2008 White Sox

[WCSox]

Owens-CF

Richar-2b

Thome-DH

Konerko-1b

Dye-RF

Crede-3B

Pierzysnki-C

Fields-LF

Uribe-SS

 

Is that what your looking at? That still doesn't work for me.

 

I've seen the Twins win a few division titles with less.

 

[kapkomet]

I've seen the Twins win a few division titles with less.

Yea, when everyone else sucked.

 

The big question, if they trot that out as a lineup, will be the bullpen. They can't have this stopgap goo crap of a bullpen, they better get some mentally tough people down there or we're looking at another frustrating summer next year.

 

[RockRaines]

I've seen the Twins win a few division titles with less.

our offense doesnt entirely suck for the 1st half of the season and the pen is how it is right now and we are right in the hunt this year.

[SoxAce]

I've seen the Twins win a few division titles with less.

 

True, but Johan Santana was damn near an automatic win, and they always had an outstanding bullpen. Go backs to that theory of pitching wins championships. Also, look where that lineup got them in the playoffs against other pitching, an early exit.

[WCSox]

our offense doesnt entirely suck for the 1st half of the season and the pen is how it is right now and we are right in the hunt this year.

 

^^^^^^^

 

[Kalapse]

True, but Johan Santana was damn near an automatic win, and they always had an outstanding bullpen. Go backs to that theory of pitching wins championships. Also, look where that lineup got them in the playoffs against other pitching, an early exit.

You tend to win playoff games with dominant starting pitching, an effective bullpen, solid defense and 3 run homers.

[NorthSideSox72]

You tend to win playoff games with dominant starting pitching, an effective bullpen, solid defense and 3 run homers.

Thanks, Earl.

 

[WCSox]

Without sounding too much like Flash/Pratt, ect... We're not the Twins. The Sox gush and gush over how the Twins play,( I have never seen an organization slurp another team like the Ozzie does with the Twins), but in reality, they are polar opposites.

 

We were very much like the Twins in '05.

 

I agree that having three of those young guys out there would be problematic but, as Rock pointed out, we're partially where we are right now because our lineup of prolific veterans hit like crap from April-June. I don't expect the same thing to happen next season, just as I don't expect our lineup to hit the crap out of the ball like they did from April-July of '06.

 

You never know how things are going to shake out. The Tigers, who were supposedly going to rule the Central for the next four or five years, have regressed dramatically on the mound and some of their vets are beginning to show their age. The Twins will be losing Hunter AND Santana soon. And Shapiro is employing the same slugger-heavy approach that failed John Hart twice in the '90s. As long as the Sox have solid starting pitching, a solid bullpen, and solid hitters in the middle of their lineup, I like their chances to be competitive next year.

 

[fathom]

You never know how things are going to shake out. The Tigers, who were supposedly going to rule the Central for the next four or five years, have regressed dramatically on the mound and some of their vets are beginning to show their age. The Twins will be losing Hunter AND Santana soon. And Shapiro is employing the same slugger-heavy approach that failed John Hart twice in the '90s. As long as the Sox have solid starting pitching, a solid bullpen, and solid hitters in the middle of their lineup, I like their chances to be competitive next year.

 

And Thome isn't? This team needs to add another big bat this offseason.

[WCSox]

And Thome isn't? This team needs to add another big bat this offseason.

 

I'm for that as well. But the notion that we're screwed if we don't sign A-Rod/Tejada and Abreu/Rowand is just kind of silly, IMO.

 

[Jeremy]

If KW is serious about contending next year, we can only have one of Richar, Sweeney, or Owens in the starting lineup. This article was so stupid, as that's just an awful team that is projected.

 

I think you might have to settle for two of the three. We're going to have to spend an astronomical amount of money and/or trade multiple starters to fill all but one of 2B, SS, CF, RF, and LF with players outside the organization. I think the best option is probably to go with Richar at 2B, Sweeney/Anderson/Owens in CF and use trades and free agency to fill LF, RF, and SS (with resigning JD as a possibility).

[NorthSideSox72]

With all the shortstop talk... am I the only one who thinks that priorities number 1 through 3 are the outfield positions? With shortstop being behind them?

 

Uribe is painful, but he is a stellar defender and does bring some power to the table (as well as a relatively cheap option). I don't want to see him next year, but on a relative basis, the OF scares me a lot more right now.

 

[WCSox]

With all the shortstop talk... am I the only one who thinks that priorities number 1 through 3 are the outfield positions? With shortstop being behind them?

 

Uribe is painful, but he is a stellar defender and does bring some power to the table (as well as a relatively cheap option). I don't want to see him next year, but on a relative basis, the OF scares me a lot more right now.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Uribe here for one last year. As brutal as he typically is at the plate, his glove will be difficult to replace.

 

[Balta1701]

With all the shortstop talk... am I the only one who thinks that priorities number 1 through 3 are the outfield positions? With shortstop being behind them?

 

Uribe is painful, but he is a stellar defender and does bring some power to the table (as well as a relatively cheap option). I don't want to see him next year, but on a relative basis, the OF scares me a lot more right now.

Quite frankly, I would rather go with Owens, Fields, and Sweeney, with Anderson as a backup option, in the OF for $1.3 million next year than Juan Uribe at SS for $5.5 mil. Neither is a good idea...but given the dollar figures involved and the ability for the guys in the OF to at least improve...I'd rather go with the youth than another year with Juan. Fix that damn SS spot.

[fathom]

With all the shortstop talk... am I the only one who thinks that priorities number 1 through 3 are the outfield positions? With shortstop being behind them?

 

Uribe is painful, but he is a stellar defender and does bring some power to the table (as well as a relatively cheap option). I don't want to see him next year, but on a relative basis, the OF scares me a lot more right now.

 

His defense has been average this year, and when you add that to his terrible batting average, he needs to go. I know a certain person who will refute this, but look for the Sox to make a hard run at Tejada this offseason.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Quite frankly, I would rather go with Owens, Fields, and Sweeney, with Anderson as a backup option, in the OF for $1.3 million next year than Juan Uribe at SS for $5.5 mil. Neither is a good idea...but given the dollar figures involved and the ability for the guys in the OF to at least improve...I'd rather go with the youth than another year with Juan. Fix that damn SS spot.

 

 

His defense has been average this year, and when you add that to his terrible batting average, he needs to go. I know a certain person who will refute this, but look for the Sox to make a hard run at Tejada this offseason.

 

Hm. Interesting. I agree that he should be replaced, I just didn't see it as a more important move than the OF positions. I guess I also think that finding a strong bat for the OF will be easier than the same at SS, especially if we want a decent defender there.

 

[Kalapse]

:wub:

Agreed

[Jeremy]

I'm a huge Josh Fields fan but his bat is going to be mediocre at best at a corner outfield spot unless he has a huge breakout season. .260/.320/.475 is quite good at 3B but nothing exciting in LF.

 

The only prospect that the Sox have who should be off limits is DLS. Sweeney would be the first prospect on my list to get traded, as he just seems to be a Burroughs clone with each passing month. Gio still isn't exactly a sure-thing, and he could have some really good value. With Buehrle and Danks around for the next 4 years, it's not necessary to have another lefty.

 

Is there something I'm missing with DLS? He's a good prospect for sure but he's only five months younger than Gio and his numbers are only slightly better at a lower level. I'm not really sure I understand what all the hype is about.

 

I more or less agree about Sweeney. However, I'd be a little bit hesitant to move him because he might be our best internal option at CF next season and I doubt his trade value is that high at this point.

 

Owens-CF

Richar-2b

Thome-DH

Konerko-1b

Dye-RF

Crede-3B

Pierzysnki-C

Fields-LF

Uribe-SS

 

Is that what your looking at? That still doesn't work for me.

 

Swap in Dunn for Crede and replace Uribe with someone who can post a an OBP over .320 and I think we'd be in business.

 

With all the shortstop talk... am I the only one who thinks that priorities number 1 through 3 are the outfield positions? With shortstop being behind them?

 

Uribe is painful, but he is a stellar defender and does bring some power to the table (as well as a relatively cheap option). I don't want to see him next year, but on a relative basis, the OF scares me a lot more right now.

 

I just think that unless your offense is outstanding 1-8, it's hard to be a very good offensive team while trotting a guy with a .270ish OBP out there every day. I'm way more comfortable with Owens, Anderson, or Sweeney in CF and Fields in a corner OF spot than I am with Uribe at SS again next season.

[CWSGuy406]

I'm a huge Josh Fields fan but his bat is going to be mediocre at best at a corner outfield spot unless he has a huge breakout season. .260/.320/.475 is quite good at 3B but nothing exciting in LF.

 

A .260/.320/.475 line from LF would be the best LF production we've seen since 2004. Relative to other LFers around the league, you're right, those numbers are barely average, but I'd be extremely pleased with those numbers from Fields next season, even if it was with him playing a corner OF spot.

 

Is there something I'm missing with DLS? He's a good prospect for sure but he's only five months younger than Gio and his numbers are only slightly better at a lower level. I'm not really sure I understand what all the hype is about.

 

I'll leave the actual numbers-and-scouting reasoning to somebody else -- I'm heading to work in a few -- but you're greatly underselling DLS. From watching his short stint in the futures game as well as hearing first-hand reports (Baseball America, folks from this site), I'd say there's only a couple of pitchers in the whole organization -- big league club included -- with stuff as good or better than DLS's.

[hogan873]

Josh Fields has impressed me. I think I might take him at 3rd over the injury-prone Crede. I would hope that his defense would improve (it surely will), and he has already shown great offensive skill.

[Jeremy]

A .260/.320/.475 line from LF would be the best LF production we've seen since 2004. Relative to other LFers around the league, you're right, those numbers are barely average, but I'd be extremely pleased with those numbers from Fields next season, even if it was with him playing a corner OF spot.

 

Haha. Point taken.

 

If we can save $5 million by dumping Crede and then sign Jose Guillen for something like 3 years at $24 million - he might get a lot more - I'd rather do that.

 

I'll leave the actual numbers-and-scouting reasoning to somebody else -- I'm heading to work in a few -- but you're greatly underselling DLS. From watching his short stint in the futures game as well as hearing first-hand reports (Baseball America, folks from this site), I'd say there's only a couple of pitchers in the whole organization -- big league club included -- with stuff as good or better than DLS's.

 

I'd suspected that maybe tremendous scouting reports is what I've been missing out on but on paper, I have a hard time seeing how he's clearly a better prospect than Gio.

[RockRaines]

Quite frankly, I would rather go with Owens, Fields, and Sweeney, with Anderson as a backup option, in the OF for $1.3 million next year than Juan Uribe at SS for $5.5 mil. Neither is a good idea...but given the dollar figures involved and the ability for the guys in the OF to at least improve...I'd rather go with the youth than another year with Juan. Fix that damn SS spot.

Owens Dye and Fields is a much better OF IMO.

[RockRaines]

Is there something I'm missing with DLS? He's a good prospect for sure but he's only five months younger than Gio and his numbers are only slightly better at a lower level. I'm not really sure I understand what all the hype is about.

 

I

There is NO WAY IN HELL that DLS is a better prospect than Gio. Not even close.

[29andPoplar]

His defense has been average this year, and when you add that to his terrible batting average, he needs to go. I know a certain person who will refute this, but look for the Sox to make a hard run at Tejada this offseason.

 

They will look around at every good SS that may be available. That includes Tejada, Furcal and possibly a few more.

[Jeremy]

Some good discussion in here.

 

Depending on the cost, Dunn is a guy I have thought about as well. Aside from Bailey(who all the sudden isn't a sure thing) I believe Cinny is thin in pitching. If you could get some nice prospects back for Thome, then turn Gio and someone else for Dunn, I would be all over it.

 

The Reds have a $13 million option for Dunn and I don't get the impression they're expected to pick it up so all we'd likely have to due is pony up the $$$.

 

Edit: This article makes it sound pretty up in the air:

 

The Reds could choose to not pick up the option and use the money they would have paid Dunn to fill multiple holes on the roster. Or, the Reds could keep Dunn for 2008 and again make him available at the trade deadline.

 

...

 

Another unlikely scenario would see a frustrated Dunn clear waivers and be dealt in August.

Edited August 14, 2007 by Jeremy