White Sox: On-track rebuild is a beautiful sign of things to come
The White Sox 2018 season is painful, but if you look just beyond the ugly, it is all breathtakingly beautiful.
White Sox fans, this is what so many of us asked for!
The front office tore it down, leaving nothing more than a barely recognizable foundation of a roster. So far, the results of the White Sox rebuild have been exactly what you’d expect from a group of journeymen, bounce-back candidates, and stopgaps: pretty horrendous. At 24-47, things are messy. However, I ask you to peek through the mess and see the rebuild’s inner beauty.
Extra! Extra! Contending teams – take notice!
No, not because my preseason prediction of a surprise 82-80 season is a reality. I am reaching out to contenders because the White Sox have what you need! Trades that might seem insignificant or unimportant sometimes end up making a difference in a rebuilding effort.
White Sox fans may not be overly excited to see these guys on the field, and I can’t necessarily blame them. The good news is that some of them can help brighten up the edges of the rebuild. Here are some players who have performed well enough to potentially provide some solid trade value.
Left-handers
Almost the entire White Sox bullpen is made up of trade candidates. Xavier Cedeno and Luis Avilan look impressive, and their FIPs both estimate they have thrown the ball better than their low ERAs. Hector Santiago continues to eat up relatively effective, albeit somewhat underwhelming innings as both a starter and reliever. Left-handed arms are always at a premium down the stretch. Tough left-handed power guy in the middle of your rival’s lineup? Make an offer for one of these guys, here!
Right-handers
Are righties more your area of need? Chris Volstad has a 3.96 ERA, functioning mostly as a multi-inning reliever. He could probably start in a pinch to provide some extra rest for one of your prized starters, as well. Need a late-inning, fireballing wild card (emphasis on wild)? Bruce Rondon brings the heat and high strikeout capability, as long as you can deal with some walks.
If reliability in the clutch is your jam, what about Joakim Soria? He’s 10 of 12 in save opportunities, can touch the low 90s with his fastball, and high 60s with his curveball or ephus pitch or whatever that floater actually is. Either way, he’s been effective in holding the opposition in check when he’s had the chance to close the door. Is he the setup man or backup closer you need?
Earlier in the year, I wrote that James Shields could be a useful member of the team or a potential trade candidate if he keeps his ERA under four and a half. Right now, he sits at 4.63 with a FIP of 4.51, and he wants to win, which is not likely to happen often while the White Sox rebuild. I bet the front office would be willing to eat a decent chunk of his contract to get even a fringe prospect in return. Contenders, if you’ve got a deep farm system, give Rick Hahn a call!
Let’s keep shoveling through the muck and see what position players might keep the White Sox rebuild moving.
Well, the collection of position players on the roster is the thick of the muck. It’s, well, it’s not good. Adam Engel is underwhelming and disappointing. Trayce Thompson looks nothing like he did in his 2015 debut, which is terribly sad to me. Neither provides much value on the field or in trade. If they can get healthy, Nick Delmonico and Leury Garcia might be useful bench pieces for future Sox teams, or during the stretch run on a contender.
Neither is likely to bring much back in return, but kick the tires, all you playoff-bound teams. The White Sox might also have to make tough decisions regarding the futures of Yolmer Sanchez and Matt Davidson, too. It’s difficult, but it’s the type of decision we need if we want to take the next step. On a related note, what will Jason Benetti do if Matt Davidson gets traded?
Avisail Garcia is injured but might be back this weekend. As has been the case for a couple years, he is a prime trade candidate. If he returns to health and puts up numbers anywhere near last season’s output, he’ll provide a nice return. If you’re like me, you’ll be a little sad to see him go, but he will be opening up the door to an up-and-coming young stud like Eloy Jimenez.
Fellow right-fielder Daniel Palka is a nice surprise, but there may not be a spot for him on the next contending roster. Plus, as I just mentioned, part of the beauty of a rebuild is seeing the prospects debut in the majors. Even the most patient fans are ready for the White Sox rebuild to appear headed for the future, instead of stuck in the mud.
The toughest decision of all
The best trade candidate is Jose Abreu. An Abreu trade, on its own, would be almost enough to keep the wheels of the White Sox rebuild turning now and in the future. He’s a stud. He should make the All-Star team, he’s playing great baseball, and he’s a veteran presence many contenders would sell out for. However, I selfishly want him to stay. He’s a great mentor for the younger players and has been particularly great as Yoan Moncada‘s compatriot and mentor.
I think he’s the Grandpa Ross of the next contending Sox team, but he would likely bring a huge haul of prospects to load up the farm system in anticipation of trading for missing pieces. Offer your best, contenders, as the White Sox front office and fan base expect nothing but your very best for Abreu.
Growing Pains: Young players finding their way
The White Sox have played this season like a group of young players finding their way and determining if they belong in the majors. That said, the growing pains are real. Yoan Moncada is striking out a lot, but that has been part of the scouting report forever. He’s drawing some walks, and the eye test makes me think he’s beginning to look more like a big leaguer as opposed to a new prospect.
Tim Anderson, who I once pegged as a future center fielder to make room for Manny Machado, is beginning to move like a shortstop. The footwork in the field is improved, and he has shown some patience at the plate. It’s no longer a complete rarity for him to walk, even if it still doesn’t happen too often. Plus, those wheels are finally equating to more steals.
More from White Sox News
- The Chicago White Sox might have had a season ending loss
- The Chicago White Sox are expecting Tim Anderson back soon
- Miguel Cairo’s words spark life into the Chicago White Sox
- Dylan Cease should be the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award
- Ozzie Guillen speaks the whole truth about Tony La Russa
Charlie Tilson is back from his unfortunate injury and looks like he belongs. He’s been overmatched a few times. He’s looked like a rookie more often than not, but I can see him in left with Luis Robert manning center, or perhaps the reverse, in the future. Here’s to hoping the local kid can continue his growth and find a home.
Let’s not forget the system is stocked with young, developing, ideally soon to debut future trade candidates, bench pieces, everyday players, and stars. Not every rebuild functions like the Cubs, where somehow every single player seems to belong from day one. There will be failures and setbacks. Keep the faith, and the beauty of the White Sox rebuild will shine through.
Hopefully, I didn’t stray too far from the beauty.
Trading players who are clearly not part of the future is a beautiful thing. Signing guys to one-year contracts in the hopes of a cheap trade candidate is integral to any rebuild, not just the White Sox rebuild. They bring back potential pieces of the future. They reload systems for trades during contending seasons. These players unload salary. Growing pains are beautiful. Very few players are effective on day one.
Next: White Sox baseball is becoming more meaningful
Even superstars like Mike Trout had some trouble at the start. I’m not saying we have the equivalent of a Trout, but early struggles in the majors can often lead to later success. As more stopgaps and rentals get traded away, there will be no choice but to plug in prospects and glimpse the future. The future is right there – big, bright, and beautiful. We just have to peel back the messy on field layer of errors, strikeouts, and underperformance. Be patient.