PREAMBLE
The Sox are continuous gutter balls thrown without guard rails. The owner has only one thing on his mind and it isn't winning a championship. The General Manager has proven nothing and was a ridiculous choice to replace the two previous ridiculous choices. Our only hope is to, at least in part, Wishbia for better days ahead when Reinsdorf will be gone and Ishbia will be in charge.
COACHING STAFF
- Hitting coach: Already picked
- Pitching coach: Already picked
First base coach? Do we need one because we don't get that many base runners
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Mike Tauchman: Non-tender
- Steven Wilson: Non-tender
- Derek Hill: Non-tender
I like Tauchman but somebody made the budget at the 2000 level. While I like Mike, the rest of the league must not because we didn't trade him at the deadline. So, we move on. I would also expect Monty to be on the roster after the All star break so perhaps saying bye bye instead of buy buy for Bellinger is what I must face in this academic exercise.
CLUB OPTIONS
- Luis Robert Jr.: Exercise $20 million option
- Martín Perez: Buy out for $1.5 million
Decision already made. I'm shocked Perez turned down 10 million!
FREE AGENTS
Anthony Kay. ($2m with $3.5 team option)
Seems low but Josh Nelson suggested Anthony Kay with a fastball hitting 97 and 98 consistently,and like Frank Pentageli in Godfather II, I said "uh, sure, Why not?"
Kazuma Okamoto 3B,!B, OF 29 year old righty power hitter (4 years 48 million) (12 mil)
Munetaka Murakami 3b, 1B 25 year old Lefty power hitter (8 years 158 million) (19.8mil)
TRADES
I had some trades to send Luis Robert packing but much like Chris Getz, I found myself trying to rip myself off as if I would give Robert away. So, I looked in the mirrow and said, "you talking to me?" Like Getz, when I didn't get an answer, I decided to keep Robert.
SUMMARY
This is the fun part. Putting together a team that you hope can be five hundred. Let's start with the fact that Robert should lead off. He can run, he can hit for power and hopefully, hell hit for average. I believe we run him like a horse so his giant overdeveloped muscles are stretched out and not susceptible to injury again. I'm playing Teel in Left because he's better than Benintendi out there now. Imagine if he works on it. Spring training will determine who plays third and right field. It is possible that Vargas is on the bench and Mead plays third.
Lineup first
1. Robert CF 20 million
2. Teel C/LF 820k
3. Okamoto RF/3B 12 million
4. Quero C/DH 820K
5. Murakami 1B 19.8 million
6. Vargas 3B/RF 820K
7. Montgomery SS 820K
8. Meidroth 2B 820K
9. Benintendi DH 17.1 M
Bench: Baldwin, Mead, Lee, Sosa all paid $820K
Rotation:
Shane Smith 820K
Davis Martin 820K
Anthony Kay 2m
Sean Burke 820k
Grant Taylor 820K
(That's right, let's put Taylor in the rotation and let it rip)
Bullpen
Mike Vasil $820,000
Jordan Leasure $820,000
Wikelman Gonzalez $820,000
Tyler Gilbert $900,000
Steven Wilson $1.5
Brandon Eisert $820,000
Yoendrys Gomez $820,000
Fraser Ellard $820,000
I have Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz, McDougal at AAA and ready to replace any of our starters. Perhpas, Jonathan Cannon can recapture 2024. Also, Adams, Bush, and Thorpe return from injuries. Thorpe could easily fit into the rotation to spell Taylor or if Kay fails
Peyton Pallette could become the closer if he does well at AAA. It is also possible that McDougal could have that role.
It isn't the team we deserve but it is the team we can afford. It looks like I went over budget by $1,880,000 if Spotrac is right about the minimum salary of 820K. However, if Josh Nelson's number is correct at 780K, I'm still over budget but by $760,000 less. What's a million or so to Mr. (W)ishbia who will eventually put the W back on our scoreboard?
