Ditka’s offseason plan: HolyCRAPthisIScrazyBUTitMIGHTbeWORTHaGANDERrickHAHNareYOUreading?

PREAMBLE

I’m trying to change things up a little bit from the more common names being tossed out there.

In this scenario, we add 2 young, solid outfielders, shore up the rotation with some Grade B or C FA’s, get a new veteran in the bullpen, and add a batting champ to 3b.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Nomar Mazara: $5.6M | $5.9M | $5.7M Non-Tender
Carlos Rodón: $4.5M | $4.5M | $4.5M Non-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: Gone

CLUB OPTIONS

Edwin Encarnación: $12M decline
Gio González: $7M ($500K buyout) decline
Leury García: $3.5M pick up

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

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

Manager: Larussa

Bench coach: Jirschele
Pitching coach: Zaleski

FREE AGENTS

3b DJ LaMahieu 4 years/$60 mil, expandable to $70m with bonuses

P Jose Quintana 2 years/$20mil.

P James Paxton 3 years/$30mil expandable to $40m with bonuses

TRADES

Trade Yoan Moncada, Jace Fry, and Dane Dunning to the Nats for Juan Soto RF.

Trade Dane Dunning and Zach Collins to the Mets for Michael Conforto to play LF

SUMMARY

Starters (~$60m):

SS Anderson (4m)

LF Soto (Lefty)
3B LaMahieu (15m)
1B Abreu (11m)

RF Conforto (Lefty) (8m)
DH Jimenez (1.5m)

C Grandal (Switch) (18m)
CF Robert (1.5m)
2B Madrigal

Bench (~$5.5m): Mercedes/Zavala, Garcia, Mendick, Engel

Rotation: (~$41m)

Lucas Giolito
Dallas Keuchel

James Paxton

Jose Quintana
Dylan Cease/Michael Kopech

Bullpen ~$6m:

Codi Heuer (closer) (.6m)
Aaron Bummer (set up) (1m)
Evan Marshall (set up) (1.1m)

Jimmy Cordero (.6m)

2 of Garret Crochet/Dylan Cease (.6m)/Michael Kopech (long)
Matt Foster
Reynaldo Lopez/Tyler Johnson/Zack Burdi

Summary:

1. Soto, Anderson, LaMehieu, Conforto, Abreu and possibly Jimenez and Madrigal all have the potential or resumes to suggest they can hit .300 or higher. Holy crap, imagine having 7 .300 hitters…!!!
2. Improved defense in the outfield, possible drop a little bit at 3b, but more consistency at DH along with insulating an often injured person in Eloy.
3. Some veteran presence in the rotation to provide some maturity. I realize that Q and Paxton may both not be great but if one falters, we have Kopech/Cease/Lambert who may be able to step up. If/when a prospect is ready to supplant a vet in the rotation, the vet can be moved to the bullpen as a longman. Remember, we have Kopech, Cease, and Lambert close to ready…but also people like Crochet, Thompson, Dalquist, and Stiever working their way up. If two of those guys hit as starters someday, that’s huge.
4. That bullpen is still nasty. Plus we have people like Burdi, Ruiz, Lopez, and some others developing.
5. In the case of an injury in the outfield, I’d vote to move Eloy out there again and promote Andrew Vaughn to DH/1b with Abreu. This gives some time to work Vaughn in, play cost-control games, and provide a little flexibility.
6. Payroll ends up being around $114m or so by my armchair GM eye. This gives a little flexibility for extensions or further upgrades if needed… or if my rotation is too weak to pursue as is.
7. I’d miss Yoyo and Dunning but Soto could provide a similar or better cornerstone to build on.

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