MY SABER SOX LINEUP

There was a bit of a debate amongst Sox fans on Twitter this morning about lineup construction and the way things are always done. It started because the White Sox signed Melky Cabrera, and we're all assuming that Cabrera will bat second in the lineup.

He's the ideal two-hole hitter!

At least, that's the common conception based on the way that managers have always filled out their lineups. But there are arguments that there are better ways to construct your lineup, ways that, by and large, most managers don't utilize.

Sabermetricians (henceforth to be referred to as NERDS in a loving manner, for I do appreciate the NERDS and would consider myself a bit of one when it comes to baseball) used years worth of data to determine whether or not the way that lineups are put together really is the optimal way to do things.

Turns out they aren't, at least not according to the data.

LACTOSE INTOLERANT: LEFT FIELD OPTIONS BESIDES THE MELK MAN

We know the White Sox need to upgrade left field. The White Sox know they need to upgrade left field. Rick Hahn himself basically went on the radio earlier this week and said it. While he spoke in his typical measured tones, if you read between the lines of what he was saying you could hear his brain screaming "Dayan Viciedo is so bad please don't make me go through another season with him as my left fielder."

That's why there have been all those rumors about the White Sox and Mariners talking Viciedo, with most of the talking coming from the White Sox end of things. Maybe the Sox are hoping that if they say Seattle's interested in Viciedo enough that it will eventually come true. Like an exasperated Jedi mind trick.

I don't know that it will work no matter how many times that Sarah McLachlan commercial plays.

IS MIGUEL MONTERO NECESSARY?

Tyler Flowers had his best season with the White Sox in 2014. That's a good thing, but like most things, it's all relative.

Flowers had set the bar rather low for himself, and it's somewhat sad that a season in which he finished with an OBP of .297 and an OPS+ of 95 could be considered a career year, but that's the situation Flowers finds himself in. It also leaves the White Sox in a position in which they have to wonder whether or not an upgrade is something they should pursue, or if the money should be spent elsewhere.

The fact they've apparently checked with the Diamondbacks on Miguel Montero might give us an indication about how they feel. Montero is still owed $40 million over the next three seasons, which is a sizeable investment for this White Sox team to make. But the question is whether or not it'd be worth it.

THE WHITE SOX AREN'T GOING TO TRADE ALEXEI RAMIREZ

I guess anything is possible. The Cubs could one day win a World Series. Jay Cutler might one day lead the Bears to a Super Bowl win. A leaked nude photo of Kate Upton with my jizz on her back instead of Justin Verlander's could one day make it's way through the internet.

Who knows?

But while things may be possible, that doesn't mean they're probable, and that leads me to all these trade rumors surrounding Alexei Ramirez. The White Sox have reportedly talked to a number of teams about their malnutritioned shortstop, though Rick Hahn says he's not shopping him.  He's just listening, as any good general manager would do. The two teams we've seen mentioned are the Mets and Dodgers, with the Dodgers apparently pushing harder than anybody else.

Let them push, they aren't going to get him barring some ridiculous offer. Sure! We'll take Clayton Kershaw!