The refusal of the White Sox front office to sign free agents means that it is unlikely for the team to be competitive in the near future.
The White Sox failure to add a big star to the lineup means the team likely won’t be very competitive for at least the next half-decade. The White Sox really needed to add a big name to their lineup to secure a successful future, and the failure to do so will cost the team tens if not hundreds of wins over the next decade.
After missing out on free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, and with Nolan Arenado signing a long-term extension with the Colorado Rockies, the White Sox future doesn’t look especially bright. Their lineup for the future now consists of
Jose Abreu 1B
Yoan Moncada 3B
Tim Anderson SS
Eloy Jimenez LF
Luis Robert CF
With the possible exception of Jimenez, that lineup is seriously lacking in star power. While the infield could possibly be pretty good, the outfield (in center and right) has some serious question marks. There’s also the question of whether Collins’ glove can play at catcher because his bat likely won’t be able to play at either first base or designated hitter. The White Sox need more of their draft picks to work out, especially given the front office refusal to spend any serious money on free agents.
If there’s any hope for White Sox fans, it’s that the pitching rotation for the future (2020 and after) does look somewhat promising:
There are teams that are carried by good pitching staffs (2005 White Sox, for example). However, the White Sox will need at least four of the above to pan out really good, with no exceptions. Unfortunately, even if most of these guys pan out, I would only project this to be an 80-85 win team in the future. If they had signed Machado and Harper, the would have had a chance to win 90-plus games and be in the playoffs annually, but the front office refused to do so.
The White Sox best hope for a future championship is to get some out of nowhere superstar/ace or hope that Jerry Reinsdorf sells the team before Mike Trout becomes a free agent in two years, so the new owner can spend the money necessary to sign him.