PREAMBLE
I don’t like this team. Amen Chris Getz. I am blowing up this team. However, Jerry wants to believe he is going to contend, so I am going to use my full $185M and reshape our roster going forward, rather than just flat blow it up. Luis Robert and Dylan Cease are staying here.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Dylan Cease: $8.8M- Tender
- Andrew Vaughn: $3.7M- Tender
- Michael Kopech: $3.6M- Tender, Bullpen.
- 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
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $14M ($1M buyout)
- Liam Hendriks: $15M ($15M buyout, paid $1.5M annually over next 10 years)
Bye
MUTUAL OPTIONS
- Mike Clevinger: $12M mutual option ($4 million buyout)- $4M buyout
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Yasmani Grandal (Made $18.25M in 2023)- Bye
- Elvis Andrus ($3M)- Resign 1 yr / $3M. I truly believe Colson is coming soon. Elvis is a consummate professional who I am happy to have mentor him during ST and hold down SS for a few months.
- Bryan Shaw ($720K)- Bye
- José Ureña ($720K)- Bye
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Jeimer Candelario: 4 yrs, $60M ($15M a year)- Trading Yoan Moncada is the first order of business around here. To replace him we will get another switch hitter but this one actually plays in the games and can hit.
No. 2: Rhys Hoskins 2 yr, $40M ($20M a year, Mutual Option year 2)- Get right deal and if he returns to form he can go get a bigger payday but we maintain protection in case he can’t move. Taking a chance on a serious thumper to protect LuBob.
No. 3: Whit Merrifield 2 yrs, $16M ($8M a year)- Everyone hates this but if he’s coming as a Utility piece I am so fine with Pedro getting his guy. By all accounts he works hard, plays hard and is a smart ballplayer. We need those.
No. 4: Lucas Giolito 2 yr, $36M ($18M a year, Opt Out after 1 year)
No. 5: Jack Flaherty 2 yr, $36M ($18M a year, Opt Out after 1 year)
Katz gets his two buddies in the lab on what are essentially $18M extended tryouts. If they all stink we fire Ethan and we just eat the $36M next year in what would assuredly be a tank. If they’re great they can hit the market again.
No. 6: Yariel Rodriguez 4 yr, $32M ($6M, $8M, $8M, $10M)- Sending Yoan out so need to Balance the Cubans.
No. 7: Gary Sanchez 1 yr, $10M- Korey Lee cannot seriously be our starting C.
TRADES
Propose trades that you think sound reasonable for both sides, and the rationale behind them. A good example of a bad idea:
No. 1: Trade Gavin Sheets to the San Diego Padres for Jake Cronenworth- I guess the Padres are in some serious debt and are looking to offload long term deals to clear their balance sheet so we swoop in and take Cronenworth off their hands. BTV claims he is a huge negative value but I don’t buy it there would be a market so we just send them a slight negative back and move on.
No. 2: Trade Yoan Moncada to the San Francisco Giants for Michael Conforto
Admittedly I doubt anyone wants Yoan but the Giants are starved for offensive star power, which isn’t available this off season outside Ohtani who I doubt they land, so we offer them a lotto ticket at 3B and take a Lefty bat and RF back, two things we need. Plus we save a few bucks.
No. 3: Trade Eloy Jimenez to the Seattle Mariners for Marco Gonzales (Seattle throws in half the money so its $6M a year)
Also not sure what his market is but I just desperately want him off the team and 1000 miles from this clubhouse. The Mariners need some thump and DH with Teoscar leaving so maybe they bite. In return they pay off some salary and give us an arm to send out every 5 days and see what happens.
SUMMARY
Lineup
- Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B- $7M
- Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B- $3.7M
- Luis Robert (R) CF- $12.5M
- Rhys Hoskins (R) DH- $20M
- Jeimer Candelario (S) 3B- $15M
- Michael Conforto (L) RF- $18M
- Gary Sanchez (R) C- $10M
- Andrew Benintendi (L) LF- $16.5M
- Elvis Andrus (R) SS- $3M
Bench
- Whit Merrifield UTIL- $8M
- Korey Lee C- $700K
- Lenyn Sosa INF- $700K
- Zach Remillard UTIL- $700K
Rotation
- Dylan Cease- $8.8M
- Lucas Giolito- $18M
- Jack Flaherty- $18M
- Marco Gonzales- $6M
- Yariel Rodriguez- $6M
Bullpen
- Touki Toussaint- $1.7M
- Tanner Banks- $700K
- Davis Martin- $700K
- Jordan Leasure- $700K
- Michael Kopech- $3.3M
- Garrett Crochet- $900K
- Aaron Bummer- $5.5M
- Gregory Santos- $700K
Total Payroll: $188.8M.
This team has some actual offensive potential while also (hopefully) being a more complete lineup and decent defense. The Pitching staff is definitely very hit or miss, but lets be honest the 2024 White Sox aren’t going anywhere. At least there’s an avenue where Katz gets the best of Gio and Flaherty and The Cuban hits and there’s a legit contending staff.
