Nobody would have said this about the Royals/Sox last year and they aren't much different from last year. James Shields, Ervin Santana, Wade Davis

 

 

Perez missed most of the first half of the season in 2012.

 

Hosmer's not hitting for power but he's not hitting under .200 and he's getting on base more.

 

Lorenzo Cain was hurt....on this year's team, he would be close to leading the White Sox in RBI's.

 

Moustakas hit 20 homers last year and isn't likely to struggle all season long (that's more probable than Dunn getting back to .200, right?)

 

 

How are they not going to suck for the next couple of years? Unfortunately, it's inevitable.

 

Well lets put it this way. You have no idea of knowing that. Using the "Its too hard" argument is just ridiculous. I bet you no one in baseball management has that mentality. That is a loser mentality that some I see have taken part of. If you wanna watch a full rebuild for god knows how long be my guest.

Edited May 5, 201312 yr by Baron

AR looks like he is somewhere else today.

Up for a decade of losing?

 

You do realize, that this team is exactly 29 games over .500 since the 2005 WS, coming into 2013? It isn't like this team is a powerhouse. We have marginal players playing at the highest level, no minor league system to speak of at all, and a floundering, bad decision making manager at the head.

Not much different? Come on, they added 3 starting pitchers to a team that everyone used to say "their offense is really good, if only they could add starting pitching". They did it, and they're a much more balanced team now.

So, if a team needing offense adds 2 or 3 offensive parts when they already have a solid pitching staff, they can become competitive pretty quickly?

This team with the same pitching staff, the same lineup minus AJ but plus a real 3B contended for an entire season. Can't be that crazy to think it can continue to do that.

 

Also, we will have our salary commitments dropping from $122MM this year to $74MM next year.

So, if a team needing offense adds 2 or 3 offensive parts when they already have a solid pitching staff, they can become competitive pretty quickly?

 

Yes, but where are these resources going to come next year to fill the 1B, CF, 2B, C spots? It seems inevitable the attendance is going to be horrible this year unless a drastic turnaround takes place.

Edited May 5, 201312 yr by fathom

And how is that? Trading from one of the three worst farm systems in all of baseball?

Do you realize how many big league pitchers that system has produced in the last 3-4 years?

You do realize, that this team is exactly 29 games over .500 since the 2005 WS, coming into 2013? It isn't like this team is a powerhouse. We have marginal players playing at the highest level, no minor league system to speak of at all, and a floundering, bad decision making manager at the head.

On the marginal players part...most teams would have marginal players playing at the highest level when they have to go 32 deep. Look at our rotation for crying out loud, we're getting regularly solid performances out of pitchers #6 and #7 and it's still not enough. And for having no minor league system to speak of in your words, we're getting some serious performances out of the guys we're using, particularly pitchers again.

 

I will, however, make no defense of the manager and consider your statement 100% accurate.

 

 

This team with the same pitching staff, the same lineup minus AJ but plus a real 3B contended for an entire season. Can't be that crazy to think it can continue to do that.

 

 

If you believe/d that Rios was going to stay hot all season long and play like an MVP candidate with little protection in the line-up, Konerko's going to resurrect past glory at age 37 and Dunn is ever going to get back on track, sure.

 

And Sale/Quintana/Peavy are all in that "year after" with the effects of their overuse threatening in different ways from 2012.

 

Because of our lack of bench, Ventura had to wear out the starters.

 

Wait until it starts to affect Alexei Ramirez, for example, playing every single inning of every game so far.

Hey Q, work on your conditioning buddy.

Yes, but where are these resources going to come next year to fill the 1B, CF, 2B, C spots? It seems inevitable the attendance is going to be horrible this year unless a drastic turnaround takes place.

 

We're dropping about $50M in payroll. CF is covered. One of 1B/LF will be filled by Viciedo. 2B can be handled by Keppinger or Beckham and we have Sanchez in the minor leagues. The book is out on Flowers, but we will have money to fill that position.

 

 

This team with the same pitching staff, the same lineup minus AJ but plus a real 3B contended for an entire season. Can't be that crazy to think it can continue to do that.

Don't you think this division has gotten better? at least KC and DET?

Not much different? Come on, they added 3 starting pitchers to a team that everyone used to say "their offense is really good, if only they could add starting pitching". They did it, and they're a much more balanced team now.

And it all started with picking Jeremy Guthrie off the scrap heap last July, he's been one of the best pitchers in baseball since coming to KC.

 

White Sox saw SIX pitches in the top of the 6th...

We're dropping about $50M in payroll. CF is covered. One of 1B/LF will be filled by Viciedo. 2B can be handled by Keppinger or Beckham and we have Sanchez in the minor leagues. The book is out on Flowers, but we will have money to fill that position.

 

I'll be pleasantly surprised if they keep De Aza in CF after this season. If anything, they'd move him to LF and put Viciedo at 1b/DH with Dunn.

So, if a team needing offense adds 2 or 3 offensive parts when they already have a solid pitching staff, they can become competitive pretty quickly?

 

How do you acquire 2 or 3 offensive parts without touching this so-called solid staff?

Don't you think this division has gotten better? at least KC and DET?

 

Cleveland's offense is better, in my opinion.

We're dropping about $50M in payroll. CF is covered. One of 1B/LF will be filled by Viciedo. 2B can be handled by Keppinger or Beckham and we have Sanchez in the minor leagues. The book is out on Flowers, but we will have money to fill that position.

I think Viciedo will become 1b next year.

Don't you think this division has gotten better? at least KC and DET?

 

So that means dont try?

What a play Alexei!

Yes, but where are these resources going to come next year to fill the 1B, CF, 2B, C spots? It seems inevitable the attendance is going to be horrible this year unless a drastic turnaround takes place.

Right now we're at $120 million+ this season, and $90 million committed next year if the options on Thornton and Lindstrom aren't picked up. Probably $85 million if Beckham isn't picked up.

 

If Peavy is dealt (and that's a reasonable move if this team can't get healthy and find where it stuck its collective heads) then the Sox would be on the verge of having $70 million on the books next year.

Division gets better? Get worse and wait for them to also get worse, then get better when they've allowed you to take a shot at winning

Do you realize how many big league pitchers that system has produced in the last 3-4 years?

 

 

Mostly relievers.

 

There's Santiago, but Quintana was "developed" by the Yankees.

 

Santos came from the D-Backs and was a SS.

 

Axelrod was a 30th round pick of the Padres.

 

We can/should take credit for Gio, Hudson, Clayton Richard, etc. But we mismanaged those assets in the case of Gio/Hudson.

 

 

If you believe that Hahn can continue to have the same luck finding prospects from other organizations and not end up with more Zach Stewarts and Nestor Molinas instead.

 

 

Roy Halladay is DONE. Put a fork in him. ERA well above 6 now.

I think Viciedo will become 1b next year.

 

He doesn't hit enough. He needs to be moved to RF or traded.

So that means dont try?

 

It would take something going very wrong for Detroit for them not to be the favorite in the division the next few years. I said it the other day, but it's the best team in the AL Central the Sox have had to contend with since the Thome/Manny Indians. The whole rebuilding process would be different if the Sox were 1 or 2 players on offense away from being a powerhouse, but who can you really pencil into the starting lineup with confidence for the 2015 season? There currently are no sure-fire offensive players in the organization for the future.