Kevin White Sox Fan Offseason Plan

PREAMBLE

I feel the White Sox are a lot closer to being back in the playoffs with the right moves. I don’t feel with Hahn/JR/KW that they will drop the money for Tier 1 (Rendon, Cole, Strasburg) but still can get top talent through trade which I think could happen.

So my strategy is to do the heavy lifting through trades with a couple of signings in FA. This team will be well balance in the lineup and in the pitching staff.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Write “tender” or “non-tender” after each player and their projected 2020 salaries. Feel free to offer explanation afterward if necessary.

  • Alex Colomé, $10.3M – Tender
  • Yolmer Sánchez, $6.2M– Non-Tender
  • James McCann, $4.9M – Tender
  • Carlos Rodon, $4.5M – Tender
  • Leury García, $4M – Tender
  • Evan Marshall, $1.3M – Tender
  • Josh Osich, $1M – Non-Tender
  • Ryan Goins, $900K – Non Tender

CLUB OPTIONS

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

  • Welington Castillo: $8 million/$500,000 buyout- Decline

OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS

Try to retain, or let go?

  • Jose Abreu (made $16M in 2019) – Resign 3 years at 50M
  • Iván Nova (made $9,166,167 in 2019)-No
  • Jon Jay (made $4M in 2019)-No
  • Hector Santiago (made $2M in 2019 on split contract)-No

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: Dallas Keuchel 4 year at 76M. Really need a Left Handed starter that can be a glue on our staff. He is the veteran that can help this young staff and has experience in the playoffs. Think Jon Lester to cubs when thinking of Keuchel. The only other guy that gives me that feeling is Madbum but feel we could get Keuchel cheaper and for less years due to him being 2 years older.

No. 2: Yasmani Grandal 4 year at 72M. What is not to like about this acquisition, switch hitting catcher with very good defense and has above average framing. Could help this young staff take the next step. I already know the following the question, well what about McCann? Don’t worry you will see…

No. 3: Dellin Betances 3 year at 35M. Even though he tore his Achilles this a good time to buy low on him. If it wasn’t for that injury that money would be a lot higher. He is a great right handed set-up man that can close if need be. Well if he is setting up or closing what about Colome? Don’t worry you will see…

TRADES

Propose trades that you think sound reasonable for both sides, and the rationale behind them. A good example of a bad idea:

BLOCKBUSTER TRADE

No. 1: Trade Reynaldo Lopez, Carlos Rodon, James McCann, Alex Colome, Dane Dunning, Micker Adolfo, Yermin Mercedes to Mets for Noah Syndergaard, Brandon Nimmo, Robinson Cano, Jed Lowrie, Wilson Ramos and 20M (For Cano contract). So this is a lot to break down from both teams, so bear with me.

Let’s start with the Mets and why they would do this trade. Simple, FLEXIBILITY! This deal allows them to get out of the Cano deal which they still owe 4 year and 76M (that includes the 20M Seattle sent over with it) to a 37 year old 2nd basemen that is a shell of his former self. He can still hit but every year goes by he becomes more of a liability to the team on defense. Second, Lowrie/Ramos, signed both last year and Lowrie the whole season was MIA for the whole year and cost them 10M so a good way to get out of that contract. With Ramos I feel most Mets fans were expecting more from him but was too inconsistent for 9M a year. So in total this will allow the Mets to either take bad contracts and turn them to position of needs or give them relief. Yes they have to give up Syndergaard and Nimmo for this to make sense. So what do Mets get? They get 2 starters that are MLB pitchers in Lopez and Rodon. Lopez has 4 years of control left and would fill a position of need for them. Rodon comes back after the All-star break and is a good left handed starter for 2 more years. With Colome you are getting him back with Diaz and could be a great set-up man for him and is bullpen help which the Mets need. They get a catcher who was a All-star last year and is better defensively in my opinion for half the money you were paying Ramos. Then they get 3 minor league players that are the most MLB ready. Great Starting pitcher, RF, C prospects which is position of needs for the Mets.

So with Syndergaard (12m arbitration), Nimmo (3M arbitration), Cano (19M), Lowrie (10M), Ramos (9M) equals 53M in contracts. Sox total 23M so Mets would get a 30M dollar relief in salary so they can try to keep Wheeler or go after multiple needs in free agency.

Why do the sox do it… They get a stud Pitcher in Syndergaard, a RF in Nimmo who I feel is under rated and has 3 years left. We can slide Cano into the DH spot and have him for 14M a year and we can stop this JD talk. With Ramos we have a backup catcher for Grandal and with Lorie we have a super utility infielder that should put to rest the Yolmer conversation.

SUMMARY

Starting Pitcher:

Lucas Giolitio

Noah Syndergaard

Dallas Keuchel

Dylan Cease

Michael Kopech – Use anybody to fill the position until kopech is ready

Set-up man/Closer:

Bummer/Betances

Starting lineup:

CF- Nimmo- Left Handed – Until Robert comes up and then will slide to RF.

2nd – Lowrie – Switch hitter- Until Madigral comes up.

1st- Abreu/Collins – Abreu majority of the time and when need rest put Collins in.

3rd – Moncada – Switch hitter 

LF – Jimenez – Right

SS – Anderson – Right

DH – Cano – Left

C – Grandal – Switch- Put Ramos in when Grandal needs rest

RF – Garcia – Left – Garcia fills in until Robert comes up then Nimmo slides to right.

Utility Players will be Lowrie and Garcia.

So before Arbitration we are at 25M. All the guys we are trading from arbitration doesn’t go to the total number. So only Garcia and Marshall were added so we are at 30.3M. So now with all the additions add up to 103.4 (not including Syndergaard and Nimmo because really dont know what they will get in arbitration). Also, remember Lowrie and Ramos will only be on one year deals so will be off the books by next year. So in total not including arbitration for Syndegaard and Nimmo would be 133.7M. I tried my best to get this to 120M and would love to add another starting pitcher with kopech being on a pitch count this year but I feel this team could compete with anybody in the league and could potentially be sniffing a WS. Thanks and would like to hear your guys feedback.

 

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Neat_on_the_rocks

Whew lad, thats quite a trade!

I myself had been eyeing a Robinson Cano Trade with the Mets to get A Nimmo/Conforto and maybe even Dominic Smith. I hadn’t even cosidered a monster deal that involves Cano and Syndergaard, I like the ingenuity!

I think if the Mets are gonna move Syndergaard they need better top line talent than… Reynaldo Lopez and salary relief. I get that getting out from those contracts is a big plus for them. But it seems like a tough sell to me.

Still, I would full on support that behemoth. Nimmo/Syndergard is quite an upgrade for us. And Cano/Lowire are under performers but can be used as bench/DH depth.