected hernandez would be! it would be a sideways move ... at best!

if they don't go after semien they are the same sox i've always known. losers!

I was going by "what have you done for me lately", and feel Taylor would be the better fit. And I like that his primary positions are 2b, ss, cf & lf.

However, where we do agree is our belief that the Sox should go big by trying to land Semien - which is why I was the first on this board to openly tell Hahn (who reads our posts you know) to sign the guy. I only have Taylor as a potential replacement for Leury, in the likely event he leaves the Good Guys. But make no mistake about it, I'll take Taylor time and again over retaining Hernandez if it does boil down to this. Hopefully, it won't, as this will be moot because we signed Semien or some other big name. But we can always have a backup plan.

 

[idseer]

However, where we do agree is our belief that the Sox should go big by trying to land Semien - which is why I was the first on this board to openly tell Hahn (who reads our posts you know) to sign the guy. I only have Taylor as a potential replacement for Leury, in the likely event he leaves the Good Guys. But make no mistake about it, I'll take Taylor time and again over retaining Hernandez if it does boil down to this. Hopefully, it won't, as this will be moot because we signed Semien or some other big name. But we can always have a backup plan.

i know you were and what you were getting at. but regardless of the 'lately' comment, i'd still say he'd not be an improvement unless we also had semien and taylor was used strictly as a utility guy. THEN the question would be, is he an improvement over garcia?! (certainly not as a fielder)

 

[Mingo]

We need a starting pitcher.

Stroman won't play for us...The top dogs Scherzer and Kershaw are going to be bid on way beyond what Jerry will pay with the Dodgers and Angels involved.

So what do we do?

Kershaw is both old and coming off injury - he is the kind of guy the Sox would sign in the past hoping they can catch some prior magic. He is a lefty - that might help the Sox - to decide to kick the tires on him.

 

[Mingo]

One pitcher I've heard some Sox speculation about is Kevin Gausman of the Giants who had a very fine year.

 

[ChiSoxFan]

Kershaw is both old and coming off injury - he is the kind of guy the Sox would sign in the past hoping they can catch some prior magic. He is a lefty - that might help the Sox - to decide to kick the tires on him.

No way Reinssorf pays the AAV Kershaw would demand, even broken down and older at this point.