Reader Email - What Are The Chances Chris Sale Comes Back in 2020?

We’re balls deep in Spring Training and I wanted to hit a White Sox mailbag.  Carl, Sweaty Brian and I are heading to Arizona next week to pound out some interviews and video content with the Sox and Cubs, so I wanted to get some reader emails going to set the tone a little bit.

Odds of Sale coming back next year or is that bridge officially burned?

Marty

Marty, buddy…. that bridge isn’t officially burned now, it was officially burned the day he was traded.  I’ve heard Sale does love Renteria, as do most players, and that him and Hahn are still friendly, but I’d be shocked if he ever returned.  There’s the non-zero .000001% chance that they do outbid the rest of baseball for him and ink him on a deal similar to what Price is getting paid (7 years, $217MM) but with Sale being 30 and having experienced arm problems the last year or so, I’d be shocked if they went after him.  He’ll be a #RedSock4Lyfe and go into the Hall wearing a Bosox hat.  It’s truly a shame.

You’re the defending champ in the White Sox Twitter Personalities Tournament by the 108ers. How are you feeling about your path to back-to-Back titles? Anyone scare you? Can you guarantee another title?

– White Sox Wiz

Hey White Sox Wiz, thanks for the email.  To those who don’t know, the Section 108 guys are a group of Sox fans that all walks of White Sox Twitter loves.  I love them, the main stream guys love them, the players love them… just awesome dudes top to bottom who have built an awesome brand for themselves.  They all LOVE to drink and talk baseball. They have a march madness of White Sox Twitter personalities and last year I took home the crown.

Just a bunch of hoodlums.  Love it.

This year might be different though, as I’m in Twitter jail for not chaining myself to the goddamn statue.  Maybe I win, maybe I don’t.  Either way it won’t stop me from #108ing with these guys all summer.

I, along with many other fans of this franchise obviously am upset with the way this offseason has gone.  At this point it looks like another 90+ loss season.  How will this front office justify another season which shows no better results than the last?  How do you think they attempt to make it up to us in 2020?

– Jordan

The answer is, they won’t be able to justify it.  They have to start winning.  This year wasn’t supposed to necessarily be a playoff year, but a year where they weeded out players they think would be here for the long haul vs. players that won’t be, at least in most fans opinions.  But you said it yourself, that doesn’t look like it’ll be the case this year.

I’ll make this clear – no front office for any professional sports franchise operates in a matter to appease their fanbase, nor should they.  But for all intents and purposes, and assuming these guys do reach free agency, here’s what I’d do.

Now there isn’t a Machado/Harper type free agent available, but with what those two are paid, you can sign 2-3 players

– Sign Geritt Cole.  Pair him with Kopech, Cease, Rodon and Lopez/Giolito/Dunning/whoever in 2020. That’s a nice, nice staff He’ll be expensive, I’d guess close to $200MM, but that’s the cost of business for someone who is finally the true ace people thought he’d be.

– Sign JD Martinez.  Best pure hitter in baseball right now.  After 2019, he’ll be due about $60MM over 3 more years.  If he destroys baseballs in a similar manner to 2018, he’ll opt out and assuredly be able to sign for more years and money than that.  Say he gets 4/$100MM, that’s $300MM or so, the Sox then plugged two holes for the price of one Machado.  Boom.

– Start trading prospect capital for controlled players.  No, I don’t have a specific player in mind, but next winter the Sox will have to start filling holes their prospects can’t with established big leaguers, and good ones.  They have the prospect capital to do so without tapping into Eloy, Robert, Kopech, Cease, etc.

This will fill gaps with studs to complement their youth with.  Lock it up and rub it down.

With this current roster, what needs to happen for this to be a successful season? For me, I feel like this is already a lost season, but I need to see steady development of all the young guys.  2020 is still on, I just want to see that these prospects are ready to win.

– Ben Brown

You answered your own question, Ben.  The young guys have to show steady development.  Some more than others.  Need Moncada to ideally have an OPS north of .800, Giolito to cut back on his walks (his new mechanics look great and he’s throwing heat this spring), for Robert to tap into his crazy raw power in games, and more than anything, for everyone to stay healthy.

Hello David,

Just want to say that you’re making the Sox look bad by not chaining yourself to any statues.  It’s also making the usually eat free fan base look bad, jump in the river on st paddy’s day
also, too early to get a Jimenez jersey

Fuck the cubs,

Patrick

I’ve explained this entire situation 100x.  You can listen to it in depth here on Eddie’s dog walk.  I fucked up and handled that day brutally.  That’s on me.  I thought the Sox were finally, FINALLY going to put their money where their mouth was, but they didn’t.  That said, pulling a move like that wouldn’t have been thinking long term.  I have shit planned with the team and with players on the team that will be better content than freezing my tits off chained to a statue for a few minutes.   Should I have sent that tweet?  No.  Do I regret not embarrassing an already embarrassed front office, and thus burning all bridges with the organization and hurting the future of Barstool Chicago?  No.  Do I wish I wouldn’t have shit down my leg after being pulled in 1 million different directions from all sorts of people on how to handle it?  You better believe it.

Also it’s not too early to get a Jimenez jersey.  You won’t see many extended slumps at all with him. His brain is too big to not at least be a better than average hitter.

“Dave, hope all is well. Thank you for your positivity in the organization as I’m sure you’re excited in the upcoming season. Seeing the young guys produce in spring training. Looking forward to a great Barstool at the Park event this summer as well.

PS, thank you for not chaining yourself to the statue 2 weeks ago. It would have set a bad example for barstool fans and your White Sox following.”

Positivity in the organization?  Ha!!!  Top 5 2020 pick here we come!!!