FanPost

Polish Prince Offseason Rebuild

No if and’s about it-REBUILD. The Chicago White Sox need to go balls to the wall with a full out rebuild. Here we go and buckle yours seats.


  • Todd Frazier, $13.5M - Tender

  • Brett Lawrie, $5.1M - Tender

  • Avisail Garcia, $3.5M - Non-tender

  • Miguel Gonzalez, $2.6M - Tender

  • Dan Jennings, $1.2M - Tender

  • J.B. Shuck, $1M - Non-tender

  • Jake Petricka, $900K - Tender

  • Zach Putnam, $900K - Tender

  • Daniel Webb, $600K - Non-tender

All of these decisions were fairly easily to come by. More to come on some of the players included in trades.


After arbitration cases, the White Sox payroll is at $97.25 million

Contract options (pick up or buy out)

  • Matt Albers: buyout pay Matt Albers $250,000. This amount is included in the $97.25 million.

Impending free agents (re-sign, let go or qualifying offer)

  • Austin Jackson: Let go

  • Alex Avila: Let go

  • Justin Morneau: Let go

All three players are injury prone and past their prime.

Free agents


1) Derek Holland - 1 year, 6 million ($3M incentives)

Derek Holland has been snakebitten by injuries the past 2 ½ years. When healthy he still possesses two solid pitches with his fastball and slider. His velocity has gone from 94.7 mph to career low 90.3 mph this past year. A lot of it has to do with shoulder and knee issues. Hopefully with an offseason where he doesn’t have rehab a major injury. Holland will be able to get his velocity back up to 92mph. If Holland has an adequate season use a trade chip during the season.

2)RA Dickey (1 year/5 million)

Dickey is an innings eater you can use at #4 or #5 of your starting rotation to help save your arms in the bullpen. Yes, he’s getting up there in age, but still keeps the ball in the ballpark and throws decent velocity with his knuckleball. Again can use as a trade chip during the season.

3) Travis Wood (3 year/$16 million)

Wood is athletic and still relatively young at Age 30. We need a veteran reliever to have a calming influence with the youth in the bullpen. Wood can also be a valuable trade chip during the deadline

4) Joe Smith (1 year/ $2 million)

Again Smith brings that veteran leadership to the young team. Hope he bounces back and be traded at the deadline. Has had a solid career up until the last 3 months of 2016 season.


4) Minor League Free Agent Deal


  • Kris Medlen

  • Tommy Hunter

  • CJ Wilson

  • Ryan Raburn/Sox Killer

  • David Lough


After free agent signings, the White Sox payroll is at $115.25 million

Trades

1) Trade SP Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for Yoan Moncado 2B, Jackie Bradley OF, Michael Kopech SP, Blake Swihart C, Henry Ramos OF, Roniel Raudes SP


There are only a couple teams with enough ammunition to pull off a trade with the White Sox for Chris Sale. That main team is the Boston Red Sox. With Dave Dombrowski in charge he pulls the trigger to get one of the elite pitchers in the game. Moncado is the main treasure in this trade and #1 prospect in the game. Moncado needs some more seasoning in the minors next year with his plate recognition, being able to hit offspeed pitches, and infield defense. Moncado has the potential to be an elite leadoff hitter in the game. The sky's the limit. Jackie Bradley becomes your instant starting CF and improves yours defense deficiency in the OF and makes all your pitchers extremely happy. Plus you can’t go wrong with his improved offense the past 2 years. Michael Kopech has a chance to be #1 or #2 starter in your rotation. He has a plus/plus fastball, but still struggles with his command. He still needs time to develop his breaking ball and changeup, but showed a lot of improvement with those 2 pitches this past season. The key to Kopech is repeating his athletic delivery and having a command of all 3 pitches. If he can we are looking at a Top 20 pitcher in baseball. The last 2 players are lottery tickets who need a couple more seasons down in the minors to develop. Henry Ramos played in Double A and can play any 3 outfield positions. Right Field being his best position. Henry has had an injuries the past 2 seasons that has stunted some of his development. Ramos has a ton of raw power that can put on a show during batting practice. If he can translate that into game action we are looking at an everyday player. Roniel Raudes is an 18 year old right handed SP that was a international signing two years ago. He possesses three average pitches and if he adds muscle to his 6-1 160 lb. frame the fastball will turn into a plus pitch. Raudes has a potential to be a mid-rotation pitcher, but has another 3 years to develop.

2) Trade SP Jose Quintana and Tyler Saladino to Texas Rangers for Joey Gallo 1B/3B, Jurckison Profar SS/2B, Yohander Mendes SP, and Leody Taveras OF

After another early exit from the playoffs. Rangers decide to pull the trigger and go after elite talent Quintana. Quintana gives Texas probably the Top 3 starters in all of baseball with Hamels, Darvish, and Quintana. Plus you can’t go wrong with ridiculous cheap contract. Sox in return get their future 1B in Joey Gallo. Gallo possesses 80 power and in a bandbox such as Guaranteed Rate Park/Can’t believe that’s our stadium name he should have no problem hitting 40+ homers each season. If Gallo can improve his contact rate and cut down his K% and manage to hit 230-250 avg with .350 OBP we are looking at a key piece for the future. Former #1 overall prospect Profar can play any position in the field. Finally he played a full season and showed solid production after dealing with shoulder issues the past two seasons. Profar regressed little with making hard contact and stealing bases. That should've been expected after 2 years away from the game. Hopefully having an healthy offseason to prepare for next season will bring back some of the tools that made him the best prospect in the game. Yohander Mendes SP is left hander who made a brief appearance with Rangers this past year. He throws a plus fastball and changeup that has nice tilt to it. The third pitch/slider is the key which still needs some time to develop. If the slider developes he can be instantly put in your mid-rotation. The lottery ticket is OF Leody Taveras a big international signing in 2015. Made his debut in the states and showed 5 tools across the board. Taveras has one of the highest ceilings in all of baseball.


3) Trade 1B Jose Abreu to Cleveland Indians for Bradley Zimmer OF and Juan Hillman SP

Trade Abreu while he’s in his prime and when he’s about to start getting up there in salary. Cleveland needs a younger power 1B/DH type in the middle of the lineup. Good chance Napoli doesn’t resign with Indians after having a monster. Sox in return get a 4 tool OF that can play anywhere in the OF. Zimmer is a future 20/20 candidate the only tool lagging right now is his hitting with enough contact and bringing down the K%. Zimmer played most of the year in AA/AAA. Might need a little more seasoning, but very close to playing everyday at the big show. Juan Hillman is former supplemental 1st round pick in 2014 whose very athletic and still young that isn’t close to reaching his ceiling at the age of 19. He’s a lefthander who still needs to but on some bulk to help with his fastball velocity. His best pitch is his changeup with his breaking ball lagging behind, but shows potential to be an average pitch. Hillman has a chance to be a mid-rotation SP. Still needs a couple years to develop.


4)Trade 3B Todd Frazier and 2B Brett Lawrie for Justin Dunn SP, Kevin Plawecki C, and Thomas Szapucki SP

Mets needs some help offensively in the infield at 3B/2B. They decide not to resign Todd Walker due to back surgery and being a free agent. Sox get the Mets 1st round pick from last year Justin Dunn. Justin Dunn has the potential to be a starting pitcher or fast riser if they decide he’s a reliever. Dunn throws 4 pitches. Three of the pitches: Fastball, curve, and changeup show plus offerings. The question is his command and whether his body can sustain SP workload. If it can’t you have an electric reliever. Reminds me a lot of CJ Edwards, but has a little more bulk. I’ve always been a fan of Plawecki as a catcher. Plays solid defense and if given the chance can be an everyday starting catcher who can hit. Plawecki hasn’t had the chance with Mets. Thomas Szapucki is a lefthander SP that throws in the low 90s. He throws a plus curve, but changeup is very fringe average. Delivery and command needs work, but if puts it together back of rotation SP.

5) RP David Robertson and OF Melky Cabrera to San Francisco Giants for SS/3B Christian Arroyo and SP Chase Johnson


Giants whiff on relief pitching market because the money given to Chapman, Jensen, and Melancon is outrageous. Robertson becomes their closer and Cabrera their everyday LF. Sox get their future 3B in Christian Arroyo whose very close to being ready. Has played SS his whole minor league career, but his future is at 3b due to his limited range at short. Arroyo best tool is his hitting. Can be a perennial ,300 Avg/350 OBP with some power 20/25 homers. Big fan of Arroyo. Johnson was used as a starter in Double A and was very successful. His future is in the bullpen. Throws a heavy fastball in mid 90s that sinks. Curveball and changeup are still behind which puts in the bullpen.


6) RP Carson Fulmer and 2B Carlos Sanchez to Colorado Rockies for Jeff Hoffman

Sox finally realize that Fulmer is best suited for the bullpen and trade him to Colorado along with Sanchez who becomes their UTLM. Sox get a starting pitcher back in Hoffman who could use a little more time in Triple A before hitting the show. Hoffman’s stuff has come back after having Tommy John surgery and has regained his plus fastball/curve. Fastball has a lot of sink which is great for our ballpark. Needs to still work on command and developing his changeup which sometimes shows as a plus pitch.


The trades reduces the salary dramatically. The White Sox will pay Rodon, Anderson, Zimmer, Profar, Arroyo, Swihart, Gallo, Davidson, Tilson, Burdi, and Coats the league minimum. That brings the payroll to someplace close to $52 million.

Lineup

  • 1) Adam Eaton - RF

  • 2) Jurickson Profar - 2B

  • 3) Jackie Bradley - CF

  • 4) Joey Gallo - 1B

  • 5) Christian Arroyo - 3B

  • 6) Tim Anderson - SS

  • 7) Bradley Zimmer - LF

  • 8) Blake Swihart - C

  • 9) Matt Davidson - DH

Bench


  • 1) Kevin Plawecki - C

  • 2) Jake Peter/Eddie Alvarez

  • 3) Charlie Tilson - OF

  • 4) Jason Coats

  • 5) Ryan Raburn


  • Starting Rotation


  • 1) Carlos Rodon - LHP

  • 2) Miguel Gonzalez - RHP

  • 3) Derek Holland - LHP

  • 4) James Shields - RHP

  • 5) RA Dickey- RHP / Hoffman / Mendes / Kopech/ Adams

Bullpen


  • 1) Nate Jones - RHP

  • 2) Zach Putnam - RHP

  • 3) Dan Jennings - LHP

  • 4) Zack Burdi - RHP

  • 5) Jake Petricka-RHP or Tyler Danish

  • 6) Joe Smith - RHP

  • 7) Travis Wood - LHP

2016 White Sox won 78 games. I think this team will be right around that mark also. This team will be fun, exciting, entertaining, and see everyday improvement. I’m waiting for a rebuild along the lines of this. Salary Cap at $52 million. Savings close $66 million from trading all the high end salaries gives the chance to go crazy this international season before the draft starts in 2018 with the new collective bargaining agreement. Let’s hope Shields can bounce back and then trade his salary off again. You a have a low salary with high ceiling young players for the next two years. Then the White Sox can jump into 2018 free agent class where you can make a huge splash for Machado, Harper, Donaldson, Miller, etc.


South Side Sox let the REBUILDING begin!!!!!!

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