PREAMBLE
This is gonna be one weird off-season. It’s close to impossible to count on anything happening or not happening, although it looks pretty obvious where we need to improve
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
• Nomar Mazara: Non-tender/ trade pre-tender deadline
• Carlos Rodón: Non-tender -Love the dude, think he’s talented, but we will have too many people on this roster to give him a chance.
• Lucas Giolito: $3M Tender- preferably extend but wouldn’t count on it :(
• Reynaldo López: $1.7M Tender
• Evan Marshall: $1.4M Tender
• Adam Engel: $1.2M Tender
• Jace Fry: $800K Tender- I can go either way with this; I get nervous every time he comes in but this is cheap enough
• Yolmer Sánchez: Not opposed to bringing him back depending on whether expanded rosters carries over into next season or not
CLUB OPTIONS
• Edwin Encarnación: Decline
• Gio González: $500K buyout
• Leury García: $3.5M Pick up
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
• Alex Colomé Resign 2 yrs $18M (with 3rd year option $10M $2M buyout)- This guy has been lights out for us and has a true closer’s mentality that I believe can carry him for longer, especially for someone who doesn’t rely too heavily on any pitches that decline with age
• James McCann Tears will be shed but let go
• Jarrod Dyson Let go
COACHING STAFF
• Manager: LaRussa got the job which sucks after the DUI, but this is what we’re rolling with. Better hire a top-tier bench coach though
Wanted Ozzie with Frank as bench and then wanted Alomar Jr. with AJ Pierzinski as bench, who split catching duties in ‘06
• Pitching coach: No preference at the moment, but don’t screw this up
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Eddie Rosario (two years $20 million, 3rd year $16M option $2M buyout). Him being strongly rumored as a non-tender has me licking my lips. Damn good LEFTY bat who plays corner outfield (mainly left but who cares)- and bonus points for making the Twins hate us more
No. 2: José Quintana (one year $10 million). Damn good pitcher who deserves to win with us and also has familiarity, but will likely sign a 1 year prove it, since he was injured preceded by years of middling numbers, although his FIP suggested that he was better than his numbers.
No. 3: Alex Colomé (see above)
TRADES
No. 1: Trade for Chris Sale (or more realistically Joe Musgrove)- Don’t know Sale’s availability, but if it is at all, I’m offering; our fan base is in shambles with this LaRussa news, so our front office needs to earn it back. This will help.
Musgrove is a name we were connected to years back in a Quintana deal. His career numbers aren’t great so his price may be in our price range
No. 2: Nomar Mazara for a bag of chips and a drink- Mazara supposedly had plenty of other suitors last year so teams may believe in his potential and he may offer a viable option for teams trying to cut costs. Even if we can get a team’s 30th best prospect, it I guess will be worth it
SUMMARY
At a point in time I wanted Stroman, which I believe would be a 2 for 1 as he is a short guy who knows how to pitch and has a similar motion to Lopez, whom he could have helped mentor. That ship has since sailed. Additionally, I truly believe that Taijuan Walker is the most underrated pitcher in baseball, so if we signed him I’d love it, but I am yet to hear any rumors of us being connected to him.
I’d like to go in-house at least until the deadline at backup catcher, giving Collins or Mercedes their fair shots
There aren’t any bank-breakers on this list,(unless we trade for Sale), but it’s risky to count on those anyways. If our team looks like this next year, I’ll be happy.
