With the World Series underway, it’s time to begin working on plans for the 2020-21 offseason, and we’re inviting you to share your thoughts and plans with us and the rest of the fanbase.
All you have to do is use the template here (copy/paste) and begin to lay the foundation for what you believe will be the path to success for the 2021 Chicago White Sox!
When completed, save your plan as a PDF and send it to dugoutmediagroup@gmail.com for it to be published on the website.
Note: We will not include submissions with vulgar or explicit language, so let’s keep it clean.
For the White Sox, our Editor-in-Chief, Patrick Flowers, has already offered up his plan for the Pale Hose this offseason. We’ve also published one reader submission, from Plainfield Matt.
Today, Editor Logan Hard takes a stab at an offseason plan for the Southside:
Introduction
The window was ripped open this season with the force of an F5 Tornado. The Sox may have gotten bounced by the A’s in the Wild Card round, but the future is now.
Not content to sit around and hope for the best in 2021, The South Siders fired Ricky Renteria. This was HUGE and I believe a sign of a really great off-season. (If they hire notable old baseball guy Tony LaRussa, scrub this article from the internet forever).
Let’s spend some money that ain’t mine!
Arbitration-Eligible Players
Nomar Mazara (OF) – $5.6MM: Non-Tender
Carlos Rodón (LHP) – $4.45MM: Non-Tender
Lucas Giolito (RHP) – $2.5MM: Tender
Reynaldo López (RHP) – $1.7MM: Non-Tender
Evan Marshall (RHP) – $1.3MM: Tender
Adam Engel (OF) – $1.0MM: Tender
Jace Fry (LHP) – $1.0MM: Tender
Yolmer Sánchez (INF) – Uncertain: Non-Tender
Club Options
Edwin Encarnación (DH) – $12M: Decline
The Parrot walks the plank.
Gio González (LHP) – $7M ($500K buyout) Decline
At least he pitched one time for the Sox.
Leury García (UTIL) – $3.5M ($250K buyout) Pick Up
He’s still a valuable utility player. Just don’t start him.
Impending Free Agents
Alex Colomé (RHP) – (Made $10,532,500 in 2020) He Gone.
His peripherals tell a much different story than his save totals. Bummer/Heuer could step in and do just as well.
James McCann (C) – (Made $5.4M in 2020) He Gone
This is going to hurt. I would love for the Sox to keep him for Lucas’ sanity, but alas, I think he gets more money elsewhere and the Sox money needs to be spent more wisely in other areas of need.
Jarrod Dyson (OF) – (Made $2M in 2020) He Gone
Was he ever really here?
Manager/Coaching Staff
Manager: AJ Hinch
The only choice, baggage and all.
Bench Coach: Sam Fuld
Young analytical mind.
Pitching Coach: Matt Zaleski
Pro advanced metrics on the pitching side. This won’t be “forced” on Hinch, but I think this is one where the Sox ‘strongly urge him’ to consider Matt.
Hitting Coach: Frank Menechino
He stays mostly because I have no idea who is a good hitting coach prospect. It might just be a MacBook Pro at this point.
Free Agency Acquisitions
Marcell Ozuna (OF) – 4 years, $85M
I just love everything about Marcell. I want to see him Mash, but mostly I want to see him celebrate with the likes of TA and Eloy.
Marcus Stroman (SP) – 5 years, $105M
This is an overpay for Stroman, but I think the Sox will be in on Bauer and get outbid, forcing a desperate jump to Marcus.
Tyler Flowers (C) – 1 year, $4M w/ Club Option
The RETURN. As a back up that became better with pitch framing after he left the Sox, this is a good match.
James Paxton (SP) – 1 year, $10M
Signed on a prove it deal. He’s injured but is only 32 and had a 2.4 bWAR season in 2019.
Sean Doolittle (RP) – 1 year, $5M
For the glasses alone!
Greg Holland (RP) – 2 years, $8M
The Dutchman can still get outs out of the ‘pen.
Trades
None. With no full minor league season in 2020, it’s going to be hard for anyone to evaluate and make deals.
Winter Wrap-up
Here are your 2021 Chicago White Sox!
C: Grandal
1B: Jose Abreu/ Andrew Vaughn
2B: Nick Madrigal (once healthy, Leury/Mendick before that)
SS: Tim Anderson
3B: Yoan Moncada
DH: Vaughn/Abreu
RF: Marcell Ozuna
CF: Luis Robert
LF: Eloy Jimenez
Bench: Danny Mendick, Adam Engel, L. Garcia, Flowers
Rotation
SP: Lucas Giolito
SP: Marcus Stroman
SP: Dallas Kuechel
SP: Michael Kopech
SP: James Paxton
Bullpen:
CL: Aaron Bummer
SU: Codi Heuer
RP: Sean Doolittle
RP: Greg Holland
RP: Dylan Cease
RP: Matt Foster
RP: Jimmy Cordero/Zack Burdi/Evan Marshall
REMEMBER: Be sure to join the conversation and submit your offseason plan! You can find the template by clicking, here.
When you’ve completed your plan you need to include your plan in an email as a PDF and send it to dugoutmediagroup@gmail.com for it to be published on the website!
Featured Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn, Getty Images
