PREAMBLE
It is finally time to compete in the central… I firmly believe if the FO makes the right moves and Jerry stumps up the cash the central is there for the taking! I for one am not sold on either the twins or the Indians running away with anything this year and think this division can/should be wide open for the sox
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Alex Colomé, $10.3M – tender then trade
- Yolmer Sánchez, $6.2M – non-tender (sad face)
- James McCann, $4.9M – tender
- Carlos Rodon, $4.5M –tender (hate is health history but cant justify walking away from his upside just yet)
- Leury García, $4M – tender
- Evan Marshall, $1.3M – tender
- Josh Osich, $1M – tender
- Ryan Goins, $900K – non tender
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” after the option.
- Welington Castillo: $8 million/$500,000 buyout – lol
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, or let go?
- Jose Abreu (made $16M in 2019) – resign (3 year, 45mil)
- Iván Nova (made $9,166,167 in 2019) – let go
- Jon Jay (made $4M in 2019) - lol
- Hector Santiago (made $2M in 2019 on split contract) – sign to minor leage deal
FREE AGENTS
- Zach Wheeler (5 years, 100 million) He is a front end starting pitcher that will go along way is solidifying our rotation for years to come!
- Jake Odorizzi (3 years, 39million) Jake has already had a year of proven success in our division. He is a solid back end of the rotation starter… Can’t go wrong here!
- Yasmani Grandal (4 years, 75 million) Even if this is a bit of an overpay I am willing to do it… this guy simply solves too many of our teams offensive and defensive issues. Praying he doesn’t reach a deal with Milwaukee!
- Alex Wood (1 year, 6 million) A relatively low cost high potential return for a starter or swingman who could reasonably have a bounce back year if helthy
- Daniel Hudson (1 year, 8 million) A younger/better closer to replace Colome who will be dealt
We have added a good bit of payroll (65.75 million to be exact) to our roster and taken a page out of the Theo Eppstein handbook and paid for pitching… It will now be up to Rick to get creative and add a few young, cost controlled bats via trade to fill out this roster
TRADES
Trade #1Sox send Black Rutherford, Micker Adolfo, and Alex Colome to the Cubs for Kyle Schwarber
Sox get the left handed bat who can mash in Schwarber who needs to be in the AL anyways… He is our everyday DH and can even fill in at either corner outfield position… He will be a fan favorite by June! Cubs get some desperately needed bullpen stability and 2 young bats that both have that are at least interesting for the future.
Trade #2 Sox send Dylan Cease, Steele Walker to the dodgers in exchange for Alex Verdugo
Sometimes you have to give a lot to get a lot and I truly think this is a win for both teams. Dodgers get a cost controlled pitcher who they can mold into a future star (which they probably will) and a young outfielder with a good upside but won’t create a log jam in the near future. And the Sox get a young stud outfielder to add to their core of young stud outfielders who can play the corner and hits left handed… a lot of problems solved!
SUMMARY
C – Grandal (18.75)
1B- Abreu (15)
2B – Madrigal (600k)
SS – Anderson (4.0)
3B – Moncada (600k)
LF – Eloy Jimenez (1.5)
CF – Robert (600k)
RF – Verdugo (600k)
DH – Schwarber (5?)
Bench: Garcia (4), McCann (4.9), Collins (600k), Engel (600k)
Rotation:
- Giolito (600k)
- Wheeler (20)
- Odorizzi (13)
- Wood (6)
- Kopech(600k)
(Both Lopez and Rodon can hopefully provide adequate depth to a loaded rotation)
Bullpen
Hudson (8)
Bummer (600k)
Fry (600k)
Marshall (1.3)
Lopez (600k)
Osich (1)
Herrera (8.5)
Cordero (600k)
Summary:
When you add Rodon’s salary to this 26 man roster our total comes in right around 123 million which is easily in the acceptable range for what our team should expect to spend. I am a little nervous about our starting pitching depth and If I am Rick Hahn I am begging Santa Jerry for 8 million more to potentially re-sign a Nova type veteran but all in all this is a team that will score a ton of runs, no easy outs, decent speed, decent defense and should be seriously contending in a weak/wide open AL Central. I’d love to hear your thoughts… pick it apart!
