April 10, 20197 yr Lets take a break from the negativity and just look at what is coming. I know patience is wearing thin but with Moncada and Anderson showing their potential I am much more optimistic things will be OK! CF - Robert 3B - Moncada LF/DH - Jimenez 1B/C/DH - Collins 1B/DH - Abreu (I think he gets extended) C - Castillo/Zavala (Zavala primary if team option is not exercised) SS - Anderson RF - ? 2B - Madrigal Any ideas on who can man RF next year? FA/minors hopefuls or would we be stuck with Palka?
April 10, 20197 yr I don't think Madrigal will be up until 2021 and I think Robert starts 2020 in AAA but finds his way to the majors at some point during the season. I think we get one more half-year of the Leury/Engel combo in cf and Yolmer at 2B for another full year. Sorry to be the debbie downer, but barring injuries this seens to be the most realistic scenario to me Edited April 10, 20197 yr by Scoots
April 10, 20197 yr 4 minutes ago, reiks12 said: Lets take a break from the negativity and just look at what is coming. I know patience is wearing thin but with Moncada and Anderson showing their potential I am much more optimistic things will be OK! CF - Robert 3B - Moncada LF/DH - Jimenez 1B/C/DH - Collins 1B/DH - Abreu (I think he gets extended) C - Castillo/Zavala (Zavala primary if team option is not exercised) SS - Anderson RF - ? 2B - Madrigal Any ideas on who can man RF next year? FA/minors hopefuls or would we be stuck with Palka? Are you talking April or September 2020? I think opening day is too early for Robert at this point. A September call up, we can talk about. Same with Little Nicky.
April 10, 20197 yr Author 2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said: Are you talking April or September 2020? I think opening day is too early for Robert at this point. A September call up, we can talk about. Same with Little Nicky. I was thinking at some point during the year. There is no dpubt in my mind they wont be up at some point next year.
April 10, 20197 yr It sucks that Nick Castellanos is terrible defensively because his bat would look nice in RF.
April 10, 20197 yr No Anthony Rendon? Although if Gavin Sheets works at it, he can be an Anthony Rendon type of hitter. Edited April 10, 20197 yr by Chisox378
April 10, 20197 yr Author 1 minute ago, Chisox378 said: No Anthony Rendon? Although if Gavin Sheets works at it, he can be an Anthony Rendon type of hitter. Not gonna bother dreaming about that with uncle jerry still owning the team
April 10, 20197 yr 5 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said: It sucks that Nick Castellanos is terrible defensively because his bat would look nice in RF. We'll need a good 1b/dh just the same.
April 10, 20197 yr 6 minutes ago, Chisox378 said: No Anthony Rendon? Although if Gavin Sheets works at it, he can be an Anthony Rendon type of hitter. Rendon of course was so talented that he barely played in W-S, but was moved up to AA after 32 plate appearances in A+ where he had a 1.032 OPS. Next year in AA he put up a 1.027 OPS for 166 PAs before being ushered up to AAA for a cup of coffee and then the big leagues, where at age 23 he batted .265 and his lowest OPS of his career of .725 Sheets sported a .775 OPS in A+ over 450 PAs and is currently batting .077 in birmingham. Great pros, even average pros, almost always had minor league careers of fantastic productivity. At this point you just hope Sheets is an outlier where something randomly clicks and he thinks "oh i'm a huge human being, I should stop hitting grounders"
April 10, 20197 yr 10 minutes ago, reiks12 said: Not gonna bother dreaming about that with uncle jerry still owning the team This x 1000000. I've never getting my hopes up for a big free agent until Jerry is gone. Edited April 10, 20197 yr by soxfan2014
April 10, 20197 yr 9 minutes ago, Chisox378 said: Its a pity, because Id rather have Rendon than Machado or Harper. ?
April 10, 20197 yr 2 minutes ago, bmags said: Rendon of course was so talented that he barely played in W-S, but was moved up to AA after 32 plate appearances in A+ where he had a 1.032 OPS. Next year in AA he put up a 1.027 OPS for 166 PAs before being ushered up to AAA for a cup of coffee and then the big leagues, where at age 23 he batted .265 and his lowest OPS of his career of .725 Sheets sported a .775 OPS in A+ over 450 PAs and is currently batting .077 in birmingham. Great pros, even average pros, almost always had minor league careers of fantastic productivity. At this point you just hope Sheets is an outlier where something randomly clicks and he thinks "oh i'm a huge human being, I should stop hitting grounders" Nice one, although I did say if Sheets works on it. The power will come for him and he as the good eye. If I were he I wouldnt be pressured by the organization to hit HR, just keep doing what he is doing and the power will come. Pressure to hit HR will only hurt a player.
April 10, 20197 yr Who knows how the teams manage service time considerations, the market, extensions, etc. in the not-so-distant future, but I think the Sox came into this season with the belief that Madrigal will play into the starting 2B role in Chicago with the best case scenario coming as him being promoted this time next year. Essentially, right after the service time deadline. In an ideal world for Sox, Madrigal smacks the ball around for the remainder of April and moves to Birmingham in May, is then not challenged in BHam and gets a taste of Charlotte to end the season. 2019 he starts in Charlotte and if he shows well, he quickly displaces whatever placeholder they have at 2B. That's the optimistic take. Obviously Madrigal has to hit and re-find his swing. Robert has far more scenarios possible in his trajectory. First and foremost is just obviously to stay healthy. I think he sees Birmingham soon and if he keeps showing like an absolute freak they Sox will be less likely to promote him as quickly as they will Madrigal. They need to be considering service time scenarios and a more conservative route for a guy with very limited playing experience stateside is very much an actionable plan all things considered.
April 10, 20197 yr I would like to see something like this for a 2020 Opening Day Lineup ( Also sucks that we are already talking about next year on April 10. Isn't tanking lovely?) CF: Leury Garcia (only holding the fort until Robert is hopefully ready in July/August) 3B - Moncada LF/ - Jimenez DH - JD Martinez RF - Puig C - Grandal SS - Anderson 1B - Collins 2B - Yolmer or Mendick (only holding the fort until Madrigal is hopefully ready in July/August)
April 10, 20197 yr 4 minutes ago, raBBit said: Comparing Sheets to Rendon is one of the stranger comps I've ever seen. Sheets last season at Winston 437AB .293avg. .368obp 28 doubles 81k's to 52BB. The 6HR are the only difference in stats that is not close to Rondon's major league stats.
April 10, 20197 yr Sox 2020 Opening Day Lineup C - Acquired Catcher + Veteran backup or Zavala + Collins 1B - Eloy/Collins 2B - Placeholder 3B - Moncada SS - TA OF - Anything goes. Likely the major offseason offensive acquisition is an OF guy. Cordell/Engel/Palka get a chance this year to see if they belong. One or two of Rutherford/Basabe/Gonzalez/Adolfo take a step forward this season and earn a shot. One or two of these guys get traded. I think Basabe takes utility type role playing all OF spots and allowing flexibility with DH & rest days. U DH - Rotating with Collins/Eloy getting majority of the looks. Sox July of 2020 Lineup C - Acquired Catcher/Veteran backup or Zavala/Collins 1B - Eloy/Collins 2B - Madrigal 3B - Moncada SS - TA LF/RF - Anything goes. Likely the major offensive offseason acquisition is an OF guy. Basabe takes utility type role playing all OF spots and allowing flexibility with DH & rest days. CF - Hopefully Robert stays healthy and takes over. LF/RF - Anything goes. Likely the major offensive offseason acquisition is an OF guy. Basabe takes utility type role playing all OF spots and allowing flexibility with DH & rest days. DH - Eloy/Collins/rotate
April 10, 20197 yr 3 minutes ago, Chisox378 said: Sheets last season at Winston 437AB .293avg. .368obp 28 doubles 81k's to 52BB. The 6HR are the only difference in stats that is not close to Rondon's major league stats. If you're going to compare a college draftees A Ball stats to a MLB All Star's stats as if there are is any parallel there I don't know what to tell you. Luis Gonazalez (Sheets' teammate at W-S last year) had a pretty similar slash line to Altuve's stat line last year away from homers. Are they comparable players too?
April 10, 20197 yr 6 minutes ago, raBBit said: Sox 2020 Opening Day Lineup C - Acquired Catcher + Veteran backup or Zavala + Collins 1B - Eloy/Collins 2B - Placeholder 3B - Moncada SS - TA OF - Anything goes. Likely the major offseason offensive acquisition is an OF guy. Cordell/Engel/Palka get a chance this year to see if they belong. One or two of Rutherford/Basabe/Gonzalez/Adolfo take a step forward this season and earn a shot. One or two of these guys get traded. I think Basabe takes utility type role playing all OF spots and allowing flexibility with DH & rest days. U DH - Rotating with Collins/Eloy getting majority of the looks. Sox July of 2020 Lineup C - Acquired Catcher/Veteran backup or Zavala/Collins 1B - Eloy/Collins 2B - Madrigal 3B - Moncada SS - TA LF/RF - Anything goes. Likely the major offensive offseason acquisition is an OF guy. Basabe takes utility type role playing all OF spots and allowing flexibility with DH & rest days. CF - Hopefully Robert stays healthy and takes over. LF/RF - Anything goes. Likely the major offensive offseason acquisition is an OF guy. Basabe takes utility type role playing all OF spots and allowing flexibility with DH & rest days. DH - Eloy/Collins/rotate I think we pretty much already know the answer about whether or not Cordell, Engel, and Palka belong. They are just here this year for the tank. I also think the Sox will move some of the outfield prospect depth for a veteran pitcher. Maybe someone like Grienke?
April 10, 20197 yr Look into that crystal ball, Rabbit...can you give us your take on the starting rotation in 2021?
April 10, 20197 yr Once again, I said he is not there yet, he needs some work, but the stats look good and will look better as he grows. I predict him to be a better ML hitter than more than half of our Active Major League roster right now.
April 10, 20197 yr 1 hour ago, reiks12 said: Lets take a break from the negativity and just look at what is coming. I know patience is wearing thin but with Moncada and Anderson showing their potential I am much more optimistic things will be OK! CF - Robert 3B - Moncada LF/DH - Jimenez 1B/C/DH - Collins 1B/DH - Abreu (I think he gets extended) C - Castillo/Zavala (Zavala primary if team option is not exercised) SS - Anderson RF - ? 2B - Madrigal Any ideas on who can man RF next year? FA/minors hopefuls or would we be stuck with Palka? Man, Bryce Harper would have fit quite well into the only position with a question mark next to it...
April 10, 20197 yr The lineup will never score enough runs as long as Don Cooper is still our pitching coach.
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