PREAMBLE
The Whitesox are on the cusp of a world series title and just a few key spots away from having one of the more complete teams I have seen in my lifetime. Unfortunately without the benefit of a 200 million payroll some holes are gonna be patched not fortified
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
Write “tender,” “non-tender” or “rework/extend” after each player and their projected 2022 salaries. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.
- Lucas Giolito: $7.9M Tender (lets do an extension next year!)
- Reynaldo López; $2.8M Tender
- Evan Marshall: $2.3M Non-Tender
- Adam Engel: $2.2M Tender
- Brian Goodwin: $1.7M Non-Tender
- Jimmy Cordero: $1.2M Non-Tender
- Jace Fry: $1M Non-Tender
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.
- Craig Kimbrel: $16M ($1M buyout) Pick-Up
- César Hernández: $6M Decline
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, extend qualifying offer, or let go?
- Leury García (Made $3.5M in 2021) Retain- same price 1 year 3.5 if he declines welcome Romy
- Carlos Rodón ($3M) QO- offer it, watch him sign elsewhere. Grab a pick and wish him the best.
- Billy Hamilton ($1M) Let go
- Ryan Tepera ($950K) Re-sign 2 years 10 mil with a 3rd year option and buyout. Year 1 4 mil, year 2 5 mil, year 3 6 mil or 1 mil buyout.
FREE AGENTS
List three free-agent targets you’d pursue during the offseason, with a reasonable contract. A good example of a bad idea:
No. 1: Kyle Schwarber - 3 years 55 mil, year 1 16 mil year 2 17 mil year 3 18 mil year 4 19 mil 4 mil opt out. Left hand power, obp, corner OF/DH the sox have been lacking. Scores bonus points with me for being highly productive in the post season as well.
No.2 : Roberto Perez - 1 year 2 mil. A disaster offensively the last couple years the cash strapped Indians are doubtful to pick up his 7.5 mil option with a 450k buyout looming. Sox swoop in on a divisional rivals C and immediately make him the defensive backup they have been missing.
TRADES
Propose trades that you think sound reasonable for both sides, and the rationale behind them. A good example of a bad idea:
No. 1: Trade Craig Kimbrel for Adam Frazier. Sox get their man all be it months late. Both these guys were disasters after the trade deadline but its easy to see some appeal for both clubs in this swap. Sox gain the versatility of a 2nd base and RF option who hits from the left side of the plate.
No.2 Trade Gavin Sheets, Jake Burger, and Dalquist to the Rays for 2nd/OF Vidal Brujan. The sox immediately cut into their glut of corner power hitters and acquire a speedster to play up the middle. All of a sudden losing 4 years of Madrigal doesn't hurt as bad. I love the Burger story and Sheets surprised me a lot with his power but I am all for selling semi high on both. Vaughn Eloy and Abreu are more then enough RH power corner types. The rays have Franco and Lowe up the middle for the fore seeable future and Brujan didnt impress in a brief cup of coffee. Choi was meh, and Cruz is a free agent which means 1B and DH are holes on a good Rays team.
SUMMARY
- Anderson
- Moncada
- Robert
- Abreu
- Grandal
- Jiminez
- Schwarber
- Vaughn
- Brujan/Frazier
Starters
- Giolito
- Lynn
- Cease
- Kopech
- Kuechel
Bench Brujan/Frazier, Engel, Garcia, Perez
Bullpen Hendrix, Tepera, Bummer, Crochett, Lopez, Ruiz, Burr, Foster
This team scares me because although I believe they are a lock to win the division, its easy to envision some starting pitching woes if Kopech doesn't take well to starting and with a continued regression of Keuchel. The bullpen also loses Kopech, from a group that underachieved last year. I do however feel this lineup is very versatile. I wanted to add obp, power, speed, and be more balanced which I believe I accomplished. I also think the bench is a definite strength. Who knows what the sox will actually spend but this team comes in at around 172.33 mil give or take my on some of my calculations. This team feels like a viable contender that will need a bullpen arm and maybe a starter at the deadline since I didnt have the payroll to address it during the offseason.
