White Sox Rumors

Quick Hits: Wang, Marlins, Dunn

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 29, 2011 at 10:27pm CDT

The Nationals signed Livan Hernandez to a one-year deal worth $1MM on this date last year. He has a 4.36 ERA with 5.4 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and 41.7% ground ball rate in 163 innings for the Nats this season – well worth the investment Washington made a year ago. Here’s the latest from around MLB, starting with a note on the Nats…

MLB.com's Bill Ladson suggests that there's a strong chance Chien-Ming Wang returns to the Nationals in 2012 if he continues providing quality outings down the stretch.
The Marlins could take a run at C.J. Wilson if the money doesn’t get crazy, Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes (on Twitter).
Top Marlins executives will start preparing for the 2012 season Wednesday, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen met with slumping slugger Adam Dunn today to discuss a reduction in playing time, according to MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

A Look At Notable Moves Of August 2010

By Dan Mennella | August 27, 2011 at 9:46pm CDT

August transactions don't boast the same excitement as their July counterparts, but they can still have ramifications for contenders and non-contenders alike. Teams readying for the postseason will often fine-tune their rosters by adding a specialty piece — a LOOGY or power bat off the bench, for example — and ones looking ahead to next year will look to shed payroll.

There's still a few days left before September arrives, and prominent players such as the Rays' B.J. Upton was claimed as recently as Friday. But in the meanwhile, here's a look back at some of the bigger names who were on the move — whether by trade or waiver claim — in August 2010, and the subsequent fallout (for the complete list, check out MLBTR's Transaction Tracker):

Mike Sweeney, acquired by the Phillies from the Mariners on Aug. 4: Seattle sent the right-handed-hitting veteran and what remained of his $650K salary to Philly, where he hit .231/.310/.385 down the regular season's stretch and went 1-for-1 in his lone postseason at-bat. The M's later received cash from the Phils for Sweeney, who signed a one-day contract with the Royals in March and retired.
Jim Edmonds, acquired by the Reds from the Brewers on Aug. 9: Cincinnati added Edmonds for its postseason push, sending Chris Dickerson back to Milwaukee in exchange. Edmonds didn't do much, hitting .207/.281/.586 in the regular season before being left off the Reds' postseason roster due to an Achilles injury. He retired this spring after signing a minor league deal with the Cards, while Dickerson was traded in March to the Yankees for Sergio Mitre.
Mike Fontenot, acquired by the Giants from the Cubs on Aug. 11: The Lads scooped up Fontenot for infield depth during their run to the World Series in exchange for minor league outfielder Evan Crawford. Fontenot remains in San Francisco is under team control for through 2013, though he could be a non-tender candidate this offseason, as he was last.
Derrek Lee, acquired by the Braves from the Cubs on Aug. 18: Lee joined Atlanta after his long tenure in Chicago, the Cubs acquiring three prospects in return. Lee was one of the better acquisitions of this period, posting a fine .287/.384/.465 line for the Braves to help them reach the postseason, though he went just 2-for-16 in their NLDS loss to the Giants. He signed with the Orioles before this season.
Pedro Feliz, acquired by the Cardinals from the Astros on Aug. 19: St. Louis sent David Carpenter and cash to Houston in exchange for Feliz, who was added to help out at the hot corner when David Freese was injured. Feliz's already declining bat didn't improve for the Redbirds, who missed the postseason. Feliz signed a minor league deal with the Padres this month, while Carpenter is currently in the Astros' bullpen.
Cody Ross, acquired by the Giants from the Marlins on waiver claim on Aug. 22: The Giants added an eventual World Series hero in acquiring Ross from the Marlins, who had little interest in retaining Ross, as he was becoming expensive with his final year of arbitration-eligibility looming.
Brian Fuentes, acquired by the Twins from the Angels on Aug. 27: Minnesota added Fuentes to bolster its bullpen, and the lefty threw 9 2/3 shutout innings in the regular season and 2 2/3 shutout innings in the postseason before signing with the Athletics this offseason. The Angels acquired Loek Van Mil from the Twins as a player to be named.
Manny Ramirez, acquired by the White Sox on a waiver claim from the Dodgers on Aug. 29: This was arguably the most notable move of the August post-deadline period, but it didn't amount to much for either teams or the player. The White Sox missed the postseason, the cash-strapped Dodgers got some salary relief, and Manny hit a quiet .261/.420/.319 before signing with the Rays this offseason (and eventually retiring).
Manny Delcarmen, acquired by the Rockies from the Red Sox on Aug. 31: The Rox, still in contention for the wild card, needed bullpen depth, so they sent Chris Balcom-Miller to Boston for Delcarmen. The righty didn't pan out in Colorado, posting a 6.48 ERA in 8 1/3 innings for a team that missed the playoffs before being non-tendered this offseason. He's kicked around since then.
Jeff Francoeur, acquired by the Rangers from the Mets on Aug. 31: Texas sent Joaquin Arias to the Mets for Frenchy, who played well in his brief time in Texas, hitting .340/.357/.491 down the stretch and seeing playing time during the postseason. Arias was waived by the Mets, while Francoeur signed the Royals this offseason and recently inked a two-year extension.

Kubel Claimed By Indians, Not White Sox

By Tim Dierkes | August 26, 2011 at 7:31pm CDT

FRIDAY, 7:31pm: The Indians were awarded the claim on Kubel, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.com (via Twitter). However, the 48 hour window for the two sides to work out a deal has passed.

3:44pm: The White Sox did not actually claim Kubel, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).

THURSDAY: The Indians were awarded the claim on Thome, while the White Sox were awarded the claim on Kubel, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports. Thome has a full-no trade clause and would prefer to play for the Phillies, according to Rosenthal. It's unlikely that the Twins will move Kubel, Rosenthal reports. The sides have discussed a possible extension.

WEDNESDAY: The Twins' Jim Thome and Jason Kubel have been claimed on waivers , tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. The teams involved now have 48 hours to make a deal.

We learned earlier that the White Sox were one of the teams to place a claim on Thome. Olney has spoken to executives who expected the White Sox, Indians, Rangers, or Yankees to win a claim on Kubel.

If multiple teams make a claim on one player, the team with the worst record in the same league is awarded the claim.

Heyman On Cubs, Valverde, Bell, Hernandez

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 26, 2011 at 11:20am CDT

Jon Heyman of SI.com runs through the Cubs’ options for their open GM position and concludes that White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn is “perhaps the most logical choice” for chairman Tom Ricketts. Click here for more rumblings about the Cubs and keep reading for Heyman’s other notes from around MLB…

Manager Mike Quade is seen as a “long shot” to return as the Cubs’ manager next year.
The Tigers will “surely” exercise Jose Valverde’s $8MM option for 2012, Heyman writes.
No one with the Giants or Padres saw a Heath Bell trade as a likely possibility, according to Heyman. The Giants won the claim for Bell earlier in the week.
The Reds are believed to be open to trading Ramon Hernandez, since catching prospect Devin Mesoraco could replace him. Hernandez hit the waiver wire this week.

Waiver Notes: Thome, Kubel, Bell

By Zachary Links | August 25, 2011 at 9:55pm CDT

Earlier this evening the Indians worked out a deal with the Twins to bring Jim Thome back to the Tribe. Here are some thoughts on the deal plus news on other waived players..

Tribe GM Chris Antonetti says that the Twins have "a relatively narrow list of players" to choose from by the October 15th deadline, tweets Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
The reason why the White Sox didn't block Thome from going to the Indians was that they had no playing time for him with Paul Konerko limited to DH, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter) thinks that the White Sox should have put a claim in on Thome anyway. After all, he points out, they claimed Jason Kubel for the same reason.
Speaking of Kubel, the Twins outfielder says that the rumors have weighed on him and he's looking forward to having a definite answer on the matter, according to the Associated Press. Based on what White Sox GM Ken Williams said earlier today, it doesn't sound as though he'll be changing teams.
As of right now, it looks like a Heath Bell deal between the Padres and Giants isn't going to happen, tweets Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. There are no serious talks taking place, if there are any talks at all.

White Sox Notes: Kubel, Danks, Peavy, Guillen

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 25, 2011 at 7:29pm CDT

The Cubs are looking for a new GM and they appear to be considering White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn for the job opening. Here’s the latest on the White Sox, as they prepare for their weekend series in Seattle…

The White Sox reportedly were awarded the claim on the Twins' Jason Kubel, but it doesn't sound as though he'll be heading to the South Side of Chicago, writes Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald.
John Danks told MLB.com's Scott Merkin that he isn't sure whether Jered Weaver's five-year, $85MM extension has any effect on him or not. In my opinion it does – they're in the same service class – though Danks doesn't have the same earning potential as Weaver.
Jake Peavy told Merkin that he's looking forward to 2012, since he'll be one more year removed from his 2010 back surgery by next spring.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told Brett Ballantini of CSNChicago.com that even after 23 years in baseball, the August trade period is still confusing. By the way, if you agree with Guillen, click here.

Indians, Twins In Trade Talks

By Dan Mennella | August 25, 2011 at 11:47am CDT

The Indians and Twins are engaged in trade talks, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Indians were awarded the claim on Jim Thome, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Thome has a full-no trade clause and would prefer to play for the Phillies, however. The Indians are hopeful of working out a deal for Thome, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.

Thome, 40, played for the Indians from 1991-2002. The newest member of the 600 homer club now has a .248/.357/.485 line with 12 home runs in 238 plate appearances for Minnesota. Cleveland designated hitter Travis Hafner is on the disabled list with a strained right foot, so Thome could be a fit for the Indians, the team for which he hit his first 334 home runs.

Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.

Quick Hits: White Sox, Rangers, Kazmir, Rockies

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 24, 2011 at 10:20pm CDT

MLBTR extends condolences to the family and friends of former Major League pitcher and executive Mike Flanagan, who was died at age 59, according to the Orioles. Flanagan, the 1979 AL Cy Young Award winner, was the Orioles' GM from 2002-07 and later became a broadcaster for the club. Here are this evening’s links…

Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com wonders if the White Sox could still sell. Now 63-64, Chicago trails Detroit by 6.5 games in the AL Central.
Rangers starter C.J. Wilson told T.R. Sullivan and Louie Horvath of MLB.com that now is not the time to look ahead to the offseason, when he'll hit free agency and be in position to sign a lucrative contract. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes suggested yesterday that Wilson could obtain a $100MM deal.
Evan Rich of the Cornell Daily Sun interviewed Cornell graduate Jon Daniels about his current role as Rangers GM and how he got there.
Scott Kazmir intends to pitch in winter ball, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (on Twitter).
The Rockies won't acquire Wandy Rodriguez, but they will continue to look for pitching, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter).

Waiver Rumors: Thome, Bell, White Sox, Wright

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 24, 2011 at 9:15pm CDT

The waiver wire is heating up with one week remaining for teams to trade for postseason reinforcements. Here’s a refresher on how August trades work and here are the latest rumors…

The Indians placed a claim on Jim Thome, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). However, the White Sox, who have a worse record than Cleveland, also placed a claim, so they would have priority over the Indians.
It appears unlikely that the Giants, who won the claim on Heath Bell, will complete a trade for the reliever, Jon Heyman of SI.com reports (on Twitter).
Though the Padres would find if difficult to accept a weak offer for Bell, it might beat the alternative of keeping him and potentially paying him big money in 2012, Ken Rosenthal writes at FOX Sports.
The White Sox placed John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Paul Konerko and Matt Thornton on waivers, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
The Giants are a fit for the recently waived Ramon Hernandez, but the catcher will likely be a Type A free agent so a different team could claim him for draft picks, ESPN.com's Buster Olney notes (on Twitter).
Hoynes suggests the Indians likely claimed one of Thome and Jason Kubel (Twitter link). Unknown teams claimed both Twins sluggers this week.
The Rockies were one of the teams that put in a claim on David Wright this month, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Though it's unclear which team won the claim, it probably doesn't matter at the moment, since the Mets aren't trading their third baseman. As Renck points out, it's a reminder that the Rockies will be interested if the Mets ever make Wright available.

Twins Place Jim Thome On Waivers

By Tim Dierkes | August 24, 2011 at 9:20am CDT

WEDNESDAY, 9:14am: The White Sox were one of several teams putting in a claim for Thome, reports Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that "there is a high expectation among executives that the White Sox will be awarded the claim." For that to happen, Thome would have to get past the Orioles, Royals, Mariners, and Athletics. That seems feasible, though it's possible one of the four would put in a claim with an eye on a potential draft pick.

MONDAY, 2:15pm: The Twins placed designated hitter Jim Thome on trade waivers today, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal says the Phillies want Thome back in their organization, but there's almost no chance the slugger gets to them. Since the Phillies have the best record in the National League, the 28 other teams would have to pass on Thome first.

Thome, 40, is hitting .256/.365/.503 with 12 home runs in 230 plate appearances this year. He cranked his 600th home run a week ago. Now that Thome has reached the milestone, the Twins might be more inclined to trade him if he would like to join a playoff race. Rosenthal notes that Thome has a full no-trade clause.

Thome's salary should not pose a problem, as he has about $610K remaining plus incentives. As of a week ago Thome wasn't too far from Type B status, so if he continues producing there could be a shot at a draft pick. So there is the possibility that American League non-contenders could place claims. If the Twins want to give Thome freedom to play for any team but don't mind getting nothing in return, they could release him, notes Rosenthal.

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