PREAMBLE
I’ve done this off season plan every year for the last four years, I believe. My plans are more of a wish list than reality…and I’m ok with that. Ya, I'm also probably over the set salary cap of $170mil...Sorry.
The Chicago White Sox had a great season, although, riddled by injuries, trades that didn’t pan out, and players that underperformed…it was still a great year. The Sox will look to get over the “hump” in 2022 (if there’s a season). Time to open your wallet, Jer. Stop hindering Rick Hahn from doing his job and attempting to compete for something more than just an AL Central Championship…which is NOT a given the Sox will win again next year. Watch out for the Detroit Tigers! Not only do we need to continue worrying about teams in the AL like the Rays, Astros, BoSox, Yankees, and Blue Jays…but we also need to worry about the Tigers who are up and coming in our own division!
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Lucas Giolito: $7.9M- Tender
- Reynaldo López; $2.8M- Tender
- Evan Marshall: $2.3M- Non-tender
- Adam Engel: $2.2M- Tender
- Brian Goodwin: $1.7M- Goodbye. Thanks for the bat flip against the Indians!
- Jimmy Cordero: $1.2M- Non-tender. Sign to a minor league deal.
- Jace Fry: $1M- Tender – we need lefties.
CLUB OPTIONS
Craig Kimbrel: $16M ($1M buyout)- Pickup. Attempt to trade in off-season. I’m not even including him in on my trades, because I have no clue who wants this guy after his half season with the Sox. Someone does, I’m sure…I just don’t know who.
César Hernández: $6M- You were literally the worst midseason acquisition I may have ever seen. GOODBYE.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, extend qualifying offer, or let go?
- Leury García (Made $3.5M in 2021)- Extend offer of 2 years/$7mil
- Carlos Rodón ($3M)- QO. Rodon accepts the QO because this is home and the Sox have treated him like a king while hardly playing.
- Billy Hamilton ($1M)- Let go. Sorry, Billy.
- Ryan Tepera ($950K)- Try to retain…listed in FA below.
FREE AGENTS
Ryan Tepera- 2 years/$16mil
- Tepera showed that he was the most reliable bullpen option for the White Sox down the stretch. I just wish he didn’t have to open his mouth vs the Astros…because that’s definitely why we lost (rolling my eyes). Tepera on a two year deal would be a perfect fit for the Sox.
Corey Seager- 7 years/$200mil
- Have the Sox ever paid over $100mil for a player before? NOPE. Heck, they’ve never paid over $80mil for a player before. Well, Jerry, if you’d like to win…you need to pay for players! The Sox have struggled to find left-handed bats in recent years. Signing Corey Seager (28 years old) would change that narrative. Seager could play 2B, I’m sure. He could play SS, obviously. He could play 3B, I’m quite confident. I actually really like the idea of Corey Seager playing second base for the ChiSox next season. He has had his share of arm injuries, so second base would be ideal for a little less range/wear and tear on that throwing arm compared to playing shortstop.
Nick Castellanos- 4 years/$78mil
- This sign completes the Sox free agent acquisitions. The Sox get their second baseman in Corey Seager and their RF in this signing of Nick Castellanos. Can you say best White Sox off season ever? Oh…its not done yet. Wait til you see the trades! Castellnos provides another bat that puts the ball in the air. He is a competent right fielder, not great, but most certainly better than the players we’ve thrown out near the 108’ers lately! Nick will enter next season cracking 30 years old…so 4 years is a perfect timeframe of a deal for him.
TRADES
Trade Jared Kelley, Micker Adolfo, and Jimmy Lambert to the Chicago Cubs for Willson Contreras.
- The Sox desperately need a catcher. Zack Collins, Seby, and even Yasmani aren’t the answer at catcher. Willson would fill the catching role immediately for the Sox. He also brings much needed power to the Sox lineup! Willson will be 30 years old next season, but has a lot of good years left in the tank. We finally get a catcher that can throw guys out consistently. Yasmani goes into DH role, catching only 1-2x a week. Willson is under control through 2022. Kelley, the Sox top pitching prospect still has a ways to go until he gets a chance at the MLB level. This works out perfectly for the Cubs, who claim they’re not rebuilding…but they’re rebuilding.
Trade Jake Burger, Blake Rutherford, and a PTBNL to the Rockies for Kyle Feeland.
- Burger is blocked by the long list of Sox players who probably should be a full time DH, but somehow continue to find their way in the field. Rutherford has been awful for the Sox. Maybe the Colorado air can help him hit more HR’s. Ahhh, yes… The best player of them all…the ole PTBNL. This guy might be a stud! Probably not, though! Kyle Freeland is a 28 year old left handed starting pitcher, who has had an ok career so far. I think he would fit well in the back end of the Sox rotation. Lots of question marks in the back end of our rotation going into next season.
SUMMARY
The Sox lineup should look something like this (batting order listed below):
- Luis Robert CF
- Tim Anderson SS
- Jose Abreu 1B
- Nick Castellanos RF
- Yoan Moncada 3B
- Eloy Jimenez LF
- Corey Seager SS
- Yasmani Grandal DH
- Willson Contreras C
Starting Rotation:
- Lucas Giolito
- Lance Lynn
- Dylan Cease
- Carlos Rodon
- Kyle Freeland
Bullpen:
- Liam Hendriks
- Craig Kimbrel (maybe)
- Garrett Crochet
- Aaron Bummer
- Jace Fry
- Ryan Tepera
- ReyLo
- Michael Kopech- who could very well crack that rotation
- Dallas Keuchel- ugh.
Bench:
Leury Garcia- OF/INF
Adam Engel- OF
Gavin Sheets- OF/1B
Will this plan happen? Probably not lol. But, I can dream! This plan shores up the Sox deficiencies that were on notice for the world to see against the Astros in the ALDS. They need some more offense, they need better defense, they need more pitching depth. This off-season plan brings all those things to life for the Sox! Acquiring Corey Seager and Nick Castellanos would clearly be the best off-season the Sox have ever had…we would quickly forget about the Melky Cabrera, Jeff Samardzija, and David Robertson off season ????! Bringing back Rodon and Tepera gives us both starting pitching and bullpen depth that is much needed as well. Trading for Willson Contreras is huge for the Sox. Grandal had a knee surgery midseason and has also had one already this offseason. To go into next season with Grandal as your primary catcher would be a huge mistake. Kyle Freeland, although not the sexy option in the trade market, makes a lot of sense for the Sox. Even though we may not have a number 1 starter, they have 3 guys at the top of the rotation who would be excellent number 2’s for almost any team in the league. Bolster your roster with a guy like Freeland at the back of your rotation, with Kopech waiting to take a shot at it shortly is a smart move, in my opinion.
Let’s not be satisfied with AL Central titles. Rick Hahn built this to win the whole thing!
Thanks for reading! Go Sox!
