The Chicago White Sox have to be good in 2020
After seven straight losing seasons, it is time for the White Sox to turn it around next season. The long-term promised year of 2020 is approaching and the White Sox are now expected to be contenders. No more excuses.
The Chicago White Sox began a rebuild of the team in December 2016 when they traded away their two best players in Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. Those returns netted pretty solid returns, along with the expectation that the White Sox would be good in two years, faster than some other teams were able to rebuild.
However, injuries to top prospects Michael Kopech and Jake Burger, key misses in free agency, and an overall bad 2018 pushed the timetable back another year. However, next year has to be the year. 2020 has long been talked about as the year the White Sox would emerge as a dominant team. Everyone from Jerry Reinsdorf and NBC Sports to White Sox players and fans alike has long talked about 2020 as being the year.
The White Sox front office has been given far too many chances, and after seven straight losing seasons, they owe their fans seven straight winning ones and at least a league-average payroll. It’s not too much to ask for things to be 50/50, right?
Many bad seasons have been excused as “rebuilding” and at some point, that excuse has got to be put to rest. If they’re not winning when they told us they would (2020), how can we expect them to ever win?
It’s pretty clear where the White Sox need to improve for next season. Right field, designated hitter, second base, center field, and starting pitching are where the biggest holes are. Now the long term answer to the center field position will probably arrive at some point in April, but the White Sox could still use someone in the infield, right field, DH, and at least one ace starting pitcher.
Nick Madrigal could be the answer at second base. It’s questionable whether he has the power for his bat to be the caliber of an MLB star, and he’s still just a prospect until he proves otherwise. Will the White Sox be able to convert on guys to fill their holes? They haven’t been able to do so yet, so this is the time to prove themselves. The White Sox now have a core in place, and it’s time to start adding to it. Can they actually sign someone good or trade for above-average talent in the outfield and at DH?
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Will they be able to convert on a good veteran starting pitchers like Madison Bumgardner or Dallas Keuchel? This is the time to do it, and there needs to be no more putting it off. Twelve years is a long time to go without making the playoffs, and White Sox fans don’t need to wait any longer.