Loaded ~ A Chicago White Sox Dynasty (MLB21)

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~ Loaded ~

A Chicago White Sox Dynasty

I am NOT a Chicago White Sox fan.

In fact, I am actually a Cubs fan, but I digress. This roster is just too good to pass up and I have chosen them as my 2021 franchise. The diversity of their lineup is incredible and that is with Eloy and Luis Robert on the IL to begin the campaign. My intent is to bring the two back in early August, or, if IRL beats me to it, whenever they actually come back. I have injuries at 10 so I am sure this is not the last we will deal with changing to this roster.

The American League Central is not an easy division, despite how things have gone in the actual MLB season. We have to beat the Twins every series out, the Indians have a Shane Bieber and Jose Ramirez, the Royals are up-and-coming, and that leaves the Tigers as the only "gimme" in the group. The American League as a whole has proven to be better than expected with the resurgence of Boston and Houston coming back into 2019 form.

In terms of house rules, sliders, and rosters, I'll be using the following:

- 162 games, play every game
- Quick Counts
- Brinskie 1000+ Hour Roster
- Hall of Fame & Custom Sliders

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Reserved for Sox HQ

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Reserved for Major League HQ

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Reserved for League Stats

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All the space I need, let's go...

Season One
2021

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Chicago White Sox Preview

Below is the Depth Chart for the Chicago White Sox.

Starting Pitchers
SP: Lucas Giolito (86)
SP: Lance Lynn (86)
SP: Carlos Rodon (83)
SP: Dallas Keuchel (82)
SP: Dylan Cease (77)

When looking at our starting staff, it's very hard not to be stoked about this campaign. First of all, Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn are perennial Cy Young candidates and both will be chomping at the bit to take on a weakened AL Central. Shane Bieber (Indians) and Gerrit Cole (Yankees) will still have them beat out for early Cy Young odds, but look for the two to maintain low ERA's, eat up innings, and fan a lot of batters. Carlos Rodon is a big question mark as he could either be a two or four in the rotation after the highly touted prospect saw an injury riddled career since 2018. He notched a 4.18 ERA in 20 Games back in 2018, but has only seen 11 Games Started since. Dallas Keuchel is fresh off a fifth place end to his 2020 Cy Young hunt after he posted a 1.99 ERA and 6-2 record in the shortened season. Over the long course of 2021, it's likely that ERA will float back towards the high 3.00's, but even then, that's fantastic for the rotation's fourth pitcher. Dylan Cease will need to pitch well to keep his job at the back end as the third year starter fights off Michael Kopech for a spot in the fab five. Cease saw a 4.01 ERA in the shortened year and had an iffy BB-K ratio with thirty four walked and forty four fanned.

Relief Pitchers
RP: Aaron Bummer (79)
RP: Michael Kopech (77)
RP: Garrett Crochet (72)
RP: Codi Heuer (74)
RP: Matt Foster (71)
RP: Evan Marshall (70)

While there are a couple of bullpens that would get the nod over the Sox, there are few that throw harder. Michael Kopech and Garrett Crochet have absolute laser beams for arms and could transcend into two of the hardest throwers in the MLB. Last year, Matt Foster tossed 28.2 IP and held a 2.20 ERA, Codi Heuer went 23.2 IP with a 1.52 ERA, Evan Marshall went 22.1 with a 2.38 ERA, and Aaron Bummer tossed 9.1 IP with a 0.96 ERA. Needless to say, there are a lot of options for Middle Relief.

Closing Pitcher
CP: Liam Hendricks (87)

After losing Alex Colome (22.1 IP/16 K/12 SV) in the offseason, the Sox went out and snagged Hendricks who was the main cog in Oakland's nasty bullpen. Liam secured fourteen of fifteen Save Opportunities on his way to a 1.78 ERA in 25.1 IP with 37 K's and just 3 BB's in 2020. Even though we have pretty good options in the Set Up role, there's a pretty low chance Hendricks doesn't maintain his spot for the duration of the season.

Catcher
C: Yasmani Grandal (87)
C: Yermin Mercedes (82)
C: Zack Collins (76)

Our crop of Catchers is an interesting group as Grandal will maintain his featured backstop role and Yermin Mercedes will begin the year as our Designated Hitter. I'd love to see Yasmani Grandal return to a bit of that Milwaukee form where he, Yelich, and Moustakas, were a force to be reckoned with. The defense is there and it's always a constant, but after losing Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert, I know we need someone in the order to step up. Yermin Mercedes is a bit of a wild card since he burst onto the scene in real life and that has led to his spot in this order. He's got some power on his big frame and could be that aforementioned answer to losing Eloy & Robert. Zack Collins is log jammed via Grandal and Mercedes, but will be a good addition off the pine if Grandal needs a day off. His hitting is a big concern after sporting just .186 in 86 AB's during 2019 and .063 in 16 AB's during 2020.

First Base
1B: Jose Abreu (88)

The 2020 AL MVP is our main dude and that comes as no surprise. Jose Abreu has been everything a true First Baseman in the MLB is. He's extremely durable, hits for average and power, maintains a good glove, and doesn't rock the boat. After multiple fantastic seasons, he finally got his in 2020 as Most Valuable Player and will begin the year on the AL shortlist to win it again. There's not a whole lot of depth behind Abreu on the roster, but on a day off, Andrew Vaughn will slide over to his natural position.

Second Base
2B: Nick Madrigal (76)

Madrigal is that of a dying breed in the MLB, but in my eyes, he's a perfect fit. The way I construct lineups is to have a power sparkplug at leadoff and a Ben Zobrist wise guy at two, bridging the gap to number three. Well, Madrigal has phenomenal discipline at the dish, evident by his seven K's in 103 AB's last season and hits for average. His glove is good, not great, but that is alright given for what he truly excels at. I think Madrigal is a long term glue guy who we will point to as a reason for success in 2021.

Shortstop
SS: Tim Anderson (88)
SS: Danny Mendick (70)

Sparkplug, that's the best way to describe someone like Tim Anderson. I think our starting short is one of the best leadoff guys in the MLB as he combines average, power, and speed to leadoff a deep lineup. Last year, Anderson hit .322 in with 21 RBI's, but it was his form in 2019 (.315/18 HR/56 RBI) we will be looking to get in 2021. The defense is questionable at short, but it's his natural spot and I want him to be the most comfortable out there. Danny Mendick saw a good amount of action in 2020, but due to the rise of Nick Madrigal, he will begin the campaign on the pine. Mendick sported a .243 AVG in 107 AB's during the shortened season.

Third Base
3B: Yoan Moncada (85)
3B: Jake Lamb (70)

There comes a certain point in any highly touted player's career where they have to take the next step. For Yoan Moncada, that is 2021. The last four years of Moncada at the hot corner have been average and his OPS+ basically confirms that. In his first full season (2018) he hit .235/.315/.400 with 17 HR's and 61 RBI's, but the guy struck out a whopping 217 times...that is a LOT. In 2019 he put those issues aside and went off for a slash of .315/.367/.548 with 25 HR's and 79 RBI's. Still a little less power than desired, but I digress. Last year he hit .225 in 52 G's during the shortened season and slugged a pedestrian .385 in 200 AB's. The point is, 2021 needs to be good.

Left Field
LF: Andrew Vaughn (71)

Center Field
CF: Billy Hamilton (73)
CF: Leury Garcia (73)
CF: Adam Engel (69)

It's going to be a season long platoon job in Center Field. All three of these guys are great fielders, but Leury is easily the better bat. He does strike out a lot, but over the course of the campaign, there's no way Billy Hamilton or Adam Engel can hold an average worth keeping them in the field over Garcia. The great thing is that we can use these guys as pinch-runners for some of the slower guys like Mercedes, Grandal, and Abreu, as well as fill-in's for Left Field and Right Field as Andrew Vaughn adjusts and Adam Eaton plays everyday. It's a stopgap situation in Center and Luis Robert gets healthier, but I am good with it for the moment.

Right Field
RF: Adam Eaton (75)

In his three year stretch with the White Sox from 2014-2016, Adam Eaton was a solid player. He consistently hit .280+ with mild pop, held a .362 OBP, and remained fast on the paths. His stint in helping Washington win the World Series was unforgettable, but I have my reservations about bringing him back. First, I would have rather seen the Sox bring up a player that can develop in Right Field rather than be a logjam type journeyman. Eaton isn't the best against LHP and in terms of the order, I already want Nick Madrigal to be the "glue" guy, meaning Eaton is going to head down in the lineup. Overall, Eaton really has to perform to keep Leury Garcia, Billy Hamilton, Adam Engel, and some Triple-A guys out of Right Field.

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Mid-April Statistics

We are officially into the 2021 campaign and hold a 9-4 record entering play on the 15th of April. We are currently in a four game series against Cleveland (2-9) and are looking for the sweep following back-to-back walk off HR's in the first two games and a 5-2 victory in the third. We took three of four against Los Angeles (5-8) to begin the season, two of three against Seattle (6-6), and just one of three against Kansas City (6-5) heading into this set. Overall, our pitching has been lights out and we have an MVP candidate in the lineup, but there are major injuries looming that are very concerning. Let's get into it...

Starting Lineup
1. SS Tim Anderson (.360 AVG - 5 HR - 6 RBI) - 60 Day IL
2. 2B Nick Madrigal (.271 AVG - 0 HR - 1 RBI)
3. RF Adam Eaton (.125 AVG - 0 HR - 2 RBI)
4. 1B Jose Abreu (.353 AVG - 3 HR - 11 RBI)
5. C Yasmani Grandal (.383 AVG - 11 HR - 22 RBI)
6. 3B Yoan Moncada (.222 AVG - 2 HR - 6 RBI)
7. DH Yermin Mercedes (.125 AVG - 2 HR - 2 RBI)
8. LF Andrew Vaughn (.154 AVG - 0 HR - 2 RBI)
9. CF Leury Garcia (.222 AVG - 0 HR - 0 RBI)

Player Spotlight: Yasmani Grandal... Last year's MVP, Jose Abreu, is having a really solid start to the year. However, Yasmani Grandal is having an all-time April. The trusty veteran has opened up the 2021 campaign with a pace for the best April in MLB History. First of all, there's a good chance he made history with the best Opening Day as he blasted four HR's in our victory over Los Angeles to begin the season. Since then, Grandal has had a three HR performance against the Mariners and had a walk off HR against Cleveland. With 11 HR's and just 2 K's in 47 AB's, Grandal has become the American League's most feared hitter to start the year. Sammy Sosa had 20 HR's in one month and there's a chance Grandal can break that record.

Bench
CF Billy Hamilton (.097 - 0 HR - 0 RBI)
SS Danny Mendick (.400 - 2 HR - 3 RBI)
CF Adam Engel (.333 - 0 HR - 0 RBI)
C Zack Collins (.143 - 0 HR - 0 RBI)
3B Jake Lamb (.250 - 0 HR - 0 RBI)

Player Spotlight: Danny Mendick... So, I will touch on Tim Anderson in the injury section, but the reason Medick is spotlighted is because he's played well and will have plenty more opportunities on the way. Mendick has seen 10 AB's thus far and has two HR's to his name in four hits. We subbed him in on a day when Tim Anderson needed a breather and he has made plays with the glove and the stick looked great. At 27, Mendick got his first lengthy opportunity in the league during the shortened 2020 season where he held a slash of .243/.281/.383 in 107 AB's, but he's already nearly matched his HR total of three from last year. While his ceiling is likely limited, finding a strong backup to the now injured Anderson is a vital necessity.

Starting Rotation
1. Lucas Giolito (1-0 - 20.1 IP - 1.77 ERA - 26 K)
2. Lance Lynn (0-1 - 8.1 IP - 4.32 ERA - 11 K) - 60 Day IL
3. Carlos Rodon (2-0 - 18.0 IP - 3.50 ERA - 23 K)
4. Dallas Keuchel (1-0 - 13.1 IP - 1.35 ERA - 8 K)
5. Dylan Cease (1-1 - 10.0 IP - 6.30 ERA - 14 K)

Player Spotlight: Lucas Giolito... Since 2016, Lucas Giolito has been the type of pitcher hitters fear, but the league as a whole has not placed him into the perennial Cy Young conversation. This season, Giolito has begun taking that step. The 2019 All-Star is off to a very strong start has he has amassed a 1.77 ERA through 20.1 Innings Pitched and leads the league in strikeouts with 26. While he has taken two No Decisions in his three starts, he has set the table for the Bullpen to take a couple of victories by keeping the opposition off the scoreboard. Giolito has allowed just one HR in his innings of work, an impressive feat after facing hitters like Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, and Jose Ramirez over the three outings. With a massive injury to Lance Lynn, Giolito needs to become the face of this rotation if the Sox want to maintain first place.

Bullpen
LR Michael Kopech (1-0 - 11.2 IP - 2.31 ERA - 16 K)
LR Reynaldo Lopez (0-0 - 7.2 IP - 0.00 ERA - 4 K)
RP Codi Heuer (0-1 - 2.2 IP - 3.38 ERA - 0 K)
RP Evan Marshall (0-0 - 2.0 IP - 0.00 ERA - 3 K)
RP Matt Foster (0-0 - 5.0 IP - 0.00 ERA - 4 K)
SU Aaron Bummer (1-0 - 4.2 IP - 1.93 ERA - 7 K)
SU Garrett Crochet (2-1 - 7.0 IP - 2.57 ERA - 7 K)
CP Liam Hendricks (0-0 - 4.1 IP - 0.00 ERA - 7 K)

Player Spotlight: Michael Kopech... With one of the best Bullpens in the league so far, it was a tough choice on who to spotlight. Well, with the injury to Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech earns the conversation. Michael Kopech has had a tough start to his MLB career via Tommy John and off-field issues, but the talent is there. The fireball righty has seen a couple of long relief opportunities early in the year and is outpacing guys like Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn in the strikeout department. Stamina is a bit of a concern, but Kopech has now been moved to the rotation to hopefully stopgap the huge loss of Lance Lynn after his rotator cuff tear.

Injuries
LF Eloy Jimenez - 60 Day IL
CF Luis Robert - 60 Day IL
SS Tim Anderson - 60 Day IL
SP Lance Lynn - 60 Day IL

Player Spotlight: Tim Anderson... If the injuries to Eloy and Luis Robert were the jab, losing Lance Lynn was the strong right hand. Losing Tim Anderson...that was the uppercut...and recovering from this is going to be a complete uphill battle. Anderson has been on an absolute tear to open the year and was finding his power as he already had five HR's in Mid-April, alone. The average, fantastic...the defense, great...the morale, epic. The current injury, a torn labrum, has him listed out for six plus months and there's a strong likely hood we don't get him back for October. Finding an every day leadoff hitter is going to be tough, but let's keep the spirits high and see what happens.