MLB Hot Stove 2014: White Sox Land Two Key Hurlers

December 9, 2014

RotoBaller Matt Zylbert puts his hands on the MLB hot stove so you don't have to, analyzing the impact of the Chicago White Sox big offseason pitching moves.

The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings are barely a day old, but one team has already made an enormous splash that just may have the most long-lasting impact on the upcoming 2015 season.

That aforementioned club is, of course, the Chicago White Sox, who garnered not one, but two key arms that could prove to be the difference in propelling them back to the playoffs. The Pale Hose have not reached baseball's second season since 2008, surpassing a .500 winning percentage only twice during that span, and after another losing campaign in ’14, some changes were absolutely needed.

First, with a four-year, $46 million deal, the White Sox were able to land the best closer on the market, shoring up a bullpen that struggled during 2014.  David Robertson is coming off a stellar campaign, his first in the ninth-inning role after years of setting up the great Mariano Rivera in New York. Robertson was given the job this past season, and he absolutely delivered for Yankees faithful, converting 39 saves in his 44 opportunities, to go along with a very solid 3.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and .192 BAA. He was among the best in K/IP as far as closers go, punching out 96 in just 64.1 IP. This may be the most important addition for the organization this entire offseason, considering that Chicago was third in the American League in blown saves last year with 22.  Robertson provides much-needed consistency in a bullpen that had little late-game stability last season.

The White Sox didn’t get complacent after that crucial move, though, as they went on to acquire starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija via trade with Oakland. While it cost them a slew of prospects, including infielder Marcus Semien and catcher Josh Phegley, the deal is an absolute win for Chicago, as they add a frontline starter to pair with standout ace Chris Sale.  Those two now comprise one of the best 1-2 punches in all of Major League Baseball. Samardzija is coming off his best season since being converted into a starter a couple of years ago-- despite his bad-luck 7-13 record in 2014, he put together a very pleasant 3.20 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 33 starts with the Cubs and Athletics, while assembling a remarkable 4.7 K/BB ratio in the process. At this point in his career, most consider Samardzija to be comfortably in his prime, having flourished in each of his three campaigns as a starter. It's worth noting that there aren't as many miles on Samardzija's arm as other 29-year-old hurlers; as a former Notre Dame wide receiver and later a reliever in the majors, Samardzija hasn't thrown nearly as many pitches as some of his peers.

Fortunately for the White Sox, the road to returning to the postseason isn’t as difficult as some other clubs have it in other divisions. While the Tigers have ruled the AL Central in each of the past four years, they have shown signs of regression, and the American League champion Royals, with their perennial light-hitting offense, are certainly no lock to repeat. Meanwhile, the Indians seemingly are always hovering around .500, and with the Twins owning a pitiful streak of losing 90 games or more in four consecutive seasons, the division is ripe for the picking, providing the White Sox with a wonderful opportunity to strike.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget that the South Siders already have arguably the best young slugger in the game in Jose Abreu, and that they added a little more left-handed punch to their lineup earlier in the offseason with the acquisition of Adam LaRoche. All in all, the White Sox have immediately made their case to be a team to watch for in 2015, without question.