PREAMBLE
You know, I tried to be different with this and typed up some different off the wall ideas but erased them. In the end, it feels good to be in the place we’re at. This will be similar to a lot of plans I’m sure minus a few minor surprises. It was just very black and white what this team needed and the names that could fill it. Most importantly I think we added some depth with my moves. It’s really hard to screw up this offseason with the Sox.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Nomar Mazara: $5.6M | $5.9M | $5.7M Non- Tender
- Carlos Rodón: $4.5M | $4.5M | $4.5M Tender... so let’s talk about this. I think that figure is still fairly tame for the talent that may be in that arm. Here’s the plan: if you cut him before the end of Spring Training you’re only on the hook for a partial amount of this. This gives an opportunity to see if he has any trade value, or see how good he looks in Spring for a bit. Fair gamble. Not sure he’s really in the plan but that’s my decision in the winter on it when it has to be made.
- Lucas Giolito: $2.5M | $5.3M | $2.5M Tender and talk extension, in my plan we didn’t get it done.
- Reynaldo López: $1.7M | $2.2M | $1.7M Tender
- Evan Marshall: $1.3M | $1.9M | $1.4M Tender
- Adam Engel: $1M | $1.4M | $1M Tender
- Jace Fry: $800K | $1M | $800K Tender
- Yolmer Sánchez: Uncertain non-tender
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.
- Edwin Encarnación: $12M decline
- Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout) decline
- Leury García: $3.5M- Buy-out. This will probably be a surprise but Leury cannot stay healthy, 3.5 million isn’t chump change in this organization, and I have different ideas for a utility man.
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, or let go?
- Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) let go
- James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020) let go
- Jarrod Dyson (Made $2M in 2020) let go
COACHING STAFF
Here’s a first: Pick your manager and pitching coach, with any elaboration.
- Manager: A.J. Hinch
- Pitching coach: his choice
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Marcus Stroman- 4 years 70 million- He’s not as fun as Bauer but he makes up for it in consistency. xFIP in the mid 3’s, 3.4, 3.3, 3.4, 3.9 fWAR. That’s what you’ve gotten every full year from him. Not to mention you get him with a completely fresh arm after opting out of 2020. I want the Sox to jump the market and grab him as soon as possible to fortify this rotation while teams are still dreaming of Bauer.
No. 2: Brad Miller- 2 years 16 million-
The ultimate utility knife. He can play 2b if Madrigal isn’t ready to go, corner OF, 1b, and share a part of the DH. Did I mention he’s a lefty with pop and a 126 wRC+ and 121 wRC+ the last two years? A very underrated player and the reason I let Garcia go. He gives the team so much depth and can find a role to play almost everyday somewhere. My backup plan here with the same thought would be Tommy La Stella. The availability of the two of them makes Garcia expendable. Miller is the preference though.
No. 3: Trevor Rosenthal 1 year 8million w/ club option 8mil & 2mil buyout. What a nice career resurgence out of the blue from Trevor. Put him in the closer mix and make a small bet on that. The stuff was off the charts.
No. 4 any catcher you can get on a minor league FA deal. Holliday, Leon? Someone like that. I just want a veteran to push Collins but I want him to win the backup catcher job.
TRADES
No. 1: Reynaldo Lopez & Blake Rutherford to the Diamondbacks for Kole Calhoun- in retrospect we should have just signed Calhoun last off-season but alas here we are having to trade a little capital for him. This feels fair but conveniently it’s guys we’ve soured on. We probably can’t get that lucky on the ask.
Anyways a LHH RF competent in the field, above average overall bat with plate patience, affordable and has an option for 2022. I just wanted to be different and not sign Joc.
SUMMARY
The lineup will shape up as the year goes on. I have nothing set in stone. Miller will get his games, potentially some 2nd at first because of Madrigal’s injury, then DH for a bit until he relinquishes that to Vaughn. Engel can spell Calhoun against lefties, Miller can spell both guys made of glass in Moncada & Jimenez. A smart manager like Hinch will know how to move these parts around. Collins is the backup catcher. He looked competent enough the few games he played there. Most people are trading him saying someone would play him every day, but I don’t think he has any trade value because we’ve held him back so much. I feel the guy deserves at least a backup role and have always liked his bat, maybe he can put up 100ab’s of 850OPS and regain some value.
Lineup
C- Grandal
1b- Abreu
2b- Madrigal (Miller if not healthy yet)
SS- Anderson
3b- Moncada
LF- Jimenez
CF- Robert
RF- Calhoun
DH- Miller for a bit, Vaughn soon.
Bench
Engel OF
Collins C
Mendick IF
Miller OF/IF
Rotation
- Giolito
- Stroman
- Keuchel
- (and 5.) Dunning/Cease/Kopech/Rodon/Stiever
Bullpen
CL- Rosenthal
LH Bummer
RH Heuer
LH Crochet
RH Marshall
RH Foster
RH Cordero
Long Man: someone from that 4&5 mix
Kopech probably starts in AAA, Stiever as well, Rodon may get traded or released, Cease may not figure it out. I gave this some different ways this could shape out. I think it’s having this many options that kept me from feeling we needed a veteran to add to the mix, especially with such consistent a 1-3. I feel confident we will have a solid 5, just not sure the exact ones. If we don’t? Worry about it in July.
