The '20-'21 White Sox offseason

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here are some key dates during the offseason (to keep Jiddy's interest at a salivating level):

Key dates for 2020-21 MLB offseason

As MLB nears the start of its 2020-21 offseason, here are key dates to keep an eye on.

www.nbcsports.com

Oh, and if you're wondering what odds the books are giving the Sox to take the Central and also to win the Big Enchilada next year:

2021 MLB Odds: White Sox co-favorites to win AL Central

The White Sox enter the 2021 season as AL Central favorites, along with the Twins.

www.nbcsports.com

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here is the official FA list off the MLB website, which also include club/player options:

2020-21 free agents, position by position

Below, you'll find a list of the free agents from the 2020-21 offseason. Deals that are not yet official are listed as “reported," while deals that are official are listed as “signed.” Note: Players are grouped by position -- using a player's most-played position in 2020 -- and ranked by

www.mlb.com

Interesting that for catchers, there is one current and three ex-White Sox on the list. Flowers would be an interesting candidate as a backup to Grandal.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Holy shit, the Tribe DFA'd closer Brad Hand, being they didn't want to pay the club $10m option. He has to clear waivers, so there may not be an opportunity for Hand to reach the Sox, but if he by chance does make it to us, I hope Hahn snatches him up.

 

[Mingo]

The good thing about hiring La Russa is Reinsdorf will go all out to give his buddy the manager the best team he can - we all win with that.

 

[idseer]

The good thing about hiring La Russa is Reinsdorf will go all out to give his buddy the manager the best team he can - we all win with that.

on a budget.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The good thing about hiring La Russa is Reinsdorf will go all out to give his buddy the manager the best team he can - we all win with that.

I mentioned something similar to this yesterday that with La Russa on board and perhaps bending Jerry's ear, he might open up the checkbook a bit more. We have a good team, a really good team. But there's definitely room for improvement.

 

[Mingo]

on a budget.

Even I think a budget is necessary since - no one can predict when fans will be allowed to watch in the stands next year. I don't think Reinsdorf gets La Russa hired and doesn't support the hire with some dollars spent.

 

[idseer]

at least the sox did the right thing that most of us agreed on and let encarnacion and gio go and kept garcia. also lost yolmer to the o's.

 

[idseer]

Even I think a budget is necessary since - no one can predict when fans will be allowed to watch in the stands next year. I don't think Reinsdorf gets La Russa hired and doesn't support the hire with some dollars spent.

sorry but we see this completely differently. even the yankees have a budget! but not so stingy that it stops them from filling actual needs, fans or no fans.
and reinsdork has a well known track record of cutting corners when it come to managers! i've yet to see him EVER get the best man available for the job! EVER! in spite of all the millions spent ... he's a cheap bastard when if come to managers.
no mention yet of his salary so we wait to see how much jerry saved with this hire.

this site sums my take up pretty well ... The White Sox hired Tony La Russa for all the wrong reasons do yourselves a favor and read the whole thing.
and yes, tony is going to hate tim anderson!

 

[Mingo]

sorry but we see this completely differently. even the yankees have a budget! but not so stingy that it stops them from filling actual needs, fans or no fans.
and reinsdork has a well known track record of cutting corners when it come to managers! i've yet to see him EVER get the best man available for the job! EVER! in spite of all the millions spent ... he's a cheap bastard when if come to managers.
no mention yet of his salary so we wait to see how much jerry saved with this hire.

this site sums my take up pretty well ... The White Sox hired Tony La Russa for all the wrong reasons do yourselves a favor and read the whole thing.
and yes, tony is going to hate tim anderson!

No reason to be sorry for seeing things differently than I do - my friend.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

From the NBC Sports page:

For all you 40-man roster fans out there, the White Sox also reinstated Michael Kopech from the restricted list Friday. The pitcher elected not to play in 2020 due to personal reasons after missing the entirety of the 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the White Sox expect him to be part of their pitching puzzle in 2021. Additionally, pitcher Jimmy Lambert was reinstated from the 45-day injured list, and infielder Yolmer Sánchez went to the Baltimore Orioles on a waiver claim. The 40-man roster stands at 36.

Nice to have added both Kopech and Lambert back into the mix and still be 4 under.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Holy shit, the Tribe DFA'd closer Brad Hand, being they didn't want to pay the club $10m option. He has to clear waivers, so there may not be an opportunity for Hand to reach the Sox, but if he by chance does make it to us, I hope Hahn snatches him up.

Well, he cleared waivers, making him a total FA. Obviously the Sox, along with 28 other teams, elected to pass on the $10m they would have had to pay by picking him up. I don't know, a topnotch close should be worth somewhere in the $10m neighborhood, but if every team passed on him, I suppose the team that does sign Hand will obtain his services for less.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Interestingly enough, the Rays declined to pick up Charlie Morton's option, which I believe was $15m, thus making him a free agent. Question to my fellow Sox diehards, if Hahn could get Morton in here on a one year contract (or two year with the second being a club option) at an amount somewhere in that $15m range, would you be interested? I know I would.

 

[idseer]

Interestingly enough, the Rays declined to pick up Charlie Morton's option, which I believe was $15m, thus making him a free agent. Question to my fellow Sox diehards, if Hahn could get Morton in here on a one year contract (or two year with the second being a club option) at an amount somewhere in that $15m range, would you be interested? I know I would.

i'd trust that tampa bay let him go because he had a crap year, will be 37 in a month and isn't worth anything near $15M. i'd take a chance on him for $3M maybe.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

i'd trust that tampa bay let him go because he had a crap year, will be 37 in a month and isn't worth anything near $15M. i'd take a chance on him for $3M maybe.

He'll command more than $3m, that's for sure. How much more remains to be seen, He didn't have the greatest of regular seasons, altho he finished pretty strong in Sept and was money in the postseason. As a 4th/5th starter, I'd definitely take a flier on him. But this is all probably moot. It wouldn't surprise me if he re-signs with the Rays.

 

[Bearsfan81]

Well, he cleared waivers, making him a total FA. Obviously the Sox, along with 28 other teams, elected to pass on the $10m they would have had to pay by picking him up. I don't know, a topnotch close should be worth somewhere in the $10m neighborhood, but if every team passed on him, I suppose the team that does sign Hand will obtain his services for less.

Brad Hand has not been effective lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends 2021 without a closing job.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Brad Hand has not been effective lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends 2021 without a closing job.

??? Not effectively lately? Granted, he didn't look sharp in his only postseason appearance against the Yanks. Yet his only really terrible appearance all regular season long came at the expense of our beloved White Sox. But look at his numbers from August and September: 20 appearances, 19.2 innings, 1 ER. In fact, if you take away that Sox game, then in the entire regular season, he otherwise only surrendered 2 ER in 22 appearances. If that isn't effective, then I don't know the meaning of the word.

 

[Bearsfan81]

??? Not effectively lately? Granted, he didn't look sharp in his only postseason appearance against the Yanks. Yet his only really terrible appearance all regular season long came at the expense of our beloved White Sox. But look at his numbers from August and September: 20 appearances, 19.2 innings, 1 ER. In fact, if you take away that Sox game, then in the entire regular season, he otherwise only surrendered 2 ER in 22 appearances. If that isn't effective, then I don't know the meaning of the word.

He tailed off badly in the 2nd half of 2019. I wonder if he’s starting to lose his stuff, and generally think you shouldn’t have a long leash with inconsistent relievers.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

He tailed off badly in the 2nd half of 2019. I wonder if he’s starting to lose his stuff, and generally think you shouldn’t have a long leash with inconsistent relievers.

Oh ok, I was only going by 2020. I generally take a "what have you done for me lately" approach to evaluating players, and he performed quite well in this wacky covid season. As a certified armchair GM, I definitely lean away from long term contracts, especially for pitchers who have hit the age 30 mark. One year, or at most one year with a second year club option is about as long as I'd be willing to offer someone like Hand.

 

[Mingo]

The reason the Sox would bring in a 30 something pitcher for the back end of the rotation will be to provide some professional help and example for the younger pitchers. But, they already have that in Keuchel - and possibly one of the top pitchers on the market - lake Bauer or Stroman.