Preamble:
A lot of sports fans know that the late Al Davis, a world champion owner of the Oakland Raiders said, “just win baby”. Some may even know that he excused personal excesses or life mistakes by players by catering to a team that could have been the convicts in “The Longest Yard”. He answered critics who questioned his lack of empathy for those that wanted solid citizens as players by saying “Wherever you go, you are the Oakland Raiders…I don’t care who you are or what you’ve done. You’re here now, and you’re going to win, win, win”. Closer to home, Phil Jackson turned NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman into a third star on the Chicago Bulls to help Michael and Scottie win three more championships. Was Rodman perfect? Absolutely not. He was not the hero we deserved but he was the hero we chased in order to chase three more titles.
We, the loyal White Sox fans (which doesn't include the media or Cubs fans) want to win. Nobody wants to sit through another 100 loss season and most of us aren’t even 80 plus years old like JR. This plan keeps the minor leaguers, such as they are, in the system for development. We rely on trades to bring in new players, shore up the defense and pitching and increase speed. Crochet is sent to the minors to develop as a starter with three pitches. The Sox already ruined Kopech with the insane bullpen to starter to bullpen trolley and his unbelievable lack of control. We can’t afford to ruin Crochet, who seems to have a better mindset than Kopech, also. If our fifth starter merry go round needs Crochet, he will be summoned in July or August after developing a reliable third pitch. For those fans and non-fans who preferred this season over winning, please turn away. Last year, far too many Sox fans and Score experts had objected to Clevinger’s signing after the news of the investigation into his personal life broke. They liked him before they didn't like him based on unsubstantiated allegations. As it turns out, he was innocent, yet some people continue to attack the man that was our best pitcher in the rotation. If you didn’t like that move for Clevinger, you’ll hate this plan. I guarantee it.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Dylan Cease: $8.8M – Tender
- Andrew Vaughn: $3.7M – Tender
- Michael Kopech: $3.6M – Tender/Trade (See Below)
- Touki Toussaint: $1.7M – Tender
- Trayce Thompson: $1.7M – non tender/Offer minor league deal
- Garrett Crochet: $900K – Tender
- Clint Frazier: $900K – non-tender
- Matt Foster: $740K – Tender/Trade (See Below)
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $14M ($1M buyout) – Pick Up
- Liam Hendriks: $15M ($15M buyout, paid $1.5M annually over next 10 years) – Decline
Anderson is a difficult decision. He isn’t a very good everyday shortstop although he shows flashes when he concentrates, sets his feet and throws overhand and not sidearm. His athleticism should be used to our advantage as a super sub rather than the super hot dog he has become. In his last contract year, he should be motivated to produce and be a team player, I hope. If he isn’t on board with this strategy then I think we let him go and sign a pitcher. Hendriks is a no brainer. He can’t pitch this year so I’m not giving him $15 million.
MUTUAL OPTIONS
- Mike Clevinger: $12M mutual option ($4 million buyout) – Exercised
Clevinger was our best pitcher this year and hopefully he will be a #4 or #5 by October in 24.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Yasmani Grandal (Made $18.25M in 2023) –Let Go obviously.
- Elvis Andrus ($3M) – Let Go reluctantly
- Bryan Shaw ($720K) – Re-sign $1 mil
- José Ureña ($720K) – Resign minor deal 720K
Shaw really improved in the last two months. Andrus did too but I was fooled in 2022 by his second half play and then he stunk up the park in the first half of 23. I can’t take another flyer.
Free Agents
- Sign Free Agent Pitcher and Former Cy Young, Mister Trevor Bauer. Same deal as Clevinger; $8 mil with a mutual option for year 2 at 12 million. I doubt we’ll have a lot of competition from the rest of the MLB since Bauer was convicted in the court of public opinion without any evidence and despite his pitching ability, he was blacklisted. Now that these ridiculous charges have been disproved, it’s time to bring Bauer home to America just as Vito Corleone brought his son Michael home from Sicily.
- Sign Free Agent Pitcher Jordan Montgomery. Spotrac didn’t have Bauer listed for a proposed contract but for Montgomery it is 6 years at 110 million or about 18.4 mil a year. The contract will be 16.6/19.6/19.6/19.6/18.6/16. An opt out after 3 is ok also in order to wet his beak. I thought about Yomamoto but that bill is being pegged at $200 million and you know that will kill our budget. It turns out the White Sox can’t have nice things.
- Sign 26 year old Cuban Reliever Yariel Rodriguez (by way of NPB) for 5 years and 50 million (10 Million a year). Several international scouts have been saying he could get 50 to 70 million. I’m going with the lower estimate.
- Sign Zach Plesac to a minor league deal because I like Cleveland trained pitchers.
- Sign Codi Bellinger to a 5 year 110 million dollar deal for 18/26/22/22/22 I’d give him an opt out after 2 years.
- Sign Japanese Closer Yuki Matsui 4 years at 40 mil. Contact is 9m/10.3/10.4/10.3. 200 saves and he’s 27! We can use Shingo Takatsu’s entrance gong.
TRADES
The idea is to fill the roster holes with players who are jammed up in other organizations but are prospects or former prospects. Huff and Bart allow the Sox to keep their catchers in the minors another year or two. Foscue is a hitter who plays second but can’t break into the Rangers lineup. We send Sosa down for more seasoning to join Rodriguez and Montgomery. McCarthy had a down year after a breakout season and was shuttled to AAA. He has speed and can field and hit but Arizona doesn’t have room for another left handed hitting OF. Blaze Alexander is a defensive shortstop blocked by Arizona’s top prospect and the current shortstop. Alexander only made four errors in AAA. Anderson probably made that in one game and it is time to give defense a chance and help our pitchers help our team.
No. 1: Trade Foster to SF for Joey Bart, who is out of minor league options and 3rd on the depth chart. Everyone needs pitching so SF takes what it can get. If they prefer Ramsey, that’s ok too. I'm flexible but we are getting Bart.
No. 2. Trade Aaron Bummer to Texas for minor leaguers second baseman, Justin Foscue, and catcher Sam Huff. Huff is out of options, and both are blocked from the major league roster by good players. The Texas defense made Montgomery a much better pitcher and that’s what Bummer needs. (the added bonus is that Bummer’s salary of 5.5 million is gone). Texas is exactly the kind of team that can take the chance and fix the man.
No. 3. Trade Michael Kopech to Arizona for Jake McCarthy and Blaze Alexander. (Kopech’s salary of $3.5 million is gone and his inability to overcome adversity is also gone. He’ll probably do well in Arizona). This isn't much for Arizona to give up for Kopech's ceiling.
SUMMARY
Payroll comes in at $184,953,000. In the division era of baseball, 5 teams have improved by 30 or more games. Three more improved by 29. Another four improved by at least four. What’s the point? Don’t give up!
On paper, the defense is improved. The rotation is improved. Left handed power is improved. Baserunning is improved. Catching is improved. The bullpen is even improved. We will need Eloy and Moncada to start playing like the superstars that we were promised. Yoan is done if he can't put it together by staying off the stage in the offseason and working on his flexibility. Eloy also enters the contract period where the team doesn't have to pick up options. In effect, like Bauer, Moncada, and Anderson, they are all playing for future money.
Don’t stop believing was the mantra in 2005 but now, it’s just win baby.
Rotation: Bauer, Cease, Montgomery, Clevinger
5th : Touki, Urena, Lambert (AAA—Plesac, Crochet, Nastrini,)
Bullpen: Banks, Shaw, Scholtens or Leasure,(Touki, Urena, Lambert)
Late: Matsui, Rodriguez, Santos
Lineup
Benintendi LF
Robert CF
Bellinger RF
Eloy DH
Moncada 3B
Vaughn 1B
Foscue 2B
Bart C
Alexander SS
Super Sub: Anderson SS, 2B, RF, LF, CF, 3B
Huff C
McCarthy RF/LF
Remilard 2B, SS, 3B,
