Theft is the most sincere form of flattery

PREAMBLE

In his book Rebel Idea’s, fellow Englishman, Matthew Syed talks about diversity of thought results success for organisations. This simply means we need ideas from multiple sources and then that creates a fizz of new ideas, as creative people bounce off of each other. With that mind this year, I choose to read the ideas of others before moving forward with my own plan. Where I have magpied an idea or I am influenced I would love to have credited the person, but I cannot find the OPP that had the info in it I want, if you read this, you know who you are and thanks.

This thought process feeds into manager and coaching choices.

My original thoughts matched those of others, we need improved defence, left handed hitting and another starter. This isn’t ground breaking.

My other view is that we shouldn’t be trading excessively. Either we will get positive regression from the Grandal’s of this world or we are done with this core and should reload in 2024. Because we are likely going to need to rebuild, we shouldn’t trade away future talent either. Forcing us into a position where trades should be to tinker at the edges only and we will be using free agents.

So what did I learn from the rest of yous (Trying my best Chicago accent).

Teams seemed to build their starting pitching to beat us, filling their rosters with right handed pitching. Well two can play that game. Cleveland’s wRC+ was 24% worse against left handed pitchers than it was against right handed pitchers. We therefore will be looking for a left handed starting pitcher.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

projected 2022 salaries. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.

  • Lucas Giolito: $10.8M Tender
  • Dylan Cease: $5.3M Tender
  • Reynaldo López; $3.3M Tender
  • Adam Engel: $2.3M Non-Tender
  • Michael Kopech: $2.2M Tender
  • Kyle Crick: $1.5M Non-Tender
  • José Ruiz: $1M Non-Tender
  • Danny Mendick: $1M Tender

CLUB OPTIONS

Write “pick up” or “decline” or “rework”

  • Tim Anderson: $12.5M ($1M buyout) Pick up
  • Josh Harrison: $5.625M ($1.5M) buyout

PLAYER OPTIONS

  • AJ Pollock: $13M ($5 million buyout) — EXERCISED

Unless he hates Chicago, he isn’t leaving behind this much money.

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

  • José Abreu (Made $18M in 2021)
  • Johnny Cueto ($4.2M)
  • Vince Velasquez ($3M)
  • Elvis Andrus ($14.25M)

I love Abreu, seeing a line up without him

In it will make me sad. If in March he remains unsigned and needs to take a smaller offer than he deserves, Jerry should find the money. If not, sadly we need the funds for our plan.

The rest are gone. Velasquez can come back on on a minor league deal if he doesn’t get a better offer elsewhere.

MANAGER

Pedro Grifol

I did this plan after the announcement, but ultimately don’t mind this hire, I would have liked Quatraro or Espada also. Essentially, I wanted an outside hire.

Here is where I offer an opinion, the outstanding coaching positions MUST be filled from outside organisations, with no two coaches from the same team. This is to obtain diverse opinions, as each hire will have a different frame of reference. This should spark ideas and conversation. We need to become a progressive team. For too long we have been behind the curve. The only exception to this is if we think a coach is a unicorn, and his talents are unmatched by anyone else by a wide margin.

FREE AGENTS0

Kolten Wong 2 years, $20 million

3.2WAR last year. Bats left handed and has traditionally fielded well

This whole section is stolen from Josh Nelson. Read his info if you want more details.

Jose Quintana 2 years $18 million

His .43 HR/9 rate last season is likely not sustainable. He will be worse this year due to regression, homer friendly park and older. That barely matters, he is the best left handed pitcher in our price range and we are specifically targeting Cleveland’s weakness.

TRADES

No. 1: Jake Burger and Sanchez for Santander. Burger has no position, his fielding at third base means I’d rather play Leury there or push Ramos. At first base he is buried on the depth chart. Sanchez is in a position where he is behind Wong/Mendick/Sosa/Rodriguez. Trade Simulator has this as a win for Baltimore.

NON-ROSTER INVITES

James Paxton

Mike Minor

Any other left handed starter we can try as a dead cat bounce.

Billy Hamilton

SUMMARY

This plan is basically running it back but with some Targeted improvements, positive regression and a new manager. I’ve kept Hendriks, as ultimately he is our best shot at clean innings in October. I get the point of trading him, I just feel we will need him should we improve. If we don’t improve he has trade value to start the reload at the deadline. No point in winning the division and losing in October. Crochet will be built up slowly, going two innings initially, however starting and aiming for four innings against Cleveland. We end up near the 190mil target.

Line up (not in batting order)

Grandal

Vaughn

Wong

Anderson

Moncada

Santander

Robert

Jimenez

Subs

Leury Garcia

Zavala

Mendick

Sheets

I’d rather not rush up Colas.

Starters

Cease

Lynn

Giolito

Kopech

Quintana

Crochet against Cleveland

Arm Barn

Hendriks

Graveman

Bummer

Lopez

Kelly

Foster

Diekman

Lambert

Diekman gets cut quickly if he doesn’t have something in spring, with banks or an NRI replacing him.

The bullpen is a key area where positive regression is possible.

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