PREAMBLE
The rebuild is in it's last stage. Using prospect capital and financial capital we've built up to patch the final holes in the roster.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Nomar Mazara: $5.6M | $5.9M | $5.7M – NON-TENDER
- Carlos Rodón: $4.5M | $4.5M | $4.5M - NON-TENDER
- Lucas Giolito: $2.5M | $5.3M | $2.5M – CONTRACT EXTENSION (see below)
- Reynaldo López: $1.7M | $2.2M | $1.7M - TENDER
- Evan Marshall: $1.3M | $1.9M | $1.4M - TENDER
- Adam Engel: $1M | $1.4M | $1M - TENDER
- Jace Fry: $800K | $1M | $800K – NON-TENDER
- Yolmer Sánchez: SIGN 1 YEAR/$800K
Lucas Giolito signs 5 year/$60M extension w/ club option for 6th year at $20M
CLUB OPTIONS
- Edwin Encarnación: $12M - Decline
- Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout) - Decline
- Leury García: $3.5M ($250K buyout) - Decline
Leury was a difficult choice. He's so valuable because of his versatility but his OBP and SLG leave a ton to be desired. I'd be open to bringing him back but he might be able to snag this type of money on the open market and I think the Sox can live without.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) – Retain: 2 year/$18M
- James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020) – Let Go
- Jarrod Dyson (Made $2M in 2020) – Let Go
Keeping Colome seems like a no-brainer to me. It's been so refreshing knowing who is coming out in the 9th and knowing what you're getting night in and night out. I hope people aren't taking him for granted. I think his market will be reasonable and 2/18 is fair.
Losing McCann sucks but he deserves whatever starting job he's about to get. I wish him well.
Definitely don't hate bringing Dyson back on a Minor League deal. He provides great speed off the bench and a plus glove at all 3 outfield spots but we'll see if he gets any sort of big league deal.
COACHING STAFF
- Manager: AJ Hinch
- Pitching Coach: Brent Strom
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Joc Pederson (three years, $21 million): Hahn has tried to get him for at least two years now. With no trade needing to be made, this seems inevitable.
No. 2: Jose Quintana (two years, $15 million): Not the flashy signing that everyone wants (looking at you, Trevor Bauer) but the reliable innings eater that this rotation needs. You’re going to get 160+ innings guaranteed assuming he stays away from the kitchen knives. Bring him home.
No. 3: Yasiel Puig (one year, $3 million): After a roller coaster year for Puig, he gets a fresh start. This is a low risk signing. He's a valuable player and will provide that both at the plate and with his glove.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Andrew Vaughn, Dylan Cease and Dane Dunning to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jack Flaherty. The top of the line starter the Sox need. He’s coming off a down year but the Cardinals had one of the weirdest years you can have so it’s hard to look at their results without attributing some of that to what they went through. He was in the Cy Young conversation in 2019, he just turned 25 and he can stabilize the top 3rd of the rotation. We are also extending Jack Flaherty along with his high school teammate to the same contract. This buys out all of Flaherty’s arb years and one year of free agency (potentially two)
For the Cardinals, they get the power hitter they desperately need behind Goldschmidt. Vaughn could play 3rd for them, where they have a gaping hole since Carpenter’s fast decline or he could DH. They also get two guys they can immediately insert into the rotation that lacks depth.
EXTENSION: Jack Flaherty 5 years/60M w/ a club option for a 6th year and $20M
SUMMARY
SS Anderson – 7.25M
3B Moncada – 6M
1B Abreu – 16M
C Grandal – 18.25M
DH Jimenez – 3.5M
CF Robert – 3.5M
LF Pederson – 7M
RF Puig – 3M
2B Madrigal – 563.5K
Eloy doesn't have to DH everyday but if you're putting your best 9 out there (both defensively and offensively) this is the best lineup.
Engel (1M), Luis Gonzalez (563.5K), Collins (563.5K), Sanchez (800K)
The bench is as subject to change as it gets so if you want to sub out Gonzalez I won't stop you. He seems like the most polished hitter that doesn't necessarily need everyday at bats in AAA so it's a logical step for him to be on this bench. Collins deserves a run at the backup catchers spot, albeit with a short leash. The Sox have to see if he has any value at that spot. If not, address it either via a free agent that's still available or at the deadline and cut your losses with yet another first round draft pick.
Giolito – 12M
Kuechel – 18M
Flaherty – 12M
Quintana – 7.5M
Kopech (Lopez if he’s not ready) – 563.5K
Lopez (1.7M), Marshall (1.4M), Crochet (563.5K), Heuer (563.5K), Foster (563.5K), Cordero (600K), Bummer (2M), Colome (9M)
Total Payroll: 134.45 Million + 750K in buyouts = 135.2 Million
Thanks for reading. You can yell at me in the comments now.
