Construct A "Going For It" 2017 Roster

[Dam8610]

As I said in the other thread, sign Cespedes, sign Ramos, resign Morneau. I think they'll go after Puig, so maybe not resign Morneau. Regardless, the other two are must signs if the Sox want to compete in 2017.

[Hatchetman]

What's Cespedes gonna get? 3/90, 4/120? I don't see the Sox going there.

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

Two "Sox" moves I could see happening that may be realistic are Puig and McCann. We know there's interest in both in the past, and it would be just like the White Sox way to try and catch lightening in a bottle with both.

[Dam8610]

What's Cespedes gonna get? 3/90, 4/120? I don't see the Sox going there.

 

The question is what CAN be done, not what WILL be done. Of course the Sox won't pony up for Cespedes or Ramos, but the thread title is "Construct a 'Going For It' 2017 Roster", nowhere does it specify that they have to be moves the team is actually capable of/likely to make. I don't think that roster is possible to construct.

[Eminor3rd]

Why not? He's an average player and Saladino's just as good. Lawrie is a rent himself.

Trade from excess.

 

Even the disappointing version of Lawrie hits significantly better than Saladino.

[Lip Man 1]

If you are "going for it," you start by hiring a competent manager and let him pick his own staff.

 

Mark

 

 

[bmags]

Yeah I've been thinking about an "You are the owner" scenario

 

[chitownsportsfan]

Another fun August here on the South Side.

[chitownsportsfan]

If you are "going for it," you start by hiring a competent manager and let him pick his own staff.

 

Mark

 

I'm starting to think Hahn is a big p**** because the first thing he should have demanded when he was named GM is his own hand picked manager. I mean that is just new GM 101 you pick your own manager. Seattle did it this offseason.

[lasttriptotulsa]

I'm starting to think Hahn is a big p**** because the first thing he should have demanded when he was named GM is his own hand picked manager. I mean that is just new GM 101 you pick your own manager. Seattle did it this offseason.

 

Since Hahn was hired in 2012 there have been an additional 17 teams that hired new GMs. Of those 17 new GMs, 10 have been stuck with the manger they inherited and only 3 (Dave Stewart with Arizona, Jerry Dipoto with Seattle and Matthew Silverman with Tampa Bay) were allowed to hire a new manager from the get go. So I would definitely say it's not new GM 101 that they get to pick their own manager. As a matter of fact it's not all that common. Just 17% of new GMs have been allowed to immediately hand pick their own manager since 2012.

[southsider2k5]

Since Hahn was hired in 2012 there have been an additional 17 teams that hired new GMs. Of those 17 new GMs, 10 have been stuck with the manger they inherited and only 3 (Dave Stewart with Arizona, Jerry Dipoto with Seattle and Matthew Silverman with Tampa Bay) were allowed to hire a new manager from the get go. So I would definitely say it's not new GM 101 that they get to pick their own manager. As a matter of fact it's not all that common. Just 17% of new GMs have been allowed to immediately hand pick their own manager since 2012.

 

Nice work.

[Dick Allen]

Since Hahn was hired in 2012 there have been an additional 17 teams that hired new GMs. Of those 17 new GMs, 10 have been stuck with the manger they inherited and only 3 (Dave Stewart with Arizona, Jerry Dipoto with Seattle and Matthew Silverman with Tampa Bay) were allowed to hire a new manager from the get go. So I would definitely say it's not new GM 101 that they get to pick their own manager. As a matter of fact it's not all that common. Just 17% of new GMs have been allowed to immediately hand pick their own manager since 2012.

And the Twins already let everyone know Molitor is their manager next year.

 

Besides, Hahn took over after the 2012 season. Was he really going to fire Robin then? Pluse he was part of the crew that hired him in the first place.

 

He did give him an extension.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Dick Allen

[Hatchetman]

B/C a GM isn't really in charge of anything anymore other than holding press conferences.

[Quin]

Alec Hanson and Alex Call for all positions.

[greg775]

I don't know what the Sox can do except keep the same starting rotation and tinker again. Frazier is acceptable at third; he's been a good fielder and home run hitter; Anderson is OK at short, though he'll probably have to bat ninth; trade Lawrie and hope Abreu busts loose at first as a power hitter.

Trade Melky. Trade Avi. Keep Eaton. Try to get some outfielders who can hit the long ball. Keep Morneau. He's an OK DH. Then trade both Navarro and Avila.

 

Keep the starting pitching intact and see what happens again. That's all the Sox can do. Keep Robertson cause we waited too long to dump him and now he's not going to bring anything of note. Change the culture of the starting rotation. Those guys simply have to take the next step and be able to go seven innings minimum every night. Sox bullpen seemingly always will reek and if you are bringing in relievers in the seventh, that game is lost. Bring them in the eighth and Nate and Jennings 'might' get us through the eighth leading up to Robertson.

 

Good luck to the White Sox. There's really nothing they can do but what I said: Keep the starting rotation intact and pray.

[Buehrlesque]

Given: the Sox will not realistically pursue the massive contract demands of Cespedes, Encarnacion, Bautista or (probably) Ramos.

 

However, even in a weak FA class, there are more than enough option to fill out the Sox OF and DH holes:

 

Reddick

Fowler

Desmond

McCutchen (trade)

CarGo (trade)

Carlos Gomez

Puig (trade)

David Peralta (trade)

Ethier (trade)

 

There's a wide range of talent there from quality to "buy low" to pure dumpster diving. However, there's more than enough to construct a contending roster.

 

Personally I would:

 

1. Sign Josh Reddick

2. Trade some fair combo of prospects (Adams and Michalczewski?) for Andrew McCutchen

3. Sign Jason Castro

 

Eaton CF

Cabrera DH

McCutchen LF

Abreu 1B

Reddick RF

Frazier 3B

Lawrie 2B

Castro C

Anderson SS

 

Reasonable contending roster, and it doesn't break the bank.

[caulfield12]

Reddick wants a four or five year deal and will get it.

 

Pirates are all-in next year and they're getting lots of reinforcements from the top of their minors. They traded Melancon and Liriano, but McCutcheon is the heart of that franchise and his value is way down from a year ago. It would be like the White Sox trading Abreu entering this offseason. He won't be dealt, unless a team is willing to pay in value for the 2014-15 MVP version.

 

Desmond will get four or five years due to his age and versatility. Sox could have had him for $8+ million and turned him into a compensation pick. Fowler wants to play for the Sox about as much as LaStella or Justin Upton.

Edited August 11, 2016 by caulfield12

[lasttriptotulsa]

I don't know what the Sox can do except keep the same starting rotation and tinker again. Frazier is acceptable at third; he's been a good fielder and home run hitter; Anderson is OK at short, though he'll probably have to bat ninth; trade Lawrie and hope Abreu busts loose at first as a power hitter.

Trade Melky. Trade Avi. Keep Eaton. Try to get some outfielders who can hit the long ball. Keep Morneau. He's an OK DH. Then trade both Navarro and Avila.

 

Keep the starting pitching intact and see what happens again. That's all the Sox can do. Keep Robertson cause we waited too long to dump him and now he's not going to bring anything of note. Change the culture of the starting rotation. Those guys simply have to take the next step and be able to go seven innings minimum every night. Sox bullpen seemingly always will reek and if you are bringing in relievers in the seventh, that game is lost. Bring them in the eighth and Nate and Jennings 'might' get us through the eighth leading up to Robertson.

 

Good luck to the White Sox. There's really nothing they can do but what I said: Keep the starting rotation intact and pray.

 

Who are you replacing Lawrie with? Saladino or Sanchez are both significant downgrades as everyday players and there is nobody better on the market.

 

Melky is one of the very few batter carrying his weight this year. Why would you want to trade if you're going to try to contend?

 

Avi has little to no value. You may as well keep him and hope he turns a corner.

 

Navarro and Avila are both free agents after the season. Trading them would be quite the coup.

 

Robertson has two years left on his contract. He could easily be traded this offseason.

 

Do you really believe it's possible for a team's rotation to go 7+ innings every night? There are exactly two qualified starters in baseball that average 7 or more innings per start. Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw. But yes, it's totally reasonable to expect your entire staff to do that.

[caulfield12]

And who exactly would the Pirates even want from us for McCutcheon...?

 

There's no talent match. It's back to the same situation we faced trying to get CarGo in the offseason. Franchise players aren't easily traded.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

McCutcheon would be grand. That's someone I can see them going after...in a few years.

[ChiSox59]

Give me Carlos Gomez, resign Morneau, and trade for Derek Norris. Add a few solid bullpen arms and go to battle.

 

If they suck again next year, blow the whole thing up.

[bmags]

Give me Carlos Gomez, resign Morneau, and trade for Derek Norris. Add a few solid bullpen arms and go to battle.

 

If they suck again next year, blow the whole thing up.

 

If these are their only upgrades I don't feel confident.

 

Despite the contract being absurd, if we actually "are in" the Encarnacion sweepstakes I will have a hard time resisting. One of my favorite baseball players in the league.

[caulfield12]

Matt Holliday and Jaime Garcia will save the day...

[ChiSox59]

If these are their only upgrades I don't feel confident.

 

Despite the contract being absurd, if we actually "are in" the Encarnacion sweepstakes I will have a hard time resisting. One of my favorite baseball players in the league.

 

Maybe not, but spending big money on a mediocre player in Reddick or a old dh in Encarnacion doesn't excite me with everything that is coming off the books after 2017.

[GreenSox]

Maybe not, but spending big money on a mediocre player in Reddick or a old dh in Encarnacion doesn't excite me with everything that is coming off the books after 2017.

Oh lord, now they're going to accuse me of posting under two names.