AlbertBelleFanClub 2019-2020 Offseason Plan
PREAMBLE
This is less what I think will happen and more what I would like to see happen.
Really love reading people’s projects every year.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Alex Colomé, $10.3M NON-Tender
- Yolmer Sánchez, $6.2M NON-Tender – Free agent signing 2 years $8M
- James McCann, $4.9M NON-Tender
- Carlos Rodon, $4.5M NON-Tender
- Leury García, $4M Tender
- Evan Marshall, $1.3M Tender
- Josh Osich, $1M – N/A
- Ryan Goins, $900K NON-Tender
CLUB OPTIONS
- Welington Castillo: $8 million/$500,000 buyout Welington Castillo: $8 million/$500,000 buyout – N/A
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Jose Abreu (made $16M in 2019) – 2 years, $30M with a $17M mutual option for 2022.
- Iván Nova (made $9,166,167 in 2019) Let Go
- Jon Jay (made $4M in 2019) Let Go
- Hector Santiago (made $2M in 2019 on split contract) Sign to a Minor League contract
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Josh Donaldson (four years, $88 million). Do we have a third baseman already? Yes. Should that stop us from signing Josh Donaldson? No. I tend to think of free agency more like the draft with a larger financial element. Just get the best player you can and deal with what to do with them after. Need based moves just make a difficult selection process even more difficult. Yoan can play second for a month. Josh and Abreu can play first (“It’s not that hard Josh”) and DH together the rest of the year. I also tend to believe the guy who once played catcher could learn a little left field as well. Call me crazy but I love Josh and think we would be a better fit than people think.
No. 2: Dallas Keuchel (three years, $39 million). I stole this straight from MLBTraderumors. I would love Hyun-Jin Ryu or more front-line free agent starting pitcher but I just don’t see us able to pull it off.
No. 3: Jose Iglesias (two year, $9 million). I’m going to trade Tim Anderson so Jose is going to play shortstop. I know it seems like he won’t hit much but he reminds me of Omar Vizquel’s whose age 30 and 31 offensive numbers were solid. Plus, Jose flashed some offense in the second half last year. If all that fails, he’s still Cuban.
No. 4: Rich Hill (two year, $9 million). If we get lucky, he stays healthy for 130 innings over the next two years, I’d take it. That’s right TWO years? He’d be so floored by the lengthy of the offer he’d be forced to take it.
No. 5: Francisco Cervelli (one year, $2 million). The man brings 2019 playoff experience. I honestly thought he had walked away from the game but apparently, he snuck onto the Braves playoff roster.
No. 6: Rene Rivera (one year, $1.5 million). James McCann is more second half than first half. I think Lucas will get over it. I need to save money.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Blake Rutherford, Kelvin Herrera & $4M for Giancarlo Stanton ($26 Million in 2020). If the Yankees want to go REALLY crazy signing free agent starting pitching this offseason, they will probably move Stanton and his contract to make it happen. They can have more Blake type pieces if they desire. I don’t think the return will matter much to them if they have deals lined up with two front line starters.
No. 2: Trade Tim Anderson to Cincinnati, Hunter Greene and Jonathan India to Detroit and Matthew Boyd to Chicago. I don’t think Tim Anderson’s value will ever be higher. I don’t love Matthew Boyd but we need some pitching and the Reds will probably want to trade for a shortstop if they don’t get Didi.
SUMMARY
Lineup:
Francisco Cervelli C - $2.0M
Jose Abreu 1B - $15.0M
Nick Madrigal 2B – $585k
Jose Iglesias SS - $4.5M
Yoan Moncada 3B - $585k
Eloy Jimenez LF - $1.5M
LouBob CF - $585k
Giancarlo Stanton RF - $26M
Josh Donaldson DH - $22M
Bench:
Rene Rivera C – $1.5M
Adam Engel OF - $585k
Yolmer Sanchez IF - $4.0M
Leury García Utility – $4.0M
Zach Collins - $585k
Rotation:
Lucas Giolito – $3.5M
Matthew Boyd - $6.4M
Dallas Keuchel - $13M
Rich Hill - $4.5M
Arms:
Dylan Cease – $585k
Michael Kopech - $585k
Reynaldo Lopez - $585k
Evan Marshall – $1.3M
Aaron Bummer - $585k
Jace Fry - $585k
Juan Minaya - $585k
Jimmy Cordero - $585k
$4.5 M owed to Kelvin Herrera
Grand Total = $120.7M
Do you think the catching tandem of Francisco Cervelli and Rene Rivera is both dangerous and something you can get behind? Do you think left-handed hitters are over rated? Have you ever wondered what the defensive impact of Eloy Jimenez, Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson splitting time between two corner outfield spots might look like? Then this is the plan for you.
