Levine: Not Too Late For White Sox To Add Offense
By Bruce Levine
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The White Sox continue to evaluate their position and possibility to move up as a contender on a daily basis.
Despite being behind a half-dozen teams for the second wild card entering Sunday with 73 games remaining in the season, a faint hope of optimism still surrounds the club and the front office's view of the situation at hand.
Chicago has won 10 of their last 15 games. A 66 percent win ratio from now until the end of the season would net the White Sox 90 wins. Granted, that kind of torrid pace would be difficult to project over a long period of ballgames. That's likely an easily over-optimistic for a team that has the fewest runs scored and lowest slugging percentage in all of baseball.
As the front office looks at the complexities of the team's status, three possible moves are at the core of their final decision:
1. Can this very good pitching group be supported by the current offense that has been provided?
2. Would it be more prudent to add a bat or two for the last two months of the season for the second wild card push?
3. Has enough been seen to start dismantling this group and retooling for 2016 and beyond?
The minor league system must also figure in the final decision by general manager Rick Hahn, executive vice president Kenny Williams and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Are there enough viable young players ready to replace veterans that are in place at the major league level right now?
"We have had conversations about adding as late as this week," Hahn said Friday.
Hahn went on to say that he's still undecided which way the franchise will go, with less than two weeks left before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline. Manager Robin Ventura hopes more offense is brought into fortify the weak offensive group.
"Your competitiveness always wants to do that," Ventura said. "The resolve and the fight they showed (Saturday was great) and in the series. You really like seeing that, and (Saturday) showed a lot about what you want to see from the team."
Ventura was relating that any team that fights back after trailing three times against the best team in the league deserves to play on and compete with a little fortification.
"Managers are always looking for help regardless," Ventura said.
White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu still has faith in his team and teammates rebounding in the last 70 or so games.
"I cannot for sure tell you we will be better than the first half," Abreu said through translator Billy Russo. "What I can say for sure is we are working hard to be better every day. If you keep working and keep that routine, you have to get the results that you want."
Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Former All-Stars who are readily available like Aramis Ramirez, Martin Prado and Casey McGehee could be additions that don't cost much in return. That also may be a case of spinning your wheels in the mud. The team can still decide its own fate over the next week of ball games.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.