The White Sox have entered “listening” mode following a series loss to the Royals this weekend, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Sox, however, will not tear down their club simply because of a poor 2015 season and will not trade Chris Sale, he hears. Chicago views 2015 as the first of a potential three-year window and, as such, is not likely to trade long-term assets. Jeff Samardzija is the most likely candidate to go due to his status as the team’s most notable free agent, according to Rosenthal.
Samardzija, 30, was acquired from the A’s this winter in exchange for Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley, Chris Bassitt and Rangel Ravelo. He’s earning $9.8MM this season — of which about $4.12MM is still owed to him — and will be a free agent following the 2015 campaign.
The Sox acquired Samardzija with the hope that he’d be a co-ace atop their rotation alongside Sale, but the bottom line results have been something less than that. Through 132 1/3 innings this year, Samardzija has a 4.08 ERA with 7.1 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and a 40.2 percent ground-ball rate. Certainly, he hasn’t been helped at all by the Chicago defense, which ranks as one of the worst in Major League Baseball, but that’s not the sole reason for his decline, either. Samardzija’s strikeout rate is easily the lowest of his career since becoming a full-time starter, and his ground-ball rate is a career-low as well. The reasoning behind the drop in strikeouts, though, might not be as clear as one would imagine. Samardzija’s velocity has not significantly declined, nor has his swinging-strike rate, and he’s getting ahead of hitters with a first-pitch strike at nearly a 65 percent clip.
Rosenthal also notes that it’s possible for the White Sox to add some pieces. He doesn’t specify the nature of the types of players they’d add, but presumably, given the mention of a three-year window, they’d be interested in acquiring players that can help them as soon as 2016-17. That could mean they’d look at doing something similar to the Red Sox’ 2014 approach of trading Jon Lester for Yoenis Cespedes. It could also mean that the Sox would prioritize MLB-ready assets over a higher-upside prospect that is further away from the Majors.
The White Sox do have a number of long-term pieces in place. The Sox control Sale, Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia through the 2019 season, while Jose Quintana can be controlled through 2020, while Adam Eaton and Carlos Rodon can be controlled through 2021.
Looking around the rest of their roster, a few more incremental moves could potentially be made. Gordon Beckham, Emilio Bonifacio and Geovany Soto are all on one-year deals, and Alexei Ramirez’s option is almost certain to be declined at the end of the year. Adam LaRoche is under contract for 2016, though I’d imagine they’re at least open to moving the remainder of his contract following his diminished production in 2015.
I can see them trading LaRoche and moving Avi Garcia to DH. Move what they can and allow the kids to play. See what they have for the future.
Three year window. LOL. They will be closer to being the worst team in baseball than a playoff team in that window. They might have a few long-term pieces but most have little value and the players that do have value they won’t trade. Eaton and Garcia currently look like replacement level players and don’t move the needle. White Sox are a complete teardown.
I agree that they’re one of the worst teams in baseball but with rotation (minus Danks) and the Bullpen are decent. It’s their record setting-ly bad offense that’s killing them. I think I saw that they were last in five of the major offensive categories: HRs, RBIs, OBP, SLG, OPS.
Their defense has seen a sharp decline as well.
I would tear it all down because its ghe easiest way to go in terms of long term sustainability, but they arent this big mess. Eaton is way better than replacement level. If tim anderson is ready next year that would be a huge leap. Ramirez bat has really hurt them. If saladino and anderson are average bat and glove they can be a playoff team next year. Carlos sanchez has been good with the glove but terrible at bat. A zobrist signing fits them really well this offseason.
Hardly. Tearing down would be foolish. The WhiteSox have a pretty good pitching staff and that’s a big start and they have more in the pipeline. Kenny Williams or Rick Hahn (whoever is running things) just needs to stop wasting money on these old veterans. Still they don’t have any real albatross contracts. A few good moves would get them squared away..
Samardizija seems to be the kind of Giants risky trade that really works and help them to win a ring.
But it’s an odd year. That means the Cards will be in the WS.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Cardinals add him and LaRoche
Can’t expect they’ll get much for any of those underperformers except Samardzija. He could be a could fit for an NL team with a good D and a big park.
Soto has been alright. Laroche might get a lottery ticket. Hes still good defensively.
I would like the Cardinals to add both him and LaRoche
Trayce Thompson for Cody Asche
Samardzija is the guy I want the Dodgers to trade for. He is not going to be as expensive to acquire as Cueto and Hamels and, unlike those 2, he has actually been pitching pretty well of late.
The Dodgers’ farm system is deep. I bet they could acquire Samardzija without giving up starting pitching prospects De Leon or Grant Holmes (assume Seager and Urias are off the table).
If that is the case, then I would advocate trading for him and slotting him in as a No. 3 or 4 guy in the Dodgers rotation. With Ryu and McCarthy out for the year, the Dodgers need an upgrade in the rotation to Bolsinger or Frias.
Love what Rick Hahn did with the Sox in only 1-1/2 years after the strip down. But one cannot put together a video league team and succeed in a sport in which timing between teammates is something seldom discussed, but often means the difference between team success and failure. Ozzie had that team playing D and working off one another. Ventura has not. Doesn’t matter who’s brought in, there is not a winning / fundamental style of baseball being played there.
I understand the theory of having Sale and Abreu to head up the pitching staff and anchor the lineup at a deep discount in salary, so they spend the savings on high-priced free agents. But they need to put far more solid supporting pieces around those two. I’ve watched Tyler Saladino the past week, and he sticks out as a ballplayer – doing everything he can on D, the bases, and at bat to help his team win. So few of the high-priced veterans they’ve added play as well as he has. They need more young guys like that – but with the obscene salaries in MLB being given to veteran 2-3 tool players, the trend is for teams that have players such as Saladino to hold onto them. Farm systems count – and the Sox have let theirs go for years.
It’s going to take time to create a baseball environment, while the clock is ticking on Sale and Abreu.
Kenny, where was your three year window three years ago?
spin, Williams, spin!
Wonder where the Sox fans are that thought theyd be contending. They should’ve spent the offseason rebuilding but to credit their front office they made a couple flashy moves to satisfy the fan base which worked.
Those flashy moves had Chris Russo from MLB Network predicting a division win for the White Sox. Just sayin’.