BobbyJenkins87 Offseason plan

The White Sox definitely had a disappointing end to their 2021 season. The team is loaded but they’re definitely some issues with how the team is built that’ll require some moves to be made. Let’s begin!

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

  • Lucas Giolito: $7.9M TENDER
  • Reynaldo López; $2.8M TENDER
  • Evan Marshall: $2.3M NON TENDER (Bring make ML deal)
  • Adam Engel: $2.2M TENDER
  • Brian Goodwin: $1.7M NON TENDER
  • Jimmy Cordero: $1.2M NON TENDER  (If used correctly, Jimmy Biceps is a good arm to have. Let’s bring him back on a ML deal)
  • Jace Fry: $1M NON TENDER

CLUB OPTIONS

Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework” after the option.

  • Craig Kimbrel: $16M ($1M buyout) PICK UP & Trade (This is being written after the Sox have already picked up his option. I would’ve done the same anyway)
  • 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 (I love Leury Legend, but it’s time for the Romy Gonzalez show)
  • Carlos Rodón ($3M) LET GO (Sox didn’t offer him the qualifying offer. I would’ve done the same)
  • Billy Hamilton ($1M) LET GO (Love Billy but no real spot for him on the roster)
  • Ryan Tepera ($950K) RETAIN (Extend 2 years $12 Million)

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: RF Michael Conforto (four years, $86 Million) 

  • Conforto is coming off an all-around down year where he only had a 106 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR, .232 AVG, and only hit 14 Home Runs while battling nagging injuries but that’s not going to stop me from making him the White Sox right fielder of the future. Even in a down year, Conforto excelled at getting on base as he had a .344 OBP and 12.3% BB%. This (unlike most of his stats this past season) isn’t a fluke. Conforto holds a career .356 OBP and 12.1% BB% which will fit perfectly with Yoan and Yaz in the middle of the order. Conforto just doesn’t get on base either, he’s got some serious power in his bat as well. Conforto since 2017 has hit over 25 HRs 3 times and probably would’ve done it in 2020 if it wasn’t for the shortened season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Conforto hits one over goose island if he signed with us. Lastly, Conforto would bring a great lefty presence to the lineup and this is something the White Sox have been missing since 2020.

No.2 2B Eduardo Escobar (two years, $20 Millon 1+1 Player Option)

  • This most likely isn’t the 2nd base reunion you guys are looking for but Escobar will definitely get the job done. He’ll fill the power need and can hit from both sides of the plate and would finally give the Sox some consistency at the 2nd base position. Escobar can also play basically the whole infield and outfield and would bring the versatility that Leury Garcia once brought. Overall Escobar is not the sexiest option but would get the job done and I would be a happy man if this happened.

No.3 SP Alex Wood ( one year, $6 Million)

  •  With Michael Kopech most likely not starting the whole year or being on an innings limit, Alex Wood would be a great signing to make starts in place of Kopech or potentially help run a 6 man rotation which wouldn’t be totally out of the norm. Wood has had injury problems in the past but in this case, you wouldn’t be asking him to do too much here.

TRADES

No. 1: Trade Andrew Vaughn, Andrew Dalquist, and Kade McClure To Miami for Pablo Lopez 

  • I know some of you aren’t going to like this and trading Vaughn is going to sting a lot more than Madrigal but in this case, if the White Sox sign Conforto and assuming Abreu is staying for 2-3 more years where does Vaughn really fit on this team? I think now is the time to capitalize on Vaughn’s value and Pablo Lopez would be a really good pitcher to get. Lopez has been one of the MLB’s most underrated stars since 2020 as he’s had a 3.26 ERA, 3.47 FIP, and 3.55 xFIP. These are all very good in today’s MLB. Lopez has a very cheap contract and is under team control until 2025 which makes this trade even better. Lopez in my mind would be the No.2 starter in what would once again be a stacked rotation for the White Sox as they look to make another run at a World Series

No.2 Trade Craig Kimbrel to Phillies for prospects Christian Hernandez (No.15 via MLB .com) and Kyle Dohy (No.26)

  • The Phillies once again seem like they want to be very aggressive this offseason and again need relief pitching. Kimbrel would easily fill that closer role for them and this is the spot he belongs in. It didn’t work out with the White Sox but I wish him the best of luck wherever he goes and in this case it’s the Phillies.

No.3 Trade Dallas Keuchel and Jonathan Stiever to Cardinals for PTBNL (White Sox retain $4M of Keuchel’s contract)

  • The Cardinals want a pitcher who throws strikes and generates ground balls? I’ve got just the man! Keuchel obviously had a very VERY rough 2021 season and you’re going to get little to nothing back for him and will most likely have to add a prospect for a team to take a majority of the contract.

No.4 Trade Micker Adolfo and Matthew Thompson to A’s for Lou Trivino 

  • This trade is probably a stretch and I’m not sure if Adolfo and Thompson would get it done but whatever, let’s have fun with it. The A’s are clearly going to start the teardown and this would give Micker Adolfo a chance to finally get some MLB playing time. Matthew Thompson struggled last year in the minors but still has some good stuff that could play well in the future. On the White Sox side of this, they would be getting another good back side of the bullpen reliever and you can never have too many of those.

SUMMARY

I’ve basically blown up an already awful farm, but this team is built to win a World Series for the next 2-3 years. Let’s see how it looks on paper.

Projected Lineup:

  • SS Tim Anderson ($9.5M)
  • CF Luis Robert ($6M)
  • 3B Yoan Moncada ($13.8M)
  • C Yasmani Grandal ($18.25M)
  • RF Michael Conforto ($21.5M)
  • LF Eloy Jimenez ($7.3M)
  • 1B Jose Abreu ($19.6M)
  • DH Gavin Sheets ($575K)
  • 2B Eduardo Escobar ($10M)

Projected Bench: INF Romy Gonzalez ($575K), OF Adam Engel ($2.2M), C Seby Zavala ($575K), 3B Jake Burger ($575K)

Projected rotation

  • Lucas Giolito ($7.9M)
  • Pablo Lopez ($2.5M)
  • Dylan Cease ($575K)
  • Lance Lynn ($19M)
  • Alex Wood ($6M)
  • Michael Kopech ($575K)

Projected Bullpen

  • Liam Hendriks ($13M)
  • Ryan Tepera ($6M)
  • Aaron Bummer ($3.2M)
  • Lou Trivino ($2.9M)
  • Reynaldo Lopez ($2.75M)
  • Garrett Crochet ($575K)
  • Anderson Severino ($575K)

FINAL SALARY: $176M

  • I went $6 Million over the budget but wow, this team is really good. The bench could use some work but the lineup, rotation, and bullpen all are definitely top 5-10. In order to meet the budget I would not sign Alex Wood and that would put me right at $170M but maybe Jerry will splurge for once. I feel like I filled all of the holes the White Sox had (RF, 2B, SP) and built a championship roster. It cost some of the farm and depth but in the end it should end in a parade.
  • I had a ton of fun making this and I would love to know your thoughts on my offseason plan!
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GMan747

Good picks.
I have alawys had this weak/soft spot in my heart for
Rougned Odor. I have always loved that player and have wanted him forever on the Sox, but now feel as though he might be past it all (although that might make him a cheaper bench option but probably not).

Trooper Galactus

I have no idea why anybody would have a thing for Odor. He’s been below replacement level for three of his eight seasons (per bWAR) and he was only an above average hitter for two seasons (topping out at a 107 OPS+ in his sophomore season).

Sure, you could look at a season like he had in 2019 and see 30 home runs and 30 doubles, but that’s really just papering over a terrible season at the plate (79 OPS+). The guy’s empty power and the market will probably overvalue him based on his raw numbers.