Upnorthsox let the (re)build begin.
PREAMBLE
The rebuild begins in 2024 but there’s no reason not to try to win also. I dislike our current farm system and consider no one untouchable. That said, I’m trading for guys I want. We already have our top 5 pick (and with luck could be #1) so we don’t need to tank, and if you consider our picks after our last 3 90+ losing seasons, Vaughn, Madrigal, and Rodon vs our last 3 winning seasons, Schultz, Montgomery, and Anderson. Was it really worth losing?
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Dylan Cease: $8.8M – Tender
- Andrew Vaughn: $3.7M – Tender
- Michael Kopech: $3.6M – Tender and Trade
- Touki Toussaint: $1.7M – Tender
- Trayce Thompson: $1.7M – Non-Tender
- Garrett Crochet: $900K – Tender
- Clint Frazier: $900K – Non-Tender
- Matt Foster: $740K – Non-Tender
CLUB OPTIONS
- Tim Anderson: $14M ($1M buyout) – Decline
- Liam Hendriks: $15M ($15M buyout, paid $1.5M annually over next 10 years) – Decline
MUTUAL OPTIONS
- Mike Clevinger: $12M mutual option ($4 million buyout) – Takes Buyout
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
- Yasmani Grandal (Made $18.25M in 2023) – Let Go
- Elvis Andrus ($3M) – Let Go
- Bryan Shaw ($720K) – Resign
- José Ureña ($720K) – Let Go
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Jack Flaherty (2 + PO, $40 Mil). I think anything less than a 3 yearish contract is unrealistic and I’m counting on the rebound to carry it. If this works out it’ll only be a 2 year deal.
No. 2: Wade Miley (1 + MO, $20 Mil). Basically the same as Clevinger got last yr but only $2 mil for the buyout.
No. 3: Matt Moore (2, $12 Mil). Compete for closer or setup.
No. 4: Emilio Pagan (2, $10 Mil). Compete for closer or setup.
No. 5: Zack Plesac (1, $1.5 Mil). Compete for the long relief role with Touki.
No. 6: Bryan Shaw (1, $1.5 Mil). Resigned with a raise.
No. 7: Adam Duvall (1, $8 Mil). RH outfielder who can platoon with RF and play all 3 positions.
No. 8: Christian Bethancourt (1, $3 Mil). Backup C.
No. 9: Joey Wendle (1, $3 Mil). LH infield bench who can play 3B, 2B, and SS.
No. 10: Nicky Lopez (1, $1.5 Mil). RH infield bench who can play 2B and SS.
TRADES
No. 1: Tampa – Tyler Glasnow and Brandon Lowe for Noah Schultz, Jacob Gonzalez, Oscar Colas, Christian Mena, and Adrian Gil. Glasnow will get traded this winter and Lowe has been rumored to be available so why not us. They save $33 mil in salary and get our last 2 No. 1 picks along with our most ready international signings and a lottery ticket.
No. 2: Boston – Chris Sale and Chris Murphy for Lenyn Sosa, Korey Lee, Jonathan Cannon, and Terell Tatum. I’m sure some will hate on this but that’s fine, I’m getting someone of Sale’s upside for nothing I can’t afford to lose. $10 mil of Sale’s salary is deferred to 2035 which makes JR very happy. Murphy is a young LHP who we have a shortage of in the pen. The spoiler on this is that Sale has a No Trade he’d need to agree to. If this doesn’t go thru I’d try to sign Giolito to a pillow contract for 2024.
No. 3: 3-Team Trade – White Sox get Michael Busch, Brendon Rodgers, Alex Freeland, and Victor Vodnik – Dodgers get Aaron Bummer, Greg Santos, Aaron Schunk – Rockies Get Eloy Jimenez and Jake Eder. The Dodgers will turn Bummer into an AS and Santos is our one sell high. Jimenez in Coor’s Field is scary but they will also want a SP prospect. LH Busch comes in to challenge Vaughn at 1B but will be the primary DH in 2024, he can also play 2B and 3B. Rodgers will play at SS but could be moved back later to 2B where he won a GG. The rest is balancing the ledgers.
No. 4: Texas – Ezequiel Duran for Michael Kopech and Stiven Flores. Duran will play 3B for the Sox in 2024 but could eventually slip into a Super Sub role down the line.
No. 5: Cincinnati – Jake Fraley for Davis Martin and Jacob Burke. Fraley will play RF for the Sox. He’s more platoon than fulltime but that’s why we can get him and why to sign Duvall.
No. 6: Kansas City – Salvador Perez for Yoan Moncada and Loidel Chapelli. Go ahead and hate it all you want but I get my starting C who hit 23 HR last yr as an AS and get rid of a contract I could only move by taking on one back. It also gives my lacking manager his security blanket. If we end up with a $22 nil backup C\DH in 2025 then we’ll deal with that issue in 2025. KC gets to exchange $44 mil for $24 Mil, they already have the heir apparent at C on the roster, and they fill a big hole at 3B.
SUMMARY
Rotation:
Dylan Cease – $8,800,000
Tyler Glasnow – $24,800,000
Chris Sale* – $27,000,000 ($10 mil deferred)
Jack Flaherty – $13,500,000
Wade Miley* – $8,000,000
Bullpen:
Garret Crochet* – $1,000,000
Touki Touisant – $1,700,000
Matt Moore – $5,000,000
Emilio Pagan – $5,000,000
Zack Plesac – $1,500,000
Bryan Shaw – $1,500,000
Chris Murphy* – $770,000
Jordon Leasure – $770,000
Starters:
LF – Andrew Benintendi* – $17,100,000
CF – Luis Robert – $12,500,000
RF – Jake Fraley* – $2,200,000
3B – Ezequiel Duran – $770,000
SS – Brendan Rodgers – $3,200,000
2B – Brandon Lowe# – $8,500,000
1B – Andrew Vaughn – $3,700,000
C_ – Salvador Perez – $22,000,000
DH – Michael Busch* – $770,000
Bench:
UT – Joey Wendle* – $3,000,000
UT – Nicky Lopez – $1,500,000
OF – Adam Duvall – $8,000,000
C_ – Christian Bethancourt – $3,000,000
Total Payroll: – $187,080,000
I believe this is a lineup that can compete and a rotation that can win. The idea for the bullpen is to bring in 12-15 guys to compete for the 7 spots and take the best 7 north. If we add another BP arm at the deadline, ok. If we don’t win in 2024 we turn around and do it again in 2025, I’ve got no long term commits other than Benintendi, but then every OPP has that one.
Author
I really like the Brendan Rodgers idea! Although I don’t think using him at SS is the right spot. He accumulated 2.9 WAR on defense at 2B in 2022 according to baseball reference so I’d much rather see him there! Fun plan!
Thanks, I kind of bludgeoned 2B with 6 guys who could play on the roster including 2 lefties, 3 righties, a switch hitter and one who is a legit gold glover. I also have 4 guys who can play SS but none as their natural position so I put the best defender I had there and hope that Montgomery can take it over down the line. In another iteration I had us getting Jorge Mateo to play SS but I really wanted/needed Lowe’s bat and while he can play a little OF he is mostly just a 2B.
This is a good plan. Except Salvy.
You aren’t afraid to try the triple lutz! This is a fun plan because at the end the team is unrecognizable, which is as it should be after losing 101.