PREAMBLE
We have heard for multiple years: "The money will be spent when the time is right"...We are supposed to be in our "Championship Window" and I am just not seeing a team where I can say "we have a real shot to win it all." Yes...we are spending a lot of money but in my opinion…we are just not spending it wisely. Instead of signing a Star player (s) to plug our holes...we would rather improve internally or with guys on bargain deals. If we do not capitalize on this core (that we built up through rebuilding) now, when will we? While I do agree that this roster still has a ton of talent, I ask myself "Can we afford to run it back again?" If we do, later in the season...we will hear the same story..."If only this team stayed healthy.” “No one in this building is satisfied with the way this season ended." Sometimes in sports...moving on from fan favorite players hurts. This off-season will be one of those off-seasons.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Lucas Giolito: $10.8M (Tender) - Hope for a bounce back year/maybe look to trade if you can get a useful player in return.
- Dylan Cease: $5.3M (Tender) - Try to extend at some point.
- Reynaldo López; $3.3M (Tender) - Pitched great last season...maybe he can become a closer if Liam is traded?
- Adam Engel: $2.3M (Non-Tender) - A 4th OF who can run and defend. No thanks. Time to move on.
- Michael Kopech: $2.2M (Tender) – He needs to stay healthy during an entire year. I would be willing to listen to offers for Kopech as well.
- Kyle Crick: $1.5M (Non-Tendered already) - As he should have been.
- José Ruiz: $1M (Non-Tendered) - He is just an arm that shows he cannot handle high leverage innings. Easily replaceable.
- Danny Mendick: $1M (Tender) - He is great for the clubhouse and should have been what Leury Garcia got paid to do. Still salty about this...
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $12.5M ($1M buyout) - Already picked up
- Josh Harrison: $5.625M ($1.5M buyout)- Declined. This was a no-brainer.
PLAYER OPTIONS
- AJ Pollock: $13M ($5 million buyout) — Already chose to take the buyout. No one saw this coming but I think he has a chance to end up making more than the $13M he would have made here. (Including this buyout) Last year, he just did not seem happy here…do you blame him though?
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- José Abreu (Made $18M in 2021) – Let Go (Hard to just let him walk but it is time to see what Vaughn can do at his actual position.)
- Johnny Cueto ($4.2M) – Let Go (Was a huge pick-up last year and a great clubhouse guy. However, I think he can get more than the Sox would want him back for.)
- Vince Velasquez ($3M) - Let Go (He is replaceable)
- Elvis Andrus ($14.25M) – Let Go (Great end of year pick-up last year but with TA coming back…I would rather have an actual 2B play 2B.)
MANAGER
Hired Pedro Grifol last week. Would not have been my first choice...however, I am willing to give him a chance. I was willing to give LaRussa a chance and that backfired on me so hopefully this is not a repeat. I know he will not walk a guy on a 1-2 count though.
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: OF Andrew Benintendi (4 year, $65M; Player option after two years). He would fill one of the two OF holes we have with Pollock leaving. Sox need a lefty hitter who can get on base at a high clip and play great defense. He checks multiple boxes the Sox are looking for.
No. 2: RHP Miguel Castro (1 year, $3.2M). Every team can use another bullpen arm. Castro will be 28 years old and has been solid the last several years.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade RHP Liam Hendriks to Cardinals for 2B Brendan Donovan & SP Steven Matz. The Cardinals showed in the post-season that they lacked a lock down closer. In this deal…Cardinals get their lock down closer and the White Sox get their starting 2B (Left-Handed hitter) and a back-end SP (Also happens to be lefty which the Sox can use to balance out their right-handers.
No. 2: Trade 1B/OF Gavin Sheets, RHP Sean Burke & RHP Jonathan Stiever to Orioles for OF Anthony Santander. This move is more about the Orioles clearing space in their OF for their young OF talent. In this deal, they acquire young minor league pitching in addition to the slugger who grew up an O’s fan in Gavin Sheets. For the Sox, they get another lefty hitter who can hit for power.
No 3.: Trade SP Lucas Giolito, 3B Bryan Ramos, RHP Norge Vera & OF Yoelqui Cespedes to Brewers for SP Brandon Woodruff. After missing the playoffs this past season, I think the Brewers will shake up their roster. I think one of either Woodruff or Burnes get moved and in the Sox case…I think the cost would be less for Woodruff. Giolito will be a free agent next year and the Brewers get some solid prospects in return. For the Sox, it is a no-brainer…Woodruff gives the Sox another top of the rotation starter to pair with Cease and Lynn.
SUMMARY
If the White Sox went into 2023 with this roster I constructed…I think most people would be pretty happy. Did we sign that STAR Free Agent? No. However, at this point…we are Sox fans and we know that is just not happening. However, we did sign a nice OF piece to complement our right-handed heavy line up and we traded for a front-line SP. We hopefully plugged all the holes we needed to. (RF, LF, 2B, Pitching and Manager) We said good bye to three fan favorites (Abreu, Giolito and Hendriks…4 if you include LaRussa…) but as I mentioned in the Preamble…it is time to rip off the band-aid. If my math is correct, the total payroll would be at $186M. Let’s go out win the Central and get in the dance. Anything can happen once you get in the dance!
