Jerrys too cheap to pay Bauer (reuan11’s offseason plan)

10:08 PM CDT on October 26, 2020

PREAMBLE

2020 was surprisingly good by most standards, although disappointing ending. At least Rick Hahn got one thing right, firing Ricky Renteria. After trying Rodon in a high pressure relief role in Cleveland, to specifically see if he could handle that role in the playoffs, having him fail miserable, AND THEN PUT HIM IN THAT SITUATION IN THE PLAYOFFS? inexcuseable.

Come on Jerry, you're 84 yrs old and worth $1.5 Billion dollars. Pay to get a top pitcher and RF and go out with a title. So your family only inherits $1.3 Billions dollars, boo-hoo. Heck, sell the Bulls. They won't win anything in your lifetime.

Anyway, I'd love to see the Sox go all in, get Bauer to give us a best in class rotation, but alas, i fear Cheap Jerry isn't going to pay up.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Write “tender,” “non-tender” or “rework/extend” after each player and their projected 2020 salaries, arranged by the three calculation methods described by MLB Trade Rumors. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.

Nomar Mazara: $5.6M | $5.9M | $5.7M Nice try Rick, but it didn't work. Non-tender
Carlos Rodón: $4.5M | $4.5M | $4.5M non-tender too many injuries and he had his chances.
Lucas Giolito: $2.5M | $5.3M | $2.5M tender and start negotiation for LT deal
Reynaldo López: $1.7M | $2.2M | $1.7M tender and see if new pitching coach can make into a RP
Evan Marshall: $1.3M | $1.9M | $1.4M tender ZERO barrels this year.
Adam Engel: $1M | $1.4M | $1M tender proved he's a solid 4th OF
Jace Fry: $800K | $1M | $800K tender we need LRP
Yolmer Sánchez: Uncertain sign to Minor league deal with MLB bonus

CLUB OPTIONS

Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.

Edwin Encarnación: $12M Nice try Rick, but it didn't work. decline.
Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout) Nice try Rick, but it didn't work. decline.
Leury García: $3.5M ($250K buyout) good versatility OF and INF , pick up.

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

Try to retain, or let go?

Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) i'd like to keep him at 2/$25M if Jerry can to $150M
James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020) Deserves a starting job if he wants. I'd offer 2 yrs/ $16 maybe he chooses chance at WS over starting job. if not, let go
Jarrod Dyson (Made $2M in 2020) let go.

COACHING STAFF

Here’s a first: Pick your manager and pitching coach, with any elaboration.

Manager: I'd go AJ Hinch, but OK with Bochy or Sandy Alomar
Pitching coach: got to be up to new MGR

FREE AGENTS

Masahiro Tanaka (3 yrs/ $50 M) I don't see the excitement over Stroman. he's a .500 pitcher in his career, so I'll go with a solid cheaper alternative and use the extra money on Brantley
Michael Brantley (2yrs / $31M with club option for $17M) We need a left handled power bat in RF as evidenced by what happened at the end of the season. We saw no LHP cuz we crushed them.
Jose Quintana (2 yrs/ $17M) bring back Q as 5th starter. keep him away from the kitchen knives.
Tyler Flowers (1 yr/ $4M) we need to fill McCann role assuming he chooses $ over winning WS with Giolito. we've seen Collins isn't the answer. I'll take Castro as alternative.

TRADES

we don't have much trade material right now, so ....

SUMMARY

I'm counting on the kids in the pen to continue their progress, and Vaughn to step up and fill the DH role and spelling Jose periodically. Grandal could fill in DH on some of those when Flowers catches, or Brantley/Eloy on days Engel gets a start.

If Jerry won't pay for Colome, then Bummer, Heuer or Crochet battle for Closer. Maybe even Cease if he doesn't beat out Dunning and Lopez for starting job. I think this puts me around $138M , or $150M if Jerry pays for Colome.

Starters

1B Jose, 2B Madrigal, SS TA, 3B Yoyo, LF Eloy, CF Robert, RF Brantley, C Grandal, DH Andrwew Vaughn

bench

INF Mendick, Leury Garcia, OF Engel, C Flowers

Giolito, Keuchel, Tanaka, Quintana, winner of Cease/Dunning/Lopez

Colome (?), Bummer, Heuer, Crochet, Marshall, Fry, Cordero, losers of Cease/Dunning/Lopez

If colome signed, one of Cease/ Dunning/ Lopez to Charlotte.

Kopech starts in Charlotte and slides into rotation when ready for either Q or C/D/L spot. that sets us up for playoffs with rotation of Giolito, Keuchel, Tanaka, and Kopech. I'll take my chances with that. I'm still wondering what happens in 2020 if Kopech would have been playing. (sigh)