PREAMBLE
The beloved White Sox are a train wreck! If I was in charge of the purse strings, I would do what other winning teams do; I would assemble studs and duds with the hope that young players could be developed.
Everyone knows that the Sox are not going to do what they have to do to win. The starting pitching staff is excellent and young. The bullpen members have some promise and with a slight addition and reorganization, you have a lock down staff. The problem is the everyday 9 are mostly duds. That’s ok if you have a studs and duds lineup.
The top teams have two or three STUDS. The Yanks have Soto and Judge. The Dodgers have Freeman, Ohtani and Betts. The Orioles have Henderson and Rutschman. The Guardians have Ramirez and Naylor. Houston has Alvarez, Tucker and Bregman. The Phillies have Schwarber, Harper and Turner. Padres have Tatis, Machado and Arraez.
You see an obvious pattern of star players leading playoff teams. The surrounding players may be less stellar much like the White Sox starting nine. In defense of the Sox brass, they thought Moncada, Jimenez, Robert, and Vaughn would all be studs. Robert was for a year and could be again. But he can’t do it alone. Trades aren’t likely because except for Robert and Crochet, you aren’t going to turn chicken s… into chicken salad.
Arguably, Robert could be a star but for whatever reason, last year was not a star season. Is he a follower? Maybe. Could he be Pippin to Jordan? Probably, but the Sox aren’t signing Soto to form a lineup with two stars. So, we must adjust. We don’t have much to trade but we will try. Spotrac is my source for salaries. Trades are coming from rumors.
MANAGER
I was not an Ozzie Guillen fan in his last few years in Chicago. I’ve become a fan watching almost every game last year, with the exception of two that I attended. However, the sox won’t go with Ozzie so I’ll take Venable.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
Write “tender,” “non-tender” or “rework/extend” after each player and their projected 2025 salaries. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.
- Andrew Vaughn: $6.4M Tender and Trade.
- Nicky Lopez: $5.1M Non-Tender
- Garrett Crochet: $2.9M Tender and unfortunately trade.
- Gavin Sheets: $2.6M Non tender
- Enyel De Los Santos: $1.7M Non tender.
- Jimmy Lambert: $1.2M Non tender and sign to ml deal.
- Justin Anderson: $1.1M Tender
- Steven Wilson: $1M Tender
- Matt Foster: $900K Tender
CLUB OPTIONS
- Yoán Moncada: $25M ($5M buyout) Pay buyout and sign for $1.5m
- Max Stassi: $7M ($500K buyout) Buyout
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Michael Soroka (Made $3M in 2023) Sign for $2m for bullpen. He was recovering from surgery but Anyone paying attention to Soroka should have noticed the following stats: Last 15 games in relief 33 IP and 55 Ks. Last 7 games 1.72 ERA, 15IP and 27K. Back of the pen High Leverage role and possible Closer. If I am right, Soroka is the steal of the year as a high leverage bullpen arm. If not, guys like Pallette, who was converted to close at AA could be ready by the All Star game.
- Mike Clevinger ($3M) Let go
- Chris Flexen ($1.75) Sign and trade
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: It isn’t popular but I say it is time to bring Kinky back in fashion. Sign Trevor Bauer. $4m for 1 year with Team option of $5m for 2026. Before the handwringing begins, let’s remember that shopping in the misfit island area means holding your nose.
TRADES
This is where it gets interesting!
No. 1: Trade Crochet and Andrew Vaughn for Jarren Duran, Triston Casas and Vaughn Grissom. Rumors in Boston are that the BoSox will trade one outfielder because they have to make room for number 1 prospect Roman Anthony (I’m not taking the number 1 prospect after being fooled by Moncada).
No. 2: Trade Casas for Montgomery and McCarthy. Arizona will need a first baseman after losing Walker to Free agency. They want to dump Montgomery, who we can flip at the deadline. McCarthy is the price.
3. Robert for Acuna, Mauricio and Baty. If the Mets players come through, it is a decent trade. The Mets need a big hitter to go along with Alonso. Robert fits nicely in center and the mets are giving up spare parts. Baty is a former prospect who is blocked. Mauricio is a former prospect who is blocked and Acuna is a decent prospect.
Trade No. 4: Trade Flexen for Taylor Rogers and Gerelmi Maldonado (#29 Prospect) (rogers is a salary dump and maybe we can flip the guy)
SUMMARY
We are going with a new look Go Go White Sox because if I have to watch this team, we may as well have some excitement.
Lineup
- Duran CF (4.1m)
- Mauricio RF (800k)
- Benintendi DH (17.1m)
- Moncada 1B (6.5m)
- Grissom 2B (800k)
- Lee/Quero C (1.6)
- McCarthy LF (800k)
- Sosa/Baty 3b (1.6m)
- Acuna SS (800k)
Backups: Fletcher OF (800k), Baldwin (800k)IF/OF
Rotation: Montgomery (22.5) Bauer (4m), Thorpe (800k), Cannon (800k), Martin (800k) (AAA: Burke, Iarte, Schultz, Hagen-Smith, Adams, Bush)
CL: Soroka (2m) Rogers (12 m), Ellard (800k)
Varland (800k) Schuster (800k), Anderson (1.1m), Leasure(800k), Foster (800k)
AAA: Rotation includes Schultz and Hagen Smith, Juan Carela, Ky Bush, Mason Adams, Nastrini. Bullpen Peyton Palette (1.80ERA at AA), Adisyn Coffey (10/11 s at AAA, 2.04 ERA), Anthony Hoopii--tuionetoa.
AAA Players include Montgomery, Colas, Elko and Ramos. If Sosa beats out Vargas, then Vargas is in AAA.
The Go Go White Sox are Back. Duran, Grissom, Mauricio, Acuna and McCarthy can all steal 30 bases. I'm running Moncada also. At the all star break we can dump Montgomery and pick up one of our AAA pitchers. If Rogers produces, he can be flipped and replaced. Can Moncada and Benintendi produce and bring back something? We will see. The payroll comes in under budget at 85m or so. Jerry rewards us with cigars.
