I'm not saying payoffs in 2019, but it is not out of the question. Detroit is getting old and does not have much of a farm system. Cleveland is in it's prime right now. Kansas City's prime is ending. The Twins are stuck rebuilding, but I like the Sox farm better.

The weakness of the division is probably the best reason we might have a shot in 2019. If the rebuild is going well we should be a roughly .500 team, and our division is probably going to be awful. KC and Detroit are probably going to be rebuilding, the Twins still don't really have a path to get pitching, and Cleveland will probably be in its decline phase by then. I wouldn't be surprised if the ALC is by far the worst division in baseball in 2019.

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by OmarComing25

Six up six down for #WhiteSox lefty Jose Quintana, who draws a crowd whenever he pitches. https://t.co/AbNOfA9Gju

https://twitter.com/CST_soxvan/status/845010900775944193

Got some hats going on there in that picture.

The weakness of the division is probably the best reason we might have a shot in 2019. If the rebuild is going well we should be a roughly .500 team, and our division is probably going to be awful. KC and Detroit are probably going to be rebuilding, the Twins still don't really have a path to get pitching, and Cleveland will probably be in its decline phase by then. I wouldn't be surprised if the ALC is by far the worst division in baseball in 2019.

 

Within a few games of .500 either way seems realistic to me for 2019.

Anyone think the game of chicken ends after today and something gets done?

Anyone think the game of chicken ends after today and something gets done?

 

Doubtful

 

I still think Quintana gets dealt closer to the deadline

 

Sox would love to move him, but know they absolutely cannot settle for a lesser package with their final blue chip trade piece

Anyone think the game of chicken ends after today and something gets done?

 

I am starting to feel that way.

Anyone think the game of chicken ends after today and something gets done?

 

Kinda agree with you

Doubtful

 

I still think Quintana gets dealt closer to the deadline

 

Sox would love to move him, but know they absolutely cannot settle for a lesser package with their final blue chip trade piece

 

It's not the Sox caving in my opinion.

Within a few games of .500 either way seems realistic to me for 2019.

And a .500 team in an awful division only needs a few things going right to be a playoff contender. I know that's been the slogan of the past few years but the difference here will be that we're an up and coming team centered around youth and not patchwork mediocre veterans.

And a .500 team in an awful division only needs a few things going right to be a playoff contender. I know that's been the slogan of the past few years but the difference here will be that we're an up and coming team centered around youth and not patchwork mediocre veterans.

 

Sounds like back to the last five years.

Sounds like back to the last five years.

You're just being intentionally hard headed.

You're just being intentionally hard headed.

 

A .500 team is not a playoff contender. That is what everyone on Soxtalk has said about every single season for years now. Why is it different now?

And a .500 team in an awful division only needs a few things going right to be a playoff contender. I know that's been the slogan of the past few years but the difference here will be that we're an up and coming team centered around youth and not patchwork mediocre veterans.

 

People have a ton of faith in pretty much everything going right the next three years, even when directly contradicts what has already happened repeatedly.

Another dominating performance from Q. How many scouts were there today?

Another dominating performance from Q. How many scouts were there today?

 

Apparently an extra row or two more than usual.

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by soxfan2014

I'll agree that 2020 is probably the first season we should expect to be playoff contenders. If all goes right, 2019 is possible but will probably be closer to a .500 winning season or just below. However, the reality is that our second wave of prospects (Kopech, Hansen, Dunning Collins, Basabe, Beer, Call) probably won't hit until mid 2018 at the earliest, so 2019 should be filled with some growing pains. It's really the unknowns (acquired prospects, free agents, draft picks, etc) that could be speed this thing up, but again we'd have to do pretty well in those areas to find ourselves above .500 come 2019.

Anyone think the game of chicken ends after today and something gets done?

I don't only because today did not do anything to improve Q's value. Everyone knows he is a terrific starter locked in at an extremely affordable rate for the next four years. Dominating a (bad Reds) team in Spring Training does not really move the needle in terms of Q's talent/affordability.

 

What will move that needle is another team's desperation: major injury or bad performance by another team's starter. I don't foresee that happening until May at the earliest.

I don't only because today did not do anything to improve Q's value. Everyone knows he is a terrific starter locked in at an extremely affordable rate for the next four years. Dominating a (bad Reds) team in Spring Training does not really move the needle in terms of Q's talent/affordability.

 

What will move that needle is another team's desperation: major injury or bad performance by another team's starter. I don't foresee that happening until May at the earliest.

 

Why would there be even more scouts there today if a start against the Reds doesn't matter.

A .500 team is not a playoff contender. That is what everyone on Soxtalk has said about every single season for years now. Why is it different now?

This year Baltimore, Detroit, KC, Anaheim, Texas, Seattle, NYY are all .500 teams and one or more of them is going to make the playoffs. I'm not saying put your bets on the 2019 playoffs (2020 is obviously what we should shoot for) but just saying it's not that crazy of a scenario, especially if the division is as bad as I think it's going to be.

This year Baltimore, Detroit, KC, Anaheim, Texas, Seattle, NYY are all .500 teams and one or more of them is going to make the playoffs. I'm not saying put your bets on the 2019 playoffs (2020 is obviously what we should shoot for) but just saying it's not that crazy of a scenario, especially if the division is as bad as I think it's going to be.

 

All the stuff need to do is make the playoffs and ideally ride dominant pitching to get them through.

 

Position prospects are less risky, but man are elite arms important in October

I'm guessing closer to the deadline. Apart from maybe the Yankees, the trading partners we're talking about still aren't that needy/motivated right now. I suspect it will take either injuries and uncertainty for a contender or perhaps a team like Atlanta or Colorado getting off to a surprise good start to really get someone motivated.

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by bighurt574

Why would there be even more scouts there today if a start against the Reds doesn't matter.

 

 

There will be an abundance of scouts at each of Q's starts I would bet.

There will be an abundance of scouts at each of Q's starts I would bet.

 

Pirates fans have to be the most upset with all these rumors. They have the prospects, but have not been willing to do what it takes. Another mediocre season with no playoffs awaits

Pirates fans have to be the most upset with all these rumors. They have the prospects, but have not been willing to do what it takes. Another mediocre season with no playoffs awaits

They seem to have bought in to the "Meadows in untouchable and is the future" bandwagon. From the fans I've heard they are ok not going after him.

There will be an abundance of scouts at each of Q's starts I would bet.

 

Well yeah I know that. Look at the comment I was responding too.