PREAMBLE
The White Sox have more talent that performance in 2022. Blame to be placed with coaching staff, trainings and conditioning, and injury prevention and management. This team is not changing the front office. The Coaching Staff will have some churn with a new manager.
This is more the "hope and prayer" plan than anything. Run back the exiting roster with tiny changes. Players will need to perform to their "peak" we saw. Team will need a lot of luck. But I don't trust this front office to re-make the roster. And I don't trust myself either.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Lucas Giolito: $10.8M Tender
- Dylan Cease: $5.3M Tender
- Reynaldo López; $3.3M Tender
- Adam Engel: $2.3M Non-tender (offer Minor League Contract. camp invite, $1M Major league salary)
- Michael Kopech: $2.2M Tender
- Kyle Crick: $1.5M Non-tender (Offer Minor league deal, for rehab)
- José Ruiz: $1M Non-tender (offer minor league deal, but prefer this spot filled with guys who have options)
- Danny Mendick: $1M Tender
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $12.5M ($1M buyout) Pick-up
- Josh Harrison: $5.625M ($1.5M buyout) Trade buyout to Brewers for Kolten Wong
- Kolten Wong: $10.0M ($2M buyout) Pick-up
PLAYER OPTIONS
- AJ Pollock: $13M ($5 million buyout) — EXERCISED
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- José Abreu (Made $18M in 2021) Let Go
- Johnny Cueto ($4.2M) Let Go
- Vince Velasquez ($3M) Let Go
- Elvis Andrus ($14.25M) Let Go
MANAGER
Kevin Long new manager, brings in new hitting coach/philosophy. 100% replace 1B/3B coaches and therefore IF/OF instructors. Narron only one guaranteed spot to return. Katz/Hasler can stay.
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Kolten Wong. LHH 2B for the White Sox. If they don't do a trade to lock up Wong, I am of the opinion that ~$10M should be used to get Wong, Fraizer (wanting bounce back), and Segura. Wong via trade, Segura older may sign 1 year deal, or Frazier wanting a pillow contract to bounce back.
No. 2: LH SP Matthew Boyd. Boyd is a LHSP that I think this team needs. I also think he will be cheap. He can also work in the pen. Depending on how 2B goes, you can spend more for Quintana, Manaea, Perez, Tyler Anderson, Heaney, Miley
No. 3: LHH OF for Camp Invite. Cheap LHH OF that you can find. Jason Heward and Alex Dickerson jump into my mind. Mark Payton, Adam Haseley, Brian Goodwin types. Sure, could spend a bit more for Joc, Gamels, Naquin, Corey Dickerson, David Peralta, etc.
No. 4: SP on Camp Invites. I want a few more SP camp invites with opt out types. Brett Anderson, Cole Hamels, Chad Kuhl, etc. Need a Quad A starter type.
No. 5: Relief Options. Non-guaranteed deals for more arms. Preferably non-tendered guys who have options. But no picky.
TRADES
I am not letting Hahn make trades for this team. I am hoping they don't give a throw-in to get this deal below done, and that player turns into a huge star in the future.
No. 1: Trade Josh Harrison for Kolten Wong. Brewers are going to buy-out Wong. This will save them $0.5M on the buyout. And then the White Sox get a LHH 2B for net $8.5M ($10M payroll).
SUMMARY
For a cost of $186M, run it all back...
Lineup
- SS TA (bounces back to above average defense and 120 wRC+)
- 2B Wong (Defense bounces back to slightly above average and a 110 wRC+)
- CF Robert (Defense bounces back, 124 wRC+ before wrist injury)
- DH Eloy (Mostly DH, some LF, bat continues to dominate)
- 1B Vaughn (Legs don't tire, bat produces 128 wRC+ he had through 9/15 for the whole season or better)
- 3B Yoan (New hitting philosophy helps him, shift rules help slightly, gets back to 105-110 wRC+ and good defense at 3B)
- LF Sheets (His wRC+ of 116 post Minor league sting plays, but I want to limit his OF time; hopefully Pollock takes more of this job, and Sheets can get DH/1B time with Eloy in LF some)
- C Grandal (Grandal and Seby split time and either can hit their way into more of the job. The shift rules may help Grandal a little bit)
- RF Colas (Should be given the opportunity for the starting job in camp. But start him 9th and let him hit himself up the lineup; CF backup over Pollock)
Bench
- C Seby (hit and fields well enough to be in time-share)
- OF Pollock (and RHH side of platoon with Sheets, with room to take more of the job)
- UT Leury (cuttable, but give him the opportunity 90+ wRC+ super utility guy from 2017-2021)
- UT Mendick (Cuttable, but give opportunity based on pre-injury 2022)
Rotation
- Cease (Continued development)
- Lynn (Needs better conditioning, but similar to his 2.52 ERS over last 14 starts than his 7.50 first 7)
- Giolito (Dollar amount for upside #3 starter makes sense. Hopefully a bit more velocity found on FB and pair it with good versions of his change and breaker)
- Kopech (put up good number in first year as full time MLB starter; expecting more development)
- Boyd (maybe team can get more "magic" and they can find something in Boyd or a similar pitcher.)
Bullpen
- Hendriks
- Graveman
- Bummer
- ReyLo
- Kelly
- Diekman (Ready to cut)
- Jimmy Lambert (1 option remaining)
- Matt Foster (Minor Leaguer cycle with options)
Minor League Depth
SP Depth is Davis Martin, Jonathan Stiever, Jason Bilous, Camp Invites, Quad A guys
RP Depth Tanner Baks, Nichalas Padilla, Bennett Sousa, etc
C Carlos Perez, maybe Tyler Osik (Narron need this project), and Adam Hackenberg eventually
IF Romy, Lenyn, Yolbert Sanchez, Jose Rodriguez, Zach Remillard, 3B/DH Jake Burger
OF Yoelqui Cespedes, Guys Hahn can find (Brian Goodwin, Mark Payton, Adam Hasley), etc
