Jason Wade’s 2019 White Sox Offseason Plan

PREAMBLE

After picking up players listed below that are Arb Eligible and the other minimum guys, It looks like I have $43 MM already accounted for.  That leaves me $67 million to play with.  Let’s build a team that could compete now, but doesn’t screw the future, or at least not too much.  For free agents, I’m just gonna use MLBTradeRumors predictions for value, because I’m too lazy.

 

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Jose Abreu, $16M Tender

Avisail Garcia, $8M Non-Tender

Yolmer Sanchez, $4.7M Non-Tender

Carlos Rodon, $3.7M Tender

Matt Davidson, $2.4M Non-Tender

Leury Garcia, $1.9M Non-Tender

Danny Farquhar, $1.4M Non-Tender

 

CLUB OPTIONS

Nate Jones, $4.65 million/$1.25M buyout – Pickup Option

James Shields, $16 million/$2M buyout – Decline Option

 

FREE AGENTS

A.J. Pollock, CF – 4 years $60 MM ($15/Per)

Manny Machado, 3B – 13 years $390 MM ($30/Per)

 

TRADES

White Sox send Rutherford, Hansen, Adolfo to the Mariners for Mitch Haniger and Alex Colome.

We could bicker about the price equalization of this, but this is 3 legit prospects going to the Mariners in exchange for 4 years of a corner OF and 2 years of a RP.  Gives the Sox another serious OF’er and a real Closer.

White Sox send Bernardo Flores and Jimmy Lambert to Royals for Danny Duffy.

Again, could probably bicker about the cost being too low for Duffy, but essentially trade non-essentials for a guy like Duffy.  Injury shortened season, on a decent contract (3 years, like $45 remaining).  Can be a low 4 ERA guy.

White Sox send Jace Fry and Jordan Stephens to Cubs for Kyle Schwarber.

I truly believe the Cubs have legitimately been trying to sell Schwarber for some time now.  Their asking price has possibly come down enough to be willing to take a high leverage reliever and random spot starter.  Schwarber can still help the Sox being a bat and getting on base.

White Sox send Danny Mendick and Luis Curbelo to the Mets for Zack Wheeler

It’s just a utility-ish guy and a lottery pick for a 1 year pitcher.  Barring any additional major set-backs, Dunning, Cease, and Kopech should be in the rotation in 2020, so a 1 year guy might be nice thing to have.

SUMMARY

New lineup is:

2B Moncada

3B Machado

1B Abreu

RF Haniger

CF Pollock

LF Jimenez

DH Schwarber

SS Anderson

C Narvaez/Castillo

Rotation is:

SP Rodon

SP Duffy

SP Wheeler

SP Lopez

SP Giolito

Bullpen includes:

Avilan, Hamiltan, Burr, Colome, Minaya, Bummer, Jones, etc.

 

At the end of the day, I would give Cease and Dunning 8 starts in AAA and then start calling them up.  Wouldn’t be afraid to start shuffling Giolito down in favor or spot starts for Adams, Guerrero, or that newer version of them.

I think I’m around $110 MM.  Sitting with an iffy Rotation, young bullpen, but great lineup.  Isn’t that what future playoff teams look like?

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Josh Nelson

I like the Pollock and Machado signings, and I could see that Sox/Mariners trade happening.

Non-tendering Yolmer is a bold move, and I think your three other deals for Danny Duffy, Kyle Schwarber, and Zack Wheeler are light. I think Duffy and Wheeler are good trade targets, though!