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"Five teams that may surprise in 2018"


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https://amp.mlb.com/265097722-five-teams-th...n-2018.amp.html

 

White Sox, 67-95 in 2017

 

No team is more interesting than this one thanks to GM Rick Hahn's organizational rebuild around kids. With kids come uncertainty. But kids also bring hope. The White Sox could have two 24-year-olds (Carson Fulmer and Reynaldo Lopez) and a 23-year-old (Lucas Giolito) in their rotation, with flamethrower Michael Kopech -- the third-ranked right-handed pitching prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, waiting in the wings. And then there is Yoan Moncada at second (age 22), Tim Anderson at short (age 24), and prospects like Eloy Jimenez on the verge. The young guys got valuable experience last season, and that learning process will continue in 2018. How quickly they settle in and show off their talent is the unknown. But it'll happen at some point.

 

Welington Castillo is the only player with a guaranteed deal beyond this year, so this is a club that could dip into the free-agent pool at any time.

 

 

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QUOTE (Real @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 03:42 PM)

A bunch of it is no matter how bad the Sox are this season, the Royals and Tigers will probably be much worse. They could have an inflated record and a false sense of how close they really are going into 2019 due to the awfulness that will be the Tigers and Royals. Hahn has to look at performance vs the big boys in the AL in order to gauge that, rather than division placement or even how many wins they have. They're going to play the Tigers and Royals 36 times, and winning 20 of those is probably a conservative estimate.

Edited by Jack Parkman
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QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 05:23 PM)
A bunch of it is no matter how bad the Sox are this season, the Royals and Tigers will probably be much worse. They could have an inflated record and a false sense of how close they really are going into 2019 due to the awfulness that will be the Tigers and Royals. Hahn has to look at performance vs the big boys in the AL in order to gauge that, rather than division placement or even how many wins they have. They're going to play the Tigers and Royals 36 times, and winning 20 of those is probably a conservative estimate.

For once - it will NOT be a "False sense" of how close we are. With the reinforcements we are bringing up this year and the money we have to spend, and Cleveland losing Miller, this should be a 3-team dogfight in 2019, maybe with all 3 teams having a legit shot at wild cards. And in 2020, everyone else is outgunned.

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QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 04:23 PM)
A bunch of it is no matter how bad the Sox are this season, the Royals and Tigers will probably be much worse. They could have an inflated record and a false sense of how close they really are going into 2019 due to the awfulness that will be the Tigers and Royals. Hahn has to look at performance vs the big boys in the AL in order to gauge that, rather than division placement or even how many wins they have. They're going to play the Tigers and Royals 36 times, and winning 20 of those is probably a conservative estimate.

I don’t think a false hope would impact anything though. 2019 and beyond is a competitive window, whether they beat up on the Tigers & Royals or not. There’s really no chance of adding talent too early when you’re on the ground floor of your competitive window. This isn’t some fringy 80 win team of veterans.

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QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 04:59 PM)
I don’t think a false hope would impact anything though. 2019 and beyond is a competitive window, whether they beat up on the Tigers & Royals or not. There’s really no chance of adding talent too early when you’re on the ground floor of your competitive window. This isn’t some fringy 80 win team of veterans.

It would not shock me if the Sox won somewhere between 75-83 games this season just because of Detroit and KC. Those two will be pushing 110 losses this season, with 100 almost guaranteed. Think 02-03 Tigers level bad. Only way KC isn't that bad is if they somehow bring the band back together due to the slow market.

Edited by Jack Parkman
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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 04:52 PM)
For once - it will NOT be a "False sense" of how close we are. With the reinforcements we are bringing up this year and the money we have to spend, and Cleveland losing Miller, this should be a 3-team dogfight in 2019, maybe with all 3 teams having a legit shot at wild cards. And in 2020, everyone else is outgunned.

eh, I'm not talking about making a wild card, I'm talking about winning the whole damn thing. I'd have to see what the young players are doing in 2018 and how they performed all season before I could make that assessment, especially the pitching staff.

Edited by Jack Parkman
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QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 07:34 PM)
eh, I'm not talking about making a wild card, I'm talking about winning the whole damn thing. I'd have to see what the young players are doing in 2018 and how they performed all season before I could make that assessment, especially the pitching staff.

This team could actually win the whole **** thing from a Wild Card in 2019 because if things go well they should be getting better as the season goes on. This team will win the whole bleeping thing in 2020 if we don't do anything to f*** it up beforehand.

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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 11:42 PM)
This team could actually win the whole **** thing from a Wild Card in 2019 because if things go well they should be getting better as the season goes on. This team will win the whole bleeping thing in 2020 if we don't do anything to f*** it up beforehand.

I won't comment. Only say wow at your post

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QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Jan 23, 2018 -> 04:04 AM)
A good wow? Get a lil pumped reading it? I got so pumped I just started a stupid thread. Please tell me you at least got a half-stick reading that.

Yeah, it's all good. A little surprised at that much optimism.

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QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Jan 22, 2018 -> 04:23 PM)
A bunch of it is no matter how bad the Sox are this season, the Royals and Tigers will probably be much worse. They could have an inflated record and a false sense of how close they really are going into 2019 due to the awfulness that will be the Tigers and Royals. Hahn has to look at performance vs the big boys in the AL in order to gauge that, rather than division placement or even how many wins they have. They're going to play the Tigers and Royals 36 times, and winning 20 of those is probably a conservative estimate.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure Rick Hahn understands beating solid teams is more indicative of being a good team than just racking up wins on the bad. Although teams with great records have them because they can beat up on the bad.

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