PREAMBLE
I don’t know what they’ll do. This is my effort to correct present flaws that I saw as a fan w/o gutting the future. I won’t do little blurbs in the post, but will explain moves in the comments if asked about it. I hope you all enjoy these ideas, feel free to let me know what you like, dislike, think is creative, or completely disagree with.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Jose Abreu, $16M – tender
- Avisail Garcia, $8M – tender
- Yolmer Sanchez, $4.7M – tender
- Carlos Rodon, $3.7M – tender
- Matt Davidson, $2.4M – tender
- Leury Garcia, $1.9M – tender
- Danny Farquhar, $1.4M – non-tender and offer him a role in the front office
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” after the option.
- Nate Jones, $4.65 million/$1.25M buyout – pick up
- James Shields, $16 million/$2M buyout – decline
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Miguel Gonzalez (made $4.75 million in 2018) – let go
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: The Big Money Guy - Yusei Kikuchi (five years, $76 million – opt out after year 3).
No. 2: The Other Big Money Guy – Adam Ottavino (two years, $22 million).
No. 3: Jordy Mercer (1 year, $3 million).
EXTENSIONS
Reynaldo Lopez - 7 years, $46 Million with 2 team option years valued at $28 Million (essentially 9 years, $74 Million) ($2M, $3.5M, $5.5M, $7.5M, $7.5M, $9M, $11M, $13M, $15M)
TRADES (here’s where I get weird)
No. 1: Trade Kevin Escorcia (LHP) and John Parke (LHP) to Toronto for Luke Maile (C).
No. 2: Trade Luis Curbelo (SS/3B) and Blake Battenfield (RHP) to San Diego for Travis Jankowski (OF) and Euribel Angeles (SS).
No. 3 (THE BIG ONE): Trade Welington Castillo (C), Juan Minaya (RHP), Steele Walker (OF), and Alec Hansen (RHP) to the Angels for Andrew Heaney (LHP), Blake Parker (RHP), and a highish ceiling prospect like Nonie Williams (OF) or D’Shawn Knowles (OF).
No. 4 (THE OTHER BIG ONE): Trade Nate Jones (RHP), Carson Fulmer (RHP), Spencer Adams (RHP), and Jordan Guerrero (LHP) to the Rays for Kevin Kiermaier (OF) and Estanli Castillo (OF).
No. 5: Trade Leury Garcia (UTIL), Matt Davidson (1B/3B/RHP), and Jameson Fisher (OF) to the Pirates for Ivan Nova (RHP), Deon Stafford (C), and Osvaldo Gavilan (LHP).
SUMMARY
25-Man:
C: Narvaez/Maile (platoon)
1B: Abreu
2B: Moncada/Mercer
3B: Sanchez/Mercer
SS: Anderson
LF: Garcia/Jankowski
CF: Kiermaier/Engel
RF: Eloy (roughly one hour after he loses super 2 status, until then a platoon of Garcia/Jankowski/Engel/Palka)
DH: Palka
SP: Rodon
SP: Lopez
SP: Heaney
SP: Nova
SP: Giolito
RP: Ottavino
RP: Fry
RP: Parker
RP: Hamilton
RP: Frare
RP: Kikuchi
RP: Covey
RP: Burr (sent down when Eloy comes up)
I have payroll around $99 million not counting Kikuchi’s posting fee and Shields' buy-out.
I wouldn’t peg this for the playoffs this year even with solid roster management and 0 catastrophic injuries. It is a better roster than last year, and could contend if a few people have unexpected breakouts (Moncada, Giolito – looking at you guys)
I’m happy to address any critiques anyone has with this roster, I have thought about how this plays with the ideal future Sox roster, but obviously do not have enough space to go through why I’m not worried about Kiermaier blocking some guy named Luis or how much money I can offer my 3B of the future next FA class. It’s always a lot of fun reading and reacting to these even with everyone’s slight disconnect in roster-building philosophy. Enjoy.
