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Latest On Potential Jose Quintana Trade

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Pittsburgh has pursued a trade for White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana over the past several months, but Pirates general manager Neal Huntington found the asking price to be “well above where it made sense for us” (via ESPN’s Jim Bowden). With the Bucs seemingly out of the picture for Quintana, the Astros and Braves are the “best possibilities,” per Bowden, who notes that the White Sox “continue to work hard” to trade the 28-year-old. No deal is imminent, though, according to Bowden, who adds that the Astros would have to part with both right-hander Francis Martes and outfielder Kyle Tucker, two of Baseball America’s top 20 prospects, to acquire Quintana (all Twitter links). Houston balked at giving up a package of Martes, Tucker and righty Joe Musgrove for Quintana during the Winter Meetings.

For his part, White Sox GM Rick Hahn is content to wait until someone makes what he deems a satisfactory offer for Quintana, who’s reasonably priced and controllable through the 2020 season. “We’ve had conversations even this spring where if our asks was met, we’d make a move,” Hahn told Scott Merkin of MLB.com. “Obviously nothing has developed as of yet, but that could well change early in the season or it could take to the trade deadline or into the next offseason” (Twitter links).

Offseason In Review: Chicago White Sox

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This is the latest entry in MLBTR’s Offseason In Review series. The full index of Offseason In Review posts can be found here.

The White Sox set a rebuilding course with a pair of Winter Meetings blockbusters in which Chris Sale and Adam Eaton were cashed in for top prospects.

Major League Signings

Trades And Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Notable Losses

White Sox Roster; White Sox Payroll Information

Needs Addressed

When I published my White Sox Offseason Outlook on November 5th, the team had not yet tipped its hand as to the offseason direction.  GM Rick Hahn had said in August, “By the time we make our first or second transaction, publicly it will be fairly clear as to our direction.” Hahn wasn’t kidding.  The White Sox staked a very clear rebuilding position with back-to-back Winter Meetings blockbuster trades.  Finally, the team committed to a full teardown.

Feb 28, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech (78) pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

First, longtime ace starting pitcher Chris Sale was traded to the Red Sox for a bevy of top prospects, led by Moncada and Kopech (pictured at right).  In Moncada, the White Sox acquired the type of player who is rarely traded: a potential perennial All-Star, on the cusp of being MLB-ready.  The switch-hitting Cuban is penciled in as Chicago’s second baseman of the future.  Moncada draws raves from prospect gurus for his power, speed, and arm.  Kopech, meanwhile, is a power pitcher who comes with “front of the rotation potential,” according to Baseball America.  Basabe, while further from the Majors, also rates as one of the team’s top ten prospects now.  The White Sox determined they could not win in the next three years with Sale, and Hahn was able to maximize the return by pitting the Red Sox against the Nationals, Astros, Braves, and others.

Barely 24 hours later at MLB’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Hahn made a deal to send Adam Eaton to the Nationals for three pitching prospects.  Baseball America ranks Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez both slightly above Kopech, and has all three in the #25-32 range among all MLB prospects.  Like Moncada, Giolito and Lopez have Major League time.  While there may be growing pains, the top assets acquired by Hahn are all close to contributing in 2017.  Dunning played the Basabe role in this deal, as a third piece who is further from the big leagues.  Eaton, 28, is at the top of his game and was the rare veteran player to be dealt with five years of remaining control.  With the Eaton trade, Hahn was able to pull off a second deal that drew raves around the industry.  The total haul for Sale and Eaton leaned toward pitching, a function of Hahn pursuing the best available young players, regardless of position.

A week later, the White Sox filled their rotation vacancy by signing Derek Holland to a one-year deal.  Holland hasn’t had a healthy, valuable season since 2013, but this is the kind of free agent signing we expect to see with a rebuilding club.  In the best case scenario, Holland has a nice first half and the White Sox are able to spin him for a useful, controllable piece in July.

Earlier this week, the White Sox locked up shortstop Tim Anderson to a precedent-setting six-year, $25MM deal.  The contract sets a new record for a player with less than one year of Major League service.  With only 115 days of Major League service under his belt, it’s difficult to project what kind of player Anderson will become.  But at age 23, he already looks like a solid two-win contributor.  And the team has a fantastic recent track record with these types of extensions, having previously signed Sale, Eaton, Jose Quintana, and Nate Jones.

Questions Remaining

With the Sale and Eaton trades occurring in rapid succession, it seemed a Jose Quintana deal wasn’t far behind.  Quintana’s availability this winter was no secret.  While the 28-year-old doesn’t have Sale’s ace reputation, he is a very good starting pitcher on a very team-friendly contract.  With a terrible free agent market for starting pitching, it was surprising no team was willing to meet the demands of the White Sox for Quintana.  The Pirates and Astros were reportedly quite interested, with the Rangers, Yankees, and Braves also connected.  Quintana is undoubtedly a major trade chip for the White Sox in the coming months.  In a February call with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, Hahn said, “Frankly, there just hasn’t been an offer on the table that has made us feel like, ’Boy we better move now or we are going to be kicking ourselves.'”  While Hahn noted he’s feeling no economic or timing pressure on his remaining trade chips, the team is taking a calculated risk that offers will improve in future.  While a summer Quintana trade currently seems like the most likely scenario, it’s possible a deal could be struck between now and Opening Day.

Rumors were scant regarding first baseman Jose Abreu, outside of a Winter Meetings note that the Rockies were interested.  The White Sox may have run into an overcrowded free agent market, which featured more first base/DH-type bats than there were jobs.  At the lower end, players such as Brandon Moss, Mike Napoli, and Chris Carter took cheaper-than-expected deals.  Abreu, 30, is more appealing than many of those free agents, but not enough to trigger wide reported interest.

In their talks for Adam Eaton, the Nationals reportedly attempted to expand the deal to include reliever David Robertson.  Talks continued, but the Nationals and White Sox have reportedly reached a stalemate on the veteran closer.  With two years and $25MM remaining on his contract, and control problems in 2016, Robertson is not for everyone.  He’s another name to watch this summer.  Perhaps the White Sox will end up eating more money than they were willing to in the winter.  Todd Frazier, a free agent after 2017, is another veteran player who received little reported interest this winter despite hitting 75 home runs over the past two seasons.  The White Sox will be rooting for strong, healthy first halves for many veteran players, which would lead to an active July.  Hahn repeatedly said he would have liked to have made four more transactions this winter, and perhaps Quintana, Abreu, Robertson, and Frazier were the four players.

The team would also be best served moving 32-year-old veteran Melky Cabrera, who will serve as the Opening Day left fielder.  The Melk Man hit about as well as Wil Myers, Adam Eaton, or Mike Napoli last year, but his below-average defense and $15MM salary seems to have limited interest.   One quietly intriguing trade chip this summer will be Nate Jones, a fantastic reliever who is under contract for up to five more seasons.  Jones, a 31-year-old with a 97 mile per hour fastball, is far more valuable than Robertson and could be the best reliever traded this summer.  The White Sox still have a ton of trading left to do.

Aside from all the trades that have yet to happen, the other question is who is actually going to play for the 2017 White Sox.  With a team that is clearly not concerned about winning in 2017, the White Sox have a rare opportunity to use low-pressure playing time to unearth trade chips or future contributors.  Unfortunately, the roster is currently loaded with placeholders devoid of upside.  For example, the club’s Opening Day outfield could feature Cabrera, Peter Bourjos, and Avisail Garcia.  Someone has to stand out there, but hopefully Hahn can identify a few post-hype sleepers to try out in the outfield until long-term fixtures are identified.  The White Sox make a great home for players feeling the roster squeeze.  The release of Lawrie was a step in the right direction, opening up second base for cheaper options led by Tyler Saladino.  The team’s catching position is another area of uncertainty.  The club is hoping 25-year-old Omar Narvaez can keep the seat warm until 2016 first-round pick Zack Collins is ready for The Show.

Overview

In 2017, the White Sox are set to join teams like the Phillies, Reds, Padres, and Brewers as clubs undertaking rebuilds.  It’s the right move for the franchise as Hahn and company look to build a sustainable winner with a deep roster.  The Major League product will get worse before it gets better, as the White Sox will continue to clear the decks of veteran players this summer.

What’s your take on the White Sox’ winter? (Link to poll for mobile app users …)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rick Hahn On Tim Anderson Extension

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  • White Sox GM Rick Hahn discussed the team’s newly minted extension with shortstop Tim Anderson, as MLB.com’s Scott Merkin reports. He emphasized “the cost certainty and the added control” achieved in the unusually early agreement, noting that doubling down with long-term deals for Chris Sale and Adam Eaton functioned to enhance the value of those players when they were dealt in December. Of course, the hope now is that Anderson will be a core player for a contending team in Chicago. If he can build off of a promising 2016 season, the Sox can perhaps check an important box at a reasonable cost for years to come. “[C]ertainly if you have a number of players outperforming what they’re paid, it makes more free money available to go out and augment the roster,” said Hahn. “That’s certainly the intent.”

White Sox Extend Tim Anderson

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The White Sox have officially reached agreement on a long-term deal that’ll keep shortstop Tim Anderson in the organization for the foreseeable future. Anderson, who is represented by Reynolds Sports Management, will receive a guaranteed $25MM over six years — including a $1MM buyout on two option years valued at $12.5MM and $14MM, respectively.

Aug 23, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (12) makes a throw to first base against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at U.S. Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Anderson, of course, was already under Chicago’s control for quite some time. Given that he only accrued 115 days of service in his MLB debut last season, he couldn’t have qualified for free agency before 2023 and wouldn’t have hit arbitration eligibility until at least 2020. This deal, then, represents a bid by the South Siders to achieve cost certainty and pick up control over two would-be free agent seasons from the young shortstop.

For Anderson, he’ll lock in earnings now while giving up the right to control his destiny after 2022, which will be his age-29 campaign. Though he’s leaving some open-market upside on the table, Anderson won’t need to prove anything more to take home the annual salaries promised in the contract. He will receive successive paydays of $850K, $1MM, $1.4MM, $4MM, $7.25MM, and $9.5MM over the deal’s guaranteed years.

At $25MM, the guarantee handily tops the $20MM the Rays paid righty Chris Archer in 2014. That had set a record for contracts given to players with less than a full year of MLB service time. Such contracts are quite rare, of course. The Rays have mostly cornered the market to this point, with Evan Longoria and Matt Moore preceding Archer in receiving sub-1 service class extensions. Catcher Salvador Perez was promised just $7MM from the Royals in his deal. And the Astros promised $10MM to Jon Singleton before he appeared in the majors.

That last contract is the only one that hasn’t (yet) paid out handsomely from the team’s perspective, though that’s not to say there isn’t any value to the right player. Singleton may never establish himself as a big leaguer, but already has life-changing money to show for his professional career. (I argued at the time it was a fair bargain for him.) Longoria and Perez later struck much larger deals with their respective organizations, with the latter in particular seemingly receiving consideration from the team that his original contract did not remotely reflect his true value.

In Anderson’s case, the reasoning for the extension from his perspective isn’t difficult to see at all. His guarantee and contract structure aren’t altogether different from those achieved by much more established players. Talented up-the-middle, 2+ service-class performers Ender Inciarte and Odubel Herrera each got $30MM and change over the winter from the Braves and Phillies, respectively. Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong gave up only one option on his five-year, $25.5MM contract as a 2+ player. And most interestingly, perhaps, the Sox previously picked up seven years of control (two via option) over since-traded outfielder Adam Eaton for a promise of only $23.5MM. It’s worth noting, too, that Anderson’s option years come with a relatively large price tag.

All said, it seems to be an attractive deal for Anderson, but it will still be a bargain if he grows into the quality regular that the team obviously expects him to be. Drafted as something of a high-risk project in the first round of the 2013 draft, Anderson moved swiftly to the majors despite substandard plate discipline. Reaching the bigs last year, the 23-year-old showed that his tool set could play even without the strikeout-and-walk numbers you’d hope for. He managed a .283/.306/.432 slash with nine home runs over 431 plate appearances despite tallying 117 strikeouts to go with a paltry 13 walks. The fleet-footed infielder was undoubtedly aided by one of the game’s highest batting averages on balls in play, though he has a history of doing the same in the minors. He also hinted at some power upside with a .149 isolated power mark.

Clearly, Chicago is willing to bet that the bat still has room to grow. But Anderson doesn’t need to become an All-Star for the contract to pay off. Importantly, he rated at about six runs above average in the field last year in the eyes of both UZR and DRS, suggesting that Anderson may provide big value with the glove — especially if he can pare down the errors (14). And perhaps there’s also a possibility that Anderson will increase his output on the basepaths. He swiped 21 total bags last year in the majors and at Triple-A, but stole 49 at Double-A over the 2015 seasons.

It’s tempting to wonder whether this agreement says anything about the South Siders’ anticipated contention timeline and rebuilding strategy. The organization just kicked off its youth movement this winter, after all, but has already committed to Anderson for the long haul. But that’s not necessarily unique — the 2013 Astros signed an extension with Jose Altuve in the midst of an 111-loss campaign, for instance — and is even less surprising for a White Sox club that has had more than its share of successes with early-career extensions (though none so soon as Anderson’s). In addition to the above-noted Eaton, the Sox made out like bandits with another 2+ player in Chris Sale — whose appealing contract was also cashed in for prospects in the winter — along with fellow southpaw standout Jose Quintana, who signed with just 1.133 days of service.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement (Twitter links) after MLB.com’s Scott Merkin reported yesterday that the sides were in talks. Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (Twitter links) reported the financial terms. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

White Sox In Extension Talks With Tim Anderson

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The White Sox are engaged in extension talks with young shortstop Tim Anderson, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin (via Twitter).

Just how far along the sides are isn’t clear at this time, though Anderson has been out of action for what the team has labeled “personal reasons.” A team source would neither confirm nor deny the discussions with Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), but did note that no announcement is expected today.

Anderson, 23, hasn’t even yet reached a full year of MLB service time. He picked up 115 days on the active roster in 2016, which means he’s on track to reach arbitration eligibility in 2020 and qualify for free agency in 2023.

Long considered a quality prospect, Anderson provided a strong debut season last year. Over 431 plate appearances, he posted a .283/.306/.432 batting line with nine home runs and ten stolen bases. He also delivered 22 doubles and six triples in his first go at the big leagues.

Anderson also showed stellar glovework at short, racking up well-above-average ratings from both UZR and DRS despite recording 14 errors. That sets a solid floor moving forward, though it remains to be seen just how much offense Anderson will deliver over the long haul.

The big question with Anderson’s bat is whether he can improve upon (or overcome) his rather ugly plate discipline marks. In 2016, he recorded a 27.1% strikeout rate while walking in just 3.0% of his plate appearances. That continued a long history of less-than-ideal K/BB rates in the minors.

Further, though he has long run a lofty batting average on balls in play in the minors, Anderson’s .375 BABIP seems likely to regress. Just three qualifying hitters posted higher marks last year. It remains to be seen, too, whether Anderson can continue the power boost he showed in 2016; his 13 dingers between the majors and highest level of the minors were easily a personal best, and his .149 isolated slugging mark also outpaced his typical levels.

That said, there are perhaps some reasons to believe Anderson can continue to grow as a hitter. The former first-round pick and consensus top-100 prospect certainly has the pedigree, and it’s promising that he was able to produce in the majors despite a fairly aggressive promotion up the ladder. Plus, he might add yet more value on the bases, as he did swiped 49 bags in 125 games at Double-A in 2015.

Prospective terms aren’t yet known. It’s rare to see extensions occur at this early stage of a player’s career, and no player with less than a year of service has scored more than $20MM guaranteed. That’s how much Chris Archer took home in the spring of 2014; he’s just one of four such players to score a long-term deal since Evan Longoria’s six-year, $17.5MM pact back in 2008.

Royals Release Brandon League; Trade Brandon Dulin To White Sox

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The Royals have released veteran reliever Brandon League, reports Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. Additionally, they’ve traded first baseman Brandon Dulin to the White Sox for a player to be named or cash, according to Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links).

The 33-year-old League, who hasn’t taken a major league mound since 2014, joined the Royals on a minor league deal in January. That came after shoulder problems limited the former Mariners and Dodgers closer to 10 2/3 minor league innings in 2015 and helped keep him out of baseball last year. In his comeback attempt with the Royals, the right-hander tossed five spring frames and yielded just two earned runs on three hits, though he did issue four walks while totaling only two strikeouts.

Long a hard thrower, League has registered 532 big league innings with Toronto, Seattle and Los Angeles, and recorded a 3.65 ERA, 6.34 K/9, 3.13 BB/9 and 60.5 percent ground-ball rate. After a strong stretch from 2010-12, the Dodgers signed League to a three-year, $22.5MM. League then delivered mixed results over two years, and the Dodgers released him in 2015 amid his aforementioned shoulder troubles.

Dulin, whom the Royals selected in the 12th round of the 2013 draft, hasn’t gotten past Single-A. The 24-year-old hit .254/.312/.391 in 269 plate appearances at that level last season.

Michael Kopech, Reliever?

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  • Michael Kopech was one of the major pieces the White Sox acquired in the Chris Sale trade, and Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago opines that Kopech could follow Sale’s career trajectory by breaking into the bigs as a reliever.  The White Sox eased Sale into the majors by using him out of the bullpen in his first two seasons before unleashing him into the rotation, where Sale emerged as one of baseball’s best starters.  Kopech only turns 21 in April and has yet to pitch above high-A ball, though if he continues to impress in the minors, Chicago may be tempted to get him to the big leagues by 2018 as a reliever.

Nationals Notes: Closer, Romero, Scherzer

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Nationals GM Mike Rizzo was a guest on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM earlier today and discussed his team’s ninth inning option with hosts Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette (audio link via Soundcloud). “We feel that we have a closer in house,” said Rizzo. “We’ve felt that ever since early in the offseason when we didn’t get one of the big three closers. We feel that he’s here. We’ll figure out which one it is. They all have the stuff to do it. You talk about a power bullpen — we’ve got four or five guys that throw 95-plus in the bullpen.” Pressed further on the issue later in the interview, Rizzo conceded that if things aren’t going well during the season, the Nationals will be open to seeking outside alternatives, but the GM did not indicate that he’s looking to acquire a closer in the limited time between now and Opening Day.

David Robertson has been the “proven closer” that is most commonly linked to the Nats in trade rumors, though FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier today that the sides don’t seem to feel the other is all that serious about getting a trade worked out. Per Heyman, the Nationals feel the asking price on Robertson means that the Sox aren’t all that interested in moving him, whereas the Sox feel the Nationals haven’t been very aggressive in pursuing him.

A couple more on last year’s NL East champs…

  • Also from that MLB Network Radio interview, Bowden specifically asked Rizzo about the team’s acquisition of left-hander Enny Romero from the Rays. Bowden noted that Romero caught his attention during the World Baseball Classic when hitting 100 mph with his fastball, and Rizzo explained that Romero has been on the team’s radar for years. The Washington GM revealed that he pushed for the Rays to include Romero in the trade that sent Nate Karns to the Rays in exchange for Felipe Rivero and Jose Lobaton, but the Rays would not part with him.
  • Max Scherzer threw 54 pitches in a minor league game against the Mets today, writes Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, and he did so with his traditional fastball grip — a grip he’d been unable to use earlier this spring as he worked back from a stress fracture in the knuckle of his right ring finger. Scherzer had previously experimented with a three-fingered grip on his fastball in order to alleviate some pressure on the problematic knuckle, but he was relieved to get back to his traditional pitch arsenal today, Janes notes. The plan for Scherzer is to start a Major League game six days from now, which would give Scherzer time to make three more spring outings. “That’s 70, 85, 100 [pitches],” Scherzer said, suggesting that he’ll have time to ramp up for the season. Janes notes that that schedule wouldn’t line Scherzer up to start on Opening Day but could allow him to make his 2017 debut during the Nationals’ first turn through their rotation.

Heyman’s Latest: Quintana, Pagan, Cozart, Padres, Bautista, Giants

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In his latest notes column, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that while teams such as the Astros, Pirates, Rangers and Yankees were all linked to Jose Quintana in trade rumors this offseason, the best offer the White Sox received came from an unnamed club that is currently perceived as more of a rebuilding team. That could mean any number of teams — the Braves, Phillies, Twins, Reds, Brewers and Padres are all in the midst of retooling their organizations — and further context is seemingly unknown at this time. A trade of Quintana, at this point, seems far likelier to occur this summer than during the final days of Spring Training, though Heyman’s note is a reminder that Quintana would appeal to virtually any club in baseball. With four years and $36.85MM remaining on his contract, Quintana’s affordable level of excellence can help clubs looking to win now or those looking to contend more in 2018-19.

A few more highlights…

  • The Braves have made “multiple” attempts to sign free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan, but the veteran has been holding out for a big league deal worth around $5MM. Heyman notes that Pagan has received some guaranteed offers, but they’ve come with very low base salaries. Atlanta has also been tied to another reunion with infielder Kelly Johnson, but Heyman notes that Johnson, too, is seeking a Major League contract.
  • Zack Cozart is still available in trade talks, but the Reds haven’t gotten much in the way of appealing offers due to the fact that few clubs are looking for a shortstop right now. The Padres have talked to Cincinnati about Cozart, but Heyman notes that they’re not keen on giving up top-tier talent for a player with only one year of club control remaining before free agency. Heyman notes that San Diego is still on the lookout for a shortstop upgrade.
  • The Rangers would want a Major League ready starting pitcher in any trade involving Jurickson Profar, Heyman notes. The Padres like Profar but wouldn’t be willing to surrender right-hander Luis Perdomo in order to obtain him, he adds. That may raise an eyebrow for some fans, but I’d point out that Perdomo has five years of control remaining (to Profar’s three) and posted a 4.47 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 61.4 percent ground-ball rate across his final 110 2/3 innings in 2016 after a dismal start in the bullpen. In that time, he posted a 3.84 xFIP and 3.88 SIERA. Profar hit .239/.321/.338 in 307 plate appearances last season.
  • Right-hander Jered Weaver tells Heyman that he considered retirement this offseason following a career-worst year in 2016. However, Weaver began to feel stronger after a month of rest, ultimately landing with the Padres on a one-year, $3MM deal. Weaver says that he’s “10 steps above last year” in terms of how he feels physically at this point.
  • The Indians made an offer to Jose Bautista that was for roughly the same $18.5MM guarantee he received with the Blue Jays, Heyman reports, and they weren’t entirely closed off to a multi-year deal. However, Bautista’s preference was to head back to Toronto.
  • The Pirates sought right-hander Derek Law (among other pieces) in trade talks centering around Mark Melancon with the Giants at last year’s trade deadline, per Heyman. It seems that the Pirates were focused on adding an MLB-ready replacement arm for the bullpen in Melancon talks, which they received in the form of left-hander Felipe Rivero. San Francisco, of course, signed Melancon to a four-year deal this winter.

Michael Kopech Discusses His Future

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  • We could be talking about White Sox phenom Michael Kopech in similar terms one day if he accomplishes his personal goals, which he discusses at length in an interesting piece from Scott Miller of Bleacher Report. Kopech tells Miller that he has his sights set on throwing harder than any pitcher ever has — he’s certainly already within range — while noting that his priority is “to be a dominant pitcher” regardless of the radar gun readings. Chicago fans who want to learn about one of the organization’s prized new prospects will want to give the post a full read.
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