From his ESPN.com profile.

 

News: Sale pitched a perfect inning Saturday against the Royals to record his fourth save of the season. (Sat Aug 13)

 

Spin: He struck out a batter in his inning of work. Sergio Santos is still the primary closer but Sale will get opportunities every once in awhile to close out some games. The plan for Sale next season is to move him to a starting role.

 

I don't know where they got this information, but I have not seen that from the Sox anywhere. It brings up a great debate though. He has shown to be a lethal weapon out of the pen, most definitely a top-five lefty reliever in baseball. He and Santos are a terrific 1-2 punch in the 8th and 9th inning. However, what he could potentially bring to the rotation is intriguing. Personally, I love him in his role now, but realize as a starter, he makes more of an overall impact.

 

He is as close to Randy Johnson as there has been since RJ retired. But he probably won't keep his velocity as a starter, and I wonder how much of an impact he could make next year as a starter. When it's all said and done, I want him in the rotation, which brings about a ton of other questions because then you have:

Peavy

Humber

Sale

Mark (possibly)

Danks

Floyd

Stewart

 

Should be interesting though. What is your guys' take?

 

From his ESPN.com profile.

 

 

 

I don't know where they got this information, but I have not seen that from the Sox anywhere. It brings up a great debate though. He has shown to be a lethal weapon out of the pen, most definitely a top-five lefty reliever in baseball. He and Santos are a terrific 1-2 punch in the 8th and 9th inning. However, what he could potentially bring to the rotation is intriguing. Personally, I love him in his role now, but realize as a starter, he makes more of an overall impact.

 

He is as close to Randy Johnson as there has been since RJ retired. But he probably won't keep his velocity as a starter, and I wonder how much of an impact he could make next year as a starter. When it's all said and done, I want him in the rotation, which brings about a ton of other questions because then you have:

Peavy

Humber

Sale

Mark (possibly)

Danks

Floyd

Stewart

 

Should be interesting though. What is your guys' take?

I think from what he's shown you have to at least try him out as a starter given that the value of a quality starter is so much higher than that of a quality reliever. Worse case scenario it doesn't work out, you sen him back to the pen and he can't re-acclimate...you're only down a good reliever. His talent is too good to not try and see if he can hack it as a starter.

And I am moron, can a mod change the title to "Sale to Start Next Year?" and not "Sox to..."?

Edited August 15, 201114 yr by maggsmaggs

Voted starter.

I take anything ESPN says with a grain of salt

If Sale is a starter, that probably means Buehrle isn't back.

If Sale is a starter, that probably means Buehrle isn't back.

Or Danks. Danks would be cheaper...at least for next year. But there is that loyalty between the Sox and Buehrle. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Or Danks. Danks would be cheaper...at least for next year. But there is that loyalty between the Sox and Buehrle. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

It is getting to decision time on Danks. We pretty much have to either get him to extend, or ship him out. There is zero chance we win a bidding war for him on the FA market, and we can't just get two draft picks for the guy. Put your best offer out there, if he turns it down, put him up to the highest bidder over the winter.

I fear next year we'd run into the Humber dilemma with Sale as a starter, and him wearing down after around 140 innings. If we're rebuilding I think it makes perfect sense for him to start. If we're trying to win next year, you have to at least consider him for the pen- given we have other options at the SP position and secondly may need another arm down there if Thornton goes somewhere in the offseason.

Edited August 15, 201114 yr by JohnCangelosi

I fear next year we'd run into the Humber dilemma with Sale as a starter, and him wearing down after around 140 innings. If we're rebuilding I think it makes perfect sense for him to start. If we're trying to win next year, you have to at least consider him for the pen- given we have other options at the SP position and secondly may need another arm down there if Thornton goes somewhere in the offseason.

That's the catch-22 of putting Sale in the pen this year, and why some of us thought it was going to be a mistake. If you put Sale in the pen this year, then everything you just said becomes true, inevitably, and you have to turn your back on all that logic in order to make the right decision.

 

When we put Sale in the pen this year, we committed to doing exactly what you say in this post, pitching him 150 innings in 2012 and having extra help ready to take some starts from him. Otherwise, he's a middle reliever for this team for the next 5 years, and that just seems like such an incredible waste.

Or Danks. Danks would be cheaper...at least for next year. But there is that loyalty between the Sox and Buehrle. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

This. MB will be back/Danks will be traded.

I think Sale should stay as a lefty releiver. He can be dominant for 2 or even three inings. Hard to say what he might be like as a starter after the 5thj or 6th inning

Or Danks.

I REALLY want the Sox to trade Danks.

I think Sale should stay as a lefty releiver. He can be dominant for 2 or even three inings. Hard to say what he might be like as a starter after the 5thj or 6th inning

Dominant middle/long relief is as much of a waste of resources as you can get. If you've got a dominant reliever, he ought to be your closer. If you have 2, one is your closer and one is your setup man...or you do the other smart thing and realize that having 2 closers is reducing the value of 1 of them, and trade that closer for an everyday player or a starter.

What about giving Sale a tryout at starting with 1 or 2 spot starts in September?

What about giving Sale a tryout at starting with 1 or 2 spot starts in September?

 

He's not stretched out

Might as well have him start since it will probably be a lost year anyways.

 

 

The only way Sale isn't starting next year is if Buehrle and Danks are both back, and I see no way that happens.

The only way Sale isn't starting next year is if Buehrle and Danks are both back, and I see no way that happens.

 

Honestly, the more I think about it the more it makes sense. Dump Danks, Floyd, and Quentin while shaving a few million off of Buehrle's new contract, and your roster is basically set with replacements from the minors with your payroll right about where you need it to be.

 

EDIT: and realistically, that team can be just as competitive as this team is if not more so with bounce backs from Dunn and Rios

 

 

Edited August 15, 201114 yr by gatnom

Welp, I see no one has spoken their reason why Sale should stay in the pen yet (I was the first to vote pen earlier today) so I guess I'll air my reasoning. I love Sale's stuff and I think he can (and possibly will) be an awesome starter. The reason I said he should stay in the pen is because of his frame and delivery and risk of injury. My fear is that he is going to be at risk for a career worth of injury with his small frame and long limbs whipping with his delivery. And now that he's conditioned to come out of the pen, I think he'll be at an even greater risk of injury as we stretch him out, no matter how slowly we move with him. We can't afford to waste a young arm like this by having him injured often as his innings pile up. This may just be an irrational fear from my youth that that we're going to break our toy but I am very content with him in his current role. Can anyone allay my fears on this? PTatc?

What about giving Sale a tryout at starting with 1 or 2 spot starts in September?

Too logical.

Having Sale in the bullpen again next year would be a huge waste of talent like having Quentin on the bench as a pinch hitter.

 

The Sox can't be that stupid so he starts next year. That means that one of Buehrle, Floyd or Danks is gone. It has to be.

 

They are stuck with Peavy and next year he should be set-up to be their best starter - barring another injury.

 

It would make no sense to move Humber or Stewart when they are so cheap and apparently pretty good.

 

If they re-sign Mark then they must trade Floyd or Danks for a hitter. I would imagine either a 3B or an OFer that can mash or leadoff.

Dominant middle/long relief is as much of a waste of resources as you can get. If you've got a dominant reliever, he ought to be your closer. If you have 2, one is your closer and one is your setup man...or you do the other smart thing and realize that having 2 closers is reducing the value of 1 of them, and trade that closer for an everyday player or a starter.

 

 

I think that is the old school of thinking. But, Sale is closer or set up reliever material and does good. I won't say the team might not try him as a starter, but if not I think he fills a tremendous need right where he is at

Too logical.

 

Not logical when it doesn't make any sense actually

I think that is the old school of thinking. But, Sale is closer or set up reliever material and does good. I won't say the team might not try him as a starter, but if not I think he fills a tremendous need right where he is at

If Sale wound up as a closer, I'd be content. He clearly has the stuff for it...

 

Problem is...the White Sox already have 1 pretty darn good cost controlled closer.

 

Think of it this way...a really good setup guy gets paid what, $3-4 million? A good closer gets paid $10 million or more.

 

If Sale is just used as a setup guy when he could be used as a closer, then that means the Sox are losing a huge amount of value compared to the going rates for those positions. Just in a "trade value" sense, the Sox would get a lot more out of Sale dealing him to someone who needs a closer (Philly?) than they would by keeping him as a setup guy.