Bench. Who's gonna be the bench?

Ideally, it would be Gilaspie; not likely.

I'm going to say Saladino, Kottaras and two guys not currently on the roster.

I'm going to say Saladino, Kottaras and two guys not currently on the roster.

 

Nice. Who do you want them to be?

Nice. Who do you want them to be?

Dick and Jane.

I'm going to say Saladino, Kottaras and two guys not currently on the roster.

 

I don't know why people are ready to pencil in Saladino for the 25 man roster. If you have him as your utility infielder, you better have a guy who can backup Gillaspie on a regular basis. The guy has only played a total 3 games at 3B in the minors, coming off a TJS on his throwing arm, and you aren't even sure if he's ready by the ST. We need a guy who can step in to start against lefties on a regular basis and play good defense over there as well.

Widger, Blum, Willie H., Timo, and Pablo Ozuna

C: Kottaras or Brantly

IF: L. Garcia or Saladino (if him, then he platoons at third)

OF: Danks

Until: Bonifacio signing (platoon 3B, jack of all trades)

I would say that barring further moves, the bench is:-

 

C - Brantley

INF - Sanchez (I think Micah is the starting 2nd baseman and Sanchez backs him up)

INF - Leury G

OF - Tank

 

 

C - Brantley

UTL - Garcia

INF - Saladino

OF - Aoki

Edited December 24, 201411 yr by Joshua Strong

I. Am. Bench.

Groot

C: Kottaras

IF: Saladino

OF: Danks

 

Plus one more person not already on the 40.

C: Kottaras or Brantly

IF: L. Garcia or Saladino (if him, then he platoons at third)

OF: Danks

Until: Bonifacio signing (platoon 3B, jack of all trades)

 

platoon at 3b? It's Conor's full time

platoon at 3b? It's Conor's full time

 

He will have it about 70-80% of the time with righties pitching. They should get someone to hit lefties though.

He will have it about 70-80% of the time with righties pitching. They should get someone to hit lefties though.

 

i think signing Bonifacio will fix and solve all those problems. just tell

him to hit right handed.

 

he can spell alot of players and positions.

platoon at 3b? It's Conor's full time

The fewer games Conor starts when there is a left handed pitcher on the mound, the better the 2015 Chicago White Sox will be.

 

This should apply equally with LaRoche. That's just the reality. Those 2 guys are solid or even really good hitters against righties and terrible against lefties. Removing a terrible bat and replacing it with a tolerable bat when there is a lefty on the mound is a major upgrade.

The fewer games Conor starts when there is a left handed pitcher on the mound, the better the 2015 Chicago White Sox will be.

 

This should apply equally with LaRoche. That's just the reality. Those 2 guys are solid or even really good hitters against righties and terrible against lefties. Removing a terrible bat and replacing it with a tolerable bat when there is a lefty on the mound is a major upgrade.

 

a great example. couldn't have put it better.

The fewer games Conor starts when there is a left handed pitcher on the mound, the better the 2015 Chicago White Sox will be.

 

This should apply equally with LaRoche. That's just the reality. Those 2 guys are solid or even really good hitters against righties and terrible against lefties. Removing a terrible bat and replacing it with a tolerable bat when there is a lefty on the mound is a major upgrade.

 

LaRoche has a .718 OPS vs lefties in his career. That is tolerable. Who are we going to find that is going to do better in such a limited role, let alone find two of them to platoon with both Gillaspie and LaRoche. I just don't see it. In my opinion, LaRoche will be playing everyday.

Edited December 24, 201411 yr by lasttriptotulsa

LaRoche has a .718 OPS vs lefties in his career. That is tolerable. Who are we going to find that is going to do better in such a limited role, let alone find two of them to platoon with both Gillaspie and LaRoche. I just don't see it. In my opinion, LaRoche will be playing everyday.

Stop using career numbers, what a guy did in his 20s doesn't reflect what he did now. In 2014 he put up a .620 OPS against lefties. In 2013 he put up a .566 OPS against lefties. That's who he is now. Read those numbers again - Dayan Viciedo, as terrible as he is, would put up an OPS 50 to 100 points higher against lefties than what LaRoche has done the last 2 years.

 

You can't play him regularly against lefties. You just can't. That's the kind of thing that will cost you a season.

Stop using career numbers, what a guy did in his 20s doesn't reflect what he did now. In 2014 he put up a .620 OPS against lefties. In 2013 he put up a .566 OPS against lefties. That's who he is now. Read those numbers again - Dayan Viciedo, as terrible as he is, would put up an OPS 50 to 100 points higher against lefties than what LaRoche has done the last 2 years.

 

You can't play him regularly against lefties. You just can't. That's the kind of thing that will cost you a season.

 

and this is the kind of scouting that needs to be the foundation for looking

in players to get. maybe it is an unusaual or unrealistic expectation. but

that is what is needed.

A lot of mentions in other threads and in this one of getting Bonifacio. He can play the infield and outfield, which is good versatility. He's a bad hitter which is bad.

 

We want a lefty catcher in there- I'll take Kottaras over Brantley

We need someone who can play centerfield- Danks does that well

 

It'd be nice then to have two right handed bats to platoon/take at bats away from Gillaspie and LaRoche.

 

It'd be great if Saladino were ready on opening day. If not someone, like Adam Rosales or Ramon Santiago makes sense. So does Gordo Beckham. Assuming that player can cover any infield position, you could try to pick up the best lefty-killing bat you can find. Chris Denorfia is one name. Allen Craig. Keep Tank?

A lot of mentions in other threads and in this one of getting Bonifacio. He can play the infield and outfield, which is good versatility. He's a bad hitter which is bad.

 

We want a lefty catcher in there- I'll take Kottaras over Brantley

We need someone who can play centerfield- Danks does that well

 

It'd be nice then to have two right handed bats to platoon/take at bats away from Gillaspie and LaRoche.

 

It'd be great if Saladino were ready on opening day. If not someone, like Adam Rosales or Ramon Santiago makes sense. So does Gordo Beckham. Assuming that player can cover any infield position, you could try to pick up the best lefty-killing bat you can find. Chris Denorfia is one name. Allen Craig. Keep Tank?

 

At the risk of being highly redundant - since I have posted this suggestion about a dozen times now - the best available alternative for what we need on that bench - RH, infield and OF, possible platoon at 3B - is Bonifacio. He kills lefties, can even play CF. He is not an every day player, and maybe that is what he is looking for, but he fits us like a glove.

 

At the risk of being highly redundant - since I have posted this suggestion about a dozen times now - the best available alternative for what we need on that bench - RH, infield and OF, possible platoon at 3B - is Bonifacio. He kills lefties, can even play CF. He is not an every day player, and maybe that is what he is looking for, but he fits us like a glove.

 

I also love his ability to be a pinch runner for the team late in the game and then be able to take over at a variety of spots. He's like Leury without the AA caliber bat.

I wonder if Danny Valencia could be had from Toronto. I think he'd be a great fit. I wouldn't mind signing Chris Denorfia for his defense and taking him out of the hitters' hells he's been in.

 

C - Brantly/Kottaras

1B/3B - Valencia

INF - Saladino/Garcia/Sanchez

OF - Denorfia

Denorfia makes a ton of sense for us. Strong defensive OF who's been very good against LHP in his career (obviously not last year). When we face lefties, we could play him in RF, shifting Avi to DH and taking LaRoche's bat out of the lineup.

 

How is his CF defense though? Not sure I love the idea of him being our only extra OF given how often Eaton gets banged up.