As I sit here to write my first post in a very long time, I want to say Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s out there. I hope they all enjoyed a great day.
Also, Chris Sale just completed his gem of a game: a complete game, 1-hit shutout on national TV for everyone to see. Congrats, Chris. That puts me in a good mood because as a former lefty pitcher myself, I love watching Sale hurl. That being said, I am in a clear frame of mind and in a good mood right now to offer my criticisms and what I’d like to see the Sox do in the very near future. (I don’t believe in making important decisions or speaking in a bad mood.)
First off, I’ll just say the Sox need to dump everyone and anyone they can sooner than later. What sparks my desire to see this happen is partly what happened the previous two seasons with two fan-favorites – Mark Buehrle and A.J. Pierzynski walking via-free agency. In 2011 Buehrle pitched his final game in a White Sox uniform before bolting for the then-Ozzie Guillen led Marlins, signing a lucrative free agent contract. The Sox never even got around to offering or countering the Marlins’ offer to Buehrle but just saying pretty much that they can’t even match it, so good luck. They knew they couldn’t afford to re-sign him but just watched him walk-away. They neglected to entertain trading him because maybe they thought the fans would revolt. Wasn’t going to happen. They haven’t stormed the field in angst since the Disco Demolition fiasco. 
The White Sox neglected to trade Pierzynski, who then was in the midst of a career (free agent year) season. To the Sox’ credit, they led the AL central for much of last season, well over 100 days in first place. However, it was mainly because the favorite Detroit Tigers were immensely, under-achieving all season long. The Sox faded down the stretch looking old and tired. Unbecoming of any team that believes they are true contenders.
Pierzynski was a free-agent-to-be and was the heart and soul of the Sox. Just because a team was in first place doesn’t necessarily mean they were a first place caliber team. Even when the Sox opened up a three game lead on the Tigers in mid-September in 2012, I didn’t see a Tigers team that looked worried or panicked any. The Sox relinquished their lead in the division with just seven games remaining. Ouch. Unable to fight off the Tigers, the Sox fell flat and missed the playoffs.
Adam Dunn won comeback player of the year award for 2012. The Sox had three, check that three, (Jake Peavy, Adam Dunn & Alex Rios), candidates for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. That’s great but it’s not so great. That means the previous season probably didn’t go so well. To spare Sox fans of the high-blood pressure of 2011, I will not type about that. Adam Dunn followed up a MISERABLE 2011 campaign w/ a very Dunn-like season in 2012. In 2011 Dunn only played 122 games but only hit 11 home runs while making $12 million. Wow, those were the most expensive eleven home runs in the history of baseball. ($1.09 million per long-ball. Yes, that’s what they brought him in to do was hit HRs.). He cranked out 41 HR’s in 2012 but also struck out a career high 222 times. Ouch. Again, the 41 HR’s is what they wanted. He was consistent all season with his power numbers. Again, seeing as the team was in first place for a long time in 2012, I give them the hindsight pass for not rebuilding.
Enter 2013.
On May 12th the White Sox sit in last place in the AL Central. A division they pitched to their fans was winnable. I get it, it’s early in the season. That’s what everyone loves to say. Well, when does playing consistently poor baseball and looking bad in the process along with high-expectations disregard the “it’s early” statement people love to hide behind? I say NOW! No more of this “it’s early” crap. You’re either a good team or you’re not. Here’s why I think they’re a bad team.
– Last in the AL Central (15-20, 5 GB)
– Jeff Keppinger was their big Free-Agent acquisition
– Leads league in errors (28 errors in 35 games)
– Last in batting average (.227 team avg)
– Last in total bases (420)
– Way last in RBI (110)
– 9th in HR’s (39) — for a team built around a HR hitting park
– Last in Hits (257) 101 hits behind division rival Tigers. Who makes up that gap?
– Last in On Base % (.278)
– Last in runs scored (120) in 35 games… 3.4 runs a game.
Want me to keep going? I looked but could not find the LOB (left on base) numbers. Those are probably the worst of them all. You get the drift. That’s primarily just the woeful offensive numbers. Teams just don’t turn around that type of lack of production. They are incredibly lucky they are only 5 or so games out of first. Teams like Detroit, Kansas and Cleveland did nothing but improve in the off-season. As I mentioned, Jeff Keppinger and his 3-year free agent signing was the biggest addition. The biggest news they made over the winter was letting Pierzysnki walk and sign w/ Texas. The Sox just handed over their starting catcher duties to Tyler Flowers.
In 136 career MLB games, Flowers is a career .199 hitter. Never has he hit over .300 in his professional career dating back to his 2006 debut in Rookie Ball. It’s not like Flowers was killing it in his reserve time where the Sox had a very difficult decision to make about Pierzynski. They took a biiiig risk letting A.J. walk. Granted, was A.J. going to reproduce his career season of 2012? Probably not but maybe. At least he’s proven he can do it. Flowers has NEVER proven he can hit. Sure he’s an above-average defensive catcher but the jury is still out if he can consistently handle a pitching staff. The most alarming statistic of all about Flowers, is his age. He’s 27 years old. That’s your catcher of the future? Yikes! Not old but not young either.
I do not believe I’ve seen enough in Flowers sprinkled through parts of the five seasons he’s been in a Sox uniform to believe that he is the catcher of the future. When the Sox signed Pierzynski, he was already a well-established and very un-popular guy… but who cares! He’s a winner and was always the most intelligent, most-heads up player on the field, period. You cannot replace that. You don’t let a guy like that walk. Letting Buehrle and Pierzynski walk in consecutive years without trading them for minor league players has set the team back immensely. We do not want that to happen again this year.
Sell. Sell. Sell. 
This year the writing is on the wall. The team has been trimming payroll ever so slightly the past couple of seasons. Attendance has always been an issue. One factor is the cost of parking and their so-called “Dynamic” ticket pricing. It’s a different price every day. What is that all about? Have a look for yourself.
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/ticketing/pricing.jsp?c_id=cws&layout=gameflow
Set a damn price and keep it. Parking is near the highest in the Majors as well. They’ve introduced “Family Sunday” packages where tickets start at $5 and parking is $10. That’s great but why not just keep those prices and get more people to show up.
There’s some bad news looming in the very near future too. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has plans to shut down & rebuild the CTA “Red-Line” from Chinatown to 95th street, including the stop for Sox Park / 35th Street. Hmmm, halting production to rebuild something so that it’s in good working order for years to come?? Interesting concept. Something the Sox should do. [I know, right?]. You can bring a horse to the pond but you can’t make it drink. Shutting down the CTA Red Line will eliminate the casual Sox fan in the city that liked hopping on the train to head to a game. That’s not an option come rebuild time.
This year the Sox have some good players that still hold some value in the trade market. They’re in last place and I do not believe this is where they’ll end up. They don’t play the Tigers until July 9th, just a few weeks before the trade deadline. Whoever makes the schedule needs to sit down w/ the Bob’s from “Office Space”.
Players who I feel hold trade-value and who I’d like to see Sox GM Rick Hahn (pictured above) try to move and rebuild the Kenny Williams-depleted minor league system are as follows:
Alex Rios – (free agent after 2013 season), is good player. Good defensive player, good level swinger and as close to a 5-tool player as we’re gonna get. Another free-agent to be we can’t afford to let walk.
Alexei Ramirez – great defensive short stop but we’ve seen his offensive ceiling, however brief that was. All he does is try to hit HR’s. We’ve heard some rumblings about some in the minors that can be a future SS replacement for the Sox. Let’s take a look at them this year.
Adam Dunn – sure he’s an ogre and a bum in the batters box but he still holds value to a contending team who needs power. It’s too early to tell who those teams are but some teams always need a lefty slugger come playoff-push time. In my opinion, Adam Dunn is the worst hitter in Major League History, for a guy that’s been in the league 10+ years. I would love to see the Sox make a monumental stance and cut him. That’ll never happen but what a message that would be if they just said “you’re gone”. They’d have to eat all that money and another team would of course pick him up BUT he’s killing this team. Just, bad. That happens in the NFL all the time, cutting players for lack of production. Of course in football most contracts aren’t guaranteed for the entire length like they are in baseball. Lucky Dunn.
Paul Konerko – the one Sox player I do not want them to trade because he should finish his career here. UNLESS Paulie wants to continue playing. He’s had a great career here but is slowing down right in front of our eyes. If he wants to continue playing past 2013 it won’t be with the Sox. Konerko will know as the season goes on if he’ll want to play next season. I do not believe the Sox should re-sign him after this year. He is declining and we should max his value by getting something in return for him.
Jake Peavy – His 2 year, $29 million contract he signed this year is a very Yankee / Red Sox friendly deal. Both of those big-spending teams need help but may not have the minor league pieces to swap for the Sox. Peavy’s injury history and short two year deal are perfect factors to trade him while he’s having another good season in 2013.
Matt Thornton – just trade him already. What contending team doesn’t need a power lefty set up man?
Jesse Crain – Very solid reliever with filthy stuff. I like Jesse but he has strong, late season trade value.
Gordon Beckham – Oh they won’t trade this guy! He’s a great second baseman. Maybe he should take his glove to the batters box and maybe he’ll catch a break. The guy can’t hit. In 542 MLB games, he’s a .246 hitter.
Granted, none of the players above will return you another team’s top-tier prospect in the minor leagues but you never know how desperate a team will be later in the year. They need to retool the minor leagues soon. I hate to say it but the White Sox need to rebuild from the ground up like the Cubs are doing. That is not a failure. Former GM Kenny Williams did a great job taking the Sox to new heights during his term as GM but this add this piece to that piece to those other pieces, is not working. It’s time to rebuild. What are the Sox worried about? Losing attendance? It’s already extremely low. Fans weren’t buying last year’s first-place team because Kenny used the dreadful “R” word last off-season. This year I think they mean it but are afraid to say it.
I will love Kenny forever. He always tried to win. I think Rick Hahn will do a good job in the future. He’s incredibly bright and was destined to be a GM somewhere. Resigning Peavy was smart. The one-year deal for Gavin Floyd was a bust but Floyd has been a strong, innings-eater so you can’t blame that on Hahn. I would love to see Hahn build HIS team now and not be forced to revive Kenny Williams’ team. I do believe that is coming. The Sox brought in fan favorite Robin Ventura to manage the team. I think that hire is going to be better served for Robin to manage and lead a young team into the future. I do not believe you let a guy like Pierzynski walk away if you still plan on competing. I am a logical baseball fan and I want nothing more than to see the White Sox win. Having one good season every two or three years is not my idea of a good time. Sometimes other teams are just better. I get it. There’s nothing wrong with putting your entire organization in a position to compete legitimately every year for the playoffs.
They need to build and sustain. That’s a good thing. It doesn’t have to take 3-5 years like some people are afraid of. When you take that approach it makes for a better life for everyone.
Go Sox!
Dan McGuinness 