KenWo’s Off-Season Plan

Arbitration-eligible:

• Jose Abreu, $17.9M- Tender and extend at 4 years/80 million
• Avisail Garcia, $6.7M- Tender
• Yolmer Sanchez, $2.1M- Tender
• Carlos Rodon, $2.0M- Tender
• Danny Farquhar, $1.5M- Non-tender
• Zach Putnam, $1.4M- Non-tender
• Leury Garcia, $1.2M- Tender
• Jake Petricka, $1.1M- Non-tender
• Al Alburquerque, $1.1M- Non-tender

I don’t think there are any tough calls. The hitters all are easy tenders, as is Rodon. The relievers are easy non-tenders. Putnam and Petricka have been injured far too often and the other two were late season pickups, where there will be many like them available.

Abreu is all that and a bag of chips. You will not get market value when trading him. He can hit in a rocking chair. He can move to DH. I love him. Pay the man.

I am interested in extending Avi and will continue talks throughout the year.

Impending free agents

• Geovany Soto: Let go.
• Mike Pelfrey: Let go.

I like Geo, but he just can’t stay on the field.

Free agents:

Mike Moustakas: 5 years/85 million. If there is one place the White Sox look like they need a player, it is third base. Moustakas has big power and will provide a big time lefty power bat. He can play a bit of third base and can move to first when we sign Machado next year.

Melky Cabrera: 1 year/ 10 million. Melky comes back to the White Sox for a 10 million dollar deal to DH and play LF.

Carlos Gomez: 2 years/20 million. Gomez comes in to hold down center until Luis Robert is ready. He had a nice bounce back season with the Rangers.

CC Sabathia: 1 year/ 17 million. CC will head the rotation.

Addison Reed: 4/32 million. Reed will sign on to be the big arm reliever we desperately need.

Hector Santiago: 1/5 million: Hector comes back to be a lefty out of the pen, where he started years ago.

Trades

The White Sox trade Alec Hansen, Kevan Smith and Blake Rutherford to the Marlins for J.T. Realmuto. The Sox finally get their catcher they’ve been searching for since AJ Pierzynski in Realmuto, who hit .278 with 17 bombs last year. Giving up Hansen hurts, but if you want a catcher who is controlled through 2021 that just had an all-star season, that is what you give up. J.T. is predicted to get 4.2 million in arbitration.

Summary

1. Yoan Moncada 2B, 600k
2. Melky Cabrera DH, 10 million
3. Jose Abreu 1B, 20 million
4. Mike Moustakas 3B, 17 million
5. Avisail Garcia RF, 6.7 million
6. J.T. Realmuto C, 4.2 million
7. Nicky Delmonico LF 600k
8. Carlos Gomez CF, 10 million
9. Tim Anderson SS, 1 million

Omar Narvaez C, 600k

Yolmer Sanchez INF, 2.1 million

Leury Garcia IF/OF, 1.2 million

Matt Davidson IF, 600k

1. CC Sabathia LHP, 17 million
2. Lucas Giolito RHP, 600k
3. James Shields RHP, 10 million until Rodon comes back (2 million)
4. Reynoldo Lopez RHP, 600k
5. Michael Kopech (after the first 2 weeks), 600k

Bullpen

1. Addison Reed 8 million
2. Juan Minaya 600 k
3. Gregory Infante 600k
4. Hector Santiago 5 million
5. Aaron Bummer 600k
6. Carson Fulmer 600k
7. Nate Jones 3.95 million

You all know I hate losing on purpose. So I’m going for it. I think this team could cause some serious damage in the American League. Eloy Jimenez will replace Nicky Delmonico in the lineup when he is ready to go (should be about 2 weeks into the year for me). There is some thump in this lineup.Anyone in there can leave the yard at any time. Moustakas gives the Sox some lefty thump that they’ve been missing since Jim Thome. I think there is 220 homers out of them.The rotation should be solid enough to keep the Sox in it long enough for the dingers to come. The bullpen has potential to be a major plus for this team. Infante, Bummer and Minaya impressed last year. Santiago could be very good as the second lefty and Reed brings stability to the back end.

The payroll is about 125 million. 42 of which will come off the books at the end of the year. Book your playoff tickets!