Chicago White Sox

Alright guys, with a 99.9% win probability and only 19 games remaining in the regular season, it’s time to start thinking about our potential post-season roster. While the positional side is pretty cut & dry outside of maybe one spot, the pitching staff has a ton of question marks at the moment and lots of different options to fill up spots. Given the overall uncertainty, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to see how you all would setup our pitching staff for the post-season. For now, I’m going to assume 14 total spots, four starters / tandems, and that key injured guys are coming back (Bummer / Fry). Rotation: Giolito Keuchel* Rodon* + Dunning Gonzalez* + Cease We all know that Giolito & Keuchel are locks for the top two spots in the rotation, but after that things get a bit scary. For me, Dunning has passed Cease and should be our primary #3 starter in the playoffs. However, given potential innings restrictions for Dane, I’d like to see us use Rodon as an opener for him. And when a fourth starter is needed, I’d like to see a Gonzalez & Cease tandem with Gio more or less serving as Dylan’s opener. Now, if Dylan can get hot down the stretch I’d potentially reconsider, but so far his peripherals have been ugly and he will likely require a short leash come the playoffs. Bullpen: CL: Colome SU: Bummer* SU: Marshall MR: Foster MR: Heuer MR: Fry* MR: Detwiler* MR: Cordero Ultimately I’m going with the guys who have been effective this year, which means Cishek, Burdi, & Lopez are out. That being said, I would keep using Zack down the stretch and see if he can find a way to harness his command. His general stuff and ability to generate whiffs could be a weapon in the postseason, but right now he’s too much of a liability to warrant real consideration. Also, in shorter series, I’d plan on using both Cease and Gonzalez out of the pen if needed.

Good point...forgot they changed that.

I’d give up a second rounder assuming it’s going to be a late one. Plus we could turn around and offer him a QO the following year and get that pick back, assuming draft compensation still exists.

I tend to think around $40M. Verlander got 2/66M last offseason and it was the highest AAV for a pitcher ever. Bauer is obviously younger and I think he would get a little more with just a one year commitment.

OMG, comparing George Floyd’s “I can’t breathe” last words while effectively being murdered to the minor inconvenience wearing a mask to help combat the spread of COVID causes shows just how fucking stupid this country really is. Anyone who wastes a single ounce of energy fighting the requirement for masks should be sent to a legit 3rd world country for the rest of their life so that they can experience what real problems are like.

Stiever‘s velocity seemed to be down vs. what scouting reporting had him at last year. Let’s hope he’s back in form next year at AA or AAA and can be a legit rotation option by 2022.

Hasn’t he been an opener multiple times this year?

And no team will offer him that IMO just for that reason.

I agree, but I’ll admit the way Not Steve Cishek “reported” at the deadline reeks of fraud.

You don’t think starters go on short rest in the post season ever?

What’s the plan here? We can’t go to war in the playoffs with Encarnacion as our DH. I 100% supported the signing and was all for giving him a chance down the stretch to find himself, but he’s more or less cooked (just look at his StatCast numbers below). If Vaughn isn’t an option, then we really have to do the Grandal/McCann C/DH combo. However, doing that requires us calling up Collins or Mercedes back and taking EE off the playoff roster. Are those guys no longer eligible for the playoff roster? Would the Sox actually be that cruel to a veteran like Encarnación? If we’re serious about winning this fall, Edwin shouldn’t be part of the postseason equation.

He’s a perfect fit for what we need and would instantly make us the #1 team in the AL. If he’s willing to accept a one year deal, he should be the #1 priority.

Agreed. When it comes to the bullpen, start from a position of strength and plan for attrition.

Was thinking the same thing. If you have four weapons from both sides you just need a good five innings from guys like Dunning & Cease to feel solid about your chances that night.

There are two days off between the ALCS and the World Series and one after the first two games of the World Series. If you can retain your normal rotation order heading into the ALCS, I’m starting Lucas in game 5, Dallas in game 6, & Dunning in game 7 if needed. Lucas & Dallas would then be able to start games 1 & 2 on normal rest, while Dunning would actually start on an extra day of rest. A 5th starter isn’t needed in the World Series given the off days. The key is avoiding a game 5 in the ALDS. If that can be done, we can avoid using a 5th starter and force our top three starters to only pitch on short rest at max once.

Here’s the problem though, both catchers are significantly better against LHP right now and need to be in the lineup: Grandal: 159 wRC+ McCann: 218 wRC+ Encarnacion: 101 wRC+ There really isn’t a role for the Parrot right now and I hope they don’t do the emotional thing and hand him a postseason role.

Here’s what I’d like to see for our postseason pitching staff after the Crotchet call-up and seeing the how the playoff schedule actually works. I still don’t think we’ll go with a five man rotation, so that means Lopez & Gonzalez serve as emergency long relievers. And I’m still scared about relying too much on Cease, so I’d have Rodon serve as an opener for him. Rotation: Giolito Keuchel* Dunning Rodon* + Cease Bullpen: 9th: Colome 8th: Bummer* 8th: Marshall 7th: Crotchet* 7th: Foster 6th: Fry* 6th: Heuer 5th: Detwiler* 5th: Cordero LR: Gonzalez* LR: Lopez

Stiever definitely out of the playoff equation. I’m sure you’re right about Crotchet, but damn did he vault himself into the list.

I don’t think Crotchet is going to be in the pen next year. They’ll likely want to stretch him out in Birmingham or Charlotte. And I still think they add at least one veteran reliever to replace Colome and add further depth. Let guys like Burdi & Tyler Johnson have to force their way onto the roster or otherwise serve as injury insurance. Can’t go into a season and expect your eight core relievers to be there all year.

Yeah, I just mean for this year. Suddenly you’re looking at a playoff bullpen with Colome, Marshall, Heuer, Foster, & Cordero from the right side and Bummer, Crotchet, Rodon, Fry, & Detwiler from the left side. That’s actually pretty fucking sick.

Real talk...but can Crotchet be a Hader type reliever pretty quickly? If so, we’re winning the fucking Series this year.

🤔...I could definitely see Bauer, Spring, & Hendriks being good “fits”...

FIFY. Add one veteran reliever to replace Colome and that’s your offseason. That means goodbye James McCann...you’re a hell of a catcher, but spending close to $30M on the catcher position is insane.

It’s approaching Jack “HoT tAkE” Parkman levels

I love me some Jim Callis