Realistic 2015 Lineup

[cabiness42]

DH - Somebody not currently in org

C - Somebody not currently in org

1B - Abreu

2B - Semien

SS - Ramirez

3B - Gillaspie

LF - Somebody not currently in org

CF - Eaton

RF - A Garcia

 

Bench - Flowers, Viciedo (possibly platooning at LF or DH), L Garcia, Sanchez/Danks

 

SP - Sale, Quintana, Somebody not currently in org, Danks, Noesi/Carroll/Johnson

RP - Putnam, Petricka, Lindstrom, Webb, Surkamp, Noesi/Carroll, Somebody not currently in org

 

I think it's too early to speculate on exactly who fills the spots, but I see three position players, a starter and a reliever being guys not currently in the organization.

[Chicago White Sox]

I like all those moves but don't see how the tigers don't keep Martinez. Also I wonder If Grandals career can be resurrected , or was he just highly touted because of the ped? Any way you look at his number they are just awful lol

Grandal is a tough one to figure out, but I'd be willing to gamble on him for a package of Davidson & Beck. Catcher is such a black hole for us and given that there won't be any quality free agents available, I think buying low on a guy like Grandal, who would have cost a king's ransom a year or two ago, is a smart play.

[LittleHurt05]

I think most GMs will have some caution with Melky because of his prior PED bust, but you're right, it only takes one GM to do something stupid. Probably a bit unrealistic, but maybe he wants to hit free agency one more time at 33? Regardless, he's definitely the type of bat we should be looking to add.

 

For some reason I thought he was a decent defensive player too, but FanGraphs says differently. I still think I would take a chance at 3/39, although I don't know if I'm ready to give up on Tank. That's why I'm an engineer and not a GM.

[Feeky Magee]

Lineup:

1. Eaton CF

2. Johnson 2B

3. Gillaspie 3B

4. Abreu 1B

5. Garcia DH

6. Martin C

7. Tomas RF

8. Semien SS

9. De Aza/Taylor platoon LF

 

Bench:

Sanchez, Taylor/De Aza, Nieto, Saladino

 

Rotation:

1. Sale

2. Quintana

3. Floyd

4. McCarthy

5. Danks

 

Bullpen:

Putnam

Petricka

Belisario

Webb

Guerra

Maurer

Surkamp

 

In free agency I go for Russell Martin, major league average hitter and excellent defensive catcher and one of the best pitch framers around. I also go get Yasmani Tomas to top up the Cuban quota that trading Viciedo loses. I put him in right field and give up on Avi Garcia as a defensive project, some might think it's early but he is god-awful out there and clearly can't be trusted not to brain himself and miss most of the year. He goes to DH and gets asked the work towards the 169 wRC+ he put up in AAA.

 

For the starting pitchers, I go for the potential bargain guys. Gavin Floyd was pitching beautifully for the Braves before going down with injury and I gamble that he stays healthy and the Floydinator makes a triumphant return. Brandon McCarthy has excellent peripherals and probably won't get re-signed by the Yanks with the injury returnees they have. I gamble that he has a second straight healthy year. Both should come fairly cheap and I'm gambling that I can turn at least one of them into prospects with an ERA in the 3s by the deadline, just in time for Rodon to join the rotation. I try but fail to get rid of Danks and his salary.

 

I trade Alexei to the Yankees after Jeter retires and they lose out on Hanley Ramirez for OF Aaron Judge and SP Manny Banuelos. I trade Viciedo to the Mariners for RP Brandon Maurer, and that's someone he probably only fetches if he starts hitting.

 

Whilst we're waiting for Judge to come up, I go with a platoon in left of De Aza and Michael Taylor. De Aza, with bad BABIP luck, is hitting righties pretty well, and Taylor is hitting lefties to the tune of .326/.400/.589 at AAA. EDIT: No he is not, back to the drawing board.

 

I DFA Beckham and Flowers presuming both are still around. Leury Garcia goes to rookie-ball if he even has any options left.

 

At shortstop, I start off with Semien. He hasn't looked bad there in short spells and if he manages to stick, the bat should play big time. If he flops defensively, Carlos Sanchez is a no-s*** shortstop I reckon.

 

It's a team that I think could finish a bit over .500, with a mind to genuinely contending in 2016 when others are along to help.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Feeky Magee

[LDF]

 

CF - Eaton

SS - Ramirez

3B - Gillaspie

1B - Abreu

DH - FA / N Cruz 2 yr option for 3

LF - FA-Melky 2 yr opt 3-4 yr //// I said this last month and got flame... either why I have not chg my opin

or other FA or a minor leaguer now in our system.

RF - Garcia / DV

2B - Gordo - is he traded / DFA ??? Semien

C - Flowers or FA or trade.

 

1 - Sale

2 - Quintanna or

3 - FA-Masterson, 3-4 yrs // there are several pit w/ club opt that I would like to see played out

4 - Danks / question - is he going to be traded or not.

5 - Noesi / any other minor pitch who has a strong camp

 

RP I do not know enuf of them.

 

[2nd_city_saint787]

Whilst we're waiting for Judge to come up, I go with a platoon in left of De Aza and Michael Taylor. De Aza, with bad BABIP luck, is hitting righties pretty well, and Taylor is hitting lefties to the tune of .326/.400/.589 at AAA.

 

I thought about the Taylor/ADA platoon as well....You're looking at his splits wrong. He's "surprisingly" smashing RHP and been bad against LHP.

 

Dude has been destroying RHP in Charlotte .351/.435/.571

 

I assume the split you threw up there is his line with both teams. Where'd ya get that?

Edited August 1, 2014 by scs787

[Feeky Magee]

I thought about the Taylor/ADA platoon as well....You're looking at his splits wrong. He's "surprisingly" smashing RHP and been bad against LHP.

 

Dude has been destroying RHP in Charlotte .351/.435/.571

 

I assume the split you threw up there is his line with both teams. Where'd ya get that?

I'm a moron. Wrong Michael Taylor. I was looking at the Phillies prospect. Our Michael Taylor indeed has a bizarre reverse split.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/p...l&year=2014

 

Was the same last year too. The dude can't hit lefties. Back to the drawing board. He does crush righties though.

[greg775]

1. Adam Eaton, CF

2. Marcus Semien, 2B

3. Jose Abreu, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH (2 years, $30M)

5. Melky Cabrera, LF (3 years, $39M)

6. Avisail Garcia, RF

7. Conor Gillaspie, 3B

8. Yasmani Grandal, C (acquired for Davidson & Beck)

9. Alexei Ramirez, SS

 

Why go old at the 4 and 5 spots in the lineup? Victor and Melky scare me moving forward.

[Chicago White Sox]

Why go old at the 4 and 5 spots in the lineup? Victor and Melky scare me moving forward.

Melky will only be 30. Martinez is definitely old.

 

What young guys would you reccomend?

[Feeky Magee]

Melky will only be 30. Martinez is definitely old.

 

What young guys would you reccomend?

Get aboard the Yasmani train

[chitownsportsfan]

I wouldn't touch Melky with LDF's hand. He's a guy that was busted with PEDs (that funnily enough lined up to his best years) and that will be on the wrong side of 30 from day one. If he wasn't an obvious juicer it would be a slighter better move but there is way too much risk there and while a team like the Yankees (welcome home buddy; funny story one time when I was sitting in CF at Yankee Stadium Melky missed a ball right in front of us because he was bantering with the crowd and got booed after it happened badly) could easily take on the downside risk of a 6 year 75 million dollar deal, Chicago would be advised to stay far away.

 

I don't really know who I would target in the offseason but things can change pretty rapidly for many teams and players that wouldn't even be on anyone's radar as trade bait get dealt time and time again. I will say that if Hahn pulls off a trade like Eaton for Santiago to shore up LF or 2B that would be a f***ing a trade.

 

Right now obvious weaknesses (including some minor league depth if appropriate) are, in rough order:

 

C

LF

2B

SP

PEN

DH

 

Now, if Viciedo shows ANYTHING over the next 60 odd games maybe you consider making him the full time DH, or vast majority DH, but until then, hell no you look to trade him in the offseason or relegate him to the bench.

 

Flowers, FWIW, seems to be a 1 or 1.5 WAR type catcher -- aka an excellent backup. Don't know how the Sox are going to get a catcher but it's a big concern imo.

 

2B only propped up by upper minors depth, MLB current talent is easily the worst of any position on the team, Beckham is a negative WAR player hitting like this, defense can't overcome a .268 OBP.

 

SP the foundation is there up top and really they "only" need to find one good starter to have a fairly solid 1-5. Plus, Cooper.

 

Ditto the PEN spend a little $$$ (10 million or so) and swing a trade for a solid setup guy mid season if necessary (hey, depth in the minors, hurray!). Hope health doesn't play up your plans.

 

_____

 

Bottom line, this team isn't that far away but they need another good offseason. If this offseason is as good as last year's, they are 86-88 wins good.

Edited August 1, 2014 by chitownsportsfan

[Feeky Magee]

Flowers, FWIW, seems to be a 1 or 1.5 WAR type catcher -- aka an excellent backup. Don't know how the Sox are going to get a catcher but it's a big concern imo.

Not without another year of enormous luck he isn't. A starting catcher can be got one of two ways as I see it, getting one of the Yankees young catchers as part of an Alexei deal, or signing Martin.

[chitownsportsfan]

Not without another year of enormous luck he isn't. A starting catcher can be got one of two ways as I see it, getting one of the Yankees young catchers as part of an Alexei deal, or signing Martin.

 

Well it's a counting stat but as a regular he's been worth about 1 WAR (B and F) with the glove every year. OLIVER is pretty bullish on him. There is something there -- a good backup and solid emergency starter. A good team can carry his bat and he's cheap enough to where he shouldn't just be cast aside. Obviously the position is ripe for upgrade but so are some other areas.

Edited August 1, 2014 by chitownsportsfan

[chitownsportsfan]

Anyone know anything about Miguel Montero? He looks interesting. Could they fleece the Diamondbacks again?

[Bigsoxhurt35]

I want us to add Victor as DH and 1B.

[Feeky Magee]

Well it's a counting stat but as a regular he's been worth about 1 WAR (B and F) with the glove every year. OLIVER is pretty bullish on him. There is something there -- a good backup and solid emergency starter. A good team can carry his bat and he's cheap enough to where he shouldn't just be cast aside. Obviously the position is ripe for upgrade but so are some other areas.

2011-12 Tyler was. 2012 Flowers was below replacement level. 2013 Flowers would probably be too, if not for some staggering luck.

[Jose Abreu]

CF - Eaton

SS - Ramirez

3B - Gillaspie

1B - Abreu

DH - FA / N Cruz 2 yr option for 3

LF - FA-Melky 2 yr opt 3-4 yr //// I said this last month and got flame... either why I have not chg my opin

or other FA or a minor leaguer now in our system.

RF - Garcia / DV

2B - Gordo - is he traded / DFA ??? Semien

C - Flowers or FA or trade.

 

1 - Sale

2 - Quintanna or

3 - FA-Masterson, 3-4 yrs // there are several pit w/ club opt that I would like to see played out

4 - Danks / question - is he going to be traded or not.

5 - Noesi / any other minor pitch who has a strong camp

 

RP I do not know enuf of them.

 

Cruz and Melky? Nah, too many roiders

Edited August 1, 2014 by Jose Abreu

[Jose Abreu]

Anyone know anything about Miguel Montero? He looks interesting. Could they fleece the Diamondbacks again?

Always been a solid C. He'll be on the wrong side of 30 but is a LH hitter and a very good one. I'd go for it if the asking price is reasonable.

[BigHurt3515]

CF - Eaton

SS - Ramirez

3B - Gillaspie

1B - Abreu

DH - FA / N Cruz 2 yr option for 3

LF - FA-Melky 2 yr opt 3-4 yr //// I said this last month and got flame... either why I have not chg my opin

or other FA or a minor leaguer now in our system.

RF - Garcia / DV

2B - Gordo - is he traded / DFA ??? Semien

C - Flowers or FA or trade.

 

1 - Sale

2 - Quintanna or

3 - FA-Masterson, 3-4 yrs // there are several pit w/ club opt that I would like to see played out

4 - Danks / question - is he going to be traded or not.

5 - Noesi / any other minor pitch who has a strong camp

 

RP I do not know enuf of them.

 

If Beckham is still here come opening day 2015 I will protest!

[LDF]

I wouldn't touch Melky with LDF's hand. He's a guy that was busted with PEDs (that funnily enough lined up to his best years) and that will be on the wrong side of 30 from day one. If he wasn't an obvious juicer it would be a slighter better move but there is way too much risk there and while a team like the Yankees (welcome home buddy; funny story one time when I was sitting in CF at Yankee Stadium Melky missed a ball right in front of us because he was bantering with the crowd and got booed after it happened badly) could easily take on the downside risk of a 6 year 75 million dollar deal, Chicago would be advised to stay far away.

 

I don't really know who I would target in the offseason but things can change pretty rapidly for many teams and players that wouldn't even be on anyone's radar as trade bait get dealt time and time again. I will say that if Hahn pulls off a trade like Eaton for Santiago to shore up LF or 2B that would be a f***ing a trade.

 

Right now obvious weaknesses (including some minor league depth if appropriate) are, in rough order:

 

C

LF

2B

SP

PEN

DH

 

Now, if Viciedo shows ANYTHING over the next 60 odd games maybe you consider making him the full time DH, or vast majority DH, but until then, hell no you look to trade him in the offseason or relegate him to the bench.

 

Flowers, FWIW, seems to be a 1 or 1.5 WAR type catcher -- aka an excellent backup. Don't know how the Sox are going to get a catcher but it's a big concern imo.

 

2B only propped up by upper minors depth, MLB current talent is easily the worst of any position on the team, Beckham is a negative WAR player hitting like this, defense can't overcome a .268 OBP.

 

SP the foundation is there up top and really they "only" need to find one good starter to have a fairly solid 1-5. Plus, Cooper.

 

Ditto the PEN spend a little $$$ (10 million or so) and swing a trade for a solid setup guy mid season if necessary (hey, depth in the minors, hurray!). Hope health doesn't play up your plans.

 

_____

 

Bottom line, this team isn't that far away but they need another good offseason. If this offseason is as good as last year's, they are 86-88 wins good.

 

 

[LDF]

Cruz and Melky? Nah, too many roiders

 

whether they can be forgiven or have that part of the past buried, I can't say anything.

when someone does a mistake and got caught, did they not pay the punishment? if the baseball

bosses allowed them back after their punishment served and it been 2-3 yrs later, why not

allow them to be on the sox?

[Jake]

I'll break it down positionally.

 

Catchers

Tyler Flowers

Wilin Rosario (traded for Dayan Viciedo)

 

Infielders

Jose Abreu

Alexei Ramirez

Marcus Semien

Micah Johnson

Andy Wilkins

Conor Gillaspie

Leury Garcia

 

Outfielders

Adam Eaton

Avisail Garcia

Alejandro De Aza

Moises Sierra

Marcus Semien

Micah Johnson

Leury Garcia

 

Starting Pitchers

Chris Sale

Jose Quintana

John Danks

Hector Noesi

winner of ST battle between Scott Carroll/Erik Surkamp/Erik Johnson

 

Relief Pitchers

Jake Petricka

Ronald Belisario

Zach Putnam

Dan Webb

Surkamp (if he loses 5th starter battle)

Carroll (if he loses 5th starter battle)

Tom Gorzelanny

Jesse Crain (if Johnson is not winner of 5th starter battle)

 

Not the most eventful offseason, culminating in us buying low on Wilin Rosario and selling low on Tank who might profile better for a COL team that plays in a hitter friendly park and is getting sick of Rosario. Sox treat catcher position as open position, but hope Rosario earns it with his bat and remains adequate defensively.

 

Rather than target a full-time DH, that position will be used much like it is now in Charlotte to get extra at-bats for guys and partial rest days for guys. Same with LF - no obvious full-time player there, but instead a way to relieve the glut of infielders you have. And while Gillaspie is your starting 3B, but may lose most starts against LHP. I would say there's some chance Sanchez gets the nod over Micah to start the year.

 

We don't target SPs in FA due to barely adequate depth and desire for continued payroll flexibility. By the time SP depth looks like significant concern, hopefully Rodon emerges from a MiLB stint as SP.

 

Sample lineup against RHP

 

Eaton CF

Ramirez SS

Abreu 1B

Gillaspie 3B

A. Garcia RF

Wilkins DH

Rosario C

Johnson LF

Semien 2B

 

against LHP

Eaton CF

Ramirez SS

Abreu 1B

A. Garcia RF

Rosario DH

Gillaspie 3B

Semien 2B

Flowers C

Sierra RF

 

If everything goes right, it's a good team. If not, you're looking at a year like this one...except with this team, you'll know exactly what holes you need to fill to have a really good team the next season. This year we're in a bit of a holding pattern because there are several young players in the high minors and MLB that we aren't sure about just yet.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Jake

[LDF]

I'll break it down positionally.

 

Catchers

Tyler Flowers

Wilin Rosario (traded for Dayan Viciedo)

 

Infielders

Jose Abreu

Alexei Ramirez

Marcus Semien

Micah Johnson

Andy Wilkins

Conor Gillaspie

Leury Garcia

 

Outfielders

Adam Eaton

Avisail Garcia

Alejandro De Aza

Moises Sierra

Marcus Semien

Micah Johnson

Leury Garcia

 

Starting Pitchers

Chris Sale

Jose Quintana

John Danks

Hector Noesi

winner of ST battle between Scott Carroll/Erik Surkamp/Erik Johnson

 

Relief Pitchers

Jake Petricka

Ronald Belisario

Zach Putnam

Dan Webb

Surkamp (if he loses 5th starter battle)

Carroll (if he loses 5th starter battle)

Tom Gorzelanny

Jesse Crain (if Johnson is not winner of 5th starter battle)

 

Not the most eventful offseason, culminating in us buying low on Wilin Rosario and selling low on Tank who might profile better for a COL team that plays in a hitter friendly park and is getting sick of Rosario. Sox treat catcher position as open position, but hope Rosario earns it with his bat and remains adequate defensively.

 

Rather than target a full-time DH, that position will be used much like it is now in Charlotte to get extra at-bats for guys and partial rest days for guys. Same with LF - no obvious full-time player there, but instead a way to relieve the glut of infielders you have. And while Gillaspie is your starting 3B, but may lose most starts against LHP. I would say there's some chance Sanchez gets the nod over Micah to start the year.

 

We don't target SPs in FA due to barely adequate depth and desire for continued payroll flexibility. By the time SP depth looks like significant concern, hopefully Rodon emerges from a MiLB stint as SP.

 

Sample lineup against RHP

 

Eaton CF

Ramirez SS

Abreu 1B

Gillaspie 3B

A. Garcia RF

Wilkins DH

Rosario C

Johnson LF

Semien 2B

 

against LHP

 

Eaton CF

Ramirez SS

Abreu 1B

A. Garcia RF

Rosario DH

Gillaspie 3B

Semien 2B

Flowers C

Sierra RF

 

very well thought our, you did a lot of work to get this done and with in-depth comments.

 

 

 

 

[beautox]

Lineup: handedness | name | position | '15 opening day age

L Eaton CF 26

R Semien SS 24

L Gillaspie 3B 27

R Abreu 1B 28

S Grandal C 26

L Wilkins DH 26

R Garcia LF 23

L Johnson 2B 24

R Castillo RF 27

 

Bench: handedness | name | position | '15 opening day age

S Nieto C 25

R Viciedo DH/OF 26

R Saladino UT 25

L De Aza OF 31

 

Rotation: handedness | name | position | '15 opening day age

L Sale SP 26

R Maeda SP 27

L Quintana SP 26

R Noesi SP 28

L Danks SP 30

 

Bullpen: handedness | name | position | '15 opening day age

R Petricka CL 26

L Torres SU 27

R Putnam SU 27

R Webb MR 25

R Belisario MR 32

L Surkamp LO 27

R Carroll LR 30

 

Our payroll commitment for '15 is just a bit north of 46m, nearly half of our payroll from '14 and down 73m from 2013. 2015 is still a rebuilding year but there is an opportunity to be a dark horse. The white sox greatest needs going into this offseason as chitownsportsfan said are "C, LF, 2B, SP, PEN & DH".

 

C & Pen - Trade Flowers, Davidson and sell high on the helium of Ravelo to the padres for Grandal and Torres. Grandal is having a down year but still offers a ton of upside and torres is relatively young and cheap. Hedges is their long term solution at C, flowers is just filling in till he is ready, Davidson is having a down year as well but he himself offers a fair amount of upside in power and Ravelo isn't going to be manning 1B for the sox anytime soon and the sox don't appear to be willing to move him back to 3B or the outfield.

 

LF/OF - Castillo could be a great addition the white sox and they've got plenty of money to make it happen a right handed Brett Gardner patrolling RF with the range and ability to be a center fielder? sign me up.

 

2B - Middle infield is backed up with talent that needs be afforded the opportunity to showcase what they have at the major league level between Saladino, Semien, Johnson & Sanchez.

 

SP - Maeda has publically said he wants to be posted by the carp and while he isn't on the same page as Tanaka he does compare favorably with someone like Anibal Sanchez, Paying premium rates to regular FA pitchers at 30 or closing isn't a great use of the sox fiscal resources.

 

DH - I can't see the sox going 3 years with a mutual option to land Martinez after the year he is having and quite frankly it would another waste of money. Knowing that this is a rebuilding year I wouldn't mind seeing what a platoon of Wilkins and Viciedo could accomplish for relatively cheap.

 

Saladino provided he comes back from TJ alright was crushing it down at AAA but especially left handers to the tune of .330/.396/.543 - .939 they had him playing all over the diamond this year including the outfield so i think he would be a great piece on the bench to platoon with Conor seeing how Micah actually hits left handers fairly well and might even have a reverse platoon split and eaton is pretty neutral across the board.

 

Lastly I would love to see Erik Johnson get back on track and eventually replace Noesi and live up to his hype as a #2/3 starter and ideally Danks expiring contract and solid performance next year affords him to be moved when Rodon is ready.

[Chicago White Sox]

From a rotation standpoint, I think we'll add one RH starter to slot before or after Quintana. As bad as Masterson has been, he seems like a guy who might take a short-term deal and hope for a rebound. That's the type of low risk move we should look into, assuming the more impactful free agent pitchers all command ridiculous contracts.

 

I think an opening day 1-2-3-4 or Sale, Quintana, Masterson, & Danks is pretty decent. With any rebound from Justin, it's a rotation that can keep you afloat with a solid offense. As for the #5 spot, have Noesi compete with Johnson (hopefully an offseason fixes him) and see what you got. I think we should plan on Rodon assuming a rotation spot as soon as his service time needs are met so we get the extra half year out of him. Most likely he replaces Noesi/Johnson, but if one of those guys does well, then Danks is probably the odd man out. Regardless, once Rodon is up, the rotation has a chance to be very good next year, with guys like Montas & Danish likely at AA and only a year away.