Should Verlander's new megacontract affect Sox thinking?

[GreatScott82]

True enough.

 

You have to have enough of those "young veterans" on 2-3-4 year deals, though, to maintain your future cost predictability.

 

One of the biggest complaints about that 2005-2008 era of White Sox baseball was having so much money tied up into the starting rotation with Garcia, Buehrle, Contreras, Javy and Garland, who had a $29 million/3 year contract from 2006-2008.

 

When your so-called fifth starter is making almost $10 million per season, and this is well before the huge media deals and the Dodgers going nuts spending-wise, you know there is a strategic imbalance in your payroll.

 

That's why we've been very very lucky with Quintana's rise and all those bullpen guys, not to mention Santiago, who almost literally came out of nowhere as well between his high school background and emergence in winter ball from obscurity.

Thats exactly right... nice post. KW was almost obsessed with having a dominate rotation that he kind of let things slip a tad in other areas of the roster. It appears that Hahn and the rest of the organization are finally understanding the importance of building talent within. I was shocked and impressed with the way so many of these youngsters played last year. Reed, Jones, Viciedo, Sale, Quintana and even guys like Veal and Axelrod did their jobs when called upon. If these players continue to develop and we get average to above average seasons out of the vets, we WILL be in the thick of the AL central race. Or perhaps one of the two wild card spots.

Edited March 31, 2013 by GreatScott82

[joeynach]

As long as JR is still around, the White Sox will never sign a stud pitcher to a 6-7 year deal. I was honestly shocked they gave Danks a 5 year deal.... (And i'm sure he is upset with himself by doing so if you look at Danks current health status).

 

I don't blame JRs current mindset of not typically going beyond 4 years for a pitcher. The wear and tear risk is just too big. Hopefully we can continue to develop young starters so we can disperse the money elsewhere on the roster. I really hope Quintana can develop into a gem and the organization can develop one more youngster into a quality starter. (Santiago, Snodgress, Rienzo, Molina, Castro etc...)

 

I was being a bit sarcastic since the current state of the game is getting crazy with the amounts of money being handed out to both average MLB talent (Victorino, BJ Upton, Pagan) and top tier starters (Wainwright, Verlander, Cain, Grienke). Looking it all straight up, they are all way overpaid and have been handed way too much money given their ages. That being said such is the state of the game today, fueled by the massive influx in capital teams have from TV rights deals. So like I was saying adapt or die. If the Sox maintain their status quo by the time they can react to new TV rights, 2019, they will have been left far behind the rest of the league.

[The Ultimate Champion]

I was being a bit sarcastic since the current state of the game is getting crazy with the amounts of money being handed out to both average MLB talent (Victorino, BJ Upton, Pagan) and top tier starters (Wainwright, Verlander, Cain, Grienke). Looking it all straight up, they are all way overpaid and have been handed way too much money given their ages. That being said such is the state of the game today, fueled by the massive influx in capital teams have from TV rights deals. So like I was saying adapt or die. If the Sox maintain their status quo by the time they can react to new TV rights, 2019, they will have been left far behind the rest of the league.

Last year the Giants won the World Series. Their best player, Buster Posey, made $615K. Tim Lincecum & Barry Ziot combined to make $37M to be 4th and 5th starters.

 

The best players out there are often on the most efficient, team-friendly contracts you see, and the salary arbitration/team control system during what is likely to be some of a good player's best years is the reason for that. Why are the Rays good? Why did we suck balls in 2011? The game isn't changing much. Free agents always are overpaid on the open market but if you do the work you can get deals on your own talent like we got with Peavy & Sale. There are also always values on the free agent market (JD in 2005 for example) and players you can pick up as Rule-5 guys, minor league free agents, waiver claims, cheap trades, etc. to further develop a core and/or round out a solid roster.

 

And who cares what Angel Pagan got from the Giants? The Mets got him for just about nothing from the Cubs because they gave up on him, and we picked up a similar player in DeAza for nothing from the Marlins. Teams are fine signing players like this if they have a hole and can fit the salary into the payroll by virtue of bargains elsewhere.

[joeynach]

That Posey contract BTW is absolutely horrible. That's a lot of future money to a catcher.

 

Giants learned nothing from the Mauer contract and how much that has hamstrung at organization's payroll flexibility now for years. And the Giants unlike the Twins dont have the option of using their stud catcher at the teams DH when he ages.

[witesoxfan]

Giants learned nothing from the Mauer contract and how much that has hamstrung at organization's payroll flexibility now for years. And the Giants unlike the Twins dont have the option of using their stud catcher at the teams DH when he ages.

 

Posey has hit for power at every stop, which increases his value. Mauer has hit for significant power literally one year of his career, and it so happened to be his contract year. Mauer is a glorified singles hitter, while Posey is a .320 25 .950 threat every year.

[balfanman]

Posey has hit for power at every stop, which increases his value. Mauer has hit for significant power literally one year of his career, and it so happened to be his contract year. Mauer is a glorified singles hitter, while Posey is a .320 25 .950 threat every year.

 

With more interleague play happening now Posey will have several opportunities to "rest" by DHing.

[Balta1701]

Giants learned nothing from the Mauer contract and how much that has hamstrung at organization's payroll flexibility now for years. And the Giants unlike the Twins dont have the option of using their stud catcher at the teams DH when he ages.

Mauer's contract really isn't what is hurting the Twins right now. Mauer isn't carrying the team like he was in his MVP year, but he's producing solidly almost every year it seems. The reason they're not competing is that their pipeline of players coming from the minors dried up, particularly their pitching staff. You can probably blame Morneau's injury more than Mauer's contract.

 

If Mauer wasn't on their roster, would an extra $20 million spent on free agents be enough to turn them into contenders? If they lost mauer but kept Kubel and Cuddyer, would that have them contending? Or Liriano?

 

Maybe it would...but the only way it would happen is if they had a couple young pitchers step in.

[LittleHurt05]

Verlander was never going anywhere. This new contract changes nothing.

[southsider2k5]

One thing the Verlander deal does do is make Rick Hahn look like a f***ing genius with the Sale and Peavy deals.

[caulfield12]

One thing the Verlander deal does do is make Rick Hahn look like a f***ing genius with the Sale and Peavy deals.

 

 

But if Danks doesn't come back to some semblance of his former self, all of that relative advantage is taken away.

[southsider2k5]

But if Danks doesn't come back to some semblance of his former self, all of that relative advantage is taken away.

 

Not really when you look at what pitching costs now.

[Dick Allen]

Illich isn't going to last forever. I wonder what happens if he doesn't outlast the contracts.

[Big Hurtin]

How long before Sale is due for his big payday?

[Dick Allen]

How long before Sale is due for his big payday?

In about 7 years if his left upper limb is still attached.

[Balta1701]

How long before Sale is due for his big payday?

Guessing you missed this?

[Big Hurtin]

Guessing you missed this?

 

Yeah, I didn't look at this side of the board much during the offseason. Didn't think there was much going on, oops.

[southsider2k5]

Illich isn't going to last forever. I wonder what happens if he doesn't outlast the contracts.

 

Is there some sort of succession plan in place?

[The Ultimate Champion]

Is there some sort of succession plan in place?

Yes.

 

Worms --> Maggots --> Dirt

[southsider2k5]

Yes.

 

Worms --> Maggots --> Dirt

 

All would be huge improvements for the City ofDetroit