znelsen14’s Offseason Plan
Realism Abounds
The White Sox are in a tough spot. Injuries everywhere, top prospects struggling in the major leagues. I don’t think they spend big in free agency, but there are some realistic options (sorry Bryce Harper fans) to make this team playable next year until contention is a legitimate option.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
Write “tender” or “non-tender” after each player. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.
- Jose Abreu, $16M Tender, moral leader, someone has to produce… right?
- Avisail Garcia, $8M Tender, will he finally stay healthy and swing at better pitches? Not a chance, but he’s a serviceable right fielder when not on the DL, which is to say he’s the best outfielder on your roster right now, so I don’t think you can let him walk.
- Yolmer Sanchez, $4.7M Tender, what else would we do with Gatorade buckets?
- Carlos Rodon, $3.7M Tender, and offseason without health issues could help
- Matt Davidson, $2.4M Tender, what other DH can throw smoke?
- Leury Garcia, $1.9M Non-tender, Jose Rondon offers intriguing utility infield value, free agency will address the hole his utility role leaves in the outfield.
- Danny Farquhar, $1.4M Non-tender, Sorry Danny, I love the story, but $1.4 mil is a little rich for a guy who might never pitch in the bigs again.
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, leaves you $14 mil richer, can bring him back for less than that $14 mil and save yourself some money.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, or let go?
- Miguel Gonzalez (made $4.75 million in 2018) He gone
- Hector Santiago (made $2 million in 2018 — added) He gone
FREE AGENTS
SP Dallas Keuchel – (3 years, $40 million)- He’s got a Mark Buehrle feel to him. Nothing flashy but gets outs and fields his position well. Will eat up innings. The beard will serve him well in those April snow storms.
OF Andrew McCutchen – (2 years, $28 million)- The Sox have a glaring hole in the outfield. McCutchen can still play CF (although it is not pretty) but it’s his OBP that makes him worth the money. The South Side needs some guys to get on base, and McCutchen has done that for a long time. This allows Engel to be your fourth outfielder who can come in late in games to upgrade the defense when needed. If this is a bit too rich for the front office, I could see Cameron Maybin here instead.
SP James Shields- (1 year, $7 million) – This saves you 7 million over picking up his option. Big Game James is more like Big Fly James these days, but he’s been a great mentor to this developing staff, and can still give the bullpen a day off every once in a while.
RP Brad Brach- (1 year 6 million) – The Sox have lots of young bullpen arms, but many are not quite ready yet. Brach can fill the spot, look for him to be flipped at the deadline when guys like Burdi or Frare are a little more ready.
TRADES
I don’t see a trade happening in the offseason. Look for Brach and/or Jones, and maybe even Garcia to go at the deadline. They won’t be quite competitive enough to be buyers yet.
SUMMARY
Let me start by saying I am as unenthused with this lineup as you are. But this seems like a realistic plan given the Sox spending history, and you are bringing in some experience and winning attitude to add to this locker room. I think we are one year away from our competitive window, but this plan moves you steadily and responsibly in that direction.
Starters
C Castillo
1B Abreu
2B Moncada
SS Anderson
3B Sanchez
LF Jimenez (after he magically learns to field right around April 15th)
CF McCutchen
RF Garcia
DH – Palka
Bench – Narvaez, Rondon, Davidson, Engel
Others that make Appearances: Delmonico, Smith, Alvarez, Cordell, Tilson
Pitching Staff
Starters: Rodon, Lopez, Keuchel, Giolito, Shields
Bullpen: Jones, Fry, Hamilton, Minaya, Covey, Bummer, Brach
Others that make appearances due to injuries or underperformance: Burr, Fulmer, Frare, Vieira, Burdi, Stephens
Includes the cutch. A plus 1 for me!
The sad part is, and this isn’t a dig at your plan, that this would be a pretty huge financial outlay for this team (especially since I think Keuchel gets more money than that). And yet I’d still look at this roster and feel like it’s not very good. I guess I need to set my expectations REALLY low for them this offseason.
That’s a fair point. In hindsight, I would replace cutch with Maybin, which probably saves you a few mil. And it appears from some of the other posts I’ve read that I may have overestimated Shields contract. But all in all, you’re probably right, this might be too much money for a team that still wouldn’t compete.