JUSTgottaBELIEVE

Injuries happen. Buxton and Sano are still a big part of their present team and future. Buxton is a 4+ WAR player when healthy and both guys are still just 25 years old. And how can you say their window is right now when they still have a top 10 farm system and two top 10 MLB prospects that will be with the big club early next year? We can only hope they don’t start spending some money because if they do they are going to be really tough the next few years.

Not saying they are but get in and anything can happen. It’s baseball. Before the playoffs started, how many people took the 2005 White Sox to win the World Series even after they led the AL in regular season wins? Most here thought they would get bounced in the first round.

Again, I didn’t say they’re a juggernaut but making the playoffs in 2/3 seasons and perhaps the division favorite next year is better than most teams can say over a 3-4 year period. FWIW, per fangraphs, they have better current odds to win the World Series this year than the Phillies and nearly the same odds as the Cubs...

How so? They’re in a good position to make the playoffs 2/3 years and their outlook is still bright over the next few years. They are just 4 years removed from having a top farm system and still hold a top 10 system.

You’re talking like the Twins’ window with that group of players has completely closed. Their window is still very well open. I wouldn’t be surprised if they won the division this year.

I agree but I was responding to a post that implied the Twins top 3 farm system in 2015 amounted to nothing because a handful of their top prospects failed to live up to expectations. They’ve got a good shot of playoffs in 2 of 3 years and may very well be the division favorite in 2020 assuming they fill their expiring vets through free agency or trades. It’s been a long time since the Sox were in a similar position but I’m confident it’s coming soon.

And the Twins made the playoffs in 2017 and look like a division contender this year. All while carrying a team payroll in the bottom half of MLB. They still have a top 10 farm system as well. I’d say they’re set up pretty well to serve as the Sox biggest division rival over the next several years.

Robert and Madrigal are both locks at CF and 2b imo (assuming health of course). Not saying they are surefire all stars but they are as close to surefire mlb regulars as you can get for still being in A+. That’s 5/9 positions filled with a really good shot of filling a 6th via the draft in 6 weeks. Collins would be a lock for a 7th guy if we knew he could stick at catcher because that bat will play. Each one of those guys is under team control thru 2023 at a minimum and even longer if Rick can find a way to extend Moncada. This provides the organization with a ton of flexibility to fill remaining holes. The Sox lineup next year will be more complete than any they’ve had since 2012 and in a couple years their lineup could rival the 2006 team.

And that’s the beauty of having so much of the young core already in place. Provides tremendous flexibility for mixing and matching to plug and play FA secondary pieces to fill holes.

Considering his performance over the past 9 months, I have to imagine Tucker’s stock is down. Likely still a top 50 prospect but no longer top 10. And I’m not sure the Astros want to rely on guys like Peacock and Miley down the stretch and into the playoffs plus they lose Cole after this season. Is there another starting pitcher that will be available this trade deadline that is better than Rodon?

I think Tucker and Alvarez or similar package would be enough for me to make the move.

Here’s the thing that’s most exciting. It doesn’t take a whole lot of external help (maybe 1 and at most 2 offseason additions) for the lineup to begin looking really formidable as early as next year. Heck, even with the dead weight they’re carrying this year, they already have the best offense in the division. Their team wRC+ of 112 currently ranks 9th in MLB and this is with guys like Engel, Palka, and Sanchez receiving a significant number of ABs.

Or they could just promote Dylan Cease

Yea, I was thinking Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. Astros can take Herrera too if they’d like.

Rodon has been a stud so far this year. He’s going to bring back a haul in July at this rate @Balta1701

I didn’t put a whole lot of thought into the #9 hitter. Just picked someone with reasonable potential that’s already within the organization to hold down RF on a regular basis and is already at the big league level. And sure they could always improve other positions externally, if needed. I just wanted to portray how incredible this lineup could be as early as next year with one external addition, a guy that certainly fits within the organization’s operating budget and past practices.

Who needs them when you already have the top hitting SS in MLB and Collins on the way this July ?

I mean if Cordell, Leury, or whatever else you throw out there is a 80-100 wRC+ guy, is it really a big deal as the #9 hitter in the lineup? And yes, I do view JDM as an extremely viable option for the Sox as I’ve previously explained in other threads.

The future lineup for the White Sox is coming together right before our eyes. 1. Madrigal - age 22.1 (120 wRC+ in A+) 2. Moncada - age 23.9 (155 wRC+ in MLB) 3. Martinez - age 31.7 (170 wRC+ in MLB, everyone here knows I love me some JDM) 4. Jimenez - age 22.4 (104 wRC+ in MLB) 5. Robert - age 21.7 (303 wRC+ in A+) 6. Vaughn - age 21.0 (1.24 OPS in college) 7. Collins - age 24.2 (148 wRC+ in AAA) 8. Anderson - age 25.8 (204 wRC+ in MLB) 9. Cordell - age 27.1 (367 wRC+ in MLB, 133 wRC+ in AAA) #GetExcited

Yep. The FA market isn’t exactly loaded at 1b this winter either. I guess Smoak would be a bit of an upgrade but not significantly and he’s the same age as Alonso. I guess what I’m saying is I don’t see it as the end of the world if Alonso’s option vests. $9M for basically a 1fWAR player is in line with what you’d be looking at in the FA market.

It’s the same Robert, he’s just finally healthy. He showed a glimpse of his ability back in Spring Training 2018 prior to his injury as well.

Jonathan India was your guy at #4. Same guy that is currently sporting a lower OPS than Madrigal in A+ and a 27.4 K%. and for reference, Moncada carried a 21.1 K% in A+ at 1.5 years younger than India’s current age

At a similar age, Kris Bryant posted a wRC+ of just over 200 in his short stint in A ball. Robert was at 288 coming into the game tonight and well over 300 now. This is next level stuff even at an “old” age of 21.

Unlike Robert, no one ever said Madrigal had the ability to hit 30+ homers in MLB one day.

Fathom was certainly one of many on here concerned about Robert’s lack of power last year. The pessimists weren’t accepting nagging injury as an excuse either.