WHITE SOX

Lineup
1. Mike Tauchman, RF
2. Josh Rojas, 2B
3. Luis Robert Jr., CF
4. Andrew Vaughn, 1B
5. Andrew Benintendi, LF
6. Bryan Ramos, DH
7. Miguel Vargas, 3B
8. Colson Montgomery, SS
9. Korey Lee, C

Austin Slater provides a right-handed-hitting outfield option against a left-handed starter for the Angels, if the team chooses to go that direction. Robert should continue to draw trade interest during Spring Training, while Montgomery would be making his big league debut on Opening Day.

https://www.mlb.com/news/projected-lineups-rotations-for-every-2025-mlb-team

Not sure about giving the  most at-bats to two disposable veterans. Tauchman offers OBP but Rojas is a weak 2 hitter.

Rojas should be at 3B with Vargas at 2B imo.

#4-7 in the line-up won't inspire much fear in opposing pitchers...also, second time (recently) Ramos has been named as starting DH.

Colson Montgomery starting the year in cold weather Chicago at SS will draw the most raised eyebrows...biggest debate topic of slow/uneventful offseason.

 

At least Fletcher Sheets DeLoach and Julks are gone for now...seems like a positive.

Edited February 11, 20251 yr by caulfield12

That’s like Scott Merkin’s opinion, man.

It’ll be a success if they avoid 121 losses, a minor miracle if they avoid 100.

16 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

That’s like Scott Merkin’s opinion, man.

Sure but he's pretty much the official mouthpiece of the team and is simply a reflection of current team thinking.

Is protecting Montgomery as a starter coming off last season's major disappointment really going to sell any more tickets?

He could have put Teel or Quero as the starter over Lee...who everyone assumes is just a placeholder now.

He was conservative about pushing Baldwin or Meidroth into the starting lineup.

And a lot of Sosa fans who were counting on him to start SOMEWHERE in the infield are going to be disappointed.

This alignment makes him, Baldwin or Amaya the utility infielder.  Sosa seems like the type who needs to be at one position getting regular at-bats to be most effective.

 

Montgomery & Ramos should start in AAA.  Let Baldwin and Amaya platoon at SS to start the season.  Give Sosa an extended look at 2B.  Vargas splits time between DH & 3B.  Meidroth up sometime in May followed by Montgomery & Ramos around June or so (assuming these guys do well in Charlotte).  Weakest performers in the IF demoted or traded.  One of Teal or Quero hopefully by July and displaces Thais.  OF becomes a complete s%*# show post trade deadline.

Against RHP:

1. Tauchman, RF*
2. Robert, CF
3. Benintendi, LF*
4. Vaughn, 1B
5. Rojas, 3B*
6. Vargas, DH
7. Sosa, 2B
8. Baldwin, SS#
9. Lee / Thais*, C

Against LHP:

1. Slater, RF
2. Robert, CF
3. Vaughn, 1B
4. Sosa, 2B
5. Benintendi, DH*
6. Vargas, 3B
7. Amaya, SS
8. Lee, C
9. Baldwin, LF#

32 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Montgomery & Ramos should start in AAA.  Let Baldwin and Amaya platoon at SS to start the season.  Give Sosa an extended look at 2B.  Vargas splits time between DH & 3B.  Meidroth up sometime in May followed by Montgomery & Ramos around June or so (assuming these guys do well in Charlotte).  Weakest performers in the IF demoted or traded.  One of Teal or Quero hopefully by July and displaces Thais.  OF becomes a complete s%*# show post trade deadline.

Against RHP:

1. Tauchman, RF*
2. Robert, CF
3. Benintendi, LF*
4. Vaughn, 1B
5. Rojas, 3B*
6. Vargas, DH
7. Sosa, 2B
8. Baldwin, SS#
9. Lee / Thais*, C

Against LHP:

1. Slater, RF
2. Robert, CF
3. Vaughn, 1B
4. Sosa, 2B
5. Benintendi, DH*
6. Vargas, 3B
7. Amaya, SS
8. Lee, C
9. Baldwin, LF#

Likely looking at a late 2026 or early 2027 Braden Montgomery arrival...RF is going to be a sinkhole for two years.

And God knows when (if ever) they will be able to move on from Benintendi...who just might be their top power hitter when Robert is dealt.

5 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Likely looking at a late 2026 or early 2027 Braden Montgomery arrival...RF is going to be a sinkhole for two years.

And God knows when (if ever) they will be able to move on from Benintendi...who just might be their top power hitter when Robert is dealt.

They need to find a way for Benintendi to not be a terrible defensive LF, which will likely prove to be a challenge insurmountable.

I see multiple DH’s in that lineup and Ramos isn’t one of them. It’ll be interesting to see how Venable mixes and matches things.

12 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

They need to find a way for Benintendi to not be a terrible defensive LF, which will likely prove to be a challenge insurmountable.

Somehow Vargas or Baldwin probably end up in the outfield...and really not interested in watching Fletcher again unless he's hitting .325-350 at Charlotte.

5 minutes ago, Snopek said:

I see multiple DH’s in that lineup and Ramos isn’t one of them. It’ll be interesting to see how Venable mixes and matches things.

Rojas and Amaya are the only solid or plus defenders left after Robert is traded...yet another organizational weakness after it was supposed to be a strength last year.

That lineup is scary, as expected, for all the wrong reasons.

Roster Resource has Rojas (3B vs RHP) and Slater (OF vs LHP, could give someone in OF a DH day or mostly go Benintendi there) as the platoon with Vargas bouncing between DH and 3B. I kinda like that better as Tauchman isn't bad against LHP. His career and 2024 splits are pretty neutral.

Edited February 11, 20251 yr by Bob Sacamano

9 minutes ago, JoeC said:

That lineup is scary, as expected, for all the wrong reasons.

Top 300 MLB fantasy baseball draft picks, Robert was the only Top 100 and Vaughn is the other, mid to high 200s.

Spring training will tell us a lot, especially about the infield.  Meidroth, with a good spring, could be on the roster, maybe even as the starting 2B.  I'd be surprised if anyone other than Vargas is the starting 3B, and not necessarily because he'd be the best.  Rojas likely makes the roster, at least as a bench piece.  Montgomery may have somewhat of an inside track going in, but a lackluster spring likely starts him at AAA.  Ramos may also start in AAA.

I think Brandon Drury will be on the team as well. Curious to see about an out of options Lenyn Sosa. 

6 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I think Brandon Drury will be on the team as well. Curious to see about an out of options Lenyn Sosa. 

Man, I forgot about him.  The Sox have a TON of guys for the infield.  Let's just hope they end up with the best possible combination of players (he typed, trying not to laugh).

19 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

Spring training will tell us a lot, especially about the infield.  Meidroth, with a good spring, could be on the roster, maybe even as the starting 2B.  I'd be surprised if anyone other than Vargas is the starting 3B, and not necessarily because he'd be the best.  Rojas likely makes the roster, at least as a bench piece.  Montgomery may have somewhat of an inside track going in, but a lackluster spring likely starts him at AAA.  Ramos may also start in AAA.

Afaik Rojas has a guaranteed contract for this season...

Yeah I still don’t get the Drury thing.

15 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Afaik Rojas has a guaranteed contract for this season...

Josh Rojas does have an MLB contract, which is why he'll likely make the roster.  But as a starter or bench piece?  It'll be interesting.

46 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I think Brandon Drury will be on the team as well. Curious to see about an out of options Lenyn Sosa. 

If they don’t give Sosa an extended look in what will very likely be another 100+ loss season it would be an absolutely travesty.  I pray they don’t prioritize giving a roster spot to Drury over him.

1 hour ago, Chicago White Sox said:

If they don’t give Sosa an extended look in what will very likely be another 100+ loss season it would be an absolutely travesty.  I pray they don’t prioritize giving a roster spot to Drury over him.

Brandon Drury is a peak KW/Hahn move

5 minutes ago, Quin said:

Brandon Drury is a peak KW/Hahn move

Except they would have gotten him the year he collapsed, and not the year after like Getz.

9 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Except they would have gotten him the year he collapsed, and not the year after like Getz.

Hey, improvement!

No expectations + no results > Expectations + no results

Buckle up boys, this is going to be a rerun of last year.