On Tuesday the White Sox made a small ripple as they skipped a rock over the wintry free agent waters. They signed Zach Duke to a three-year $15 million contract. Executive vice president Kenny Williams sent out a clarion call for Sox fans: “The only message we want to send at the end of the day is when our roster is complete, that people can dream again.”
On Friday Williams and GM Rick Hahn made a large splash on the Southside when they signed Nat’s first baseman Adam LaRoche to a two-year $25 million deal. Dream indeed. All of a sudden the White Sox accelerated the slow turn of their boat. Chicago is titillated at the prospect of a left-right punch with AL Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu and LaRoche’s recent 3-year 79 HR résumé.
A closer look at the 2015 White Sox, as they are currently constructed, reveals some glaring needs and daunting questions; but in the AL Central they just might be able to make a play. The Tigers will lose Scherzer. They are getting older and slower. The Royals lost Billy Butler to the A’s, but they figure to be in the hunt. The Indians…meh. The Twins…
Mike Axisa, of CBS.Sports.com projects Chicago’s lineup to look something like this:
- CF Adam Eaton
- SS Alexei Ramirez
- 1B Jose Abreu
- DH Adam LaRoche
- RF Avisail Garcia
- 3B Conor Gillaspie
- C Tyler Flowers
- LF Dayan Viciedo
- 2B Marcus Semien
That is an accurate portrayal of the Sox lineup. Abreu may be spelled more often at 1B. He showed signs of breaking down during MLB’s brutal 162-game marathon; but he is a competitor, and probably would not take kindly to sitting on his glove.
Eaton is serviceable at the top. Ramirez is the subject of hot rumors for trade bait. (The Dodgers and Mets have been kicking the tires.) Avisail Garcia has Chicago hopping. He suffered a terrible labrum injury early last season. Gillaspie does not provide much power at third; but he hits with consistency and is stable in the field. Flowers and Viciedo have a lot to prove, Semien provided some big hits last year; but all three are prime targets for movement.
The biggest problem emerging for the 2015 White Sox is their pitching. MLB.com’s depth chart projects the Sox’s starting rotation:
- Chris Sale
- Jose Quintana
- John Danks
- Hector Noesi
- Chris Bassit
Sale is dominant and Quintana is solid; but it gets real shaky after that. Danks’ production is critical. He came off shoulder surgery last year to post a dismal 4.74 ERA and a scary 1.44 WHIP. Noesi and Bassit are projects of pitching coach wizard Don Cooper.
Zach Duke will bolster the bullpen, but he is not enough. The Sox pen was a disaster last year. They will have to figure something out for the back end, especially. The debate in Chicago has been whether they can win deploying closer-by-committee, whether they need a stud closer, and whether or not Robin Ventura can handle a bullpen at all.
Ventura has been up but mostly down in three years as an MLB manager. The Sox spent over 100 days in first place in 2012, and collapsed in September. They lost 99 games in 2013 and 89 games last year. He should be on the hot seat; but he is very close to owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Reinsdorf has proven to be extremely loyal.
Overall, White Sox fans really do have reasons to dream – but it will only be dreaming unless GM Rick Hahn gets a lot more creative on the trade circuit and much more active in free agency.
Kenny Williams, in his long tenure as GM, slowly parsed away the White Sox farm system to stay competitive. Lately, however, there has been some good news. Shortstop Tim Anderson and second baseman Micah Johnson are very highly regarded by Baseball America. 2014 #1 pick Carlos Rodon is rated at the top of their system, and Spencer Adams is another starter at the top of that list.
If middle infield is a strength then the Sox just might deal Ramirez and continue to build. If they have faith that starting help is on the way they can venture further into free agency to fix their bullpen.
Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn have lots of question to answer; but the arrival of LaRoche sends a life preserver over the bow to White Sox fans floundering in Chicago’s miserable baseball waters. Sox fans are cowering at visions of an impending Cub juggernaut, but the view from the Southside has improved. LaRoche should be a force in the U.S. Cellular Field bandbox, and his arrival is also a sign that the winds will continue to shift in Chicago.
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