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White Sox Notes: Hahn, Peavy, Pierzynski

Rick Hahn was officially introduced as the new White Sox general manager at a press conference today and addressed some hot stove topics with the media (including Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago and Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune).

• Hahn projected that the 2013 White Sox payroll should be "right in the same neighborhood" of the team's $97.67MM payroll from last season.
• The team has had "good talks back and forth already" with Jake Peavy's representatives.  The Sox hold a $22MM option on Peavy for 2013 that they're expected to buy out for $4MM, and while Hahn left the door open for Peavy to return, the price tag may be too high.  "I know Jake’s preference – which he hasn’t been shy about – is to be back here in Chicago," Hahn said.  "And that’s always a good place to start. But there does come a point where there are certain opportunities elsewhere that don’t make sense for us to try to chase.” 
• Hahn has spoken with A.J. Pierzynski's agent though there is "a good dialogue" between the two sides, Hahn noted that the team won't know their chances of bringing the veteran catcher back until the market develops. 
• "Given the sort of shallowness of this year’s free agent market and the fact that there are some clubs with some money to spend, I’m not overly optimistic that we’re going to be huge players in free agency," Hahn said.  “But at the same time, we’re going to be out there looking for values and certainly continue to talk to our guys and see if we can’t fit them in for next year, too.”
• While Hahn was considered for some other GM openings with other teams in recent years, "I don't feel I ever seriously got on the doorstep of leaving," he said (via Gonzales' Twitter account).  Hahn was known to be a candidate for the Cubs' general manager opening last winter.

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