I've been a loyal reader of your site for many years now, so this year I have decided to join in the fun and post my plans for this offseason. After reading this, I'm sure you will agree that we are going to really build a team you can be proud of.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Alex Colomé, $10.3M tender
- Yolmer Sánchez, $6.2M tender
- Carlos Rodon, $4.5M tender
- Leury García, $4M tender
- Evan Marshall, $1.3M tender
- Josh Osich, $1M tender
- Ryan Goins, $900K tender
- Once you're a White Sox, you always a White Sox. Loyalty is my greatest attribute as an owner. How else do you think Robin lasted 5 years as our manager?
CLUB OPTIONS
- Welington Castillo: $8 million/$500,000 buyout
- I'm loyal, but I'm also smart. After Rick brilliantly acquired our catcher of the future last winter by shrewdly beating everyone to James McCann, I thought it would be unfair to Welington to be stuck as a back-up. I'm sure another team will snap him right up with a multi-year contract.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Jose Abreu (made $16M in 2019). Resign to a 6-year, $68 million contract. It worked so well last time, let's do it again.
- Iván Nova (made $9,166,167 in 2019). Resign to a 1-year, $10 million contract. He deserves a raise after the great year he had last year.
- Jon Jay (made $4M in 2019). Don't re-sign, unless he can convince his good friend Yonder Alonso to return to the Sox.
- Hector Santiago (made $2M in 2019 on split contract). Don't re-sign for now, but I'm sure we'll need him by midseason.
FREE AGENTS
Here's where I have listened to the fans. I've heard incessant clamoring for us to sign Cole. Well, I agree, but I'm going to go one better!
Cole Hamels, 1-year, $12 million. He was key part of a World Series rotation just a little while back, in 2008. Like a lot of people have said here, Cole will look great at the front of our rotation.
Kole Calhoun, 1-year, $10 million. You've said you want a power hitting, left-handed rightfielder. Well, we got one here, and he will cost $320 million less than that guy we tried so, so hard to get last winter.
Another thing a lot of you have said is you want me to sign J.D. to be our DH. Well, I've got some bad news. I tried my best, even offering a fat 4-year contract, but Jermaine just wouldn't come out of retirement. We will fill the DH spot in-house, as you will see below.
Our last free agent will send everyone into a frenzy!
Curtis Granderson, 1-year, $5 million. As we all know, Kenny always gets him man. And what a prize this is. He will strike terror onto opposing bullpens as he will be our big bat ready to come off the bench. Being from Chicago, he will be an instant fan favorite and will probably step right into our front office after his glorious playing days are over.
TRADES
Why would we trade anyone our great GM Rick Hahn so brilliantly acquired?
SUMMARY
What a great ball club this will be! Our starting lineup will be:
Anderson ss
Moncada 3b
Abreu 1b
Palka DH
Jimenez lf
Calhoun rf
McCann c
Yolmer 2b
Engel/Leury cf
Why is Palka DH you say? Did you see how he finished the season? He had an OPS over 1.000 his last 7 games, and now reunited with his hitting coach Frank Menechino, Frank has assured me he will do that for an entire season.
What about Robert and Madrigal? After we make sure that we can acquire another year of service time for each of them, they will have to be out two outstanding players in Engel and Yolmer. I'm not sure they will be up to that daunting task, but we may just keep them both down in Charlotte for a few more years anyway, so we can ensure they are a part of this organization for a long, long time.
Now for the starting staff:
Hamels
Giolito
Cease
Lopez
Nova
Of course, we still have the great Dylan Covey waiting in the wings, and also that young fireballer Michael Kopech.
I'm sure you will agree that this will be a great ballclub. I will be very excited if we can do all these things I propose, and with a little luck, will reach that elusive goal that I try to achieve every year- 2nd place!!!
