Here’s the latest from around the AL Central…
- The White Sox and Cubs have both contacted the Rays about their pitching and outfield surplus, CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine reports. The Cubs’ discussions with the Rays have been well-documented this winter, though the Sox are a new entry among the many teams to touch base with the Rays about their young arms; Levine notes that at least 11 teams have asked Tampa Bay about pitchers. The White Sox have needs at both corner outfield positions and at the back end of their rotation. The all-lefty trio of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon will headline the Pale Hose rotation, while John Danks, Jacob Turner and Erik Johnson are the current competitors for the fourth and fifth starters’ jobs.
- The White Sox went on a seven-game winning streak from July 23 to July 29 last season, though this hot stretch right in the leadup to the trade deadline didn’t really change the team’s plans, GM Rick Hahn tells MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. The decision to keep Jeff Samardzija at the deadline, for instance, wasn’t made because of the win streak; “nothing materialized and nothing was done in principal” in terms of a possible Samardzija trade, though the Sox were discussing him with teams. “Those [talks] don’t necessarily happen July 27, 28, 29 and 30th. Those are going on for several weeks,” Hahn said.
- The Indians have offered Juan Uribe around $3MM, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports as part of his latest subscription-only column. Uribe has been linked to the Tribe and a few other teams, though salary will depend on whether or not Uribe is slated for a starting or backup role. Cleveland seems likely to use Uribe and Giovanny Urshela in a time-share at third, so Uribe wouldn’t get the lion’s share of playing time.
- Speaking of Urshela, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer looks at the Indians’ incumbent at the hot corner, noting that it’s too soon to write off the 24-year-old as an all-glove, no-bat player. While Urshela’s minor league numbers aren’t impressive overall, he did post an .825 OPS over 528 PA at Double-A and Triple-A in 2014. Pluto notes that Urshela battled injuries in 2015 and was probably promoted too quickly. Urshela’s glove is so impressive that he can be a very useful everyday player if he hits even just a little, though Pluto notes that there are enough questions surrounding Urshela that the Tribe is justified in looking for an upgrade, especially in a season when team plans to contend.
- The Indians are leaning more towards Uribe than David Freese to address their third base need, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes as part of a reader mailbag. Freese entered the winter as the best of a fairly thin free agent third base market but there’s been very little news about him this winter, aside from some talks with the Angels before they acquired Yunel Escobar.
- Randy Rosario was something of a surprising addition to the Twins’ 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft, but as Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, the Twins are impressed by the young left-hander’s promise. Rosario, 21, missed much of 2014 recovering from Tommy John surgery before returning to pitch 53 2/3 innings in A-ball last season. The Dominican Republic product signed an $85K contract with the Twins in 2010.
Wonder where the Rays and White Sox match up at.
That’s a good question. It seems both the rays and White Sox have more in common than not.
Both teams are looking to contend in very competitive divisions with limited budgets.
Each clubs best depth resides in their pitching staffs, with the Rays having more quality in the rotation (including two starters coming off TJ surgery) and the White Sox in right-handed relievers.
Both teams are looking to move over-priced veteran left-handed bats, 1B James Looney in Tampa and DH/1B Adam LaRoche in Chicago.
Each club is “reportedly” looking to sign free agent SS Ian Desmond on the cheap.
Both teams entered the off-season looking for possible corner OF upgrades, which the Rays have filled recently with the trade for Corey Dickerson and the FA signing of Steve Pearce. Even with some questionable depth in their OF now, the Rays still don’t appear to be a match with the White Sox. Chicago is primarily looking for a left-handed power bat to bridge between Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier. Dickerson would be the only bat that might fill that need. That being said, Gold Glove CF Kevin Kiermaier would be an intriguing target for the White Sox but his offense is limited. Hard to see a match there anyway, since trading Kiermaier would leave a defensive hole in the Rays OF.
The only real beneficial match I see with the clubs might be a swap of mid-rotation (#2-#3) starters, perhaps featuring Jake Odorizzi and Jose Quintana as centerpieces. It would provide some balance to a right-handed leaning Ray’s rotation (especially with southpaw Matt Moore questionable in 2016) and a White Sox staff that is heavy with southpaws. The Rays might have an interest in one of the White Sox relievers, although a replacement for recently traded lhp Jake McGee would be unlikely since the White Sox lack their own depth from the left-side in the bullpen.
Imo, the most likely scenario involving a significant trade would be the addition of a third team to the mix, like the club on the north side of Chicago that has “reportedly” been in talks all winter with Tampa Bay. A 3-way trade involving the Rays, Cubs and White Sox has the potential to be quite formidable, especially if the Cubs signed FA CF Dexter Fowler in advance of a swap, A FA deal involving either the Rays or White Sox with Desmond might also lend itself to some interesting trade match-ups in it’s wake. Both signings might make the Cubs Jorge Soler and Javier Baez available. Soler would definitely peak the interest of the White Sox, while Baez would be a strong target of whichever team lost out in the Desmond sweepstakes. The Cubs, of course, would have a high interest in Quintana from the White Sox, along with Odorizzi or Drew Smyly from the Rays.
Not the biggest Desmond Jennings fan, but the Sox can do worse. I highly doubt the Rays are willing to part with Souza or Kevin Kiermaier. Guyer’s a possibility too I guess.
I don’t see the Rays surplus at pitching, though, since two of them are coming off TJ surgery and won’t be ready until at least mid 2016. Having Cobb for a potential playoff push and 2017 would be sweet, however..
they could make a run this year
That’s not really accurate…Matt Moore has come back from TJ already (mixed results, terrible at first, but improved towards the end if you look at his games). Its Cobb who won’t be back till around August. Also the Rays depth at pitching isn’t just in the majors, its in the minors as well.. They have one of the best pitching prospects in Snell and also strong prospects in Honeywell, Guerrieri, Faria, etc behind him.
I don’t really see the fit for the Rays, White Sox don’t really have anything the Rays would actually want. So while a deal makes sense for the White Sox who have a weak back end of the rotation as well as questions in the OF, I don’t like the match up.
The Rays are likely trying to deal Moore if they can get value for him, given his proximity to free agency (he’s only got one more arbitration after this season). I don’t think they’d be looking for major league pieces for him, and in that regard any team could line up.
The real question is whether the White Sox would deal a Spencer Adams or a Carson Fulmer for two years of a guy coming off surgery. It’s not without it’s risks, but it’s mitigated some by the White Sox keeping that compensation pick.
Moore has club options that can extend him through 2019, so he has 4 years if you count 2016. I do agree though that they likely wouldn’t be looking for ML pieces, but that is mostly because the White Sox don’t really have many to offer (that they would realistically be willing to trade).
Moore is likely to be traded in due time, but unless a team is willing to bet on potential now, then I would wager the Rays would want for Moore to build up his value by pitching first rather then selling low, then deal him later to make room for Snell.
The Rays have three team options at $7, $9, and $10 million. If he pitches at least at an average level they will keep him around. I see Odorizzi being the most valuable of their MLB pitchers, with the exception of Archer of course who isn’t going anywhere.
My bad, I just looked at his service time and not his contract. Those are good amounts, but with all the MLB ready pitchers and the fact that they Rays will want to compete this year, trading the riskier expensive guy in Moore still might make the most sense.
Moore has 4 years of team control remaining because of 1 more guaranteed year and 3 team options if he comes back anything resembling his prior self.
The White Sox would definitely not trade either of their top two pitching prospects for Matt Moore. Aside from the injury concern, he’s a left-handed starter, something they already have an abundance of.
Urshela is another Darwin Barney. At some point, you’re going to have to realize that their lack of bat is more of an issue than it seems. Even more so when its 3B and the guy hits like a Utility middle infielder.
Urshela was showing promise last season as a decent hitter with occasional pop. Then he injured his shoulder in August. That’s why he wasn’t playing in the stretch run in September. The Indians need Uribe this season as a back-up plan this season & depth at 3B. Freese is definitely out of their price range. Indians should up the ante on Uribe, because the Giants are showing an interest now.
Freese at this point has NO price range. No one has shown interest. If anyone offers him a full time job, he would be foolish not to take it. I’m guessing the lack of interest on the Indians part is because they don’t want to give him the full time job.
Urshela is still young and he was hitting above 270 before his shoulder injury late in the season. I think the Indians need to let Urshela grow into in everyday 3B in the pros. He is a gold glove potential at 3rd and with a heavy reliance on the pitching staff, we need the best defensive roster out there. I don’t mind Uribe, but he needs to come into camp about 30lbs lighter. He has gotten overweight and at his age, he needs to slim down not get bigger to continue playing at a high level
I am tired of waiting for the White Sox to do something! When will they make a big move? Has any team this winter been the subject of so many rumors that have NOT materialized?
Yankees?
It is a little weird for the Sox not to trade someone for the sake of it every week or so.
I wonder if there is any hope of the white sox getting Odorizzi and Kermaier without it costing Fulmer or Anderson. if there is hahn needs to do it now. Kermaier offensively numbers aren’t that good aside from the triples but hes a game changer on defense. Odorizzi would be a perfect RH number 3 starter for the sox. Maybe Adams, Danish, Erik Johnson, and Avi would interest the Rays.
rays arent going to trade one of their big pieces for prospects they are trying to contend lol
No, no hope of getting both. One maybe but either of those two would get more than a AA SS or a pitcher who profiles better as a reliever.
Big upgrade at 3rd and 2cnd base leaves us short a couple of moves.Yep, these Sox rumors are really getting tiresome.
I think the Angels could benefit from adding Freese…figure out a platoon of Freese and Escobar at 3b and/or Escobar/Giavotella at 2b….Freese tends to get hurt so a full time job isn’t for him and at this point he could be had for pretty cheap IMO unless he wants to just hold out til someone falls during ST….but that is a risk if I was Freese I wouldn’t take….