In their 1st top five power rankings, MLB.com has Sox at # 2 behind Dodgers. 
 

That sounds very good to me.

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/power-rankings-start-spring-training-2022.html

 

This team is very good as is. I don’t see anyone in the ALC sniffing the Sox this year. Not saying I don’t want a 2B and RF - I certainly do - but I don’t think we need to Trade Vaughn or Crochet to become a true WS contender. Just spend some cash and let’s go play!

That's unpossible 

Bite it cubs, #25

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

This team is very good as is. I don’t see anyone in the ALC sniffing the Sox this year. Not saying I don’t want a 2B and RF - I certainly do - but I don’t think we need to Trade Vaughn or Crochet to become a true WS contender. Just spend some cash and let’s go play!

I think Detroit could make a push this year and make us sweat a tiny bit.

10 minutes ago, ScooterMcGee said:

I think Detroit could make a push this year and make us sweat a tiny bit.

Sure. But they’re not gonna win more than 83-85 games at most. I do agree they’re probably our biggest competition at this point. 

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

Sure. But they’re not gonna win more than 83-85 games at most. I do agree they’re probably our biggest competition at this point. 

Watch out if Mize and Skubal take a big step forward. Also Torkelson should be up this year. 

Sox finally have way more talent than anybody in the division so maybe the Sox can dominate the division for years to come. I think the pitching is mediocre though no doubt the Sox have several everyday stars, superstar types. Hopefully Sox can catch fire this season or next in the postseason and win it all, but no way is this team dominant.

Edited March 12, 20224 yr by greg775

1 hour ago, greg775 said:

Sox finally have way more talent than anybody in the division so maybe the Sox can dominate the division for years to come. I think the pitching is mediocre though no doubt the Sox have several everyday stars, superstar types. Hopefully Sox can catch fire this season or next in the postseason and win it all, but no way is this team dominant.

As always depth will be important.  Injuries will happen...and that's for sure.  Figuring out RF, 2nd base, and SP is obvious no matter what our personal opinions of who and how might be.  It's at least comforting to have a clear picture of what the needs are.  For many years the question was where don't we need help.  

I guess I'm going Debby Downer here but unless you're just comparing the Sox to the AL Central and a team's probability of dominating their division - I just don't see it. Too many gaps - too many question marks.  This could all change over the next few weeks on the personnel front but as it stands - not a top 5 power team.

Edited March 12, 20224 yr by FoxForce2

Yeah, they let 4.9 fWAR walk out the door for free. Meanwhile, they just "had to" hang onto the aging piece that delivered -0.2 fWAR.

I also don't see how this team has improved over the one that got curbstomped by Houston. And, until some additions occur, I'm thinking this is a ~Top 10ish team, not a Top 2 team in power ranking.

 

11 minutes ago, Two-Gun Pete said:

Yeah, they let 4.9 fWAR walk out the door for free. Meanwhile, they just "had to" hang onto the aging piece that delivered -0.2 fWAR.

I also don't see how this team has improved over the one that got curbstomped by Houston. And, until some additions occur, I'm thinking this is a ~Top 10ish team, not a Top 2 team in power ranking.

 

Top 10ish? I'm disappointed you didn't say worst team in MLB history. You're slipping Petey

15 minutes ago, CeaseAndExist said:

Top 10ish? I'm disappointed you didn't say worst team in MLB history. You're slipping Petey

Worst team?

Nah. Top 10ish is where they'd be, if the SOX were in a middle media market. MLB.com needs the clickbait after the lockout.

 

But, I appreciate your concern, "Ceasey."

3 hours ago, greg775 said:

Sox finally have way more talent than anybody in the division so maybe the Sox can dominate the division for years to come.

For years to come?

Be prepared to be disappointed, for a variety of reasons.

Edited March 12, 20224 yr by Two-Gun Pete

3 hours ago, FoxForce2 said:

I guess I'm going Debby Downer here but unless you're just comparing the Sox to the AL Central and a team's probability of dominating their division - I just don't see it. Too many gaps - too many question marks.  This could all change over the next few weeks on the personnel front but as it stands - not a top 5 power team.

The rest of the division is some where between mediocre and trash. If we have holes and gaps, the other teams have canyons and dumpster fires.

Always the bridesmaid never the bride. We win the central easily, but I don’t think we stack up well against the other top teams in the AL.

11 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

The rest of the division is some where between mediocre and trash. If we have holes and gaps, the other teams have canyons and dumpster fires.

Hopefully the rest of the division can quickly add some talent via free agency. 

On 3/12/2022 at 4:41 PM, Two-Gun Pete said:

Yeah, they let 4.9 fWAR walk out the door for free. Meanwhile, they just "had to" hang onto the aging piece that delivered -0.2 fWAR.

I also don't see how this team has improved over the one that got curbstomped by Houston. And, until some additions occur, I'm thinking this is a ~Top 10ish team, not a Top 2 team in power ranking.

 

Agree, if we get an upgrade at second base, a right fielder who can hit and field and a SP to fill Rodon's shoes, then we might be #2 in the Power Rankings.

3 minutes ago, The Mighty Mite said:

Agree, if we get an upgrade at second base, a right fielder who can hit and field and a SP to fill Rodon's shoes, then we might be #2 in the Power Rankings.

I'm afraid that that ship has already sailed.

I'm HOPEFUL that a RFer can be secured. But I'm horrified at what they did at SP and 2B.

I maintain that this team is ACTUALLY top ~10-ish right now; I maintain that MLB.com putting the SOX @ #2 is pure clickbait.

I dont know how they can look at RH's work this offseason and honestly tell us that we're #2 with a straight face. 

15 minutes ago, Two-Gun Pete said:

I'm afraid that that ship has already sailed.

I'm HOPEFUL that a RFer can be secured. But I'm horrified at what they did at SP and 2B.

I maintain that this team is ACTUALLY top ~10-ish right now; I maintain that MLB.com putting the SOX @ #2 is pure clickbait.

I dont know how they can look at RH's work this offseason and honestly tell us that we're #2 with a straight face. 

Perhaps they are looking at, you know, the baseball teams rather than evaluating only the moves made by the White Sox FO in this incomplete off-season with tunnel vision.  What have the other AL teams at the top of the list done to get so much better?  The Rays?  The Yankees?  The Astros, besides as-of-now losing one of their best players?  Boston?  In the big world outside this board this is a reasonable ranking.

Edited March 15, 20224 yr by 35thstreetswarm

7 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

Perhaps they are looking at, you know, the baseball teams rather than evaluating only the moves made by the White Sox FO in this incomplete off-season with tunnel vision.  What have the other AL teams at the top of the list done to get so much better?  The Rays?  The Yankees?  The Astros, besides as-of-now losing one of their best players?  Boston?  In the big world outside this board this is a reasonable ranking.

Getting Verlander back doesn’t count for anything?  Seems there’s still a decent chance Correa comes back, too.  They added Neris, should have Framber Valdez and Forrest Whitley for the entire season, too.

24 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

Perhaps they are looking at, you know, the baseball teams rather than evaluating only the moves made by the White Sox FO in this incomplete off-season with tunnel vision.  What have the other AL teams at the top of the list done to get so much better?  The Rays?  The Yankees?  The Astros, besides as-of-now losing one of their best players?  Boston?  In the big world outside this board this is a reasonable ranking.

If this would be true, then you should be happy. If memory serves, you called me "a contraindicator" when RH was pursuing that awesome Kimbrel trade last season. How'd that one work out?

Thus, if I'm calling the SOX "Top 10-ish," it would mean that the clickbait had legs.

 

But what I'm seeing is that the SOX losing 4.9 fWAR out of the rotation and replacing it with just a guy, a 2B addition who looks like this year's prime DFA candidate, and still nothing for RF, sure, that's "tunnel vision," if you like.

But other orgs have added and have gotten better this offseason. If that makes you as happy as you were for the Kimbrel trade, hey, lots of luck to you.

42 minutes ago, Two-Gun Pete said:

If this would be true, then you should be happy. If memory serves, you called me "a contraindicator" when RH was pursuing that awesome Kimbrel trade last season. How'd that one work out?

Thus, if I'm calling the SOX "Top 10-ish," it would mean that the clickbait had legs.

 

But what I'm seeing is that the SOX losing 4.9 fWAR out of the rotation and replacing it with just a guy, a 2B addition who looks like this year's prime DFA candidate, and still nothing for RF, sure, that's "tunnel vision," if you like.

But other orgs have added and have gotten better this offseason. If that makes you as happy as you were for the Kimbrel trade, hey, lots of luck to you.

I was happy with the Kimbrel trade?  News to me, given that I wasn’t really, and said I thought we gave up too much in the trade at the time.  It is also interesting to see you rest your entire evaluation of the Sox roster on the loss of Carlos Rodon, whom you trashed all last offseason.  
 

Anyway, I see you haven’t answered my invitation to explain what the Rays, Yankees, Astros, Red Sox have done in their offseasons to inspire you so much more than the Sox adding two of the best relievers in the game.  I do think it would benefit you to aim your hyper-scrutiny on another roster once in awhile to gain some perspective.

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

Getting Verlander back doesn’t count for anything?  Seems there’s still a decent chance Correa comes back, too.  They added Neris, should have Framber Valdez and Forrest Whitley for the entire season, too.

We get to count our own players as off-season acquisitions?  Hooray, and thank you, Steve Stone!