This Is How We Do It (whitesoxjoey’s offseason plan)

PREAMBLE

Sox are now legit championship contenders.   Winning is everything.  Service time manipulations (beyond April 14th) aren’t acceptable.  Being cheap with payroll isn’t acceptable.   Sitting on your hands at the trade deadline isn’t acceptable.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Write “tender,” “non-tender” or “rework/extend” after each player and their projected 2020 salaries, arranged by the three calculation methods described by MLB Trade Rumors. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.

  • Nomar Mazara: $5.6M | $5.9M | $5.7M – non-tender
  • Carlos Rodón: $4.5M | $4.5M | $4.5M – tender
  • Lucas Giolito: $2.5M | $5.3M | $2.5M – tender
  • 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:  – 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 ($250K buyout) – pick up

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

Try to retain, or let go?

  • Alex Colomé (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) – I’d try to retain , but for this purpose, let go
  • James McCann (Made $5.4M in 2020) – I’d try to retain , but for this purpose, 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: Buck Showalter?  I really don’t have a good solution here
  • Pitching coach: Al Leiter?  

FREE AGENTS

List three free-agent targets you’d pursue during the offseason, with a reasonable contract.

No. 1: Taijuan Walker (28) (two years, $20 million). I’d prefer to have a leftie, but he’s the best value on the market.  I’m willing to go 3 years, but I don’t think I’ll have to with his injury history.

OR

Alex Wood (30) (two years, $18 million).  My fall-back plan:  A leftie with moderate upside and a moderate floor.

No. 2: Joc Pederson (29) (two yr, $11.5 mil).   I know this idea is played out, but he really is the perfect platoon with Engel, and since he had a very poor 2020, he will be available cheap.

No. 3: Anthony DeSclafani (31) (one year, $4.5 mil, $7.5 mil club option for 2022).  After a train wreck of 2020, he could be stolen dirt cheap.  His injury was a strained pectoral – not an elbow or shoulder, so odds of rebound are good.  He’d also probably be ok with being sent to the ‘pen if our rotation is set.

These picks assume that the Bauer and Stroman get too pricey for their value.  This also assumes that Jake Odorizzi stays in Minnesota as he seems to like it there.   Also remember that Jerry doesn’t like to pay for pitching.

TRADES

No. 1: Trade Reynaldo Lopez to Cubs for Jason Heyward and $32 mil.  I’ve never been a fan of Heyward, but after watching good outfield defense make the World Series year after year, I’m buying in.    He’s a leftie and a perfect fit… as long as the Cubs eat major salary.

OR

No. 1: Trade Reynaldo Lopez and Jonathan Stiever to Mets for Michael Conforto.   Obviously, I’m not the first to suggest this, but I’m actually offering less than others.   I think the Mets would jump at this in a heartbeat.   In fact, I would only do this with a 72 hour window to work out an extension for Conforto.   I would throw in a lower-level prospect for the rights to negotiate, and Mets can keep the prospect if a deal falls through.

No. 2: Trade Yemin Mercedes or Micker Adolfo to Reds for Curt Casali.   I don’t know why the Reds keep playing Tucker Barnhart over him.   They also have Tyler Stevenson fast approaching.  If they don’t want him, I’ll take him.   He’s a nice back-up and decent pitch framer.  He would solidify our catching position in case Collins doesn’t really work.
SUMMARY

Starters Players $$$ Condition
C Grandal  $    18.25 Contract
1B Abreu  $    17.66 Contract
2B Madrigal  $       0.57 League Min
SS Anderson  $       7.25 Contract
3B Moncada  $       6.8 Contract
DH Vaughn $       0.57 League Min
RF Heyward / Conforto  $      13 / $20 After Cub’s $
CF Robert  $       3.50 Contract
LF Jimenez  $       4.33 Contract
Subtotal $78.93
Bench
C Casali  $     2.00 per Spotrac
IF Garcia  $       3.50 Option (Pick-up)
OF Engel  $       1.40 Arb 1
Other Collins  $      .75 Moderate raise
Sub-total $7.65 mil
Pitching
SP Giolito  $       5.30 Arb 1
SP Keuchel  $    18.00 Contract
SP Dunning  $       0.57 League Min
SP Kopech  $      .6 moderate raise
SP Walker / FA  $      10 NEW
CL Bummer (L)  $       2.00 Contract
Setup Heuer  $       0.57 League Min
Setup Marshall  $       1.90 Arb 2
RP Cordero  $       0.57 League Min
RP Cease  $     .6 moderate raise
RP Foster  $       0.57 League Min
RP Fry (L)  $       1.00 Arb 1
Long Rodon (L)  $      4.5 Arb
Buyout  $       0.50 Gonzo buy-out
Subtotal:  $  44.21
Grand total:  $  130.79

How you settled on your plan?  As far as pitching goes, I think we will win (or not) with Cease, Kopech, Dunning, Crochet, and Kelley as our 3-5’s during this run.   As I mentioned, the reality is that Jerry doesn’t like to spend big on pitching and I don’t think we need to anyway.   If we had Kopech pitching game 3 against the A’s, our season ends differently.

My biggest regret is letting McCann walk and not doing more to back up our infield.

I’m 5 mil under the cap, but I didn’t include an offer for DeSclarfani.  With Joc Pederson instead of Conforto, I’m closer to $15 mil in flexibility.   Make Jerry happy and let him know we’re going strong at the deadline.

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