Payroll Too Big

[Marty34]

Too many question marks for a team with this payroll. after watching this spring, I'd rather have started the rebuilding than go 'all in" Particularly since so much of the Sox being World Series contenders is predicated upon a Cy Young type version of Peavy. Peavy returning throwing 85-90 won't cut it.

[Dick Allen]

Its the AL Central. A team with flaws will win it.

[jphat007]

LOL. I started laughing as soon as you said "after watching this spring".

Edited March 27, 2011 by jphat007

[hitlesswonder]

Too many question marks for a team with this payroll. after watching this spring, I'd rather have started the rebuilding than go 'all in" Particularly since so much of the Sox being World Series contenders is predicated upon a Cy Young type version of Peavy. Peavy returning throwing 85-90 won't cut it.

 

I'll take having a legit shot at the division title and playoffs over rebuilding any year. Rebuilding assures you of not competing in 2011 and doesn't assure you of competing later on. How many years have the Pirates, Royals, etc. been rebuilding?

 

As for a high payroll team having a bunch of question marks, look at the Yankees. Their payroll has bought them Freddy in the starting rotation. The Sox failure has been drafting and signing talent in Latin America and that means they've had to up the payroll to compete. As much as I hope they'll do a better job developing players in house, given the reality that their minor league system sucks I'll take spending to compete over not any day.

 

 

[Balta1701]

How do we define "Too big"? JR needs to make more money?

[Marty34]

I just think this team has a better chance of finishing below .500 than it does winning a divisional playoff series. Their payroll number should provide a better downside.

[Quin]

Only young fans are pessimistic.

 

Marty, aren't you the one who complains that Reinsdorf is cheap non-stop and now complain about the payroll being to big?

[Marty34]

Only young fans are pessimistic.

 

Marty, aren't you the one who complains that Reinsdorf is cheap non-stop and now complain about the payroll being to big?

 

No.

[southsider2k5]

What is the attraction of rebuilding for people? This isn't fantasy baseball where you can play 20 years of baseball in a week. The last thing I want to see is 3-5 years of minor league baseball, with no guarentee that we can catch lightning in a bottle. Give me competing for a division title any year, even if it is with a flawed team. I've been through rebuilding multiple times. Rebuilding sucks.

[southsider2k5]

How do we define "Too big"? JR needs to make more money?

 

I define too big as more than JR and company are willing to spend.

[Chicago White Sox]

Too many question marks for a team with this payroll. after watching this spring, I'd rather have started the rebuilding than go 'all in" Particularly since so much of the Sox being World Series contenders is predicated upon a Cy Young type version of Peavy. Peavy returning throwing 85-90 won't cut it.

This is one of the least logical posts I have ever seen on this site.

 

What are all these question marks? #5 spot in the rotation? Sure, until Peavy is back. The bullpen? Yes, but so are most bullpens and we at least have some talent. What are the other ones? You could make an argument for 3B, but at least you'll get good defense from Morel. Quentin is a slight question mark, but we only need him to do a little bit better than last year.

 

If you're so eager to start rebuilding, go become a Pirates fan. I'm sure their fans wouldn't mind swapping teams with you.

[Texsox]

World Series are won on the field with players having excellent seasons, staying healthy, and avoiding bad luck. This team has the talent to compete. Rebuilding is a romantic notion that somehow at some future date you will have a better team. If it was that simple everyone would do it. Rebuilding today is buying a couple free agents, trading your Reeds for MLB ready players, and having a few guys catch lightening.

[Marty34]

This is one of the least logical posts I have ever seen on this site.

 

What are all these question marks? #5 spot in the rotation? Sure, until Peavy is back. The bullpen? Yes, but so are most bullpens and we at least have some talent. What are the other ones? You could make an argument for 3B, but at least you'll get good defense from Morel. Quentin is a slight question mark, but we only need him to do a little bit better than last year.

 

If you're so eager to start rebuilding, go become a Pirates fan. I'm sure their fans wouldn't mind swapping teams with you.

 

Starting rotation question marks are Peavy, Jackson, and I'll throw in Buehrle. Konerko regressing would offset Dunn addition somewhat. Beckham should be a whole lot better, but who else is it realistic to see improvement from offensively?

[Texsox]

There is a range of possible results from these guys. To win a WS, even after rebuilding, guys have to play at the top range of possibilities. You can't put a team together that can play bad or average *and* win a WS.

[Balta1701]

Starting rotation question marks are Peavy, Jackson, and I'll throw in Buehrle. Konerko regressing would offset Dunn addition somewhat. Beckham should be a whole lot better, but who else is it realistic to see improvement from offensively?

Carlos Quentin.

[2nd_city_saint787]

I just think this team has a better chance of finishing below .500 than it does winning a divisional playoff series. Their payroll number should provide a better downside.

 

 

this looks like something id see on the espn boards....how on earth does a team finish below .500 when they were 14 above last year and upgraded from mark kotsay to adam dunn at the dh position??? if they dont win 90 games id be shocked.....please do explain why you think this team has a chance at finishing below .500?

[3GamesToLove]

This isn't fantasy baseball where you can play 20 years of baseball in a week.

 

That's...not how fantasy baseball works.

[Dick Allen]

this looks like something id see on the espn boards....how on earth does a team finish below .500 when they were 14 above last year and upgraded from mark kotsay to adam dunn at the dh position??? if they dont win 90 games id be shocked.....please do explain why you think this team has a chance at finishing below .500?

Its actually the same argument Bears fans made when Jay Cutler was acquired. Anything can happen, but I think the Sox should be fine this year.

[Dick Allen]

That's...not how fantasy baseball works.

I think you understand his point. Rebuilding takes a long time and there are no guarantees it will work right away. Teams in rebuilding mode usually have to be really bad for a while to be goood again. 3-5 years, if not more of being like the Cleveland Indians or KC Royals isn't real appealing. The Royals are loaded with prospects the Sox have few. I'm much happier being a White Sox fan than Royals fan at the present time.

[witesoxfan]

Starting rotation question marks are Peavy, Jackson, and I'll throw in Buehrle. Konerko regressing would offset Dunn addition somewhat. Beckham should be a whole lot better, but who else is it realistic to see improvement from offensively?

 

-How is Buehrle a question mark? I'd say he's one of the steadiest players in the game.

-Konerko will almost certainly regress but that will not offset the Dunn addition. Konerko was worth 4.2 wins last year, but the 1B/DH output when using Kotsay as well was 3.5 WAR. If Konerko has his standard 2.5 WAR season, Dunn only has to put up 1 WAR to match. Considering Dunn isn't going to be playing the field much, there's a chance that he will put up a 3-4 WAR from the DH position, which would leave the Sox at around 5.5-6.5 WAR between 1B and DH. That's almost twice as much production.

-Who needs to improve that much more? The Sox won 88 games last year. There are players and areas that can improve - Ramirez, Pierzynski, Quentin, Pierre, Rios, the bullpen in general, the 5th spot in the rotation, production at 3B - but in general, the Sox had a good team last year and only lost one real solid contributer from last year in Putz. He was replaced by Crain, who should be solid. Ohman is OK. Dunn is a monumental improvement over Kotsay. The biggest area the Sox lost production was the bench, but it should be good enough.

 

As has been mentioned, there are risks with and holes with every team. It would be nice if they had a perfect roster, but they don't. Hopefully they can win the division this year.

[hi8is]

Bwhahahahahhaa

[Marty34]

-How is Buehrle a question mark? I'd say he's one of the steadiest players in the game.

-Konerko will almost certainly regress but that will not offset the Dunn addition. Konerko was worth 4.2 wins last year, but the 1B/DH output when using Kotsay as well was 3.5 WAR. If Konerko has his standard 2.5 WAR season, Dunn only has to put up 1 WAR to match. Considering Dunn isn't going to be playing the field much, there's a chance that he will put up a 3-4 WAR from the DH position, which would leave the Sox at around 5.5-6.5 WAR between 1B and DH. That's almost twice as much production.

-Who needs to improve that much more? The Sox won 88 games last year. There are players and areas that can improve - Ramirez, Pierzynski, Quentin, Pierre, Rios, the bullpen in general, the 5th spot in the rotation, production at 3B - but in general, the Sox had a good team last year and only lost one real solid contributer from last year in Putz. He was replaced by Crain, who should be solid. Ohman is OK. Dunn is a monumental improvement over Kotsay. The biggest area the Sox lost production was the bench, but it should be good enough.

 

As has been mentioned, there are risks with and holes with every team. It would be nice if they had a perfect roster, but they don't. Hopefully they can win the division this year.

 

Fair points on the offense. Do you disagree though that the idea of the Sox being World Series contenders is predicated On Peavy returning not just healthy, but being that top-of-the-rotation guy he was acquired for?

[Balta1701]

Fair points on the offense. Do you disagree though that the idea of the Sox being World Series contenders is predicated On Peavy returning not just healthy, but being that top-of-the-rotation guy he was acquired for?

If everything goes wrong, then the Sox are not a world series contender, but you can say that with every team, including Boston. For us, that means that none of Peavy, Floyd, Danks, and Jackson pitch like a #1 pitcher. All of them are gambles, but if you came back at the end of the year and told me they finished 1,2, 4, and 5 in the Cy Young voting, I'd be surprised, but not totally stunned. They all have it in them.

 

That also means that guys like Beckham and Quentin continued disappointing, and that no one stepped up in the bullpen.

[The Gooch]

Fair points on the offense. Do you disagree though that the idea of the Sox being World Series contenders is predicated On Peavy returning not just healthy, but being that top-of-the-rotation guy he was acquired for?

 

I don't. We have a very good starting rotation. If Peavy is just mediocre this season we can make the playoffs. After that it only really takes 3 really good starting pitchers to make it to the series (e.g. Contreras, MB, and Freddy). Any of the the other 4 guys outside of Peavy have the capability to help the team make a big playoff run. It is just like everyone has been saying though, just like for any team, most things have to go right. The White Sox will not live or die on the health of Jake Peavy.

[justBLAZE]

Don't qoute me but even looking at the MLB standings prediction thread, most guys have Sox going to playoffs, but barely anyone has them winning the title.