PREAMBLE
It's time for Jerry to go for it. He's got the manager he wants, he has several controllable stars, and he isn't getting any younger. It's time to spend big- I am going way past the $170M threshold. If they don't, we'll see the same shortcomings that hindered the team this year rear their ugly heads.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Lucas Giolito: $7.9M TENDER
- Reynaldo López; $2.8M TENDER
- Evan Marshall: $2.3M NON-TENDER
- Adam Engel: $2.2M 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) If a trade can't be worked out quickly, then BUY OUT
- César Hernández: $6M DECLINE
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, extend qualifying offer, or let go?
- Leury García (Made $3.5M in 2021) LET GO
- Carlos Rodón ($3M) QO
- Billy Hamilton ($1M) LET GO
- Ryan Tepera ($950K) TRY TO RE-SIGN
FREE AGENTS
List three free-agent targets you’d pursue during the offseason, with a reasonable contract. A good example of a bad idea:
- Michael Conforto, 4 years, $60M (12M, 14M, 16M, 18M) It's finally time to solve right field. And this is a great chance to sign a quality left-handed bat. The Mets were a total mess this year. Conforto was an above average bat for 5 years before last year's disaster. The only worry I have is that he might just take a 1 year prove it deal and shoot for really big bucks next year.
- Chris Taylor, 3 years, $30M Signing Taylor makes letting Leury go a no-brainer. He will be the starting 2nd baseman, but since he is going to be filling in at other spots so often, that makes signing #3 below a necessity.
- Brad Miller, 1 year, $3M. Since Taylor will move around the diamond so much, we need a 2nd baseman that can play 70-80 games and give some pop. Miller is another left-handed bat with some pop.
- Ryan Tepera, 2 years, $8M The Sox need him back.
- Mychal Givens, 1 year, $4M More veteran bullpen depth
- Tucker Barnhart, 1 year, $3M We need a more reliable backup catcher than Collins or Zavala.
Carlos Rodon, 3 years, $52M ($15M, $17M, $20M) If he doesn't take the QO, then the Sox need to re-sign him. He just wore down after pitching much more than he had for several years. Another winter of strengthening himself will help. And his valiant effort in Game 4 should be rewarded. He's a top-of-the-rotation bulldog. Don't let him go.
TRADES
No major trades. If they can trade Kimbrel, it will be for someone who won't impact the 2022 roster.
SUMMARY
Here is the starting lineup on opening day:
Timmy ss
Yoan 3b
Robert cf
Eloy DH/lf
Grandal c
Abreu 1b
Conforto rf
Taylor 2b
Vaughn/Sheets DH/lf
Bench: Vaughn/Sheets, Engel, Miller, Barnhart
This lineup is loaded, and when Miller is in, should be able to hit righties pretty well.
Rotation:
Giolito
Lynn
Cease
Rodon
Kopech
Keuchel
Bullpen:
Hendriks
Bummer
Crochet
Tepera
Givens
Lopez
1 of Ruiz, Burr, Foster
I have 6 starters, because we all know that someone will get hurt. Actually, I have 7 starters if you include Rey. The rotation is full of guys with top-of-the-rotation stuff, and the bullpen has 5 very solid options.
I know this blows the $170M cap out of the water, but Jerry has no choice. The Sox are a cash cow now and it's time to go for it all. My payroll comes out somewhere around $190-195M. Will Jerry spend that much? Doubtful, but he absolutely needs to. My free-agent price tags may be off- this is just a guess from me.
