PREAMBLE
For my first offseason project, I thought the White Sox' biggest problem is payroll efficiency. The Yankees of the world can afford to keep bad contracts on the books, but the White Sox can not. My priority was getting the $34 million owed to Kimbrel and Keuchel to better use. In the end I was $10mil over budget.
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
- Reynaldo López; $2.8M tender
- Evan Marshall: $2.3M non-tender (TJ makes this moot)
- Adam Engel: $2.2M tender
- Brian Goodwin: $1.7M non-tender
- Jimmy Cordero: $1.2M non-tender
- Jace Fry: $1M non-tender (sign to minor league deal if possible)
CLUB OPTIONS
Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.
- Craig Kimbrel: $16M ($1M buyout) pick up (see below)
- 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 2 years/9 million
- Carlos Rodón ($3M) extend qualifying offer
- Billy Hamilton ($1M) let go
- Ryan Tepera ($950K) retain 2 years/10 million
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Ryan Tepera (2 years, $10 million). Tepera looks to be one of the better setup guys on the market at a reasonable price, and his post-acquisition performance should be rewarded.
No. 2: Manny Piña (2 years, $8 million) Sox need a backup catcher with an above average glove, and if one free agent catcher from the Brewers worked out why not another?
No. 3: Leury García (2 years, $9 million) I really considered letting Leury go but there aren't a ton of great bench options on the free agent market or internally.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Craig Kimbrel to San Diego for Adam Frazier. This swap of underperforming deadline acquisitions could help both teams.
No. 2: Trade Andrew Vaughn to Arizona for Ketel Marte. The Sox have a glut of 1B/DH/LF types, and Marte is starting to get expensive for a frugal Arizona team that is not near contention. Marte starts in RF but can move around the outfield, and play up the middle in the infield. Marte had hamstring-itis in 2021 so seems a good bet he can bounce back. Trade evaluator said this trade was ok so I'm going with it.
No. 3: Trade Dallas Keuchel (Retain $6 mil), Yermin Mercedes, Wes Kath to Baltimore for Tanner Scott. Salary dump. Tanner Scott had a rough year for the O's, but strikes out a lot of people, has plus velocity, and has performed in the past. Katz may be able to get more out of him. Sox retain $6 mil. Orioles get an innings eater, Mercedes gets another shot with a different org, and Kath is a legit prospect.
SUMMARY
Lineup
- Tim Anderson (SS)
- Yoán Moncada (3B)
- Luis Robert (CF)
- Yasmani Grandal (C)
- José Abreu (1B)
- Ketel Marte (RF)
- Eloy Jiménez (LF)
- Gavin Sheets (DH)
- Adam Frazier (2B)
Rotation
- Lance Lynn
- Carlos Rodón
- Lucas Giolito
- Dylan Cease
- Michael Kopech
Bullpen
- Liam Hendriks
- Ryan Tepera
- Aaron Bummer
- Garret Crochet
- Reynaldo López
- Ryan Burr
- Tanner Scott
- José Ruiz
Bench
- Adam Engel
- Manny Piña
- Leury Garcia
- Danny Mendick
Retain $6 million for Keuchel.
Total 2022 payroll: $179,908,334
This is a team in win-now mode, and spending $180m+ is what the Sox should do, even if it's not what they will do. That said, this plan has the Sox holding on to most of their top prospects in a thin farm system.
The shakiest part of this roster is the starter depth, and the back end of the bullpen. Tepera shows that bullpen help can be acquired cheaply at the deadline. Lengthy injuries to the rotation are going to be hard to fill internally, which is a concern with Kopech being stretched and Rodon's history. The White Sox not having any pitching in the minors ready for the the show really limits their options.
Jake Burger stays in AAA but may get a mid-season callup into Mendick's spot if he performs.
This is the first time I made an offseason plan, it was fun even if I have no idea what I'm doing.
