Email a copy of 'Three Needs: Chicago White Sox' to a friend
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By Tim Dierkes | at
Email a copy of 'Three Needs: Chicago White Sox' to a friend
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daver4470
The only way I can see the White Sox’s course as being “obvious’ after 1 or 2 transactions is if one of them involves Sale….
maxmadsen
I’d be happy if they get past step one. For that to happen I’m afraid we’d need to see the team sold first.
Dookie Howser, MD
4. Hire a new Ball Boy. After some surprising final cuts during Spring Training left an open roster spot, Chris Sale has needed somebody to keep him company in the clubhouse.
tim815
Harsh.
Not inaccurate, but harsh.
Kayrall
This list needs to start with #1 and end with #1.
petrie000
honestly i’d keep Hahn. He seems to do pretty well for himself when he does make deals, even if the purpose for those deals isn’t always clear.
Kenny Williams needed to be fired half a decade ago, though.
other than that, fire sale the bejesus out of that roster. it’s going no where.
coldgoldenfalstaff
Spot on.
#1 and #2 have been needed for some time now, and to ignore either will slide the Sox even further and take them longer to build up to a contender. I like Hahn, but if we can change out the front office and bring in capable baseball people and remove the yes men, that may be needed.
I’m not a fan of moving Sale, since the fans need at least one good player to cheer for, but if they ever entertained moving him, this is the offseason to do it, and bring in the most young talent in return.
tim815
With the questions about their bullpen, is there a good reason to have not claimed Bryan Morris off of waivers? Was durable in 2013-5. Seems better than a few ChiSox relievers. If they brought him in for a week, and he was a “piece of work”, the could non-tender him in November.
24TheKid
Number 1 really needs to be that they need to get rid of their announcer, I think his name is hawk or something but he is terrible.
Kayrall
Lol this guy gets it.
petrie000
the saddest part about Hawk Harrelson is the guy who moonlights for him at home, Jason Benetti, is really pretty good
chesteraarthur
I’m not really willing to judge Hahn. Even if the denial is legitimate, it seems like he’s had his hands tied in what he’s really allowed to do with the club.
rickcwik
First, Ventura can not come back. Second, it has to be a full rebuild or an increase in payroll to 190 Million. You either trade them all and go young, or keep your good players and hit the free agent market hard. Catcher, 2B, LF, CF and bullpen. I just don’t see Reinsdorf increasing payroll much.
Overbrook
Well #1 is obvious. The Sox need a new front office. Williams has been there too long and, Hahn, well, he can do no more than the obvious. Team building is an art, and Hahn doesn’t have it. He’s a fine assistant GM, but as a GM, he does no more than the stodgy and obvious.
As for letting the young guys play…that’s a laugh, as the Sox have played starters all September. Another example of Hahn’s limited skills and abilities.
Arthur
This seems ridiculous to people, I know. But the white sox do NOT need to rebuild. Getting rid of Ventura and Cashing in Sale’s value will fill practically every hole they have.
their needs are for 2017 are:
1) Lefty hitting DH (Could be Morneau)
2) serviceable catcher
3) Either a CF or a RF if you want to move eaton back to center
4) at least 1 maybe 2 strong 7th-8th inning RP.
They have the rotation to contend, easily top 5 in the AL. The lineup has 4-5 quality Hitters, and the bullpen has a great Set-up and Closer. A trade for Sale weakens the rotation a little but could fill 3/4 of those holes mentioned. It all starts with the manager though.
Arthur
Not to mention the fact that they have Fulmer, Adams, and Burdi all close to major league ready. With Collins not far behind, I could see him being called up in august and be a Schwarber type of hitter for the sox.
jd396
You could swap out a few specific references to certain players and use your post to describe KW’s outlook every offseason.
Arthur
I can see that, but really, aside from manager and those 4 holes, what else do they need? there are playoff teams with much more glaring needs that the white sox, but are managed so much better, Namely, the orioles, detroit, and even the mets
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
That’s fanatical inaccurate.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
All healthy there are three teams alone in the central better than the White Soxs. The Soxs have neither a deep system which to draw from or a proven ability to flex superior financial muscle. Not to mention this is going to be a terrible FA market. Maybe if you were talking two years from now but definitely not next year.
Arthur
Fanatically inaccurate in what sense specifically? Most teams success starts and ends with a good manager. That alone changes the outlook the white sox will have on next year. I cite the Playoff teams of this year as an example, not last years mets.
You trade sale which will almost guaranteed bring the White Sox 2 impact hitters or more. That means they continue with a rotation of Quintana, Rodon, Shields, Gonzalez(who has been league average) and Carson Fulmer.
The farm system already has quality pitchers to contribute, and will soon have a potentially* high quality bat in Zach Collins.
goducksgoagogo
Wait a minute. Last years mets what?
Arthur
I mean like last years Mets arent a comparable for the holes the white sox have to fill cuz the mets were a completely stacked pitching staff with a good offense. This years mets have 1 ace and a few average SPs due to injuries and they are still making the playoffs. Same with the Orioles and Detroit who have some big holes but are talented enough to play through them.
lilojbone
It is a shame what occurred to the Mets because the team proved itself last year. Even though the Mets have talented players, so do the White Sox; however, the difference between both teams is that the Mets have a desire to win, and the White Sox do not. If it did, then the team would be more consistent. There are days the offense is on fire and days when the offense is colder than a Chicago winter, which can be brutally cold. The first step Hanh has to make is not renew Ventura’s contract.
jd396
The sox are like the Bizarro Twins. Where the Twins stagnated because of loyalty to Terry Ryan, the Sox have violently writhed around due to loyalty go Kenny Williams. Opposite approaches, same result. Some success – lots of division titles for the Twins and the 05 WS – but even more wasted opportunities and unmet expectations.
mjc71
The writers points are all valid. However, he failed to point out none of it will happen. The main problem with this team starts and ends with Reinsdorf. He is reason this team is “mired in mediocrity”. Reinsdorf controls the purse strings and does not spend on marquee free agents. The last one Sox signed that was not past his prime was Albert Belle. Reinsdorf also loaths to spend money in the draft. This team needs a complete overhaul from front office, on field manager/coaching and the minor league system. All of this will require spending money, which will not happen under Reinsdorf”s watch. He would rather make bush league marketing deals that net him enough profit for his ownership group, Until he dies and or the team is sold nothing will change on the Southside.
ChiSoxCity
Teams who can’t acquire or attract top talent via free agency must do so via the draft and trades. The White Sox refuse to committ to either of these methods. They would rather waste money on marginal to below average free agents to fill their starting lineup. This is the fundamental flaw with their organization. You cannot win this way, and you certainly aren’t going to motivate the fan base to watch them. A complete rebuild from top to bottom is long overdue. Replace Williams, Hahn, and Ventura with baseball minds who value analytics. Then restock the minor league system and do a better job of developing prospects (Sox are terrible at this).
smelliott00
The sox need to let Tyler Saladino play. In sparing playing time due to injuries, he has played quite well and in my opinion carved out a role for himself.
Dock_Elvis
There’s never been a better time for a full scale rebuild on the Southside. The Sox as abusiness rarely would be willing to punt fan interest to the Cubs. But over the next few seasons there’s no denying that the gap between the Cubs and Sox will be at its widest.
I also feel from a baseball perspective the timing is solid. Detroit is aging and facing a rebuild. KC will soon be seeing their team hitting free agency. Cleveland always seems to play with luck, and Minnesota sparks and misfires. A rebuild could leave the Sox primed in a few seasons at an opportune time in the Central.
Yes Ventura needs to go. Only loyalty has kept him employed this long. Hahn seems to be caught in the middle. Kenny Williams also needs to bow out. It’s time to push this org into the future.
southi
I just don’t see the Sox as having the means to acquire the talent they need to truly contend in 2017. The free agent market is dismal this season and their own farm system is very weak (so they can’t really do much to trade from it and keep the best of the major league roster intact).
If the team truly wants to move forward towards being a contender they need to make the hard choice and deal the few high end pieces they have. Sale and Quintana especially could net some truly high end pieces.
I’m afraid though that they will continue to be lukewarm because I just don’t see them stepping back to go forward because it is too hard compared to maintaining the statis quo (which is basically what they’ve been doing for years).
connorreed
Agreed. They need to sell, because every season that passes, those guys lose more and more trade value.
Sale and Quintana, especially with the free agent market, would command two of the largest prospect hauls in recent history. Adam Eaton and Jose Abreu also have immense trade value. And on top of that, Todd Frazier, Brett Lawrie, David Robertson (w/ cash), and Melky Cabrera (w/ cash) could also get solid returns.
By trading those players, and a few years of drafting high, they’d probably create the strongest farm system we’ve ever seen.
It’s either a few years of 90 loss seasons before becoming an MLB powerhouse, or another decade or two of missing the playoffs and finishing in the middle of the pack.
lilojbone
The White Sox should sign Brock Lesner