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DirtyP20's Offseason Plan

Introduction

A 60-game season was exactly what this team needed. Rick made some bad signings in EE and Gio that will hopefully be rectified for 2021. We saw great flashes from bullpen pieces that I was extremely skeptical about, an MVP season from Abreu, another great season from Timmy, the best prospect in baseball showed promise in Robert, and Giolito showed he is capable of being a bonified ace on a championship caliber roster. All in all, we now know the path moving forward. This young core had a taste of playoff baseball and should be hungry for more. Ownership saw what they needed to see to invest some serious capital in this team and finally transition to the win now mindset. 2021 is a season where winning the division and multiple playoff series is the expectation and it all starts with one of the most important off seasons in the club’s history.

Manager

Bruce Bochy is priority number 1 as he won three championships in the last ten years (2010, 2012, and 2014). His reputation is as clean as they come and is adored by every player and the entire SF fan base. Do whatever it takes to land this man, as this hire instantly attracts free agents. If Bruce does not want to come out of retirement, my order goes Tier 2 Hinch/Core, Tier 3 Alomar Jr, Tier 4 Pierzynski. If Tony La Russa is hired, I really will lose my shit.

Arbitration-eligible (with projected salaries from MLBTR):

  • Nomar Mazara, $5.9 million – Tender, showed enough flashes at the end of the year to bring back in some capacity.

  • Yolmer Sánchez, $2 million – Non-tender, can get similar production for cheaper.

  • Adam Engel, $1.4 million – Tender, valuable bench piece on a playoff roster.

  • Carlos Rodón, $4.55 million – Tender, just because we used high draft capital on him we cannot simply let him walk out the door for nothing, look to trade in the offseason.

  • Lucas Giolito, $5.3 million – Tender, work towards a long term extension this offseason as well.

  • Reynaldo López, $2.2 million – Tender, look to trade.

  • Evan Marshall, $1.9 million – Tender.

  • Jace Fry, $1 million – Tender.

Impending Free Agents

Re-sign, cut loose, or extend a qualifying offer of $18.9 million? (Explain any tough or complicated calls.)

  • Alex Colomé (2020 salary: $10,532,500) – Resign 3 year 40 million (using Craig Kimbrel contract as reference). Colome might be the most underrated closer in baseball. I think Bummer and Colome at the back end of the bullpen is a great lefty righty combo. I would also like to see Crochet stick with the high leverage bullpen route rather than trying to make a starting pitcher out of him.

  • James McCann (2020 salary: $5.4 million) - Resign 2 year 16 million (using Travis d’Arnaud contract as reference). McCann has earned the right to go be a starter elsewhere, but I think he realizes he has a role on this team and thrives here. He will start at catcher for Giolito and between Grandal/McCann/Abreu/Vaughn there can be a rotation at catcher, first base, and DH. I think McCann has a huge role on this team and hopefully he sees it that way too.

  • Jarrod Dyson (2020 salary: $2 million) – Cut Loose. Adam Engel fills this role.

Team Contract Options

Write "pick up" or "decline," and explain any tough or complicated calls.

  • Edwin Encarnación (2021 salary: $12 million) – Bye. Very underwhelming year from EE, especially for the price tag.

  • Gio González (2021 salary: $7 million) – Bye. See above.

  • Leury García (2021 salary: $3.5 million) – Pick up. When healthy, Leury is a great bench piece on a playoff roster as he can hit and play nearly anywhere on the field.

Free agents

· Sign Trevor Bauer 5 years/$120 million – (Used Zack Wheeler’s contract as reference). IMO Bauer is the only elite starting pitcher on the market this year. I want no part of Stroman, Ray, or any of the other guys past their primes. Do what it takes to get Bauer. Giolito-Keuchel-Bauer is an elite top 3 and will bode well come playoff time.

· Sign Joc Pederson 2 years/$25 million – (Used Avi Garcia’s contract as reference). Sox management has always had the hots for Joc, every offseason there are trade rumors involving the two teams. I think a Joc/Nomar/Engel platoon for the third outfield spot will bode well for the year. Enough talent amongst that group to cover left field should our boy Eloy stumble and fall and miss some time.

Trades

· Trade Carlos Rodon to Colorado Rockies for Riley Pint – Riley Pint was the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft and things have not been going great for him in the Rockies farm system. He is ranked as their 26th prospect by mlb.com. A change of scenery for Rodon and Pint make sense and swapping between the Rockies and Sox does neither team any harm.

· Trade Zack Collins and Reynaldo Lopez to New York Yankees for Alexander Vizcaino – In resigning McCann and promoting Vaughn, Collins spot on this roster is eliminated. Reynaldo Lopez is also someone who can use a change of scenery. Vizcaino is ranked as the number 8 prospect in the NYY system, so this trade might be a bit of a stretch, but he is a hard throwing right hander who projects as a high-end relief pitcher.

Summary

Catcher – Grandal, McCann

1B – MVPito, Vaughn

2B – Madrigal, Garcia

SS – Anderson

3B – Moncada

LF – Eloy

CF – Robert, Engel

RF – Pederson, Mazara

SP – Giolito, Keuchel, Bauer, Kopech, Dunning

RP – Cease, Colome, Marshall, Foster, Crochet, Bummer, Heuer, Cordero

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