Well, by my count, that's a 6-man bench (counting just one of Sands/Avi), and that would leave us with a 5 man 'pen...

 

Also one of Shuck / Fields / May, so 4.

I think he plays LF coming off the shoulder surgery since Melky has a good enough arm fir RF.

His shoulder will be fine by the beginning of the regular season. It's a 3-4 month rehab and then sport specific strengthening. He is right on pace.

Vs RHP

 

1. Eaton RF

2. Cabrera LF

3. Abreu 1B

4. Frazier 3B

5. LaRoche DH

6. Lawrie 2B

7. Avila C

8. Rollins SS

9. Jackson CF

 

VS LHP

 

1. Eaton RF

2. Lawrie 2B

3. Abreu 1B

4. Frazier 3B

5. Cabrera LF

6. Garcia DH

7. Navarro C

8. Rollins SS

9. Jackson CF

Yes, catchers should hit 7th, and then you stack 2 speed guys in the 8 and 9 hole in Saladino/Rollins & Jackson. Once that lineup turns over into Eaton it sets the table very nicely for the big bats in the order after that.

Well this is just gosh darn delightful! I take back everything I've said about the off-season; this really completes it. AJax is no Alex Gordon but what cha gonna do. Lots of synergy with this move, as others have already pointed out.

 

Bravo!

Trading Avi and a reliever for what?

 

LH bat?

 

I'm still having a hard time imagining what Avi and Albers/Putnam/Petricka would actually bring back...better to give Avi full-time at-bats in AAA and then bring him back in case of an injury if they want to increase his trade value.

 

 

Going to be interesting to see who ends up at the corners, and/or whether Jackson stays in CF for the entire season...obviously he's got to hit much better than over the last 1 1/2 seasons to justify full-time opportunities.

 

The other part of this is actually having a bit of a roster crunch between Shuck, Avi Garcia, Sanchez and Jerry Sands. Nice to have some options at least, rather than being "stuck" with less than ideal guys like Olt/Davidson/Beckham/Bonifacio/Leury Garcia.

 

 

Fwiw, I wanted Desmond and Jackson from the beginning, but certainly understand that Latos/Rollins/Jackson is probably going to be a better bet from a risk perspective than $8 million and a lost draft pick at 26.

 

This was the final move they needed (at least until mid-season) to improve the outfield defense and also improve the DH position as well.

 

Would imagine the payroll now is in the $130ish million range, maybe a million or two over. A 6.5% increase is reasonable, all things considered. Now obviously there's a chance that all three of those guys backfire, just like Desmond in Texas, but the odds of success with at least 1/3 should be pretty good, if not getting meaningful contributions from 2/3.

 

 

Good luck, Angels...wouldn't be buying oceanfront property if I was the new GM out there just yet.

 

 

Looks like AAA outfield will be Daniel Fields, Jacob May and Sands/Shuck (if JB doesn't end up catching on with another org)...MAYBE Avi if they keep Sands to DH with LaRoche?

 

Leury Garcia and Sanchez as infielders, among others.

Looks like AAA outfield will be Daniel Fields, Jacob May and Sands/Shuck (if JB doesn't end up catching on with another org)...MAYBE Avi if they keep Sands to DH with LaRoche?

 

Leury Garcia and Sanchez as infielders, among others.

 

Thanks for the depth chart update.

FINALLY!

 

This makes me feel a hell of a lot better about this team.

Also one of Shuck / Fields / May, so 4.

My bad, misinterpreted

Or La Roche's injury is worse than expected.

Looks like AAA outfield will be Daniel Fields, Jacob May and Sands/Shuck (if JB doesn't end up catching on with another org)...MAYBE Avi if they keep Sands to DH with LaRoche?

 

Leury Garcia and Sanchez as infielders, among others.

 

I doubt we will see either Sands or Shuck in Charlotte. Both are out of minor league options and are not ST invitees, so other teams are going to have a shot at them. Don't forget about Coats or Hairston. Coats will most definitely be starting for the Knights.

I didn't know if they'd do this. It seemed like a trade would happen but I like this. Isn't splashy but it's solid.

He's 24. He should be getting regular at bats, and as much time in the outfield as possible.

 

The problem is that's not going to happen in the majors. If the White Sox want to see him develop to his full potential he needs to be in AAA.

 

The Sox are trying to win. In his 1000 career PAs he's shown he can't do anything worthwhile. If he can prove that he can hit or field, I'm sure he'll get more playing time. Until then, platoon DH/pinch runner is all he should get.

Love it, at the very least, the Sox are stronger up the middle (especially if Tyler wins the SS battle). Couple thoughts:

 

1.) Does anyone else think Avi is much better suited to play LF than RF? Arm plays up as + there and I think he would probably read the ball better out there since he wouldn't have to be playing the slice like he would in RF?

2.) I would mind Jackson leading off in all honesty. Can stick Eaton in the 2 hole and break up those righties and you got a lot of speed at the top of the lineup then.

 

Jackson R

Eaton L

Abreu R

Frazier R

Cabrera L

Lawrie R

LaRoche L

Avila L

Saladino/Rollins R

 

Speed in the leadoff spot is worthless if it never ever gets on base. Jackson barely hits well enough to bat 9th.

 

Jackson becomes the 4tg outfielder unless we have another move in the works. I think Garcia stays no matter what

Still might see the Sox grab another defensive OF late in ST as rosters are pared or trade fir one with the excess relievers . A guy like Jackie Bradley Jr. who's LH and very good defensively with offensive upside would be perfect but not many like him around.

 

Jackie Bradley Jr. is better than all of our outfielders offensively and defensively and would require us sending the whole farm to Boston. And Boston has no interest in moving him. Not a likely thing.

Jackson becomes the 4tg outfielder unless we have another move in the works. I think Garcia stays no matter what

At this point, as things stand now, Jackson is the starting CFer.

Jackson becomes the 4tg outfielder unless we have another move in the works. I think Garcia stays no matter what

 

They didn't just sign Jackson for $5M for him to be a rotational guy. He will start day 1 in CF. Make no mistake about that.

Going to be interesting to see who ends up at the corners, and/or whether Jackson stays in CF for the entire season...obviously he's got to hit much better than over the last 1 1/2 seasons to justify full-time opportunities.

Not really, considering both his CF defense and the production of the other outfielders on the roster. Avi managing to hit/defend well enough to justify taking playing time away from Jackson is way harder to imagine.

At this point, as things stand now, Jackson is the starting CFer.

 

This offense is still so weak, if Avi starts hitting, you have to have him in the lineup despite being rotten in RF. I can see where vs LHP, you have Jackson in CF, Eaton in RF and Avi at DH, but vs RHP, Eaton in CF, Avi in RF and Laroche DH. Or if Melky isn't hitting vs RHP then maybe Eaton in LF, Jackson in CF and Avi in RF.

Edited March 7, 201610 yr by HickoryHuskers

Jackson becomes the 4tg outfielder unless we have another move in the works. I think Garcia stays no matter what

No chance Jackson was signed to be the 4th OF.

Jackson becomes the 4tg outfielder unless we have another move in the works. I think Garcia stays no matter what

 

Like with Rollins, I don't think they brought in Jackson if they didn't promise Scott Boras every possible opportunity to give his client regular playing time to rebuild his value for next offseason.

 

Also the idea we never work with Boras clients is taking a bit of a hit, although obviously this wasn't a headline $100+ million contract.

 

It's Jackson and Rollins with the early built-in veteran advantage, and Garcia/Saladino have to clearly win those jobs to earn playing time.

They didn't just sign Jackson for $5M for him to be a rotational guy. He will start day 1 in CF. Make no mistake about that.

Could Austin Jackson start for any other team in our division?

Could Austin Jackson start for any other team in our division?

Don't care, he fills a big need on this team at a great price.