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Reinsdorf On Williams, Guillen, Marlins, Crede

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White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf told Brett Ballantini of CSNChicago.com that he went ‘all in’ for 2011 because “the idea of being bad for two or three years is a horrible thought when you’re 75 years old.” The White Sox considered rebuilding this offseason, but decided to spend and attempt to become the best team in the AL Central. Here’s more from Reinsdorf:

  • Reinsdorf says there’s a natural tension between managers and general managers that will flare up at times. But he says he expects GM Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen to be in Chicago “for a long time.”
  • The Marlins expressed interest in talking to Guillen about their managerial opening last fall and Reinsdorf told the Marlins he would let his manager out of his contract if Guillen wanted to manage the Marlins and they gave up something in exchange. “If you want to talk to him,” Reinsdorf told the Marlins, “we have to agree on what we get if he decides to leave.” Though the sides never came to an agreement, Mike Stanton's name came up.
  • The White Sox were ready to commit to Joe Crede on a long-term deal and “Scott Boras didn’t [want to] talk about it,” Reinsdorf said. “Look what that’s cost Crede.”

Quick Hits: Peavy, Kontos, Rowand, Reyes

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Some links to round out this Monday evening..

Rosenthal On Teahen, Linares, Red Sox

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A couple of Spring Training notes from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..

  • The White Sox are open to trading Mark Teahen, who is set to earn $4.75MM this season and $5.5MM in 2012. At the moment, the veteran is little more than a pricey utility man, though he could serve as insurance for rookie third baseman Brent Morel.  The youngster is viewed as an outstanding defender who might not be able to produce at the plate immediately.  Manager Ozzie Guillen is likely in favor of keeping Teahen as he believes that he can find significant playing time for him if Morel wins the starting job at third base.
  • Teams are asking the Red Sox about right-handed hitting outfielder Juan Carlos Linares.  Boston signed the Cuban defector 2009 for $750K.  Linares is currently set to open the season in Triple-A but the club doesn't want to sacrifice any depth.  Because of that, we probably won't see them move any significant pieces before Opening Day.

AL Central Links: Chisenhall, Milledge, Buehrle

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Some links for your Sunday reading pleasure…

Quick Hits: Villone, Moorad, Lidge, White Sox

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Links for Saturday night, as Alex Gordon continues to enjoy a productive spring….

  • The contract Ron Villone signed with the Nationals is non-guaranteed and worth $750K, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.
  • Padres chief executive Jeff Moorad has officially vested himself of the portion of the Diamondbacks he owned, reports MLB.com's Barry M. Bloom.
  • Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com profiles a handful of prospects, including a pair of Royals, who could have an impact for subpar teams this year.
  • One scout discussed Brad Lidge with ESPN's Jayson Stark: "If I were the Phillies, I'd be worried. He's having a tough time getting his arm strength this spring." 2011 is the last guaranteed year of Lidge's contract, with the Phillies holding a $12.5MM club option ($1.5MM buyout) on 2012.
  • Ozzie Guillen says he doesn't care who emerges as the White Sox closer, since he has full confidence in both Chris Sale and the recently extended Matt Thornton, writes Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
  • For the latest updates on the closer situations in Philadelphia, Chicago, and everywhere else, be sure to follow @closernews on Twitter.

NL Central Notes: Brewers, Cubs, Hendry, Pujols

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Notes from the NL Central as we wish the best of luck to all those affected by the earthquake in Japan…

  • Brewers reliever Takashi Saito won't have to return to Japan, since his family has been safely accounted for, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (on Twitter).
  • Outfielder Brett Jackson headlines MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo's list of the top 10 prospects in the Cubs organization.
  • Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times shows that the Cubs–White Sox rivalry doesn't seem fierce now, since White Sox GM Kenny Williams supports the Cubs and Cubs GM Jim Hendry has nice things to say about the White Sox. 
  • Baseball writers at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch weigh in on the following question: will Albert Pujols play even better than usual in 2011? The Cardinals slugger is months away from hitting free agency for the first time in his career.

Offseason In Review: Chicago White Sox

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The White Sox are next in our Offseason In Review series.

Major League/International Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

Summary

White Sox GM Kenny Williams spent lavishly on free agents this offseason.  He brought in Dunn to replace last year's DH rotation, spent big to replace bullpen losses, and retained longtime favorites Konerko and Pierzynski at the last minute.

Dunn

Dunn hit his standard 38-40 home runs in 2010, though he drew about 40 fewer walks than usual.  The slugger wasn't expected to accept a full-time DH job, but National League teams weren't calling and the White Sox offered him a chance to play for a contender without taking a discount.  Power always comes at an inflated price on the free agent market, but Dunn should provide a reliable middle of the order bat for Chicago.  Keep in mind that the signing came before the Sox knew they'd be able to retain Konerko.  Dunn came with the added cost of the #23 overall draft pick, which perhaps the White Sox could stomach because they are starting to build up depth in the lower minors.

The White Sox came close to losing Konerko to the Diamondbacks but ultimately compensated him well for a season that saw him place fifth in the AL MVP voting.  That Konerko's monster year came at age 34 made the term a tricky issue, as the Sox probably would have preferred not to guarantee three years.  Konerko was able to rest by playing 23 games at DH last year, a luxury he'll continue to have when Dunn plays first base on occasion.  That was not an option when Jim Thome was on the club and healthy.

Similarly, the White Sox retained Pierzynski at the last minute.  He nearly signed a deal with the Dodgers, which would have caused Williams to turn to Miguel Olivo.  I don't mind the signing, as reliable everyday veteran catchers are a rare commodity.  The White Sox could have reduced Pierzynski's free agent leverage by offering arbitration to the Type A free agent, but given the value of the relationship and their desire to re-sign him, plus his potential large one-year salary from the process, I can understand the choice.

Faced with the major bullpen losses of Jenks and Putz, Williams committed a hefty $17MM for five seasons of Crain and Ohman.  They made the Crain commitment even while acknowledging the burden Linebrink had become by assuming over 60% of the latter's salary to convince the Braves to take him.  The key members of last year's bullpen – Jenks, Putz, Thornton, and Sergio Santos, were all acquired on the cheap, so it was odd to see the Sox open the checkbook here – especially since they'll have an added weapon in a full season from Chris Sale.  Still, perhaps the team's thinking was that they were simply re-allocating Jenks' money to other relievers.    

Ramirez is an underrated player, a rare shortstop who contributes offensively and defensively.  Locking him up at a reasonable price for potentially three free agent seasons looks like a strong move.  Thornton's extension was more of a necessary evil, with the club option making it more palatable.

Even if Konerko regresses, the Sox could have an improved offense given the addition of Dunn and possible improvement from Gordon Beckham.  The team's success may hinge on the health of the rotation, particularly Jake Peavy.  The Sox don't have much depth if a starter or two has to miss significant time, though they're not alone in that regard.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Who’s Next For A Matt Thornton Contract?

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The White Sox "jumped the market" in signing reliever Matt Thornton to a two-year, $12MM extension with a club option for 2014, in the opinion of ESPN's Buster Olney.  With free agent relievers cashing in this offseason like never before, the Sox moved early on Thornton to avoid guaranteeing a third year.  Olney would not be surprised to see other relievers get similar deals in the coming months; let's look at a few possibilities.

  • Ryan Madson is the best candidate, as he turns 31 this year and passed on the free agent market once before despite being represented by Scott Boras.  A vintage Madson season puts him in line for three years and $15MM at the least.
  • Heath Bell's agent is expected to talk with the Padres during Spring Training, but it's hard to picture the team doing something even in the Huston Street range of three years, $22.5MM.  Bell might need to be traded before finding a suitable extension offer.
  • Matt Capps is probably only an extension candidate with the Twins if they decide to let Joe Nathan leave after the season.  Three-year deals for setup men at top dollar are not the Twins' style, as they seemingly didn't consider the possibility with departing free agents Matt Guerrier and Jesse Crain.
  • Jonathan Papelbon and the Red Sox have been content to go year-to-year, so this is probably his last season in Boston.  If he's dealt midseason for some reason, maybe his new team would consider an extension.
  • Frank Francisco might fit the criteria with a good showing, though the Jays may prefer to bring in new veterans on one-year deals.
  • Jonathan Broxton could return to form this year as the Dodgers' closer.  If so, the team could try to pluck him off the market early.
  • Check out the relievers on our 2012 free agent list – do you see any other candidates to be locked up before the season ends?

Quick Hits: Overbay, Accardo, Diamond, Astros

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Links for Sunday, as Opening Day inches a little closer….

Matt Thornton, White Sox Agree To Extension

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The White Sox and Matt Thornton have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension with an option for a third year, according to a team release. The deal will pay Thornton $5.5MM annually in 2012 and 2013, while the club option for 2014 is worth $6MM ($1MM buyout). The contract will not affect Thornton's 2011 salary, as the Sox exercised their $3MM option in the fall.

Thornton, who is represented by Diamond Sports Management, has spent the last five seasons in Chicago, emerging as one of the top left-handed relievers in the game. The 34-year-old has recorded a 3.19 ERA and 10.1 K/9 in 336 appearances with the White Sox, and earned his first All-Star berth in 2010. Thornton is viewed as a front-runner to replace Bobby Jenks as the team's closer this season, with Chris Sale, Sergio Santos, and Jesse Crain also potentially in the mix.

The $12MM price tag for Thornton seems about right, considering how much American League teams have paid for southpaws in recent years. A year ago, the Orioles signed Mike Gonzalez to a two-year, $12MM contract, while this winter Brian Fuentes received a two-year, $10.5MM guarantee from the Athletics and the Angels locked up Scott Downs for three years and $15MM. Of course, those three lefties head into 2011 as setup men, so if Thornton ends up in closing in Chicago, his contract has the potential to be a bargain.

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