PREAMBLE
The Sox are an objective mess, and Chris Getz truly has his work cut out for him. The club may fall into another deep rebuild, or head for mediocrity for the next decade, but with this plan I am truly going to make a team the way Reinsdorf intended it would be when he hired his blond-boy Getz. I will be milking the last of the last that this core has and I will sign 7 free agents, make 2 trades, and somehow give out 4 extensions to have us hit exactly the recommended 185m threshold. So without much more to say, here's MyManKatzsLab’s fix the white sox plan.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Dylan Cease: $8.8M Tender
- Andrew Vaughn: $3.7M Tender
- Michael Kopech: $3.6M Tender
- Touki Toussaint: $1.7M Tender
- Trayce Thompson: $1.7M Non-Tender
- Garrett Crochet: $900K Tender
- Clint Frazier: $900K Non-Tender
- Matt Foster: $740K Non-Tender
Pretty standard here, I am not bold enough to cut Kopech just yet, Toussiant salary is reasonable for what he provides as a long guy/spot starter with good Stuff+ numbers. Maybe Foster, Frazier, and Thompson can be invited to Spring Training on smaller wages, and Dylan Cease you can get a haul for at the deadline, and/or provide good K% in a bounceback year.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $14M ($1M buyout) Decline
- Liam Hendriks: $15M ($15M buyout, paid $1.5M annually over next 10 years) Decline/Extend: 2 years 17-18.5 million (2+1.5, 15+1.5)
MUTUAL OPTIONS
- Mike Clevinger: $12M mutual option ($4 million buyout) Decline/Extend 3 years 32 million/36 million (12 million option final year) (8+4, 12, 12)
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, extend qualifying offer, or let go?
- Yasmani Grandal (Made $18.25M in 2023) Let go
- Elvis Andrus ($3M) 1 year 5 million
- Bryan Shaw ($720K) 1 year 1 million
- José Ureña ($720K) Let go
OKAY here's a lot to explain but I’m going to put in a good effort; Liam Hendriks is out until August, and with all he’s done for the organization, along with him being besties with Dorfs leads me to believe that they’ll try, and bring him back on a low salary this year, and then when hes (hopefully) healthy in 2025 he can get good money as a late inning reliever especially for a 36 year senior citizen. Mike Clevinger despite his off the field issue(s), and poorest GB numbers was our best starter down the stretch, and I think it's vital he is brought back. His ERA+ of 118, XERA of 4.13, and FIP of 4.28 proves he can still be a solid 4 even in his deep 30’s. With us declining TA7 option, I think it's vital we bring back Elvis Andrus who despite his struggles at second is still worth 1 REF WIN, and seems to be a good clubhouse/pedro guy, while Bryan Shaw had great stuff+ numbers on his cutter, was also worth a REF win, and believe it or not had a 3.87 FIP so in an empty bullpen let's bring back Bryan Shaw, and his cool back tattoo.
FREE AGENTS
The template says to sign 3 free agents that you think will be good ideas, I have SEVEN. While that seems like a lot if we are going to 185 million, this is the way I intend to get it up.
Eduardo Rodriguez 5/113, (22.6, 22.6, 22.6, 22.6, 22.6). While spotrac has his projected deal at 5/102, I bet that in an inflated market, Chris Getz we’ll make a point of handing a big contract to an elite *left handed* pitcher. Despite some availability, and commitment issues Eduardo Rodriguez is an elite pitcher. Last year he threw 153 innings to the tune of a 3.30 ERA, 3.66 FIP 134 ERA+, 4.04 XERA, and very sustainable batted ball stats along with a good K-BB%, and GB numbers. His best pitch is his cutter where he generates both K’s, and weak ground balls. He also has a fastball he’ll throw mid-high in any count. To summarize Rodriguez is a modern #2 and I’d highly recommend Getz to sign him no matter what.
Yariel Rodriguez 5/75 (15,15,15,15,15) Yariel Rodriguez is a guy I’ve been clamoring for the Sox to get ever since he defected from Cuba after the WBC (also he is friends with Yoan Moncada, and Luis Robert Jr. soooo…….) nothing to much is known about Yariel Rodriguez advanced numbers, or percentiles, but last he pitched with the Chunichi Dragons he had an unbelievable 1.15 ERA in 24 starts. In the WBC (where he defected soon after) allowed 2 runs in 7.1 innings in 2 starts for the strong Cuban side. Francys Romero projects him to get 5 years 50-70 million and with the Sox having money to burn I feel giving Rodriguez 15 million is a necessary risk.
Whit Merrifield 3/24 (8,8,8) Okay, here’s the former Royal we know and love. Merrifield enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence in his 3rd all star campaign last year, after a disastrous 2022 year. While Merrifield doesn't have 200 hits, 40 SB, 10 3B, a very low K-BB%, and gold glove caliber defense anywhere in the field in him anymore, he can still provide a high average, play good defense at second, and in the corners, steal 20 bags, and still has good K, and BB numbers. Along with him being a former Royal, and past prime 2B, he might as well already be a White Sock.
Jakob Junis 2/18 (8,10) No doubt in my mind he's a Sock. A former Royal, and Giant. Bannister, and Getz must be bidding against themselves for this guy to be on the southside. While he only had 4 starts, along with 36 relief appearances last year, I have us signing him to be a starter, at least initially. Junis success mostly relies on his slider which has great stuff+, and run value ratings. Is that because of his reliever work load as opposed to starting? Who knows? Nonetheless his 109 ERA+, and 3.74 FIP, and red throughout his statcast page will be a welcome addition to the southside.
This is getting long so rapid fire the last 3 FA’s: Michael Taylor 1/10, Brent Suter 1/5, and Austin Hedges 1/4, Not much explanation needed, filling out the payroll with guys on 1 year deals where the worst case scenario is they get traded at the deadline, or straight up DFA’d. Taylor plays gold glove defense in CF (and hit 21 HR last year somehow), Austin Hedges is the worst hitter in baseball counteractivley he may be the best defensive catcher in baseball; using the eye test, basic and advanced stats. I own Brent Suters brewers jersey, he went to Harvard, throws funny, and had good basic (and advanced) stats in a full year in Colorado, nothing much else to say. Luv u Suter.
TRADES
I have two trades which could create problems, but they'd cause chaos, and chaos is fun, innit? Also I won't be trading for Salvador Perez, I know in all likelihood he's a sock, but his contract is so bad and, I'd rather pay the literal worst hitter in baseball in Austin Hedges.
- White Sox get: Alex Verdugo ($8.5$), and Garrett Whitlock ($3.2$) Red Sox get: Eloy Jimenez ($13$), Lenyn Sosa, and Ky Bush.
This is gonna be the closest trade you’re going to get to the sample: Chris Sale, for Yoan Moncada, and Michael Kopech. Alex Verdugo a solid bat worth 3 wins, an above average OPS+, a high XWOBACON, and good batted ball data, as well as being great in the OF with one of the best arms in baseball. Verdugos main issue is simply that he isn't Mookie Betts, and Boston fans hate him, it's pretty clear he wants out. It is also pretty clear Boston doesnt like Garrett Whitlocks contract, where he has regressed since becoming a starter, Whitlock will be in the bullpen in my plan. Eloy Jimenez isn't good, and the Sox/Reinsdorf dont have the time patience to deal with him, Boston does, and that may be a good place for Eloy to try and revive his dying career. It will help Eloy that Fenway is smaller than your local little league field. Ky Bush will be a throw-in for the 2nd time in 6 months, and Lenyn Sosa is added in this plan because he’ll be blocked by Whit Merrifield.
- White Sox get: Jose SiriRays get: Oscar Colas, Aaron Bummer ($5.5$), Tanner Banks, and Carlos Perez
Jose Siri another great defensive outfielder who will provide great gold glove caliber defense in Center or the corners, and barreled 24 Homers last year. Speaking of, ‘barreled” Jose Siri had some of the best barrel numbers in baseball last year. However the Rays have a log jam in the OF, and Siris advanced stats, and contact skills have regressed. He may be a case where the Sox pick him up, and flip him for more at the deadline, or you might have your franchise RF we’ve been craving since the Roman Empire era. Oscar Colas was clearly rushed, and Pedro Grifol had PROBLEMS with Colas, to the point that the likes of Trayce Thompson, Tyler Naquin, and Clint Fraizer AAAA veterans were getting more AB’s than Colas. It may be the best course of action to trade him despite the hype he was receiving only 6 months ago. Aaron Bummer is a Rays case if I’ve ever seen one, and will most likely be the best reliever for the rest of time when he leaves, it seems as though he’ll continue to regress here, however if he stays here. Tanner Banks I also feel has stuff the Rays may want to work with, and Carlos Perez I’m sure will be starting Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series for the Rays 11 months from now.
SUMMARY
Okay, here we go
Lineup
2B Whit Merrifield (8)
DH Andrew Benintendi (16.5)
CF Luis Robert Jr. (9.5)
LF Alex Verdugo (8.5)
3B Yoan Moncada (24)
RF Jose Siri (750k)
1B Andrew Vaughn (2.9)
SS Elvis Andrus (5)
C Austin Hedges (4)
Bench
Korey Lee (720k)
Gavin Sheets (900k)
Romy Gonzalez (720k)
Michael Taylor (10)
Rotation
Dylan Cease (8.8)
Eduardo Rodriguez (23)
Mike Clevinger (8+4)
Jakob Junis (8)
Yariel Rodriguez (15)
Bullpen
Bryan Shaw (1)
Gregory Santos (710k)
Brent Suter (5)
Garrett Crochet (900k)
Garrett Whitlock (3.2)
Michael Kopech (3.6)
Touki Toussaint (1.7)
Jordan Leasure (600k)
Other money owed
Leury Garcia (5.5)
IR Liam Hendiks (2+1.5)
Tim Anderson (1)
Payroll: 185 (On the dot)
So this long, chaotic, hectic plan is how I’ll have the 2024 White Sox be improbable, and somehow give Dorfs & Co. a small but non-zero opportunity to compete with an 185 million dollar payroll. Feel free to ridicule me in the comments, and thanks for reading!
