The White Sox have shown interest in lefty relievers Mike Gonzalez and Arthur Rhodes, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Gonzalez, a Scott Boras client, remains unsigned with the season a few weeks away. Boras told me on Friday his client is "in play with a lot of teams right now," and "sometimes late doesn't mean demand, it just means choice." At this point, however, Gonzalez's ability to secure a Major League deal is in jeopardy. Last week, he turned down a minor league offer to return to the Rangers. The White Sox currently have 37 players on their 40-man roster, so they could add Gonzalez without losing anyone. Rhodes, 42, is more likely to settle for a minor league deal, in my opinion. He aims to pitch one more season before retiring.
With Will Ohman and Matt Thornton, the Sox already have a pair of southpaws in their bullpen. In theory, adding someone like Gonzalez could make a Thornton trade more palatable.
Heyman also notes that the White Sox were the other team in on third baseman Eric Chavez at the end. Chavez ultimately re-upped with the Yankees.
Is Sale a sure thing for the rotation?
Yep – Trib said today – he’s #5.
even if he struggles in spring training I could see them sending him to AAA to stretch out more and calling him up mid way through the season…I know the PA might throw a fit but he still have options left..There is no way they start him them move him back to the pen…They will give him a full year of starting, it just is a matter of where the MLb or AAA
“sometimes late doesn’t mean demand, it just means choice.”
There is still swampland here in Florida Boras.. I bet you could try and sell it for housing.. Maybe in Louisiana as well…
Surprised nobody has snapped up Rhodes however.. He has been steady for the last nearly 20 years. Fish are one team for sure that could use another arm and pretty sure he wouldn’t cost much.
Johnny Damon has said in the past that he doesn’t care for the length of Spring Training…and would hold out long enough to avoid a week or two of reporting. This was in his book, while he was still with Boston.
So there could be validity to the quote with players.
Damon probably was looking for 3-5m back in December to sign and that was Boras’s fault for mis reading the market.. Again for 2nd tier players, but now?? Damon would play for near league minimum to get those last 150 hits and 3k total.. he just can’t find a FT job.
I agree. I was just wanting say that Boras’s comment might not always be off.
Please fire Kenny Williams .
I would love to have Mike Gonzalez, Rhodes, not so much. Shame Chavez chose the Yanks, he had a better shot at starting with the Sox. Definitely wants that ring, can’t blame him for wanting to win.
No need for another lefty with Santiago looking to take that third left spot. Plus chavez didn’t have a better shot at starting it’s Morels job to lose.
Did I miss something? Was there a plane crash with Verlander, Fielder and Cabrera on board? They might contend with the Royals and Indians in hope of not finishing in last place.
If sale pitches as a starter like everyone thinks he can and should(true ace potential) and if buehrle, gordon, rios bounce back and Vicedio continues to develop they could contend yes but thats a ton of ifs…
I’m a whiteox fan and I think its not realistic..that being said if the tigers pitching staff regresses(with exception to verlander) which it probably will and if Cab cant handle 3rd full time, He wont be able to and will be DHing or moved back to 1st with prince Dhing 90% of the time by the break The tigers could easily be the whitesox of last year…
Also Miggy was never a good fielding 3rdbasemen and prince is even worse at 1st than miggy was. SO this more than likely will blow up in their faces. Also Prince could very well turn into adam dunn and be horrible while adjusting to AL pitchers and potentially DHing more. OR they could win 100+ games and sweep the post season and win it all…As we all know with the whitesox and redsox last year season are not won in the offseason, even though a lot of fans like to think they way..
I as a whitesox fan am more excited about watching Sale as a starter(could very soon make us not miss buehrle) watching flowers and vicedio develop. Seeing if beckham can finally put it all together and if Morels september was a real showing of his talents..Also of course seeing if Konerko can punch father time in the face again!…
It could happen but probably wont
If sale pitches as a starter like everyone thinks he can and should(true ace potential) and if buehrle, gordon, rios bounce back and Vicedio continues to develop they could contend yes but thats a ton of ifs…
I’m a whiteox fan and I think its not realistic..that being said if the tigers pitching staff regresses(with exception to verlander) which it probably will and if Cab cant handle 3rd full time, He wont be able to and will be DHing or moved back to 1st with prince Dhing 90% of the time by the break The tigers could easily be the whitesox of last year…
Also Miggy was never a good fielding 3rdbasemen and prince is even worse at 1st than miggy was. SO this more than likely will blow up in their faces. Also Prince could very well turn into adam dunn and be horrible while adjusting to AL pitchers and potentially DHing more. OR they could win 100+ games and sweep the post season and win it all…As we all know with the whitesox and redsox last year season are not won in the offseason, even though a lot of fans like to think they way..
I as a whitesox fan am more excited about watching Sale as a starter(could very soon make us not miss buehrle) watching flowers and vicedio develop. Seeing if beckham can finally put it all together and if Morels september was a real showing of his talents..Also of course seeing if Konerko can punch father time in the face again!…
It could happen but probably wont
Say what you like….but between the Royals and White Sox…the Tigers might feel some heat. The Tigers had also better get it done in 2012…cause Kansas City is building a monster.
Yes you did. This isn’t slow pitch softball. Game is won with pitching and defense. Tigers may be the worse defensive team in AL. Leyland won’t stand for it. Leyland and Dave wanted starting pitching – owner signed Fielder not baseball people now they have to deal with it.
you do realize that prince fiedler would have been an amazing upgrade if V-Mart was healthy but considering her wont play at all this year its not that big of a step…ITs an upgrade but not as a extreme as everyone is making it out to be. Also there is just as much potential for prince to continue beast mode as there is for him to turn into Adam Dunn…
Now if miggy can handle 3rd(there is a reason he was moved off in the first place, he is horrible there) and prince can keep it up and stay afloat at 1st. then next season with miggy at 3rd, prince at 2st and Mart at DH THATS a scary team…but thats a huge question…Verlander probably will contiune to pitch like he did but there are still some questions about the rest of the staff and I doubt that valverde has that year again..The fact is the central has no real dominante team..remeber if Dunn and rios bounce back the whitesox have just as good a line up as the tigers…
I think we’l be just fine having to “deal with” Fielder and Cabrera in the same lineup.
The Indians are in better shape than the Sox. Not sure why Chicago hasn’t blown it all up yet. They have the worst farm system in baseball and a mediocre MLB squad. And KC is building a very nice lineup, but they still have no pitching and their big prospect arms have regressed a bit.
Kansas City has been building a monster for the last 6-7 years. I will believe it when I see it.
I’m not sold that the Sox aren’t a .500 team atleast. Kansas City does have a very nice bullpen. I’m guessing they also answer some issues with their starters as this year rolls along and into the off season.
There’s an argument to be made that the White Sox still have the best rotation depth and bullpen within the A.L. Central. Verlander blurs that argument, but depth wise the White Sox have five starters who are all mid rotation or better. If they get anything out of Dunn and Rios, they could fight the Tigers for October.
There’s an argument to be made that the White Sox still have the best rotation depth and bullpen within the A.L. Central. Verlander blurs that argument, but depth wise the White Sox have five starters who are all mid rotation or better. If they get anything out of Dunn and Rios, they could fight the Tigers for October.
they have not blow it up because there isnt much to blow up..
Peavy, Dunn, Rios have huge money on their contracts and have to have monster first halves to even get teams to think about taking them and half their remaining deals, but at that point if they are having monster first halves why not keep them. Peavy is the most likely to be dealt if he bounces back to form because this is his last year under contract
Gordon is making league minimum and right now only a defensive player, still time for him to turn around and would be selling low on him, and wont get much back.
Morell, same as beckham, but if he has a monster first half they have to keep him, there are no 3rd basemen in the system and he is making league minimum.
Vicedio is an unknown outside of chicago, and cheap might be the 1st basemen when konerko leaves.
De Aza is probably going to flop(im a sox fan, I think he will flop and then they will put dunn in left to get him back into that NL feel of things)
AJ- has NTC will envoke it, and no one wants an old catcher who is nothing more than a back up at this point
Alexi has the most value in my opinion as a position player. but he is signed to a team friendly deal and there is no player in the sox system that could step right into SS, next off season maybe he ca be moved, But I think he will bounce back and hopefully ventura finally gives him a spot in the line up and keeps him there unlike Ozzie who liked to move him around which I feel is why he slumped last season..
Pitching the whitesox really only have crain, and thornton as viable trade assets. Crain should no be traded because he was great last year and on a team friendly deal. With reed and santiago in the fold the sox could part with thornton.
starters Sale obviously isnt going anywhere,
humber should be moved if he has a solid first half as a sell high guy,
Floyd will probably be moved if the sox are out of it,
Danks probably isnt going anywhere and I agree with that his deal isnt an team friendly deal but its also not an over pay for a 26 year old lefty
peavy if he bounced back to at least #3 status could be moved to a contender in need of a rental pitcher as this is his last year under contract
so thats why the sox haven’t blown it up, there really isnt much to move…and obviously guys become more tradeable into the season and if they are having good years but if these players have good year(dunn, rios, beckham, peavy) then the sox are probably in contention so there is no point to trade…the sox are in a weird position they could easily be gunning for next a top ten pick in next seasons draft or they could contend for one of the wildcards or division if the tigers flop and the sox turn it around.. I think the sox will be around .500 and next off season unload some players but thats just me
The Sox could very well be .500 but that obviously isn’t enough to win the division. I don’t think they’re going to be rollovers, but they’re more a threat for 2nd than 1st IMO. And in a few years KC is going to have a very nice team but the Tigers have their own crop of young talent. People make it out to be make or break in the next 2 seasons but Verlander, Miggy, Fielder, Avila, Jackson, Porcello, Scherzer, Fister, Boesch, plus guys like Turner and Castellanos when they come up is a great young core.
The Sox could very well be .500 but that obviously isn’t enough to win the division. I don’t think they’re going to be rollovers, but they’re more a threat for 2nd than 1st IMO. And in a few years KC is going to have a very nice team but the Tigers have their own crop of young talent. People make it out to be make or break in the next 2 seasons but Verlander, Miggy, Fielder, Avila, Jackson, Porcello, Scherzer, Fister, Boesch, plus guys like Turner and Castellanos when they come up is a great young core.
Wow. Apparently my comment needs to be reviewed, so I guess we’l see if it gets approved because I don’t feel like typing it out again.
Wow. Apparently my comment needs to be reviewed, so I guess we’l see if it gets approved because I don’t feel like typing it out again.
Every team has underproducing talent, the secret is to find players that produce, something Kenny Williams is incompetent with.
Or the Royals….and I’m dead serious. There’s no reason to think they can’t pull a run like the Indians did last year…and actually not fold because they have talent to deal out of the system.
Did the Sox just trade for a couple of starters that I didn’t hear about?
The White Sox need to be as lucky in 2012 as they were unlucky in 2011. I’ve NEVER seen a team have as many down seasons from as many players. I think just getting typically average seasons out of the likes of Dunn…etc…makes them better than last season. There are a lot of moving parts….and Addison Reid, Chris Sale, and Gordon Beckham had to step forward.
buehrle?
You just said how I feel about watching the Sox this season….too many ifs. But in my mind..it wouldn’t take everything breaking right to go over .500
Agree with this 100%. Although if the Sox ever have a top ten pick to use I’m praying to God it’s not with Kenny Williams as the GM. He’s horrible at drafting.
I’m really hoping 2011 is the exception to the rule for Dunn. If comes back hitting .250 and 30+ homers I’ll be happy. If he does what he is supposed to and you take the Cell into consideration, he could have 40+. It’s really a toss up but I’m holding out for him to come back swinging… and actually hit something this time.
So you’re saying that the team that won the division by 15 games last year and upgraded with Prince Fielder has a chance.
To be fair..his drafts aren’t deep…but they do tend to land a few players who move quickly to contribute to the big league team. There’s a myth that because an organization isn’t winning a AA or AAA World Series that they don’t have prospects. Not that I don’t basically agree with you…just trying to flesh it out a bit.
I think what you’re saying is reasonable. If Detroit plays to projection they would be hard to catch….but lots of things such as injuries can happen.
I would say though that I believe the Royals are a bit ahead of being a couple of years away. If they had some help in the rotation I think they could compete this season. As is….they might still be over .500. I also look for them to make some deals to acquire some controlable pitching..so that might get better in a hurry. I know that Ubaldo Jimenez would possibly be in a Royal jersey today had it not been for the Indians run last season.
The Sox don’t just need luck. They need career years from most of the regulars on the team.
That makes sense. Thats why Ventura said danks would be the opening day starter. I know he is in Miami. Which is why I said if sale pitches the way we all think he can we won’t miss buehrle.
Nobody expected Adam Dunn to turn from a very, very good hitter to one of the worst players in the game overnight.
That’s not on KW.
Any team with a top ten/ top 15 pick 7 years in a row will build a monster. And to be honest only hosmer has shown promise in the bigs no one else recently jasnprven anything. Not counting butler who has been there for a while now.
I’ll believe it when I see it as well…but there’s a real shot they take a legit step forward this season.
I remember watching baseball tonight and a ton of coverage on MLB network saying it was a good signing. The biggest problem was Ozzie refusing to sit him and tips when they were struggling.
Pittsburgh has no excuse then.
Hosmer gets the national attention, but they had a few other players progress and show signs of real potential. Moustakas…Perez…. The starting pitchers haven’t developed as fast..but they have some solid guys pushing up from AA on to of Mike Montgomery. They’ll soon have Wil Myers in the OF.
There’s a real reason their system is so highly regarded by those in and out of professional baseball.
Dayton Moore just needs to show he can build an actual mlb team.
They have had decent drafts but horrible development and bad business decision recently.
Exactly too many ifs which is why this sox fan is in this season to watch player developement.
That’s the case with most teams that win it all. Things would just have to break right and the Tigers would have to have a setback. I’m not totally sold that Prince Fielder improves the Tigers that much….but to win that division they don’t likely need to improve. I’m not sure they win the division by 15 again…because that more a sign of other teams weakness than it was Tigers strength.
The Pirates drafted for signability. They’ve had some luck internationally lately. The factor with the Royals has been paying overslot. If you look much of their top prospects…they aren’t 1st rounders……there’s some guys who slipped down.
Reed, Viciedo, and Sale will be interesting to watch….but Beckham has to get something done this season, or I’m guessing Grandstand will have to run his jersey on clearance.
I agree about the quick contributors, such as Beckham, Sale. But the thing is he typically just doesn’t draft good baseball players. He prefers to go for athleticism over skill, evidenced by his drafts of Trayce Thompson, Jared Mitchell, Keenyn Walker, etc. What are they doing? He’s foregone drafts of high talent in favor of kids who are considered great atheletes, and they end up not contributing because they don’t have the skill level to compete in the Show. Mitchell might have been a success, but he got injured.
Anyway, I just don’t agree with his process. You should draft talent. It’s much easier to teach athleticism, as oppposed to the other way around. Then you can have both qualities, which equals a good complete player. I think that was the idea with Beckham but look how that has gone. Can’t blame Kenny for him not performing, however you can blame Kenny for not taking the opportunity to trade Beckham to the Padres straight up for Adrian Gonzalez.
To be fair, the White Sox haven’t always had the best draft positions. I would lay this at the feet of KW and the scouting and player development dept. It’s not a completely horrible model if run right. The Braves built with a similar model…sort of the opposite of the Moneyball model. It’s just that the Sox have had ineptness mixed with bad luck.
If you look at the Royals right now. They can build a farm system…that is proven…but it’s going to take luck….especially developing starting pitching. You can take a guy with 2 pitches and make him a low cost solid bullpen guy…but drafting and developing a #1 starter is tricky.
I completely agree with you. The fault is actually with the talent evaluators more so, I believe, than with the actual process…..because their process isn’t much off the Braves historic trend of drafting athleticism….it’s just that the Braves have had talent within their scouting dept….and the Sox haven’t. The draft just has not been a priority with the White Sox…and they’ve put themselves in limbo. They can’t always financially compete and put a playoff caliber free agent team on the field, nor can they develop from within.
I’ve questioned their economic model for quite some time. They are clearly a mid-market team. I’m not sure the impact of low attendance..but they’ve had real trouble drawing in recent years. I was at an interleague game on a Saturday vs. the Dodgers a few seasons ago…and there weren’t more than 15,000 in attendance on a summer Saturday.