OD 26 Man Roster Projection

[WhiteSox2023]

13 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Who's selenium?

[Chicago White Sox]

8 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

I think beyond trades, injuries or upsets, you're looking at:

C - Teel, Quero
IF - Murakami, Meidroth, Montgomery, Vargas
OF - Benintendi, Hays, Acuña, Pereira
Bench - Sosa, Baldwin

That leaves one slot for Korey Lee, if they want to DH Teel and Quero, or maybe another OF, like Hill or Peters. Maybe Tanner Murray has a shot as the strongest backup SS with a good offensive spring? 

I suppose they could also play around with Baldwin's option, but he's earned a long look in the bigs. 

I don’t see Murray making the OD roster.  His ability to play SS is negated by us already having several other options who can play the position better than him.  I see no way they keep him over another RH infielder in Mead who is out of options.

To me, the final spot likely goes to Lee, Mead, Hill, or Kelenic.

[WestEddy]

11 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

LaMont Wade Jr?

[Chicago White Sox]

44 minutes ago, ptatc said:

I think Baldwin gets sent down as he has options. They'll evaluate guys like perriera or selenium to start the season.

I don’t see how they could justify sending down Baldwin.  He is clearly one of their best nine or 10 positional players and should be in the lineup most days.

[ptatc]

6 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I don’t see how they could justify sending down Baldwin.  He is clearly one of their best nine or 10 positional players and should be in the lineup most days.

Because this is still development and they want to see what they have in the players that are out of options. Baldwin would be up at some point.

Edited 10 hours ago by ptatc

[WestEddy]

5 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Because this is still development and they want to see what they have in the players that are out of options. Baldwin would be up at some point.

That does make sense. They did trade for Pereira and Acuña and talk about Kelenic like he's made the team. I suppose they could do the same with Vasil if he continues to look pedestrian. Leasure. 

[ChiSoxFanMike]

1 hour ago, ptatc said:

I think Baldwin gets sent down as he has options. They'll evaluate guys like perriera or selenium to start the season.

Baldwin getting sent down would tick me off. He has already proved everything there is to prove in AAA. He needs regular at-bats at the MLB level.

[Bob Sacamano]

9 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Baldwin getting sent down would tick me off. He has already proved everything there is to prove in AAA. He needs regular at-bats at the MLB level.

Regular at bats might not be there, depending. And there’s absolutely still stuff to work on like his defense and playing an average Outfield.

Edited 9 hours ago by Bob Sacamano

[WestEddy]

23 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Baldwin getting sent down would tick me off. He has already proved everything there is to prove in AAA. He needs regular at-bats at the MLB level.

I can only hope that if Baldwin gets sent down, Getz announces it in a weird way so all of White Sox Twitter can seethe even harder over the not a big deal thing that was described awkwardly. 

[Chicago White Sox]

47 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

That does make sense. They did trade for Pereira and Acuña and talk about Kelenic like he's made the team. I suppose they could do the same with Vasil if he continues to look pedestrian. Leasure. 

They can roster Pereira, Acuna, & one of Lee or Mead and keep control of Kelenic at AAA to start the season all while making Baldwin one of the OD 26.  I just don’t see demoting Baldwin to save one of Lee or Mead for a month or so.

[ChiSoxFanMike]

31 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Regular at bats might not be there, depending. And there’s absolutely still stuff to work on like his defense and playing an average Outfield.

Doesn’t seem like Benintendi will be in the outfield all that much. In that case, there should be consistent at-bats for Baldwin in one of the corners. Let him play one position consistently and hopefully he’ll improve defensively.

[WestEddy]

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

They can roster Pereira, Acuna, & one of Lee or Mead and keep control of Kelenic at AAA to start the season all while making Baldwin one of the OD 26.  I just don’t see demoting Baldwin to save one of Lee or Mead for a month or so.

Oh, I think Baldwin should make the OD roster. They ought to have him playing all 3 OF spots. He and Acuña can back up the IF. Benintendi is the problem. If they're juggling trade scenarios for Sosa, Mead, or 10-D (ha-ha) at the end of ST, I could see bouncing Baldwin for a couple weeks to not just lose a guy. If Mead isn't challenging for a spot, he clears waivers pretty easily, I think. 

[WestEddy]

16 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Doesn’t seem like Benintendi will be in the outfield all that much. In that case, there should be consistent at-bats for Baldwin in one of the corners. Let him play one position consistently and hopefully he’ll improve defensively.

I actually think Kelenic is the most probable. They've been talking of him like he's made the team. He just has to hit. 

C - Teel, Quero
IF - Murakami, Meidroth, Montgomery, Vargas
OF - Benintendi, Hays, Acuña, Pereira
Bench - Sosa, Baldwin, Kelenic

They run kind of an even platoon with Acuña, Pereira and Hays the RHHs, and Kelenic, 10-D and Baldwin the LHHs. 10-D plays less field, where the DH cycles through 2nd catcher, 10-D, Sosa, other guy getting rest. They could certainly get 13 guys 460 PAs a piece, give or take. 

[Bob Sacamano]

30 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Doesn’t seem like Benintendi will be in the outfield all that much. In that case, there should be consistent at-bats for Baldwin in one of the corners. Let him play one position consistently and hopefully he’ll improve defensively.

I agree he should be in LF most days. Or RF with Hays in his more natural spot in LF.

Edit: in both games Hays has played, he’s been in LF

Edited 8 hours ago by Bob Sacamano

[Chicago White Sox]

1 hour ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Baldwin getting sent down would tick me off. He has already proved everything there is to prove in AAA. He needs regular at-bats at the MLB level.

While Baldwin’s bat still needs development, this final stage needs to be at the major league level.  And while his outfield defense still needs a lot of work, I don’t see any benefit for that happening in the minors vs. the majors.  As such, I just don’t see a reason to send him to AAA to simply protect one of Lee or Mead.

If you desperately want to protect both of them, you could send Quero down to start the season and actually give Lee some runway in hopes of boosting his trade value.  I’m not really in favor of that either, but there is more inherent logic to it in my opinion as it gives Teel & Quero everyday reps behind the plate for a short bit while we see how the DH / OF mix plays out.

Ultimately though, I just don’t see the purpose of Mead on this roster unless there is an injury or a Sosa trade.  And I don’t really love the idea of a third catcher and don’t see him being a long-term fit for this roster.

[Chicago White Sox]

1 hour ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Regular at bats might not be there, depending. And there’s absolutely still stuff to work on like his defense and playing an average Outfield.

Why does learning how to play OF defense need to take place in the minors vs. the majors though?  And who on the bubble is worth protecting over rostering a kid that just put up a 119 wRC+ over the 2H of the season (and 129 vs. RHP)?  Against RHP, Baldwin should be on the lineup every single day.

[Chicago White Sox]

53 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

I can only hope that if Baldwin gets sent down, Getz announces it in a weird way so all of White Sox Twitter can seethe even harder over the not a big deal thing that was described awkwardly. 

I don’t really get what this means.  Sending down one of your better hitters against RHP who can play six positions would be a fairly big deal.  Are we not trying to win and also develop our best young major league ready players?

[ChiSoxFanMike]

20 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

I actually think Kelenic is the most probable. They've been talking of him like he's made the team. He just has to hit. 

C - Teel, Quero
IF - Murakami, Meidroth, Montgomery, Vargas
OF - Benintendi, Hays, Acuña, Pereira
Bench - Sosa, Baldwin, Kelenic

They run kind of an even platoon with Acuña, Pereira and Hays the RHHs, and Kelenic, 10-D and Baldwin the LHHs. 10-D plays less field, where the DH cycles through 2nd catcher, 10-D, Sosa, other guy getting rest. They could certainly get 13 guys 460 PAs a piece, give or take. 

I’d prioritize Baldwin over Kelenic, but that’s just me.

[Bob Sacamano]

5 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why does learning how to play OF defense need to take place in the minors vs. the majors though?  And who on the bubble is worth protecting over rostering a kid that just put up a 119 wRC+ over the 2H of the season (and 129 vs. RHP)?  Against RHP, Baldwin should be on the lineup every single day.

Oh I’m in favor of that happening in the majors as long as he’s consistently playing.

[Chicago White Sox]

2 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

I’d prioritize Baldwin over Kelenic, but that’s just me.

Kelenic can start the season in AAA.  Unless he absolutely destroys the baseball this spring, that should be the no doubt plan.  He was fucking dreadful last year and we should make him prove himself over a longer period before committing to him at the major league level.

[Bob Sacamano]

I’m actually in favor of Baldwin getting more time in CF and Acuña earning more time there, pushing Baldwin to a corner.

[WestEddy]

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I don’t really get what this means.  Sending down one of your better hitters against RHP who can play six positions would be a fairly big deal.  Are we not trying to win and also develop our best young major league ready players?

I don't think sending Baldwin down for a couple of weeks while they sort out their roster at the beginning of the season isn't a big deal. There's 29 more spring training games to go. Somebody's going to get injured. Maybe Sosa, Lee or Mead get traded. 

Again, I think Baldwin should come north with the team. We all know that if he doesn't, it's not because the team doesn't think he's ready. Teams shuttle guys with options remaining to hang onto a guy they like. 

I think it's funny to plan to be angry if some decision is made in the future. Baldwin will be optioned if a series of things happen that are all good. Mead is doing good enough that he won't make it through waivers. Acuña/Pereira/Kelenic look solid. 

[WestEddy]

9 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Kelenic can start the season in AAA.  Unless he absolutely destroys the baseball this spring, that should be the no doubt plan.  He was fucking dreadful last year and we should make him prove himself over a longer period before committing to him at the major league level.

And going to AAA with his mind right, knowing what he has to do to get consideration for the big club. Apparently, that was a problem with the Braves, where he sulked and thought he was being punished. 

[ptatc]

12 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I don’t really get what this means.  Sending down one of your better hitters against RHP who can play six positions would be a fairly big deal.  Are we not trying to win and also develop our best young major league ready players?

I dont think winning every single game is going to be the priority yet. Even with the 100 percentile of winning games they won't be in contention for the divsion/playoffs. Development is still the priority.

[WestEddy]

14 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

I’d prioritize Baldwin over Kelenic, but that’s just me.

I would too. But everything has to play out. Will the Sox be competitive? If Kelenic's tearing it up, he plays. If they're not in it, they have a trade piece on their hands. If they're suddenly in the playoff picture, they have 2+ years of control after 2026. 

A Baldwin option wouldn't be a commentary on his play, it would happen because other factors make him the best guy to send down.