The White Sox are nearly 40 games into the season and still searching for answers. If not for the awful American League Central, this season would be a lost cause. It may be time to look in the mirror and ask tough questions. Is it time to blow up the roster and start over?
The Royals entered the game with the second-worst record in baseball (10-27) and had a guy on the mound in Brad Keller, who got roughed up by the Oakland Athletics, the only team worse than the Royals, in his last start.
The White Sox kicked off the game with a pair of walks, but an Andrew Vaughn double play and Luis Robert Jr strikeout quickly smothered the rally. Then Lance Lynn continued his horrid start to the season by allowing four runs in the first inning. That was the game.
The White Sox would go on to lose 9-1, with Lynn getting tagged for seven runs on nine hits, raising his ERA to 7.51 on the year. The White Sox offense could only muster six hits and could only push across one run off Brad Keller, despite drawing four walks.
“A lot of mistakes in the middle of the plate,” Lynn said. “I couldn’t get the ball elevated when I needed to, and when I tried to go down, it was in the middle of the plate, too. A lot of things were thigh high, and they made me pay for it, a lot of hits in a row. It kind of kept carrying as the game went along with the two homers. Just not good.”
The White Sox are only 7.5 games out of first place despite owning a 13-25 record. They are still very much alive in the AL Central race, but what’s the point?
Rebuild or Ride it Out?”
When Rick Hahn started off on this rebuild, he said the goal was sustained success and multiple champions. So far, we have gotten two playoff appearances, one AL championship, and a lot of mediocre baseball. Even if they did sneak into the playoffs, it’s almost a foregone conclusion they would be bounced in the first round.
Lucas Giolito, Yasmani Grandal, Reynaldo Lopez, and Elvis Andrus will all be unrestricted free agents this offseason. Bob Nightengale has already reported that the White Sox don’t intend to bring Lucas Giolito back.
Giolito has been the best pitcher in the White Sox rotation this season and is a former All-Star with a proven track record. He could fetch a decent return at the trade deadline.
Seby Zavala has emerged as the better defensive catcher, so why not shop around Grandal instead of losing him for nothing? Given his injury history and sub-par play the last couple of seasons, it may be hard to get a good return, but the White Sox have little reason to resign him after the year.
Plenty of teams will be in search of bullpen help, and while Lopez doesn’t have great numbers this season, his stuff is electric. Jake Diekman and Jose Ruiz were quickly signed after the White Sox DFA’d them, so the front office should have no trouble finding suitors for Lopez, who has better numbers than both of them.
Joe Kelly has a club option for next season. He has looked really good in his last two appearances. If he can turn in a few more good outings, the White Sox can cash in and trade him at the deadline as well. Teams are always looking for pitching help.
You could go down the list. Lynn also has a club option, but it is hard to see another team wanting him given his gaudy ERA. However, if someone asks about him, you pick up the phone and listen.
Tim Anderson also has a club option. He would be the White Sox most valuable trade chip if available. If the White Sox don’t extend him soon, Anderson could price himself out of Chicago. He is someone that the White Sox have to consider trading if they don’t intend to resign him.
The White Sox still have some time before the trade deadline. If they go on a run, the front office may want to ride it out and stay the course.
But at this stage, Rick Hahn would be a fool if he wasn’t testing the waters to see if there were any suitors for anyone on his roster.
The Sox gave huge contracts to some that had not earned it. Now they are stuck with the underachieving that only play 100 games in a season. Lack of hustle, lack of needing to play is the theme. Bringing in a new manager is not the answer, getting rid of these underachieving is the only option. Do it now or expect the same result… Insanity
It is time to blow it up… In the real world, the village idiots (Williams/Hahn) would have been fired a decade ago. But this is the White Sox, with Ebenezer Jerry at the helm of the Exxon Valdez.. None of the cadre of buffoons, should be involved trades or rebuilding. But until Reinsdorf dies and a new ownership (with no ties to Reinsdorf) comes in… nothing will change. In order to be successful this organization needs a house cleaning from top to bottom. The entire front office and minor league systems needs to be rebuilt. The only way that can… Read more »
The above states that it is time for some tough decisions! Is this organization, where lack of accountability is a longstanding trademark, capable of making tough decisions, or any decisions for that matter? The above mentions if the White Sox go on a run. Considering all of the the team’s shortcomings and the fact that they have been stumbling all over themselves since the 2021 All Star Break, anyone who thinks this team will go on a run is fantasizing or is just plain delusional!
Why rebuild? Their scouting staff can’t identify talent and their minor league system can’t develop talent. They’re better off taking chances on middling free agents.and older Cuban “rookies”. Unless ownership decides to hire professional talent evaluators and minor league instructors…..
Let’s do the math. For the Sox to finish just.500 they need to go 68-56 over the remainder of the season which is .548 baseball. There’s no way .500 wins the division or gets into the playoffs. The average winning % for the past 5 years in the Central has been .585. To get there by year end the Sox would need to go 82-42 or .661 over the remainder of the season. Anyone want to lay down their hard earned cash on that bet? I’ve been a fan of this team since ’63 and these guys just don’t have… Read more »