PREAMBLE
The White Sox are on the verge of being a legit World Series contender. With a couple of pitchers and a right fielder, they could find themselves as the AL favorites in 2021.
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 - tender
- Reynaldo López: $1.7M | $2.2M | $1.7M - tender and trade later
- 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
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.
- Edwin Encarnación: $12M - lol
- Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout) - nope
- Leury García: $3.5M ($250K buyout) - hard choice, but ultimately should probably be declined
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, or let go?
- Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) - let go
- James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020) - 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: AJ Hinch Gonna follow the crowd with this one and assume that the Sox hire Hinch. Hoping that he actually had as little to do with the scandal as he said he did.
- Pitching coach: John Savage I'd see if Savage has any interest in becoming an MLB pitching coach. As UCLA's pitching coach, he's coached many pitchers that would ultimately become excellent in the MLB. Gerritt Cole, Trevor Bauer, and Adam Plutko are just some of the current guys that Savage has helped. He's also coming off of a National Pitching Coach of the Year award, so he definitely comes with some hardware.
EXTENSIONS
Andrew Vaughn: 6 years, $45 million Because this is just what the Sox do to get their guys on the Opening Day roster, it makes total sense to secure Vaughn at a reasonable price while throwing a couple of options that could help this contract hit 8 or 9 years.
FREE AGENTS
List three free-agent targets you’d pursue during the offseason, with a reasonable contract. A good example of a bad idea:
No. 1: Marcus Stroman (Five Years, $100 million). After getting UCLA's pitching coach, I thought about how that might help recruit Bauer to the Southside. But, they've had almost identical careers and Stroman will almost certainly cost much less. I also trust Stroman's future a bit more than Bauer's and think that he's a more realistic signing than Bauer with the Sox's Front Office.
No. 2: Mike Zunino (One year, $3 million). I find it hard to believe that the Rays of all teams would pay $4.5 million to keep Zunino around for next season, so I'd like to give him a shot as a backup. He's got plenty of power and is terrific on defense, so he might be able to thrive in a role where he's not playing everyday anymore.'
No. 3: Freddy Galvis (One year, $4 million). If Nick Madrigal isn't able to make the Opening Day roster after his shoulder surgery, Freddy Galvis could be a good placeholder. This would also give us a bit more infield depth besides just having Danny Mendick off of the bench.
No. 4: Chris Archer (One year, 5 million). Chris Archer is a good low risk, high reward type move. I know that we're all sick of moves like this, but it's different this time. If Archer does well, then awesome, he's a solid part of the rotation going forward. If not, it'll buy time for Kopech to get ready to join the team.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Dylan Cease, Reynaldo Lopez, and Jimmy Lamber to the Red Sox for Andrew Benintendi. I'm honestly not sure if this is too much, not enough, or just right, but this seems like a definite guy that the Sox should go after. The Red Sox are absolutely starving for pitching, just like we're starving for a right fielder. Assuming that his numbers last year were due to the injury he sustained pretty quickly into the season, he'd be the perfect guy to start for our Sox in right field.
No. 2: Trade Gavin Sheets to the Pirates for Kyle Crick. Gavin Sheets doesn't likely have a future in Chicago, and Kyle Crick has been a solid reliever for a few years now. Bolster the bullpen by trading from a position of depth for the Sox.
SUMMARY
This lineup is assuming that Madrigal is healthy enough to make the Opening Day roster.
SS - Tim Anderson
C - Yasmani Grandal
1B - Jose Abreu
LF - Eloy Jimenez
CF - Luis Robert
3B - Yoan Moncada
DH - Andrew Vaughn
RF - Andrew Benintendi
2B - Nick Madrigal
Bench:
C Mike Zunino, 2B/SS Freddy Galvis, CF Adam Engel, IF Danny Mendick
Rotation:
Lucas Giolito
Dallas Keuchel
Marcus Stroman
Dane Dunning
Chris Archer
Bullpen:
Codi Heuer
Garrett Crochet
Aaron Bummer
Jace Fry
Jimmy Cordero
Kyle Crick
Matt Foster
Evan Marshall
This team, at least on paper, should be good enough to become a World Series contender.
