To What Degree Do the White Sox Need a COMPLETE Overhaul?

[24thStFan]

Originally Posted by aryzner

According to Cot's, these are the FA third basemen in 2013:

* – player whose current contract includes 2013 option

Geoff Blum
Miguel Cairo
Eric Chavez
Mark DeRosa
Brandon Inge *
Maicer Izturis
Chipper Jones *
Kevin Kouzmanoff
Jose Lopez
Placido Polanco *
Mark Reynolds *
Scott Rolen
Ty Wigginton
David Wright *
Kevin Youkilis *

There are some names on this list worth talking about. Is David Wright a complete impossibility? Eric Chavez and Mark Reynolds have decent OBPs, too.

Let's hope their current clubs let them go.

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by 24thStFan

Mark Reynolds

That would be like having Adam Dunn on the roster twice. Pass.

[24thStFan]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

That would be like having Adam Dunn on the roster twice. Pass.

That's true he does strike out a lot. I've been avoiding work this afternoon by looking up free agent stats (thanks to sites named by WSIers) and am I right that Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan are both FAs?

Assuming we make some moves, could the Sox go after any of them?

In my fantasy the Sox sign Wright and Cabrera in the off-season!

[SCCWS]

Originally Posted by Domeshot17

But the Sox lack a hitter who can carry the team. I would consider a run at David Wright personally.

Its also the type of move that can fire up a fan base. The reason the fans did not come out was there was not much to ever be that excited about. I know they had a nice stretch in first place, but had the Tigers ever really tried, they would have buried us long ago. Most fans knew this and it was hard to really believe in this team. Even with getting Youk, Brett Meyers, these are not moves that fire up the fans.
.

If this is true, I think the fan base problems are much deeper. The White Sox were in first place and featured a stud starting pitcher when they acquired Youk. Having watched his impact in Boston for many years, he was a very popular blue collar player. Youk jerseys are everywhere. Now he arrives in Chicago and goes on a tear. If that diid not attract an immediate boost in ticket sales, especially since the team was playing well, then adding a David Wright under a rebuilding scenario is not the answer.

I think the White Sox medical staff need to figure out Youk's current health situation. This is not the same Youk that played in Boston. But if his decline is an injury problem that could be taken care of, maybe he is a player the White Sox retain especially if you can unload Dunn to an NL team. He did show the ability to do a decent job at 1st base. Maybe the Mets could be convinced to take him and sell him as a gate attraction.

[aryzner]

Originally Posted by 24thStFan

There are some names on this list worth talking about. Is David Wright a complete impossibility? Eric Chavez and Mark Reynolds have decent OBPs, too.

Let's hope their current clubs let them go.

In my opinion, David Wright is a pipe dream.

I agree with what others have said about Reynolds, and Chavez hasn't played a full season (150+ games in my mind to qualify) since 2005. Remarkably, he's been pretty healthy for the Yankees this season, though.

[Huisj]

Originally Posted by JB98

Maybe not, but I think the Sox should try. All it takes is one GM who thinks 40 HRs and 100 RBIs is worth a $15 million per year investment.

I could maybe see Dunn going in a sort of change-of-scenery deal for a formerly big prospect who has failed in multiple chances and another spare part. Someone like a Justin Smoak sort of player, except I don't really know why Seattle would want Dunn, so that's probably not likely anyway.

Looking around a various rosters, it is rather hard to find a fit for a trade involving Dunn.

[floridafan]

Originally Posted by aryzner

At a quick glance at what I could find by searching just now, you aren't gonna find that via free agency.

Hey! My Guy is working out at 3rd in Advanced Instructs right now! Let's call him up!

[tstrike2000]

Originally Posted by JB98

Maybe not, but I think the Sox should try. All it takes is one GM who thinks 40 HRs and 100 RBIs is worth a $15 million per year investment.

Definitely, and like you said, all depends what Hahn does from there.

[SephClone89]

Originally Posted by JB98

Who wouldn't? Is it a given the Mets are going to decline the team option?

Originally Posted by 24thStFan

There are some names on this list worth talking about. Is David Wright a complete impossibility?

Wright has just had an MVP-caliber season, and just set the Mets all-time hits record. They're going to sign him up long-term, I think. They don't have all that much other money tied up.

[LITTLE NELL]

With no phenom position players in the minors on the near horizon the Sox are going to have to rebuild with free agents. There are hardly any untouchables on this team, I would keep Rios (only 5 tool player on the team), Sale, Reed, Nate Jones and Quintana. Danks has to stay because who will take a chance with him. PK stays also but as a DH. Viciedo still has an up-side but needs to be more selective and not swing so damn hard, he is still a kid and might figure it out but a guy like TCM never has. I'm not sure about Beckham, great glove but will we ever see 2009 again. Seemed like he had the right field gap figured out that year which always meant a double or even a triple. The way this team hit the last month one wonders if Greg Walker was really the problem.

[TomBradley72]

Personally- I'd trade Dunn as a salary dump only- I don't care if we get anything back for him- the streaky homers and rbis are not worth the strike outs and aggregate .184 batting average since joining the Sox.

I've never been a fan of big, long term contracts for DHs- that role is perfect for the aging NL position player who has a few years left or other, cheaper, year by year options while preserving some roster flexibility.

[Procol Harum]

Originally Posted by JB98

Maybe not, but I think the Sox should try. All it takes is one GM who thinks 40 HRs and 100 RBIs is worth a $15 million per year investment.

I am appreciative of what Dunn did this year in terms of rebounding from his own personal Purgatory of 2011--yeah, low ba, but w/o his homers, rbis, and walks in the first half the Sox would never have gotten as far as they did (a mixed blessing?).

That said, I'm thinking there need to be some major moves on the South Side--I'd be more than happy if the Sox ate a few million of that $15 million price tag if it meant some good prospects, particularly for the bullpen. At $10-11 million you might be able to find another GM that might be willing to accept an offer.

Also agree with two major points of the original post:

1.) Brooks Boyer needs to either come with a new marketing plan or needs to call it a day. "Stale" would be the right way to describe the feel of the Sox brand at this point.

2.) Farmer and Jackson must be shown the gate (doubt it will ever happen, though). If there's a bump to Sox ratings in recent years I think that's mainly the result of games being on 670 (improved signal strength, particularly in the western burbs) instead of 1000.

[WhiteSox5187]

There have been a lot of great points made in this thread but I will add in my two cents here and say while I don't think the White Sox need a COMPLETE overhaul I think they need a MAJOR overhaul.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Procol Harum

That said, I'm thinking there need to be some major moves on the South Side--I'd be more than happy if the Sox ate a few million of that $15 million price tag if it meant some good prospects, particularly for the bullpen. At $10-11 million you might be able to find another GM that might be willing to accept an offer.

Not that I approve, at all, of moving Dunn, but I really don't think the Sox are in any need of prospects for the bullpen; Veal, Jones, Reed, and to a lesser extent, Omogrosso and Santiago have shown signs of being dependable relief pitchers. Not to mention, I don't know what team goes out and trades one it's most productive bats for bullpen pitchers; the Sox seem to have an OK stable of young starters in Sale and Quintana, what we're lacking is young, impact position players. You've got Viciedo who is kind of a mixed bag, De Aza who will probably be dependable for another year or so, Beckham who is all glove and no bat and then a bunch of scraps. If you're going to move Dunn, I'd at least they'd hope to get someone who may be able to replace some of his production in the lineup.

[TheOldRoman]

Originally Posted by Domeshot17

I know they had a nice stretch in first place, but had the Tigers ever really tried, they would have buried us long ago. Most fans knew this and it was hard to really believe in this team. Even with getting Youk, Brett Meyers, these are not moves that fire up the fans.

Bull. It goes hand-in-hand with thinking the Sox overachieved, but both are false. Basically, people don't want to admit they were wrong about the Sox being bad and wrong about the Tigers being really good. The Tigers "tried" the entire year. They weren't a great team by any means. They are far-and-away the worst defensive team in baseball. They have flaws. And the Sox, even with their complete collapse/choke will still finish with with 83-86 wins. So even if Detroit "really tried" for the entire season, The Sox would have still been within distance of the division lead and the wildcards up until about a week ago.

I do agree that there was a large number of miserable bastards who held out because they didn't believe in the team. However, the team was playing good baseball for most of the year until two weeks ago. That's what it's all about. No team is going to win the division every year, but if you can buy a ticket to see exciting, winning baseball, that is pretty much all you can ask for. If they need to have their team's asses kissed by all the preseason experts just to buy in to the product, well, they will wait a long time because the Sox get crapped on even when they're good.

I would love to see the Sox sign David Wright, but someone will pay WAY too much for him. Besides, that isn't a move which would bring people to the park. I mean, he's a really good player, he's young and good looking, so he has marketability. However, there are only a handful of players in baseball which would make people buy tickets. Devout baseball fans know who David Wright is, but the average guy who casually follows the Sox and sometimes goes to games doesn't. Pujols, Mauer, Verlander, A-Roid and Jeter would potentially sell tickets, but not David Wright. What would create buzz? I don't know. It seems like this year was some sort of turning point, where the fanbase decided it was through with the team or something. Outside of 2009 Yankees free agency binge or winning a world series the year before, I don't think this team will generate enough buzz to get a big spike in attendance.

I also agree that Brooks has overstayed his welcome. He seemed like such a breathe of fresh air when he came. Everything he did struck gold the first year and a half. Since then, it's been pretty much just failure and he seems out of touch. I think McDonough could work wonders here, but I don't know if management would give him the level of control he would desire.