June 16, 20196 yr So outside of Giolito, the rotation this year has been a disaster. Rodon was unable to stay healthy once again and Lopez has managed to somehow get worse in year 3. The rest of the guys in the mix right now have been bad or are simply not major leaguer caliber. The good news is hope is on the way in terms of Cease & Kopech, two of the most talented right-handed pitching prospects in all of baseball. However, next year will be their first full seasons and Kopech will be returning from TJS. While they may ultimately join forces with Lucas to provide an elite top of the rotation, that likely won’t be next year and maybe not even 2021. The point is if we plan to compete next year (and we should) the rotation will likely need multiple reinforcements beyond just those two prospects. So what’s your plan for addressing the rotation between now and opening day 2020? I’ll be posting mine shortly.
June 16, 20196 yr 1. FA 2. Gio 3. FA/trade 4. Kopech 5. Cease Rodon and Lopez bullpen or emergency starter. If any minor league pitchers deserve a shot, call them up and bullpen them until slot 3 opens up.
June 16, 20196 yr 7 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said: So outside of Giolito, the rotation this year has been a disaster. Rodon was unable to stay healthy once again and Lopez has managed to somehow get worse in year 3. The rest of the guys in the mix right now have been bad or are simply not major leaguer caliber. The good news is hope is on the way in terms of Cease & Kopech, two of the most talented right-handed pitching prospects in all of baseball. However, next year will be their first full seasons and Kopech will be returning from TJS. While they may ultimately join forces with Lucas to provide an elite top of the rotation, that likely won’t be next year and maybe not even 2021. The point is if we plan to compete next year (and we should) the rotation will likely need multiple reinforcements beyond just those two prospects. So what’s your plan for addressing the rotation between now and opening day 2020? I’ll be posting mine shortly. It hurts just thinking about the starters. And you're right. 2020 will be developing years for Cease and Kopech. At the very least, the Sox need to get one credible arm in the rotation during the off season. Even during a rebuild, the team can't go on with the situation like this. There are simply too many blowouts like the last two games against the Yankees. Like I said on another post, money is going have to be spent. The team is looking better and it is not fair to send some of these guys out to the mound.
June 16, 20196 yr Giolito Kopech Cease Lopez FA starter then Rodon once he's healthy Lopez will 100% get another chance at starting next year. Half this board wanted to get rid of Giolito last season, and he was worse than Lopez is this year.
June 16, 20196 yr 5 minutes ago, GGajewski18 said: Giolito Kopech Cease Lopez FA starter then Rodon once he's healthy Lopez will 100% get another chance at starting next year. Half this board wanted to get rid of Giolito last season, and he was worse than Lopez is this year. I'd much prefer Kopech and Cease as 4 and 5s next year while they both watch innings
June 16, 20196 yr Because of how things worked out, we also have a rotation that profiles as so right handed that it would benefit us substantially to think about Bumgarner and Keuchel specifically to give at least one left handed arm. Depending on how they perform the rest of the year, Bumgarner might be more expensive, cost a draft pick, and whether he could co-exist with Tim Anderson's bat flips is an open question.
June 16, 20196 yr Sign two of the following four pitchers: Wood, Bumgarner, Wheeler, Keuchel. The other three starters are Giolito, Kopech, Cease. When Rodon comes back, he either moves to the pen or takes the place of whoever of those five are injured/struggling. Lopez is in the pen. Edited June 16, 20196 yr by SoxBlanco
June 16, 20196 yr Bumgarner belongs on the royals with the way he reacted to that home run show up the other day. He and Tim wouldn't get along.
June 16, 20196 yr Were not giving up on Lopez bc of this year. Gio Bummy Cease Kopech Lopez When Rodon comes back we can go with 6 SP to save innings for Cease/Kopech
June 16, 20196 yr Author 56 minutes ago, fathom said: Fire Cooper and find a pitching coach from the Astros system Yeah, that would be helpful, but given his age I think they will let him retire on his own terms unfortunately. That being said, I think we have to operate under the assumption he’s still around. And if that’s the case, I don’t think we can count on Lopez next year to be anything but a #6 starter / bullpen arm. So I think we pretty much have to add two proven starters, one to help anchor the top and one to stabilize the bottom. Cole is obviously the guy we should go all out for, but until proven otherwise, I’m going to assume we won’t go the years it will take land a guy like him. To me, that leaves Wheeler as the #1 guy to go after. He’s the only guy other than Cole with TOR stuff that will only cost money next offseason. I think we could get him for something 4/$85 and that would be a quality signing IMO (I know many here will disagree). In addition to him, I’d go hard after Alex Wood on a short-term deal (which may be doable given his current status). The following rotation seems like one that would work next year: Giolito Wheeler Cease Kopech Wood* Lopez (bullpen) Dunning (AAA) Rodon (?)
June 16, 20196 yr You absolutely have to go after Cole or somebody like Wood. No excuses for missing on these guys
June 16, 20196 yr With the payroll so low next year there is no excuse for not going hard after Cole. I have zero faith Hahn and co. can land him after the Manny debacle last offseason
June 16, 20196 yr Sink large money into starting pitching. The offense will be fine with continued development and a piece here or there (Castelleanos, Puig, etc.) 1. Cole 2. Giolito 3. Hamels 4. Kopech 5. Cease
June 16, 20196 yr I see it as pretty straightforward: Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, Cease in no particular order and then someone from outside the organization.
June 16, 20196 yr 4 minutes ago, Jake said: I see it as pretty straightforward: Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, Cease in no particular order and then someone from outside the organization. This. I'd like to add Bumgarner as your LH vet. If Lopez is still struggling next year, you can add a middle of the rotation vet at the deadline to eat innings. Next year we'll be in that 85-90 win bracket, and the year after we're contenders. The timing will be good for Kopech and Cease to get stretched out. Edited June 16, 20196 yr by TaylorStSox
June 16, 20196 yr Gio, Cease, Kopech, Bumgarner, Strasburg. More and more I'm in on going after Stras. Dont think he'll opt out, so big money next 4 years. Sox can take on most/all remaining $$$ and not have to give up the farm to get him.
June 16, 20196 yr Throw everything you can at Cole, hope it works and if not, sign one of the lesser guys and hope for the best.
June 16, 20196 yr 56 minutes ago, Capital G said: Were not giving up on Lopez bc of this year. Gio Bummy Cease Kopech Lopez When Rodon comes back we can go with 6 SP to save innings for Cease/Kopech This is exactly where I'm at, although I'd consider signing Dallas also if they can't get Bumgarner. Rodon can spell whoever is struggling or a six man rotation to help the young arms.
June 16, 20196 yr 36 minutes ago, Pal said: Gio, Cease, Kopech, Bumgarner, Strasburg. More and more I'm in on going after Stras. Dont think he'll opt out, so big money next 4 years. Sox can take on most/all remaining $$$ and not have to give up the farm to get him. Even if he does opt out, Strasburg's ceiling is the Sale deal of 5/150. I'd do it, with the first 2-3 years at 35M. The Sox payroll is going to be minuscule next year. They have like $40M committed, including Rodon's arbitration figure and Herrera Edited June 16, 20196 yr by Jack Parkman
June 16, 20196 yr I think the organization really put their big boy pants on this offseason and go all in on Cole. 1. Giolito 2. Cole 3. Kopech 4. Cease 5. Lopez/Rodon/Dunning
June 17, 20196 yr I'm guessing the rotation next April will be in no particular order: Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, Cease, pitcher from outside the organization (hopefully not a dumpster dive) and in the second half of the season Rodon. I also hope the Sox can somehow get a 7th potential starter either from a kid in the minor league system developing (Hansen?) or signing another veteran happy to be drawing a paycheck at Charlotte in case things again go disastrously south. I yearn for the days like in 1983 when these were the Sox starters or guys in the minor league system: Hoyt, Dotson, Bannister, Burns, Koosman, Martz, Mura. Every single one of those guys had big league seasons where they won at least 10 games. That's the kind of depth you need today the way pitchers are babied and go down.
June 17, 20196 yr 10 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said: I'm guessing the rotation next April will be in no particular order: Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, Cease, pitcher from outside the organization (hopefully not a dumpster dive) and in the second half of the season Rodon. I also hope the Sox can somehow get a 7th potential starter either from a kid in the minor league system developing (Hansen?) or signing another veteran happy to be drawing a paycheck at Charlotte in case things again go disastrously south. I yearn for the days like in 1983 when these were the Sox starters or guys in the minor league system: Hoyt, Dotson, Bannister, Burns, Koosman, Martz, Mura. Every single one of those guys had big league seasons where they won at least 10 games. That's the kind of depth you need today the way pitchers are babied and go down. I think it's painfully obvious we need bullpen help next offseason also, so in addition to signing a guy who can be an opening week rotation starter for us, a swing guy/long reliever is a solid need on the FA market also.
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