Will the White Sox move past the black eye of the Tony La Russa hiring and upgrade the team in a bid for the first back-to-back playoff appearances in franchise history?
Guaranteed Contracts
- Yasmani Grandal, C: Three years, $54.75MM
- Dallas Keuchel, SP: Two years, $37.5MM. Includes $20MM club/vesting option for 2023
- Jose Abreu, 1B: Two years, $34MM
- Tim Anderson, SS: Two years, $17.75MM. Includes $12.5MM club option for 2023 and $14MM club option for 2024
- Leury Garcia, IF/OF: One year, $3.5MM
- Eloy Jimenez, LF: Four years, $35.5MM. Includes $16.5MM club option for 2025 and $18.5MM club option for 2026
- Yoan Moncada, 3B: Four years, $65MM. Includes $25MM club option for 2025
- Luis Robert, CF: Five years, $48.5MM. Includes $20MM club options for 2026 and ’27
- Aaron Bummer, RP: Four years, $15MM. Includes $7.25MM club option for 2025 and $7.5MM club option for 2026
Arbitration Eligible Players
Note on arb-eligible players: this year’s arbitration projections are more volatile than ever, given the unprecedented revenue losses felt by clubs and the shortened 2020 schedule. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, who developed our arbitration projection model, used three different methods to calculate different projection numbers. You can see the full projections and an explanation of each if you click here, but for the purposes of our Outlook series, we’ll be using Matt’s 37-percent method — extrapolating what degree of raise a player’s 2020 rate of play would have earned him in a full 162-game slate and then awarding him 37 percent of that raise.
- Adam Engel, OF: $1.0MM
- Jace Fry, RP: $800K
- Lucas Giolito, SP: $2.5MM
- Reynaldo Lopez, SP: $1.7MM
- Evan Marshall, RP: $1.4MM
- Nomar Mazara, RF: $5.7MM
- Carlos Rodon, SP/RP: $4.5MM
- Non-tender candidates: Rodon, Mazara, Lopez
Option Decisions
- Exercised $3.5MM club option on IF Leury Garcia
- Declined $12MM club option on DH Edwin Encarnacion
- Declined $7MM club option on SP Gio Gonzalez
Free Agents
- Edwin Encarnacion, James McCann, Alex Colome, Gio Gonzalez, Steve Cishek, Ross Detwiler, Jarrod Dyson
The rebuild is officially over. The White Sox reached the playoffs this year for the first time since 2008, falling to the A’s in the three-game Wild Card series. Eleven days later, the team fired manager Rick Renteria and longtime pitching coach Don Cooper. When GM Rick Hahn told reporters the ideal managerial candidate would have “recent October experience with a championship organization,” the club initially seemed primed to hire A.J. Hinch or Alex Cora.
Instead, it became clear that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf had his heart set on righting what he saw as a 34-year-old wrong, bringing back Tony La Russa as manager. La Russa began his managerial career with the White Sox in 1979 and was fired in 1986, after which he achieved legendary status and Hall of Fame induction for his work at the helm of the A’s and Cardinals. La Russa had retired from managing after his 2011 Cardinals won it all, taking on front office roles for the Diamondbacks, Red Sox, and Angels. So much for “recent” October experience. The White Sox didn’t interview Hinch or Cora; their second choice was former Giants and Padres skipper Bruce Bochy, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan said it well regarding the hire: “He inherits a team brimming with young, dynamic talent — a team that, in many ways, represents a new epoch of baseball whose principles and priorities run antithetical to La Russa’s.” I still felt that the talented White Sox players would be able to overcome that apparent mismatch. But then came news of La Russa’s February DUI arrest, of which the White Sox were aware before hiring him. La Russa already had a 2007 DUI on his record. To this point, a Twitter campaign from some White Sox fans has not convinced La Russa to step down or Reinsdorf to move on. Reinsdorf hasn’t commented on the matter, and the team’s statement was sparse. The entire situation is a black eye for the team of Reinsdorf’s doing, but he doesn’t seem to care. Perhaps one day the White Sox will run through a normal managerial hiring process.
At any rate, hiring La Russa certainly suggests the team will take further steps to improve in the short-term after an active 2019-20 offseason and successful shortened 2020 campaign. So, what does the team need? Right field stands out, after Nomar Mazara struggled in his 149 plate appearances. Though he doesn’t turn 26 until April, Mazara will likely be non-tendered. The best option in free agency is George Springer, who will likely command a contract in excess of $100MM even in a depressed market. Even for a lineup that already skews right-handed, Springer would be a huge addition for the White Sox as a 31-year-old five-WAR type player. And there’s hardly a concern with Springer hitting right-handed pitching, against which he has a 139 wRC+ since 2018. But with Reinsdorf on record claiming losses “in the nine figures,” will he really go for one of the winter’s most expensive free agents?
There are more affordable options, of course, such as signing Joc Pederson to platoon with Adam Engel in right field. Hahn could also try the trade market, which could include Joey Gallo and Wil Myers. The Sox don’t seem to be in a position to acquire a bounceback candidate, but Gregory Polanco, Hunter Renfroe, and Dexter Fowler likely wouldn’t be hard to pry loose. Adam Eaton is a free agent, but there’s a lot of history there and not much upside. The White Sox could also look to get creative and acquire a player who hasn’t played much or any right field, such as Andrew Benintendi, Marcell Ozuna, Tommy Pham, Michael Brantley, Brett Gardner, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jurickson Profar, or Mark Canha. In some cases it would result in shaky corner outfield defense, but at least they have a Gold Glove center fielder in Luis Robert.
With 2019 third overall pick Andrew Vaughn basically penciled into a first base/DH rotation with Jose Abreu, right field seems the only clear place for the White Sox to upgrade on the position player side. Certainly the team could hold off for most of 2021 on Vaughn, who has yet to see Double-A pitching, but the team’s brass seems to think he’s close to ready after spending 2020 at the team’s alternate site. If they were to wait with Vaughn, perhaps players like Nelson Cruz or Michael Brantley would become more viable.
What about the starting rotation? As James Fegan of The Athletic put it, “October revealed a need for upgrades at the top, not the back end,” after the team was forced to try a bullpen game in Game 3 of the Wild Card series. At the top end of the market sits Trevor Bauer, though he’d likely require most of the team’s available payroll space. There’s also the question of whether Bauer would be impressed with La Russa, but the better question might be how he’d gel with new pitching coach Ethan Katz. Katz was Lucas Giolito’s pitching coach in high school and had a hand in his turnaround in 2019. If the White Sox are willing to spend the money and let Bauer pitch every fourth day, they’d certainly have a shot.
If the White Sox consider Bauer out of their price range, they could look at a collection of free agent starters who could slot into their hypothetical playoff rotation: James Paxton, Corey Kluber, Chris Archer, and Charlie Morton. The first three have to prove they’re healthy, while Morton may have geographical preferences that don’t include Chicago. A market limited on October-worthy starters may require considering lower-ceiling free agents like Masahiro Tanaka, or hitting the trade market in pursuit of players like Lance Lynn or German Marquez. The White Sox don’t necessarily need to make a major move in the rotation, with Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Dylan Cease, and Dane Dunning penciled in and Michael Kopech expected to rejoin the team in spring training.
Like just about any playoff hopeful, the White Sox could look to augment their bullpen. With Colome hitting free agency, the team has several interesting young arms but lacks veteran depth. Overall, the White Sox could have over $30MM to work with if they maintain last year’s payroll, but that’s no sure thing.
Thus far, the White Sox have done an excellent job locking up their core pieces to position themselves for sustained success. They have four more years of control of Anderson, and at least five of Robert, Moncada, Jimenez, Vaughn, and Nick Madrigal. On the pitching side, ace Lucas Giolito is under control through 2023 as an arbitration eligible player. Giolito is primed for his first multi-million dollar payday in his first trip through arbitration this winter, though there’s great uncertainty as to how salaries will be affected by the 60-game season. I have a feeling the White Sox would jump at something close to Aaron Nola’s four-year, $45MM contract.
Aside from the La Russa hire, the White Sox could hardly be in a better position heading into 2021. The club would be well-served to bring in a few more impact players this winter, especially with the majority of teams expected to be conservative.
It’ll be interesting to see how the La Russa issue impacts free agency. We already saw Marcus Stroman be very frank about his feelings on the issue (his accepting the QO made it a non-factor), but I’d imagine there are many players who feel the same way, but they just aren’t as vocal about it.
Nonetheless, I still imagine the White Sox will spend. I expect them to be fully engaged in the Bauer and Springer markets (do they have cousins in the majors???). I expect them to be active in trades.
But the question is: how far back will La Russa take them? I don’t see him as someone who is interested in doing what’s right for the team now and more interested in managing his way.
Perhaps he’ll prove us wrong, but this was a PR disaster from day one. And frankly, it’s not just Reinsdorf to blame. I think Hahn and Williams absolutely play a role in this.
I disagree on Hahn and Williams. Reinsdorf just went above their heads on this one, as is his right. How vigorously they protested is kind of irrelevant if Reinsdorf had already made up his mind.
It’s fairly evident that the Tony La Russa hire was Jerry Reinsdorf’s idea. That said, it was Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn who conducted the post season interview sessions that led to the White Sox “parting ways” with manager Rick Renteria and pitching coach Don Cooper, something they may regret in hindsight, particularly in regards to a skipper who was well-liked by his players.
Bid for their first back-to-back playoff appearances in franchise history? That surprised me. You learn something new every day.
How about signing Michael Brantley, Brad Hand and Kirby Yates, then trading for Lance Lynn. That should round this team out nicely
Bradley would be a great signing because he is a left-handed bat, which the team needs. Brand Hand would also be a great compliment, but his asking price may be similar to Colome’s.
Why in the world would anyone think Reinsdorf would spend money on FA like some suggest? Maybe he would if he can get the taxpayers to foot the bill.
Are you mentally challenged? The Sox spent more than any other team in baseball last year.
I think that LaRussa was hired by Reinsdorf with the agreement that the Sox will spend money to get one last World Series for the two of them.
Everybody states that analytics proves that managers aren’t that important. Then the same posters and writers talk all about the LaRussa hiring, non-stop, as if managers are the most important piece of an organization. Please stop talking out of both sides of your mouth. Pick a lane and I truly don’t care which lane. Just pick one.
Managers make the decisions, so they are important. You can play the odds with analytics and probably win more than you lose, but sometimes a manager has a gut feeling or knows something the numbers don’t. On the flip side, the numbers shouldn’t be ignored because they can tell patterns that you won’t figure out with simple eye tests. Both are important.
You’re right. And then there’s the human side of things. The relationships and rapport with the players. The contribution to camaraderie in the dugout/clubhouse. How will LaRussa measure up with the young players on the White Sox?
So true, if managerial decisions didn’t make a difference then Renteria wouldn’t be fired. His decision-making after the White Sox clinched a playoff spot was a total debacle that got worse in the A’s playoff series. I was dumbfounded over how we went from a walkover to a Central Division title and at least a 2nd seed all the way down to a 7th seed, and still had no business losing to an inferior A’s team.
Assuming Jerry isn’t willing to pay the market price for Bauer, they gotta go all-in on Springer. Of the two glaring holes on the team (RF and SP), SP is more likely to get solved from within as Kopech returns and Dunning, Cease, and Lopez grow up a bit more with a highly regarded new pitching coach.
I am super skeptical that any of the non-Bauer starters on the FA market this year are going to deliver value commensurate with the market price they will command.
I wouldn’t count on Lopez. I don’t feel that he is long for the team.
If I ran the team, I might give Lopez one more year to figure it out. He’s still relatively cheap and the talent is definitely there. It’s just the inconsistency.
My ideal (realistic) White Sox offseason includes: signing Springer, Tanaka, and Hand. In a dream scenario, they’d also nab Cruz on a one-year deal with an option because Vaughn wasn’t facing MLB-pitching and hasn’t played a real game in over a year. I can see him struggling if brought up too early.
As for Bauer, he’d probably be very good, but also very expensive, and his down years are pretty bad. Tanaka has been a pretty steady performer. His lower upside would make him significantly cheaper. Also, while Bauer may want to work with Katz, I have to imagine the La Russa hire is a bigger negative than he said it was. I just don’t find it likely that he goes to such an old-school manager on a historically old-school team.
Why would George Springer want to go to the white sox? At most he would make the playoffs 1 time on a 5+ year deal. Their window is to win isn’t closing fast. Max 2 more years. Then if they don’t win. Fire Sale.
Your trolling attempts are becoming more and more desperate. You can’t honestly believe that a team with this much young talent, several of their players playing well below their potential this year (Robert, Moncada, Mazara, and EE), and still posted a better record (and over twice the run differential) than your Cubbies, is going to make the playoffs just once in the next five years even if they add Springer. You’re just making Cubs fans look bad.
Be nice to wrek305. We all know Chicagoans, and the suburbanites who desperately want to be Chicagoans, lack character.
I haven’t lived in Chicago in 20+ years. I never considered myself a Chicagoan. They have great food(not the pizza. Its not bad I prefer new york style) no one can make an Italian beef like a true Chicagoan. After that lots of sports to enjoy. And where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. Chicago does not lack character.
Most of the salmon in Lake Michigan are Coho, something most women, beautiful or not, don’t want to be compared to. I’m guessing most women don’t want to be compared to any salmon even if they are ‘smoking’ hot. Additionally, all the salmon I’m familiar with tend to migrate in the water and not flock like those swallows to Capistrano.
Have you never seen Dumb and Dumber?
I also relocated from Chicago, and the ladies in my new home are much more attractive than what Chicago has to offer.
Do you really need attention this badly?
I’m not trying to get any attention at all dude. TF you talking about.
Wrek—quit trolling. You ask why he would go to the White Sox? Because he’s earned the right of free agency. That said, the White Sox must offer him the greatest value deal, the best money, etc. He will go to Seattle if that is where the best deal is. Same for Toronto, Pittsburgh, Boston, and 25 other baseball cities. He already has a World Series ring.
If he has the opportunity to go to a team you think is going to the playoffs once in the next five years or five times in the next five years….guess which one he is choosing?….Neither. He’s picking the team that gives HIM the best offer.
Nobody can correctly predict the economic landscape of baseball for the near future (surely the length of many current players expected playing span) so if you think these guys are going for glory rather than security you are crazy.
There’s zero chance he goes to Pittsburgh. He has a ring and a tainted one at that. Who’s to say he doesn’t want another one? I just don’t see him going to the white sox. They’re pretty set there. Robert can cover left and Center if he really wanted too.
Wrek—-I’m pretty sure he doesn’t care what anyone thinks about anything being tainted——and here’s my point——I also think there is zero chance that he goes to Pittsburgh—-but if the Pirates offered him 6 years at $25M per and the White Sox (to use your post) were next in line at 4 years at $20M per——he’s playing the rest of his career at PNC. And your original post had nothing to do with Robert—it was about the Sox making the playoffs one time in the next five years and he wouldn’t want to go to a team like that.
If the Sox signed him, I’m sure he and Robert can fit together somehow in the outfield.
In plain English, your plain stupid !
*you’re
Oh, the irony.
hyraxwithaflamethrower: Most White Sox fans will be doing cartwheels if your prediction comes true.
The George Springer signing makes the most sense to fill the White Sox long standing hole in RF. JR authorized more dollars for a luxury free agent in 3B/SS Manny Machado when RF Bryce Harper made far more sense for them with his high OPS left-handed bat and from a marketing standpoint. That occurred two offseasons ago with the team still in their rebuild mode. Springer at 31 will command far less dollars than what Machado and Harper wound up with back in 2019.
The White Sox were among the finalists for Masahiro Tanaka when he was posted from Japan. My concern with him is that his arm might finally fall off for good during his next contract. I have a similar concern with this sites prediction of the White Sox signing FA James Paxton. My best guess is that the White Sox will kick the tires on the one true FA ace Trevor Bauer but will ultimately lose out on him for any number of reasons including dollars or their recent hire of manager Tony La Russa. They will follow that ‘disappointment’ by reuniting with former fan favorite Jose Quintana who is far more likely to guarantee them innings than either Tanaka or Paxton. The White Sox may also take a short term flyer on an older former ace like Cory Kluber or perhaps even Adam Wainwright who pitched for La Russa as a Cardinal during the first part of his long tenure with the redbirds.
Brad Hand would be a nice get for the White Sox to replace FA closer Alex Colome. My best guess is that they would prefer a right-handed finisher with southpaw Aaron Bummer already in place for late inning duty. If the front office feels their luck has run out with Colome and his less than inspiring advanced metrics hard throwing FA Liam Hendriks might make the most sense to them.
The union of LaRussa and the White Sox makes no sense even before the DUI fiasco is factored in. A team full of young up-and-coming talent merged with old-school, my way or the highway mentality. It’s a recipe for, if not disaster, at least intrigue. And I’ve got the popcorn ready.
I think most of us agree that Reinsdorf crapped the bed on this one. La Russa vs Anderson alone could be an entertaining story line. I think Abreu, as such a strong leader on the team, will do his best to keep everyone in line, and that will help a lot, but I think eventually things will boil over.
I don’t think it made sense to hire La Russa, but I think you guys are overstating how much of a disaster it’s going to be.
His stupid opinions could turn off the players, but it’s not like anyone is going to lose on purpose just to spite La Russa. And as far as the game moving past him…La Russa was successful for like 4 decades. I find it hard to believe the game has changed SO MUCH in the last decade that he doesn’t know how to manage a game anymore. The way he managed the Cardinals pitching in the 2011 playoffs is basically the way everybody manages their staffs in the playoffs now – and sometimes even in the regular season.
I don’t question LaRussa’s baseball knowledge or ability to manage. I question his people skills, especially in interacting with younger developing players. He didn’t just get a DUI, he tried to talk his way out of it by saying he is a Hall of Famer. Ego like that from someone old enough to be their grandfather could be a major problem in the clubhouse.
I wish I could remember more details from this story, but when LaRussa was working in the Diamondbacks front office there was an incident when the Pirates were playing at Arizona. The Pirates’ TV announcer Greg Brown said on air that someone had come to him during a game and said that LaRussa didn’t like things Brown was saying on air about LaRussa’s managerial career and that Brown had to stop talking about LaRussa.
Again, I don’t remember all of the specifics, but I remember hearing that and thinking “Who does that? How full of yourself do you have to be to do that?” And I would imagine that age hasn’t mellowed Tony’s opinion of himself. Great manager, but shouldn’t be doing it now in that situation in Chicago.
He’s an a-hole for sure and he could absolutely destroy that clubhouse. But it’s also not like he hasn’t dealt with young players over the course of his career.
They say the value of free agent contracts will be depressed. Maybe. For starting pitching, it seems like 20 or so teams are looking to add starters, including contending teams that currently have several vacancies. These 20 or so teams are rumored to be interested in the same six to ten starters. That means most will be disappointed, while also indicating the pitchers may end up being more expensive than hoped.
This article doesn’t exactly say it, but so many Sox fans are thinking Kopech will start the 2021 season in the major league rotation. He hasn’t thrown a pitch since 2018, he needs to start the year in Charlotte/at the alternate site.
It’s a fair point, but I don’t think he’ll be down that long, considering he had earned his MLB debut back in 2018 and supposedly looked great in limited action in ST this year. I would expect that by May, he’s up with the big league club, barring any setbacks.
By May, he also could very well be on the DL. Kopech is a head case. You all think Anderson and LaRussa could be a disaster, well Kopech could also be an interesting thing to watch.
Any pitcher could be on the DL. What’s your point? We saw a crazy amount of pitchers get injured this year. Every year, some star’s season ends prematurely.
As for Kopech being a head case, I’d say it’s more that he has a temper. I think Lopez is more of a head case, since he has all the talent he needs but can’t deliver with any sort of consistency. A little maturity will hopefully work that out for Kopech, I’m less optimistic on Lopez.
While Carlos Rodon and Nomar Mazara are near certain non-tender candidates I would be surprised if the White Sox did likewise with Reynaldo Lopez. Per this sites formula, Mazara is expected to earn an arbitration salary of $5.7MM while Rodon would be at $4.5MM for the 2021 season. On the other hand, Lopez arbitration salary is estimated at $1.7MM.
I expect the White Sox will retain some interest in re-signing Rodon as a free agent this offseason at a much reduced contract. Despite being out of options, Lopez is far more likely to be offered arbitration as a pitcher who has had few health concerns. Lopez remains a decent trade chip for the White Sox this offseason. If he struggles in spring training, they could always cut him before opening day at a fraction of his arb salary. Depending on other moves this offseason, Lopez would be a candidate for the White Sox #5 starter slot or a potentially effective reliever, either as a long man or perhaps in a late inning setup role.
I wouldn’t be surprised with Lopez, but I expect Rodon’s time with the club is over. Too many injuries, too much inconsistency when he was healthy. Time to cut ties and hope another team can help him stay on the field and discover his potential. The Sox’ window is open; they can’t afford to throw away every fifth start.
I agree completely. I think it is worth the &1.7 mil alone, just to see if Katz has better success in turning Lopez around than Cooper did.
Maybe they saw something in the way Cooper was working on developing younger pitchers recently that lead to his firing. Lopez is still young and has a big arm.
Rodon is a different story. His history of arm troubles adds an element of risk that may not be worth it.
I’m not so optimistic about the White Sox’s position to compete long-term, even before considering the La Russa debacle and Reinsdorf priming the fan base to be disappointed.
That’s because this team has, once again, failed miserably at developing talent from within. After 4 years of rebuilding, the farm system is already exhausted because of poor drafting, poor coaching, and an unwillingness to spend on international amateurs. Recent Top 100 lists were full of Sox prospects that were acquired from other organizations, and now that they’ve all graduated, who’s left to be traded for major league talent?
Outside of Vaughn, they can’t really make a meaningful trade without significantly subtracting from their active roster, and as you say, he’s “penciled in” at 1B/DH. If they aren’t going to spend big in free agency to compensate, then what exactly are we doing?
Kopech will still be a rookie next year, Crochet only pitched about 7 innings, and Kelly hasn’t seen the bigs yet, so there’s still some prospect talent. As for what they need, they have a hole at RF, SP, and the BP. The BP isn’t that glaring if Crochet or Bummer can step in, or if they sign Hand, who can apparently be had for less than $10M/yr. With all the young pitching options, I’m not even convinced they absolutely must address SP. RF is the huge hole on this team, and there are options to either sign or get via trade. With most of the prime talent locked up for at least three more years, and some for 6, I think their window is just fine.
An unwillingness to sign international amateurs
Like tatis Jr who they traded
Abreu the MVP
Or Robert one of best young players
Not to mention the White Sox were hardly bashful about trading for two other highly regarded international talents in Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez, prospects whose development was finalized in their own farm system and continues at the MLB level as they strive to become generational players.
Here’s my plan. Engle,Fry,Giolito,Marshall, and even Lopez pick up options. No to Marza,Rodon that saves $10.2 million.
Sign Peterson 2/12, Tanaka 3/39, McCann 2/20,Hand2/16. Colome 1/8. So it’s a $35 million added to payroll I can’t see Jerry spending more than this. Not sure these prices get these players but I would strike fast and give them a time limit.
If Jerry Reinsdorf doesn’t want to spend, I don’t see him dropping 10M a year on a backup catcher.
Also, I can’t imagine McCann, who is now in his 30s, wanting to continue playing backup catcher, especially with all the starting roles available.
And aside from Peterson and Colome, I don’t see those players signing with Chicago or signing at those bargains.
It’s going to come to money. And almost all players were non tendered. Going to be a wild off season.
You’re not getting McCann back. Your plan for getting him for 2/20 is low plus he wants to start. Sox can’t devote that much money for 2 catchers.
Doubt you’ll get Coloma on a one year deal either.
@play the game. Your plans are fine except for just one thing – you forget Jerry Reinsdorf owned this team. Unless he can get the money from the taxpayers, he’s not gonna spend anything near what you propose.
I can’t buy the argument that the Sox lost nine figures. Only 2 people ever come to the games and one of them is a player’s wife.
She bought a lot of Cracker Jack.
I’d like Sox to trade Rodon or non-tender him. I think they should keep Mazara since he’s still so young and a lefty in the lineup, platoon him with Engel. Next offseason sign maybe Conforto for RF, really solid left handed bat which shouldn’t cost a ton. Keep Reynaldo as #5 starter option or bullpen piece. Sign a mid-level free agent starter (Odorizzi) and a good closer, preferably Colome or Hendriks.
Unless the White Sox are trading Rodon for another non-tender candidate (perhaps trading need for need), I don’t see why any team would trade for him knowing that the alternative is that he’ll become a free agent, and they can then just sign him for money, and not include other players.
Non-tender Mazara. Rodon for Kyle.
A very interesting trade proposal mom, one that I had mentioned more than a few times in the past when the stock of both players was at a higher level.
A trade of Carlos Rodon for Kyle Schwarber would be fascinating on so many levels. They were selected back-to-back in the 1st Round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft. Rodon fell to the White Sox at #3 despite being the consensus top rated pitcher in the draft after the Astros and Marlins opted for high school arms. Rodon wound up signing for the highest bonus of any player in that draft. The Cubs followed the White Sox pick and chose Schwarber. I would imagine that Theo Epstein was praying for Rodon to fall one more spot so that the pitching hungry Cubs would have a chance at not only the top college arm in 2014 but one of the best in recent years leading up to that draft.
The White Sox have had a shortfall of lefty power for some time now. The Cubs have had a better track record of developing hitters, especially ones with solid OBP/OPS numbers. Conversely, the White Sox have had better luck than the Cubs with developing pitchers.
I recall a radio interview back in the summer of 2017 with Jim Thome who has been in the White Sox front office since 2013 as a special assistant to the general manager. Thome was asked about Schwarber who had just been demoted to AAA Iowa by the Cubs after Joe Maddon unsuccessfully tried to turn the slugger into a leadoff hitter. Thome was extremely high on Schwarber not only as a potentially great slugger but also as a strong clubhouse presence. He saw many of his own HOF attributes in the struggling Cubs hitter. Since that interview I have often wondered how well ‘Schwarbs’ might do in Guaranteed Rate Field and in a league where the DH was always an option.
Heading into this offseason the White Sox would seemingly have less need for Schwarber as a LF/DH option but could still use a high OBP/OPS left-handed stick in their batting order. Schwarber isn’t the fleetest OF afoot but could potentially fit into the White Sox RF picture with an above average arm that used to catch in college and to a lesser extent in his early pro career until he suffered that ACL tear in April of 2016. Schwarber wouldn’t be the ideal pickup for the White Sox as currently constructed but could be useful in the role of a part time corner OF/DH. There is little question that Schwarber and Rodon could probably benefit from a change of scenery at this point of their MLB careers.
As a Sox fan, I’d be ok with that deal. At the very least, they could have Engel in RF, Schwarber at DH until Vaughn arrives, and then move Schwarber to RF. With only one year left, he wouldn’t be blocking Vaughn for long anyway. An .859 OPS against RHP makes him a platoon player with Engel, so not really worse than Joc.
Unfortunately, with all the injuries to Rodon, I’m not sure the Cubs go for it. He still has the talent to make it a steal for the Cubbies, but he’s thrown over 140 innings just once. Sox would have to add some lottery ticket to sweeten the deal.
Rodon is absolutely worthless in terms of trade value. Look at his numbers… his ERA has climbed every year for the past 6 years, he has never played a full season during that time. Why on earth would the Cubs trade Schwarber for him? Rodon might have a tough time getting a major league roster spot at all on any team, unlikely to stay healthy even if he did.
I’ve thought that could have some traction but I’m pretty sure Theo still thinks Schwarber is a star, Lol. Cubs need starters and Rodon is very affordable nowadays for a SP. When they ask for more prospects from Sox those talks end though.
Teams that succeed lately have pitching and a deep roster of all around talented players. Not just several thumpers. Look at Dodgers & Rays as recent examples.
The total money of Encarnacion, Gonzalez, Cishek, Rodon, Mazzara exceeds $40 M. Its time to keep your own players. A total of $12 to $15M when added to what they were already making should be enough to sign McCann and Colome. Make a trade for a real right fielder using some of the talent at Triple A
They’re not getting McCann back. He wants and has earned the right to start for a team. Also, he’d probably cost $8M+, which is way too much for a backup C. I’d rather that money went to the RF / SP solutions. Colome is good and I wouldn’t mind them re-signing him, but I’d rather they got Hand.
Your McCann assessment is valid, but do you get he sense that McCann’s apparent desire to leave Chicago for a starting gig and more dough might be a huge mistake, especially if it’s a 2-year deal?
Is McCann really a starter on a club that expects to be a winner? I’m thinking about rumors of him becoming a Yank. Does starting on a club that is slated to lose 100 games do much for his career either?
With the Sox, McCann is more than a backup catcher. He could be part of the carrousel of C/DH/1B, so he is getting regular playing time. He would also be part of a team that is poised to do great things.
JR would be wise to throw a decent offer at McCann so that McCann really has a decision to make. McCann remaining a Sox for the next couple of years might be the smartest move the team and Jimmy make. Don’t think it will happen, but sometimes the smartest move is no move.
Yes, I believe McCann really can be a starting C on a winning club. Keep in mind that an average OPS+ for a C is around 87. McCann has been well above that the last two years. He’s also come pretty far as a pitch framer and is lauded for his work with the Sox’ young staff. He’s solid defensively, too. I don’t expect him to repeat his 2020 numbers, but I believe he’s the 2nd best option at C (admittedly a long ways behind JTR). He may not be a top-5 C in baseball, but I do think he’s probably top-10.
I’ll keep it brief.
Get Springer or Pederson for RF, not Eaton (might as well make Engel as full-time RF).
SP–get only one-year deals for any F/A (except Bauer, which I doubt they’ll get).
Keep Lopez, put in ‘pen. Non-tender Rodon.
The starting pitching, aside from Keuchel and Giolito most days, is highly questionable. The White Sox need to fortify their bullpen more than anything else. They MUST re-sign Colome. The also need to make a serious push for Liam Hendriks. Bummer-Hendriks-Colome in late innings will make up for the shallow rotation. Adding Springer is a no-brainer, with Pederson being a decent alternative platooning alongside Engel.
I think the White Sox should bring back Rodon and Mazara.. Rodon at a little lower price than last year is a good gamble. Hopefully he will be healthy with another year away from his injury. he has his stuff its just a matter of control.. Mazara had an off year. his 5 previous years averaged out would work in a platoon with Engle. Mazara came through in most clutch situations late in the season and in the playoffs. At a reduced rate following a bad season, I really believe the Sox should give him another season. HE IS STILL VERY YOUNG. You also have Leury Garcia to fall back on. MONEY SAVED from these moves could be spent on pitching.,prospects and scouting. OVERPAYING for players previous career years with other teams, is not the way to build a team meant to contend for years..
A strong case for keeping or cutting Mazara can be made. He was one of the better hitters in the playoffs, and he was better defensively than what I was given to believe.
Of the free agents in RF, if I was opposed to the Sox hiring Hinch as manager, I’d be a hypocrite if I banged the garbage can for the club to sign Springer. Eaton was a jerk in his first stint here. Can’t think that has changed. Is Joco really an upgrade on Mazara and at a higher cost? I’ve never been sold on Joco. Could a trade work? Sure, but the team doesn’t have a lot of chips to deal.
If Mazara is brought back, does that mean the team should get a professional DH like Cruz rather than hope Vaughn is ML ready? Would hate to see Mazara blow again at the plate and Vaughn struggle with big league pitching as the guy has never played above AA.
Not interested in bring Rodon back except at a bargain basement price.
Come on rad. That plan is awful. This team is in position to go for it. Your plan is not a go for it plan on any level. None.
The White Sox? They are absolutley in a team to make it..
The team can’t afford to have holes that it could easily address, especially in a depressed market for FA’s. Mazara has been in the league five years and has never been better than an average hitter. If he plays back to that level, they can get away with it, but that’s no guarantee and they could get Springer, Brantley, Joc, or someone else via trade who would do better (though Joc would be mostly a platoon option). As for Rodon, why? He’s thrown over 140 innings just once in his career and he’s generally struggled when he has pitched, no doubt largely due to not being fully healthy. As for spending the money on pitching, prospects, and scouting, keeping Rodon eats one of those spots with one of the worst pitchers on the staff. What’s the point of spending the money if you’re keeping your worst guys? For prospects, they can’t change their draft pool money or international money by not spending on FA’s, so that’s irrelevant. All they can do is trade guys for international money. And scouting is more a function of your team’s methods and talent than it is of how much money you throw into scouting. Do you value analytics or the eye-test more? White Sox have always gone for eye-tests. Finally, it’s their development that really needs the most work. They’re just not good at developing hitters and they draft too many guys with swing-and-miss in their game who rarely walk, then never fix them.
Never liked the rehire and now that we have a 76 year old drunk I like it even less. Time for Jerry to sell both teams which he won’t. Every other team is looking for young leadership who can communicate with the new spoiled players and we really get an old dino.
Road to the World Series, just 2 more players:
George Springer and Trevor Bauer. It’s all about the money. On the other hand they may sign for a little less, knowing the Sox have a real shot to take it all if they are included. In the end after taxes, what’s a few million her and there. I think Reinsdorf and his investors will agree to go for broke as they ae all getting older, This is a real shot to make it work.
Springer and Bauer are the only two difference makers in this years FA pool. I’d throw in Ozuna because he played RF in the past and won a gold glove in 2017, so I don’t think he would be a disaster in RF even if he is not likely to be excellent. He and Springer are both excellent hitters against right handed pitching, making their not being left handed less of an issue. Especially Springer, he would be their best hitter vs RHP, no different than a good left handed hitter vs righties. Bauer is the only pitcher worth more than a 1 year deal.
If they fail to get any of these 3, it’s wait for 2022 and they should basically just get 1 year deals with club options and not do anything to constrain their ability to sign the best guys next offseason. No 2-3 year deals with marginal upgrades for mediocre players. If Grandal is their highest free agent signing, this rebuild will wind up being a complete waste of incredible talent.
Now that I have a little time to play with:
If there’s a shred of truth to Reinsdorf losing 9 figures due to COVID-19, he’s not going to be wildly throwing money around this Winter. So anyone with a laundry list a mile long for the Sox this Winter will be greatly disappointed. There might be one big splurge, but that would be it (might being the operative word).
Springer would be the guy I’d splurge on. If they can’t afford/are unwilling to pay his price, I’d go far Pederson (or a RF via trade). I’d stay away from Eaton. LaRussa make the clubhouse volatile enough on his own, they don’t need to throw dynamite into a raging housefire with Eaton. I’d rather just put Engel as the full-time RF (never thought I say that and be serious about it). They don’t need any other offensive moves with Vaughn coming up.
By the way, enough with the talk about Eloy being the full-time DH. It won’t happen while Abreu is on the team. They will run into the problem they had this year of too many mouths to feed if they try Eloy at DH. Vaughn/Abreu/Grandal/Collins or Mercedes (safely assuming McCann doesn’t stay a Sox player) for 3 positions–can’t see where they fit Eloy into the 1B/DH/C mix (obviously he won’t be a C).
Plus, he actually looked better in LF this year. Yes, he has his bad moments (like the Brewers inside-the-park HR), but he still looked better from what I saw from him. He even made a few decent catches, which was shocking. He’s about to turn 24, so he can still improve a bit. No one’s saying he will be a Gold Glove, but he can at least not be a laughing stock in LF everyone currently sees him as.
I don’t think Bauer will come to the Sox. That being the case, I would sign any other F/A SP to a 1-year deal. Giolito and Keuchel are 1-2, the other 3 are right now a combination of Cease, Dunning, Kopech, and Crochet (technically there are others, but those are the most likely 4). Cease has 26 starts in his career–basically a full rookie season. Dunning with 7 starts, Kopech 4 starts (3 abbreviated), and Crochet all of 6 IP. Theoretically 3 of those 4 could fill the last 3 spots, and conversely none of those 4 could fill the 3 spots. Too early to tell, especially with Katz as pitching coach.
I would hate for them to commit to an average-at-best SP for 3 or 4 years, blocking any one of these 4 who could potentially be far better than the average pitcher blocking him. Now if one or two of these 4 are part of a trade(s), that changes things a bit. Dunning is the best trade chip at this moment. I’d like to keep him more than the others, but it doesn’t matter what I think.
If Lopez makes $1.7MM next year, he’s worth the risk sticking him in the pen. Maybe Katz can work his magic that Cooper was obviously incapable of doing. If he was projected to make a lot more, then yes, non-tender him. But at $1.7MM, keep him. But it must be made crystal clear to him this serves as his last chance.
Rodon and Mazara are obvious non-tenders. See if they can bring Rodon on a lower deal, but good luck with Boras by his side. Then again, it’s not like other teams are going to throw huge money at him either.
I would like them to sign Colome to a one-year deal. It limits the sting if he suddenly regresses next year.
Wow, sorry about the length. I was not expecting it to be that long. I just kept typing.
That’s fine. I can tell you are college educated like me. B.S. in Physics and an MS in Mechanical Engineering, I can also tell you probably made a few million. Perfect as a White Sox fan..