The Chicago White Sox '21-'22 offseason

[Bearsfan81]

Boras is asking for over $200 Million for Semien - Red Sox seem to be balking at that price. Does a deal get done before the lockout?

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Boras is asking for over $200 Million for Semien - Red Sox seem to be balking at that price. Does a deal get done before the lockout?

I read that too. Look, no Sox fan wants Semien wearing the Southside uni more than me. But $200m for a player, as talented as he is, entering his age 32 season? No thanks, altho this is likely a moot point, as I don't see the Sox ever handing out that amount of commitment regardless of what we all think Semien is worth. Eduardo Escobar is beginning to look more and more as a better overall option, at least if you factor the $$$ amount into the equation.

 

[Mingo]

I don't think Semien will sign at $200 Million - I think he is worth around $25 million a year for 5 years with a club option for year 6 and 7. - So that contract would be like $175 million, but only $125 million guaranteed, I think the Sox can afford that.

Boras wants Semien paid at $30 million a year - all 7 years guaranteed, but that will go to the younger shortstop prospects who are free agents.

Semien won't get done until after the lock out and there is a labor agreement.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I don't think Semien will sign at $200 Million - I think he is worth around $25 million a year for 5 years with a club option for year 6 and 7. - So that contract would be like $175 million, but only $125 million guaranteed, I think the Sox can afford that.

Boras wants Semien paid at $30 million a year - all 7 years guaranteed, but that will go to the younger shortstop prospects who are free agents.

Semien won't get done until after the lock out and there is a labor agreement.

I was also thinking in the $100-$125m range, maybe 5 years, with 4 of them guaranteed, even offering a walkaway after year 2 - something along those lines.

I also feel that Boras threw the highest number out there and will negotiate down. The question is how much down would he go? The man has a reputation for holding his client out until they get a very favorable deal.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Looks like the Sox are at least getting the ball rollin':

MLB Free Agency: White Sox set to sign Kendall Graveman

The Sox are set to sign Astros free agent Kendall Graveman, one of the top relievers on this offseason's market.

sports.yahoo.com

Here's a bit more detail on the Graveman signing:

White Sox, RHP Kendall Graveman agree to three-year deal

The White Sox have invested heavily in their bullpen over the past 12 months, and Tuesday’s strike to land one of this winter’s top free agent relievers is the latest example in that trend.

www.yardbarker.com

I like his numbers once he switched from the rotation to the pen:

Dating back to his bullpen conversion, Graveman has tossed 66 innings of 2.05 ERA/3.17 FIP ball. He owns solid strikeout and walk rates (25.5% and 8.9%, respectively) in addition to a huge 54.9% grounder percentage. Opposing hitters have managed just a .181/.278/.256 line against him in that time, and Graveman has shown himself capable of thriving in both a traditional closer’s role and as a high-leverage middle innings type.

Of course past performance is no guarantee of what he'll do from this point forward - and we've had a few RPs in recent years who came to our team with good stats and high expectations, only to implode. Let's hope this one's worthy of the contract.

 

[Mingo]

White Sox notes from The Bill James Handbook 2022

With the White Sox’s 2022 ZiPS projections fresh in our head, we may as well tackle another offseason tradition...

soxmachine.com

Food for thought data - also includes a very good reason not to make Grandal a lead off guy because of his on base percentage.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

White Sox notes from The Bill James Handbook 2022

With the White Sox’s 2022 ZiPS projections fresh in our head, we may as well tackle another offseason tradition...

soxmachine.com

Food for thought data - also includes a very good reason not to make Grandal a lead off guy because of his on base percentage.

I don't care what any of all these obscure stats indicate. To have anyone but TA leading off is ridiculous.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Ok, this is certainly not good news:

Mets To Sign Eduardo Escobar

The Mets have made the first big move of Billy Eppler's tenure as GM, reportedly agreeing to terms with free agent …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

Two year/$20m? That's an incredibly reasonable deal. It's not so much that I mind us not signing him, especially if we're eying bigger fish in the pond. Plus, as the article indicates, Escobar really only brings plus power to the table, but it's this power that our team was lacking this past season. And if the Sox aren't going after big fish or if we lose out on such ala Manny Machado or Bryce Harper, then Escobar would have at least made for a decent and cost effective back up plan. Let's hope Hahn and co have better options in mind for 2b.

 

[Bearsfan81]

Hahn is now backed into a corner - his only option is to pay Semien

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Hahn is now backed into a corner - his only option is to pay Semien

Well there's still Chris Taylor or even Trevor Story out there, assuming the latter would be ok to play 2b. Trouble is with Story, a Texas native, he's already being courted by his hometown Rangers who will no doubt allow him to remain a SS. So suggesting him may be more pie-in-the-sky thinking. But back to Semien, no doubt he remains the big fish in the pond.

 

[Mingo]

Hahn is now backed into a corner - his only option is to pay Semien

Don't discount a trade for a 2nd baseman possibility. Although - Semien should be the main target if you want to win championships.\\

Two items slow up the top end of the trade market and the FA market - the front offices don't know the salary taxation zone - and in the case of younger players they don't know who many years of control they would have in a trade going either way.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

And speaking of 2b, there's one name perhaps we shouldn't overlook, Javy Baez. When the Mets signed Escobar, which I'm guessing is to man the 2b spot, that pretty much took Baez out of the equation. The big Q tho will be how much he's asking, which is probably a lot. His overall play seems to have slipped somewhat over the past couple of years. He struck out a whopping 184 times in '21, altho he otherwise put up pretty respectable numbers. His only really bad season was the covid-infested '20 campaign. One has to wonder if he'd like to make a triumphant return to Chicago, even if it's for the other team this time around. And of course the question would have to be is he willing to play 2b, which I suspect he would. Again, it likely will come down to the coinage.

 

[Mingo]

I was thinking that with Escobar signed elsewhere - and Semein - maybe too rich for White Sox blood, then the Sox might turn to Javier Baez. Baez might be attracted to a one year make good deal - since he decided striking out in the 30% range would be a new skill for him during the last two years. The Baez super power is still the fastest, most accrobatic, tag play man MLB has seen. He would be a superior defender in the field - help reduce the base running against the Sox -which Hahn has promised to fix - and add about 25-30 knocks. The White Sox are the kind of front office guys who think their hitting coach could help Baez with is contacting the ball problem. He would not help the Sox beat Righties at the plate - based on his splits.

I can see a Baez at 2nd base -and Schwarber in RF as a White Sox FA combination. Schwarber would help the Sox beat Right-handed starters.

 

[idseer]

I was thinking that with Escobar signed elsewhere - and Semein - maybe too rich for White Sox blood, then the Sox might turn to Javier Baez. Baez might be attracted to a one year make good deal - since he decided striking out in the 30% range would be a new skill for him during the last two years. The Baez super power is still the fastest, most accrobatic, tag play man MLB has seen. He would be a superior defender in the field - help reduce the base running against the Sox -which Hahn has promised to fix - and add about 25-30 knocks. The White Sox are the kind of front office guys who think their hitting coach could help Baez with is contacting the ball problem. He would not help the Sox beat Righties at the plate - based on his splits.

I can see a Baez at 2nd base -and Schwarber in RF as a White Sox FA combination. Schwarber would help the Sox beat Right-handed starters.

how does baez "help reduce the base running against the Sox"?

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I was thinking that with Escobar signed elsewhere - and Semein - maybe too rich for White Sox blood, then the Sox might turn to Javier Baez. Baez might be attracted to a one year make good deal - since he decided striking out in the 30% range would be a new skill for him during the last two years. The Baez super power is still the fastest, most accrobatic, tag play man MLB has seen. He would be a superior defender in the field - help reduce the base running against the Sox -which Hahn has promised to fix - and add about 25-30 knocks. The White Sox are the kind of front office guys who think their hitting coach could help Baez with is contacting the ball problem. He would not help the Sox beat Righties at the plate - based on his splits.

I can see a Baez at 2nd base -and Schwarber in RF as a White Sox FA combination. Schwarber would help the Sox beat Right-handed starters.

I'm thinking the same thing as far as the one year deal goes. Baez might have to 'prove' himself in order to land a more lucrative contract the following year, and as a number of players and pitchers in recent seasons have done just that. The one possible caveat in this tho is the looming lockout/strike. It seems a number of FAs have inked early based on this very possibility. Maybe Baez is seeking that same security, who knows.

 

[Bearsfan81]

MLB 2024 Payroll Tracker

A real-time look at the salary totals for each MLB team, including positional breakdowns.

www.spotrac.com

Surprised to see the White Sox with the 4th highest payroll in MLB at the moment. Of course that will change with the off-season but will be interesting to see if they take on enough salary to keep this ranking.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

MLB 2024 Payroll Tracker

A real-time look at the salary totals for each MLB team, including positional breakdowns.

www.spotrac.com

Surprised to see the White Sox with the 4th highest payroll in MLB at the moment. Of course that will change with the off-season but will be interesting to see if they take on enough salary to keep this ranking.

One positive that helps justify the bigger payroll is the rise in attendance. Of course this past year is still an asterisk due to the covid restrictions early on, but as the season progressed, the Sox gained in numbers, even deep into September, which is often when past attendance would take a dive. For the first time in what has to be at least a decade or more, we finished in the upper half in avg attendance per game. I think we all agree that this mojo will carry over into next year. We have a solid chance of cracking the 2mil mark and my guess is it will be closer to 2.5, maybe even higher. Naturally, these larger figures will be contingent on the team doing well, which I believe they will.

 

[Bearsfan81]

Sources: Rangers reach deals with Semien, Gray

The Rangers agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with infielder Marcus Semien and were finalizing a four-year, $56 million contract with right-hander Jon Gray, sources said.

www.espn.com

Huge offer - can’t say I would have liked the Sox outbidding that.

 

[Mingo]

Sources: Rangers reach deals with Semien, Gray

The Rangers agreed to a seven-year, $175 million deal with infielder Marcus Semien and were finalizing a four-year, $56 million contract with right-hander Jon Gray, sources said.

www.espn.com

Huge offer - can’t say I would have liked the Sox outbidding that.

The key is not the number they brag about, but how much is guaranteed. I'm always a little suspicious when those details aren't mentioned.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The key is not the number they brag about, but how much is guaranteed. I'm always a little suspicious when those details aren't mentioned.

7 years/$175 mil is a lot of coin and a lot of years to toss at a 31 year old. As much as I wanted the Sox to sign him, I never thought beyond 5/125, and even then I would have hoped at least one of those was a mutual option. Don't get me wrong, I think Semien is going to give the Rangers a nice boost, but that contract is just a bit too rich and at least two years too long.