PREAMBLE
I think the White Sox are fairly comfortable with their offense, though I think a slight upgrade may be made in the outfield. This is not limited to free agents, but also to moving Eloy to DH more often under a new manager. I do think the Sox will go after pitching and they will target pitchers that can produce groundballs.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Nomar Mazara: $5.6M | $5.9M | $5.7M - As much as I wanted him to hit 3HR in 5 games, he never did. For that, he gets non-tendered.
- Carlos Rodón: $4.5M | $4.5M | $4.5M - Non-Tender, Carlos, it's not you, it's me.
- Lucas Giolito: $2.5M | $5.3M | $2.5M - Tender ($5M)
- Reynaldo López: $1.7M | $2.2M | $1.7M - I don't know what ReyLo does on this team and for that I can't spend $2M. Non-Tender
- Evan Marshall: $1.3M | $1.9M | $1.4M - Tender
- Adam Engel: $1M | $1.4M | $1M - Tender
- Jace Fry: $800K | $1M | $800K - Tender
- Yolmer Sánchez: Uncertain - Non-Tender, but he'll be back somehow. We can't quit Yolmer.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Edwin Encarnación: $12M - Decline
- Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout) - Decline
- Leury García: $3.5M ($250K buyout) - Pick up, there is just too much value in a guy that can play every position, including a reasonable SS.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) - Qualifying offer, which I believe he will decline due to the weak closer market.
- James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020) - Let go, he'll get a chance to start somewhere for more money than the Sox should spend on a backup catcher. Hope he does well.
- Jarrod Dyson (Made $2M in 2020) - Let go, despite him being our big trade deadline prize last year.
COACHING STAFF
Here’s a first: Pick your manager and pitching coach, with any elaboration.
- Manager: Sandy Alomar Jr
- Pitching coach: Ruben Niebla
I think this package deal makes the most sense because they have the experience and institutional knowledge that the Sox want. This can go a long way in landing pitchers in Free Agency
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Marcus Stroman - It's either Stroman or Bauer this year, but if I read last off-season correctly, grounders are important to the Sox. Stroman's career GB% is 58 to Bauer's 41. That, plus personality issues, will likely be the reason to go this way. I'm thinking 5/$90M probably backloaded and some awesome Kenny/Hahn "if you win the cy young and play 72 games in the last year, you get a 6th year at $40M". But we'll call it $18M on this year's ledger.
No. 2: Jake Arrieta - Sticking with the ground ball theme, I am not trying to re-live roided out incredible Arrieta. Rather I am looking for his last 3 years of 50+ GB%. 2/$20M might be an overpay for a 4th starter, but Scott Boras
No. 3: Jackie Bradley Jr - Lefty Engel would be just that. JBJ + Engel replace Mazara in RF on a daily basis. He gets on base ok, he runs ok, he can play CF if needed. We're going with a Pillar-esque deal as that is his comp in my mind. 2/$8M
No. 4: Derek Dietrich - Getting a little more left handed at the plate and doing it with a guy that can play pretty much anywhere except SS and C, but there is actually some SLG% in this bat. A new concept for our utility guys. This is cheap 1/$600k
No. 5: Jason Castro - Keep on getting more lefty. Castro as your backup C is pretty solid and if he can be used only against RHP, even better. 1/$5M
No. 6: Mike Leake - Staying on the groundball theme, Leake can throw them. He als has an inexplicable contract that will get him a $5M buyout this year, just to go away. So I think you can get him for a few million on a bounce back contract. 1/$3M
TRADES:
No trades. I had an elaborate Rodon for Kluber trade, but just couldn't make it work.
SUMMARY
Roster:
C Grandal - 18.25
C Castro - 5
C Mercedes - .575
1B Abreu - 17.667
2B Madrigal - .575
SS Anderson - 7.25
3B Moncada - 6.8
LF Jimenez - 4.333
CF Robert - 3.5
RF Engel - 1.4
OF Bradley - 4
UTIL Garcia - 3.5
UTIL Dietrich - .6
SP Giolito - 5
SP Keuchel - 18
SP Stroman - 18
SP Arrieta - 10
SP Leake - 3
SP/RP Cease - .625
SP/RP Dunning - .575
SP/RP Kopech - .575
RP Marshall - 1.9
RP Fry - 1
RP Bummer - 2
RP Heuer - .575
RP Foster - .575
Salary $135.275M
If I added this up wrong, that's your problem for checking math on this post. Also, it's a bit difficult to know where Cease, Kopech, and Dunning fit in. Could be minors until an injury requires their services, could be the bullpen, but they are all worth mentioning.
