Socrates Brito Undergoes Surgery For Broken Hamate
Diamondbacks outfielder Socrates Brito underwent surgery today after being diagnosed with a broken hamate bone, the club announced. He suffered the injury preparing for winter ball, per the release.
Brito, 24, is expected to play a significant role in Arizona’s outfield mix in the near future. There’s little reason to believe the injury will prevent him from returning to the majors in 2017, though the lost development opportunities — and, perhaps, a delayed start to Spring Training — certainly harm his hopes of cracking the roster out of camp.
Entering the 2016 season, Brito was seen by many as a breakout candidate. He had shown well in a brief debut the season prior, and an opportunity opened when A.J. Pollock went down late in the spring. But Brito ended up taking only 97 MLB plate appearances, posting an anemic .179/.196/.358 batting line.
Still, the Snakes’ new front office surely still hopes that Brito can make an impact at some point in the coming year. He did put up a useful .294/.322/.439 slash in his 317 Triple-A plate appearances, and he’s viewed as a quality defender.
Free Agent Profile: Mark Trumbo
The move to hitter-friendly Camden Yards took Mark Trumbo‘s slugging to a whole new level in 2016, and now we’ll see how his homer-centric game will play on the open market.
Strengths/Pros
In a word, power. Trumbo’s 47 home runs led the majors last season, as he became just the fourth Oriole in history (following Frank Robinson, Brady Anderson and Chris Davis) to go deep at least 47 times in a single season. Trumbo’s .533 slugging percentage last year easily topped his career .458 SLG from 2010-15, though it certainly wasn’t his only big year at the plate, having averaged 32 homers per year with the Angels from 2011-13.
His huge leap in production earned him American League Comeback Player Of The Year honors, though Trumbo was maybe somewhat of a curious choice given that his 2015 numbers weren’t bad. He was also named to the All-Star team, the second time he had received a nod to the Midseason Classic during his career.
Trumbo’s career splits headed into this year indicated that he hit lefties a bit better than righties, which is normal for a right-handed hitter. Curiously, 2016 saw Trumbo deliver some massive reverse splits — he posted a .932 OPS in 501 PA against right-handed pitching but just a .608 OPS against southpaws. This one-year gap was large enough that it effectively balanced his career splits, so on paper, Trumbo has been equally productive against all pitchers over his career. Trumbo’s BABIP luck against righties (.316) wasn’t nearly as glaring as his lack of fortune against lefties (.167), so it could be argued there’s a better chance Trumbo’s numbers against left-handers improve in 2017 than there is of him coming substantially back to earth against righties.
Trumbo is often considered a defensive liability, and indeed, his career UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved totals as a corner outfielder are pretty ugly. In his only two seasons as a primary first baseman, however, Trumbo’s glovework was more than solid — +9 DRS and 5.2 UZR/150 in 2011 and +2 DRS and 10.5 UZR/150 in 2013. His defensive numbers at first have been below-average over the last three years, though he has only 566 innings at the position in that time, as Trumbo was largely blocked by Davis in Baltimore and Paul Goldschmidt in Arizona.
If used at first, Trumbo’s metrics indicate that he could provide notable value at the position. If a team has needs at both first and in either corner outfield, Trumbo could handle left or right as long as the team was willing to sacrifice fielding for power. Of course, American League teams can bypass defensive questions altogether by pursuing Trumbo as a designated hitter.
Weaknesses/Cons
Trumbo is almost the definition of the all-or-nothing slugger, capable of bashing homers at an outstanding rate but not bringing much else to the table offensively. His .256 batting average and .316 on-base percentage last year were only mild increases over his career averages in both categories. Not only is Trumbo not getting on base, he’s also making a lot of unproductive outs — he ranks tenth among all hitters in strikeouts (848) and 14th in pop-ups (124) since the start of the 2011 season.
Between the lack of baserunning, defense and all-around hitting, Trumbo’s value is limited even despite his slugging prowess. His 1.6 bWAR in 2016 was the lowest of any player who had ever delivered a 47-homer season.
Part of the issue was that Trumbo did most of his damage before the All-Star break and badly tailed off in the last half of the season. While he kept up the power throughout the year, Trumbo hit .288/.341/.582 before the break and just .214/.284/.470 afterwards.
Health-wise, Trumbo has suffered stress fractures in both of his feet over the last five years. His break in his right foot occurred near the end of the 2011 season and didn’t cause him to miss much time, though he was limited to just 88 games in 2014 thanks to a fracture in his left foot. Trumbo also had a plantar fasciitis issue that same year, which could’ve possibly factored into the injury. He has been pretty durable over the last two years, however, and a move to regular first base or DH duties would make things much easier on his feet.
The Orioles have extended Trumbo a qualifying offer, and assuming he rejects it, his new team will have to surrender their highest-eligible draft pick in order to sign him. (Or, if he goes back to Baltimore, they’ll give up the chance to add a compensatory pick.) Trumbo’s ability to thump will definitely attract attention, though some clubs will balk at giving up a draft pick to sign a player with Trumbo’s limitations, preferring to chase other power options available at a lower price and without QO compensation attached.
Personal
Trumbo, born in Anaheim in January 1986, was drafted out of high school by his hometown Angels in the 18th round in 2004. He got himself on the prospect radar with a 32-homer campaign in high A-ball and Double-A in 2008 and then a 36-homer/.945 OPS season in Triple-A in 2010 earned him his first big league promotion that September.
When Kendrys Morales infamously broke his leg jumping on home plate during a walkoff homer celebration, his extended rehab gave Trumbo the Angels’ first base job at the start of the 2011 season. This ended up being a season-long assignment once complications from Morales’ injury sidelined him for the entire year, and Trumbo rose to the occasion by hitting .254/.291/.477 with 29 home runs over 573 PA, a performance that earned him a runner-up finish to Jeremy Hellickson in AL Rookie Of The Year voting.
Albert Pujols‘ arrival in Los Angeles began Trumbo’s position carousel, as the Halos tried him in left, right and even a brief dalliance at third base, though Trumbo ended up spending a lot of time back at first in 2013 due to Pujols’ injury problems. Ultimately, the Angels saw him as an expendable piece, trading him to the D’Backs in December 2013 as part of a very notable three-team deal with the White Sox that also sent Adam Eaton to Chicago and both Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs to Anaheim.
Injuries and some ill-conceived usage as a left fielder led to an unmemorable stint in Arizona, and Trumbo found himself on the move again in June 2015, this time sent to Seattle as part of a six-player trade. This deal ended up looking good for the D’-backs (Welington Castillo has gone on to become their regular catcher) and it seems like the Mariners came up short in another Trumbo deal when they swapped the slugger and C.J. Riefenhauser to the O’s last December for Steve Clevenger.
It was in Baltimore that Trumbo finally seemed to unlock the potential that so many other clubs had been hoping for him to find on their watch. One might argue that Trumbo could be a candidate to accept the one-year, $17.2MM qualifying offer from the Orioles due to his poor second half, lack of a well-rounded game and the possibility of the QO hurting his market, but I disagree. If anything, perhaps Trumbo will be more eager for the security of a long-term deal given how he’s gone through three trades in as many years.
Market
There are several other first base/right field/DH types on the free agent market this year, though Trumbo has a few advantages over most of his peers. Trumbo is entering his age-31 season, which makes him markedly younger than several of the other bats who share a similar heavy-hitting but defensively-lacking profile. Trumbo’s representatives from Wasserman can argue that their client is a true everyday player, unlike many other hitters who carry significant platoon splits.
While Trumbo takes pride in his effort in the outfield, he himself noted last winter that he is a better defensive option at first than he is in right. He’ll likely continue to market himself as an outfield candidate since multi-position versatility is an attractive commodity, though one wonders if Trumbo himself will prefer to seek out first base opportunities rather than potentially suffer through another value-deflating year chasing fly balls.
Edwin Encarnacion is the biggest name in the first base/DH market this winter, and it stands to reason that teams who either miss out on Encarnacion or couldn’t afford him in the first place could turn to Trumbo as an alternative. The Blue Jays, Rangers, Red Sox, White Sox or Astros are potential fits, as are maybe the Royals as a DH-only option if Trumbo’s price tag significantly drops. A National League team would have to believe that Trumbo can handle an everyday first base role, and if so, that opens the door to the Marlins as possible candidates. The Rockies could also be a fit, though one wonders if they’d be willing to give up the 11th overall pick in the draft for any qualifying offer free agent, Trumbo included.
A return to the Orioles isn’t out of the question, as both Trumbo and the team have expressed a mutual interest in continuing their relationship. The O’s need help in both corner spots and could offer Trumbo a full-time DH slot if Pedro Alvarez is not re-signed. On the other hand, as I noted in my Orioles Offseason Outlook piece, Baltimore already possesses quite a few power hitters with swing-and-miss tendencies, plus payroll could be an issue. Dan Duquette had has a knack for picking up sluggers at a low price only to watch them blossom at Camden Yards, so he might seek out another undervalued bat rather than pay a significant price to retain Trumbo.
Expected Contract
While Trumbo certainly has his flaws, he somewhat strikes me as a player who has simply yet to find his ideal role. He spent much of his early career in pitcher-friendly ballparks in Anaheim and Seattle, and teams have consistently miscast him as an outfielder when it seems like he would be at least a passable first baseman. A good fit is often as much about hiding shortcomings as it is about emphasizing strengths, and Trumbo could very well continue to deliver 40-plus homers if he lands on the right team with the right idea about how to use him.
As Yahoo’s Jeff Passan noted in a recent column, however, slugging-only players like Trumbo could be impacted by the simple fact that Major League Baseball experienced a huge spike in home runs in 2016. Power is seemingly no longer the rare commodity it was even one offseason ago, though obviously, 47-homer power is still very hard to find. Even with the qualifying offer and the glut of other bats on the market, MLB Trade Rumors sees Trumbo landing a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $60MM this offseason.
Photo courtesy of Brad Penner/USA Today Sports Images
Yoenis Cespedes Rumors: Mets, Yankees, Nationals
We’ve heard that the Mets aren’t particularly interested in another protracted dalliance with outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, with GM Sandy Alderson saying that the team would prefer to know its course with regard to the superstar before the end of the Winter Meetings in early December. That’s still a month away, of course, but it certainly seems reasonable to expect that Cespedes’s market will move more quickly this offseason than it did last. Still, there’s no single, clear suitor (beyond the incumbent Mets) for his services, so there’s plenty of room for the market to develop — with trades and other signings potentially having a role in how it all shakes out.
Here are a few notes on Cespedes from the GM Meetings:
- There’s no question that the Mets want to retain Cespedes, as MLB.com’s Barry Bloom reports. Alderson said today that the team would prefer to sign him, “all things considered,” though the question remains just how much cash (and how many years) the organization will put on the table. New York has already reached out to Cespedes’s camp to begin talks, as he weighs a qualifying offer that he’s certain to reject. “Oh yeah, we’ve reached out to him,” Alderson said. “We expect to have more conversations with them in the next few days. His agent will be out here somewhere. I’m sure you’ll talk to him. It all remains to be seen what direction it takes.”
- Somewhat intriguingly, there’s another New York team that has expressed interest, though it’s far from clear how serious a pursuit should be expected. The Yankees have spoken with Cespedes’s representatives at CAA, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, though GM Brian Cashman said that the expectation is the team will utilize internal options in the outfield. And the Yanks have also reached out to a variety of other potential free agent targets, including departing Blue Jays power hitter Jose Bautista. All told, it doesn’t seem as if there’s any particular reason to think the Bronx Bombers are readying to move on either veteran slugger, though Cashman did note that “things could change if we move money.”
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo also fielded questions on Cespedes, saying that the outfielder “improves any team he plays for,” as Joel Sherman of the New York Post was among those to report. Rizzo noted that the club feels comfortable with Bryce Harper in center and Trea Turner at short, which could open the door to another pursuit of Cespedes — who spurned the Nats last winter to take a deal with the Mets that allowed him to return to the market this winter. As Sherman notes, the Nationals have strategic reasons to drive up the bidding on Cespedes, even if they aren’t truly keen on spending big to add him, but it also seems clear that the organization has a realistic interest in pursuing him at the right price.
Phillies Hire Bryan Minniti From Diamondbacks; Arizona Hires Jared Porter From Cubs
7:43pm: Minniti had a two-year offer to stay in Arizona, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter), but elected to seek a new opportunity elsewhere.
2:13pm: A pair of notable front office changes took place today, as the Phillies announced that they’ve hired D-backs assistant GM Bryan Minniti as a special assistant to general manager Matt Klentak. The Diamondbacks clearly already had a replacement for Minniti lined up, however, as they announced this afternoon that they’ve hired Cubs director of professional scouting Jared Porter and named him senior vice president and assistant general manager.
The moves come as just one in a flurry of promotions and hires for each team. Philadelphia has promoted Jorge Velendia to the same title as Minniti, hired a “Mental Skills” coach and made yet another add to its ever-growing analytics department, as PhillyVoice.com’s Ryan Lawrence explores in greater detail. The D-backs, meanwhile, announced that they’ve promoted director of player personnel Mike Bell to vice president of player development and named former Major League infielder Josh Barfield their new assistant director of pro scouting.
Minniti will bring the Phillies an executive with seven seasons as an assistant general manager under his belt. He comes from an analytical background, having double-majored in mathematics and statistics at the University of Pittsburgh and has been working in front offices since being hired as an intern by the Pirates back in 2001. The 36-year-old worked with the D-backs for the past two seasons and spent the previous five years with the Nationals, working on matters such as statistical analysis, budgeting and contract negotiations, per Arizona’s media guide.
The addition of Porter to the D-backs’ front office, meanwhile, gives the team another big-name executive with Red Sox roots to add to its leadership group. Porter was the Cubs’ scouting director this past season but is quite familiar with newly minted Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen and newly hired assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye from the time the trio spent together with the Red Sox. Porter spent a dozen years working in the Red Sox organization and was the team’s director of pro scouting from 2012-15.
Luhnow: Astros Expect To Prioritize Free Agency Over Trades This Winter
Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said today that the team is prepared to address its needs in free agency, as MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reports (Twitter links). Houston would prefer the open market to the trade route, he added.
Aiding the ‘Stros efforts to return to the postseason will be an enhanced war chest. Owner Jim Crane has given the front office a “go-ahead to increase our payroll and make the investment we need to make,” said Luhnow.
He has previously suggested as much, so this isn’t particularly surprising, but it’s worth noting the extent to which Luhnow emphasized the organization’s desire to add via free agency. “I really think we want to keep this group together and use other resources,” Luhnow said of the possibility of dealing from the Astros’ prospects to bolster the major league roster.
As MLBTR’s Connor Byrne wrote recently, Houston enters the offseason with a variety of needs. The rotation could stand to improve, the pen needs another lefty, the outfield may be targeted even after the acquisition of Nori Aoki, there’s a need behind the dish, and it’s certainly possible to imagine the club adding at first base.
The Astros will presumably boost their payroll over $100MM this year after coming in just shy of that mark in 2016. Houston already has $34MM on its books for 2017 and projects to pay about $30MM in arbitration salaries. That leaves a significant amount of room to add to the books, particularly since the team has little in future commitments on the books.
Edwin Encarnacion Not Expected To Strike Early Deal With Blue Jays
An early push by the Blue Jays to re-sign veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion does not appear likely to come to fruition, according to reports from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. With Encarnacion drawing strong interest elsewhere, it appears he’ll allow his market to develop before reaching a decision.
That’s not a terribly surprising outcome, all things considered. Toronto never has seemed quite willing to commit to a price tag that would prevent the soon-to-be 34-year-old first baseman and designated hitter from gauging interest from other organizations. That seemed to be the case last spring, Heyman notes, and may still hold true now. While Toronto is amenable to a three-year guarantee or “perhaps even the right four-year deal,” he says, it appears as if one or more alternative organizations may be willing to do more.
It’s too soon to rule out a return to the Jays,, as general manager Ross Atkins spoke glowingly of Encarnacion and made clear the team still hopes to retain him. But as Davidi writes, the GM also hinted that the organization may have little choice but to look elsewhere. When asked about the possibility of an early determination with regard to Encarnacion, he responded:
“Any team would prefer that. In any negotiation, in any deal, the quicker you have clarity, the sooner you consider your alternatives one way or the other. … [T]he challenge becomes knowing whether those pieces are going to be here or not. Offers often times come on and off tables.”
Though Atkins declined to address Encarnacion’s situation directly, his comments certainly suggest that the sides are set to explore alternatives. That is the case for Encarnacion and his reps, per Davidi, who says they “began to engage with other clubs” today. For the team, Atkins noted that there are “a lot of potential alternatives” under discussion at the moment, and certainly there are a wide variety of possibilities on a market that’s full of lumbering sluggers. We heard earlier today that the Jays were one of several teams to put out feelers to Kendrys Morales, and other options could also be explored.
Wilson Ramos To Consider Shorter-Term Deals; Reps Will Meet With Nationals
Wilson Ramos is as difficult a free agent to peg as any. The still-youthful backstop will miss time early after suffering a late-season ACL tear, but he is also coming off of an outstanding all-around season and entering a market that’s thin on catching talent. We heard previously that his camp still hopes for a four or even five-year offer, and he’ll be aided by the fact that the Nationals did not make him a qualifying offer. Here’s the latest:
- Ramos’s doctors believe he actually could be ready a bit earlier than had previously been indicated, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports. The 29-year-old could even be capable of a return to duty behind the dish by May of 2017. Even if that’s optimistic, it seemingly suggests that he is progressing well from his second ACL replacement.
- Despite the hopes for a larger deal, Heyman writes that Ramos is willing to consider shorter-term arrangements — one or two years — that would give him a chance to build his value back up before hitting the open market again. Ramos had originally hoped to approach or even exceed $100MM in a contract this winter, Heyman notes, and certainly that level of spending seems unlikely. Given that he only just turned 29, it’s certainly plausible that he could hope to be a top-of-the-market asset again in a year or two. Being open to shorter pacts would unquestionably broaden the slate of possible suitors.
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo discussed the organization’s decision to pass on the QO, as Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reports. “It’s just difficult to budget for the uncertainty,” said Rizzo. “We don’t know how long we’d have him. All the medical reports say he could miss a couple months. So if he does accept the qualifying offer, you’re paying a lot of money for a little bit of performance. That’s what went into it.”
- Despite being unwilling to risk $17.2MM on a one-year deal, the Nationals remain open to what Rizzo calls a “creative” contract of some kind, Castillo further reports. “I think there would have to be shared risk if we were to come up with a creative way to sign Wilson,” Rizzo explained. “But it’s not to say we can’t come to some kind of agreement.” The veteran exec went on to say that he believes Ramos can return to regular duty behind the plate, but noted that he may be expected to see time elsewhere — in the National League, at first base — “to keep his bat in the lineup.” But that would be “more of a strategic move than a move made out of injury concern,” Rizzo added.
- All told, it seems there’s still some hope of a reunion with the Nationals, where Ramos has spent the vast majority of his major league career. Indeed, the team is set to meet with his representatives at the GM Meetings to discuss just that possibility. Still, though, it seems reasonably likely that another team will put a higher price tag on the free agent, particularly since Ramos wasn’t enamored of the three-year, $33MM offer that the club made him earlier this year (before his injury).
Marlins To Decline Fernando Rodney’s Option
The Marlins will decline reliever Fernando Rodney‘s 2017 option, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter) — and as various reporters, including MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, have previously suggested would occur. Previous reporting had indicated the Marlins were interested in trading Rodney, but it appears they couldn’t find a deal they like, and Rodney will become a free agent. The Marlins will pay Rodney a $400K buyout.
Rodney’s contract, originally signed with the Padres, called for the option to carry a base salary of $2MM, but he cleared bonuses in 2016 that brought the value of the option to $4.5MM. That was, evidently, more than the Marlins were willing to pay, which perhaps is understandable — Rodney will be 40 before the start of the 2017 season, and he struggled in Miami, posting a 5.89 ERA, 10.1 K/9 and 6.1 BB/9 in 36 2/3 innings there after arriving in a June trade for prospect Chris Paddack. He eventually lost the closer role to A.J. Ramos, the same pitcher he had originally displaced.
Nonetheless, Rodney pitched very well for the Padres at the start of the season, and his overall numbers for the year (3.44 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 in 65 1/3 innings) suggest he’ll attract real interest on the open market this winter, particularly given his experience closing. He still gets grounders, too, with a 55.2% groundball rate on the year. If teams believe that the veteran can tamp down his home run susceptibility — 16.1% HR/FB rate in 2015, 13.5% last year — then he ought to hold quite a bit of appeal, particularly with his average fastball still averaging better then 95 mph.
Dodgers “Exploring” Trade Involving Howie Kendrick
The Dodgers are looking into the possibility of a trade involving infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. It appears the move may be motivated at least in part by the fact that Kendrick was not enamored of his multi-positional usage last year.
Sources tell Rosenthal that the 33-year-old could end up being shipped to the Phillies, who apparently have interest. The Angels also make good sense, Rosenthal notes. It isn’t clear whether trade discussions are particularly active right now, or whether the possibility of a deal is something that will be pondered over the course of the offseason.
From the Dodgers’ perspective, gaining clarity on Kendrick may best be accomplished early. Though he spent significant time in left field in 2016, it had seemed rather likely that he’d return to his natural second base — whether or not joined by a platoon partner — for the season to come. Of course, the Dodgers surely wouldn’t be shy about utilizing him at third or in a broader utility role. But whether the team feels it can allocate resources elsewhere or simply thinks it’s better off honoring Kendrick’s apparent wishes, it seems there’s at least some momentum toward a deal.
Both of the teams mentioned make a good deal of sense on paper. The Phillies do have a rather productive second baseman on hand already, but could still use Kendrick in the infield or corner outfield. While the club isn’t exactly desperate to plug holes as a contender might be, it’s clearly seeking good value on respected veterans who don’t require multi-year commitments. With just one year and $10MM owed to Kendrick, he fits that mold perfectly, and Philly’s immense payroll space would easily accommodate the salary.
The Angels, likewise, are looking to avoid lengthy tie-ups, but in their case there’s a more urgent need to add quality major league pieces. Kendrick spent much of his career with Los Angeles’s other team, and the Halos have a clear need for a second baseman. Of course, the organization doesn’t necessarily have a lot of flexibility to move assets — whether major leaguers or prospects — to make a deal work.
Of course, the Dodgers may not have immense leverage in moving Kendrick. He was certainly not himself at the plate last year, slashing just .255/.326/.366 over 543 plate appearances, which made 2016 the worst offensive season of Kendrick’s career. And though Kendrick had typically rated well in the field, his 2015 work at second base was panned by defensive metrics. While he actually received solid marks in left field last year, that’s not really where his peak value lies.
Hahn: White Sox “Focusing On Longer-Term Benefits”
The White Sox enter the winter with plenty of questions — not just of how to address immediate roster needs, but also of how to approach the offseason strategically. GM Rick Hahn suggested to reporters today that the club intends to oversee some changes in its roster-building mentality this winter, as Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago reports.
With an impressive, controllable, affordable core, but also numerous needs, the White Sox could pursue a variety of avenues. The most drastic would be a full-blown tear-down in which the team’s best player assets — the contracts of stars such as Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, and Adam Eaton — are marketed to the highest bidder.
Hahn certainly didn’t commit to that kind of course. But he did indicate that the broad imperative is now different, which could conceivably lead to rather dramatic change. Hoping to “put ourselves in a position to in on a sustainable basis,” Hahn explained, required the team to “focus[] on longer-term benefits over the offseason.
What does seem clear is that the White Sox will not continue to pursue shorter-term, expensive veterans to build around their core. “We have taken the approach for a number of years that we were focused on a short-term success,” Hahn said, specifying that the team was no longer interested in continuing that course because it “realize[s] a better position for the long-term is a more prudent path.”
Hahn didn’t prime fans for a massive rebuilding effort, though. He suggested that the club still has hopes of winning next year, but that the offseason “targets will have a little bit longer fits in nature.” But there does still appear to be a real possibility of some deals involving the team’s veterans. Hahn explained:
“Should we go to the position of selling off assets, looking toward a more long-term future, the market will dictate how deep of a cut that is. That would also be based on the return for some of our players. The market plays a huge role. … The other part is how your players are valued by the industry. We would not be just trading a younger piece for a younger piece. We would want to diversify the use of players, depending on the depth and strength of the roster. You may look at five or six spots to improve on.”
Clearly, there’s still a lot of uncertainty even with the GM Meetings underway. But it sounds as if the White Sox are open to any number of scenarios involving veterans. In addition to the key players noted above, the organization possesses a wide variety of short-term assets (e.g., Melky Cabrera, Todd Frazier, David Robertson) who’d surely hold appeal to contenders. And if the organization isn’t looking to add those types of players, it’s fair to wonder whether they’ll want to retain them.