White Sox Can’t Waste Talent of Future Core Players
White Sox continue to waste the talent of its current core of players. With another season under .500, team can’t waste its next core for the future.
The Chicago White Sox haven’t finished a season over .500 since 2012. In that span, the team has started arguably one of the better pitchers in the game in Chris Sale. Sale was drafted in the first round in 2010, and debuted later that season.
Sale’s teammate, Jose Quintana has steadily improved each season since 2012. However, both pitchers have never pitched in the postseason. Instead, the Sox have wasted the talents of two All-Star pitchers in its starting rotation.
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Along with Sale and Quintana, the Sox have also wasted the talents of Jose Abreu and Adam Eaton. The Sox incompetence with developing an actual contender has turned away fans over the last two seasons. Although attendance has been declining 2006, in 2014 the Sox had its first season with less than 21,000 fans since 1999. That season, the Sox averaged 20,986. In 2015, the Sox averaged 21,947, and this season they’re currently averaging 22,238.
After the 2014 season, the front office went on an unexpected spending spree in the offseason. With new acquisitions in Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera, Zach Duke and David Robertson, the Sox were expected to contend in 2015. Unfortunately, they finished 76-86 but kept manager Robin Ventura. Although this season got off to a great start at 23-10, the Sox have been 46-64 since.
Sox fans have become accustomed to seeing the team waste the prime years of some of its best players. Both Sale and Quintana are candidates for the AL Cy Young Award. Abreu, is having another solid season after sluggish start. Eaton is a candidate for the Gold Glove Award in right field.
However, the Sox have failed to build around a solid core of players. This can’t continue moving forward. With an impressive draft class in 2016, the Sox should have a nice crop of young players coming up in a few seasons. But, they also have young players from recent drafts who are contributing this season.
Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon have given hope to Sox fans for the future. Carson Fulmer struggled in his brief stint with the Sox, but improved towards the end of the season for Triple-A Charlotte Knights. These three players were picked in the first round from 2013-2015. Each of these player’s talents can’t be wasted due to incompetence from the front office.
The Sox will have some important decisions to make after the season ends. One of those decisions will be extending Ventura or hiring a new manager. Another decision will be to fully rebuild or give contention another shot in 2017. If the Sox push for contention next season, they will have to spend more money on free agents
The Sox have made significant improvements in its drafting recently, and this can certainly help the team avoiding wasting its next core. The results can be seen in the most recent draft for the Sox. Zack Burdi, the Sox second first round pick in the draft could join the team out of Spring Training next year. Alec Hansen, the Sox second round pick was impressive in his first professional season. With the recent draft success, the Sox could add to its next core of players in Anderson, Rodon and Fulmer internally.
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If the team decides to rebuild, they have to get adequate returns for trading its best players. Whatever direction the Sox go in, they must make sure they set the team up for sustained success in the future. The half-measured attempts at success have to end this season. It appears the front office is aware of this also.