Windy City, March 31, 2050: After the Black Sox failed to make the playoffs in 2049 for the first time in eight seasons, speculation was rampant that GM Mike Dunn would blow things up and launch a top-to-bottom rebuild. Dunn, though, is apparently convinced that the core of this squad can still contend, so instead his offseason consisted of some substantial retooling that saw seven players depart and seven arrive -- though two players said both goodbye and hello!
Whanon is the big bat to replace Flores
32-year old veteran center fielder Dan Flores bid Chicago farewell after five seasons with the Black Sox, opting to cut off extension talks and become a free agent. Flores ended up signing a team-friendly six-year contract with the Sacramento Mad Popes, apparently favoring California sunshine over frigid Chicago air. Replacing his solid defense in center and solid bat in the middle of the line-up posed a difficult challenge for GM Dunn.
Hello:
And Dunn managed to fill that hole with his biggest off-season move, trading for 29-year old Manoell Whanon, who hit .352 and slugged .526 last season for Edmonton. Whanon will patrol left field, with Dunn opting for a platoon in center this season of 24-year old Carlos Garza and 26-year old David McElroy (who started last season in left).
Goodbye:
In an effort to get younger guys in, SP Jose Arellano and MI Larry Barkin were dealt away by GM Mike Dunn to Jacksonville for a couple of prospects. Arellano, now 33 years old, threw nearly 200 innings in each of the past two seasons. The front office decided to deal him now while he still had value. Barkin, 27, was blocked at SS by 23-year old Badr Isam, who is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Rookie Hewitt will start for the Chisox.
Rookie SP Garrison Hewitt will replace Arellano in the rotation. Hewitt was an undrafted scouting discovery in 2042 and progressed nicely through the minors, with a 3.53 era and 2.1 WAR over 28 starts last year in AAA. The 24-year old Hewitt threw 16 innings in spring training, notching 16K and a 1.65 era, convincing the front office and coaching staff that he is ready for the bigs. Good luck to Hewitt in his rookie season -- he makes his first major league start on April 4 against Madison!
Replacing Barkin at MI on the bench is 24-year old Emir Harith, a scouting discovery in 2043 who offers solid defense at first and second.
Goodbye:
The GM in cutting his roster down to 27 realized, very belatedly, that not one single lefthander was on the pitching staff, in the rotation or the pen. So he offered up a solid young reliever, Angus Trew, to other GMs in hopes of getting a leftie who would be reliable, even if they lack Trew's tremendous upside.
Hello:
Dunn worked out a 2-for-2 bullpen swap with GM Doug Olmsted of the Mad Popes, sending Trew along with fellow rightie Alan Smith to Sacramento in exchange for LHP Luis Noriega and RHP Pedro German. Noriega is not a future star like Trew, but southpaws are all too rare in the Brewster and thus become a valued commodity. Expect him to serve as a setup guy to closer Clarence Pritchard.
Goodbye:
29-year old SP Jim Wilkinson shocked many by exercising his player option after the 2049, leaving a gaping hole in the starting rotation after his successful 4.4 WAR season.
Wilkinson came back to where he is loved most
Wilkinson shocked even more by coming running back to Chicago with his tail between his legs. Apparently the waters of free agency were a bit nippy! Wilkinson re-signed with the Black Sox, though earning a solid raise: a five-year deal at roughly $11M per, but remember that the final two years are team options. So Jimbo gets a raise, and the team gets a reliable number-2 starter for at least three years.
Goodbye:
Like Wilkinson, MR Gilberto Cordero, a former first round pick of the Black Sox in 2042, departed -- refusing to negotiate an extension with the Chicago front office.
Hello:
Like Wilkinson, Cordero didn't get the nibbles he'd hoped for in free agency, and re-signed with the club on a two-year deal at $2.5 million.
For die hard fans, here's a handy cheat sheet summary of the Black Sox's offseason deals:
