In an interview with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, White Sox GM Rick Hahn again stated that there’s “no economic pressure” and “no timing pressure” to trade left-hander Jose Quintana. “It’s more about making sure if we were to make a major move, that we are getting an appropriate return,” Hahn continued. While the Sox have had numerous trade discussions centering on Quintana this winter, Hahn noted that there’s yet to be an offer presented to the team that made the front office think, “Boy we better move now or we are going to be kicking ourselves.” The South Side GM also once again touched on a few significant trades that fell through at the eleventh hour, noting that the “frustration lingers a little longer than the satisfaction of getting a deal done.”
More from the American League Central…
- Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes that the Royals’ competition at second base — which features Cheslor Cuthbert, Whit Merrifield, Christian Colon and Raul Mondesi — won’t necessarily produce one everyday option at the position. Manager Ned Yost acknowledged yesterday that the Opening Day second baseman “probably” would not play there on an everyday basis this coming year, unless one of the candidates outright runs away with the job this spring. Yost also noted that Cuthbert, who is out of minor league options, could be an especially important piece for Kansas City in April, as the team is planning to incorporate some extra days of rest into Mike Moustakas’ schedule following last year’s season-ending ACL tear.
- The Twins have unearthed a surprising pitching prospect in righty Fernando Romero, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star-Tribune writes. A 22-year-old power pitcher who is expected to open the season at Double-A, Romero has opened eyes with his big arm at camp. Injuries have limited his professional time, but Romero has already shown plenty to make the organization glad that it invested a relatively meager $260K to sign him — a deal that was struck within half a day after the club first saw him throw. The Dominican righty logged a sensational 1.89 ERA with a 90-to-15 K/BB ratio in 90 1/3 innings across two Class-A levels last season. And while he didn’t receive an abundance of fanfare on prospect rankings, ESPN’s Keith Law did tab Romero as the game’s No. 65 overall farmhand (subscription required/recommended).
- Speaking of prospects in the AL Central, MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes that the Tigers aren’t planning on rushing 22-year-old righty Joe Jimenez to the Majors. Manager Brad Ausmus called Jimenez, who posted a 1.51 ERA, 13.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 across three minor league levels last season, “an extreme long shot” to make the Opening Day roster in Detroit this season. Jimenez’s fastball plays well enough to be a Major League offering right now, Ausmus elaborated, but the young righty is still “honing and working on” his secondary offerings. As we recently noted when breaking down the Tigers’ Spring Training battles, Jimenez is one of several candidates for what could be just one vacant bullpen spot in Detroit.
White soxs gonna hang themselves if Quintana gets hurt or gets off to a slow start. U gotta strike when the iron is hot. Missed critical time to trade because teams weren’t giving up their top five for him
Ahhhh, not quite! Quintana still has 4 years of extremely affordable control so it’s not like they had to trade him before the season started or even at this year’s trade deadline.
There’s more urgency probably to move Frazier, Robertson, Cabrera and Lawrie if they a deal to their liking.
His peripherals suggestion regression. His value will decline. Similar to Jordan Zimmerman.
His peripherals do not suggest regression.
Throwing to a decent framer and backed up by a ML defense would actually improve his stats.
PS- Zimmerman lost 2 mph on his FB. Q has increased his FB Velo each of the last 4 years.
What do you mean his fip’s always good, his ERA plus is always good. He consistently goes 200 innings while providing an ERA in the 3.20-3.50 zone. He’ll likely won’t decline before this deal is up
No they don’t? If anything he’s better than those numbers since he had a well below average pitch framer
That’s true, but you could say that about anybody. And quintanas been the poster boy for consistency in the league anyways
I tend to agree with this for 2 reasons: 1) his value is not going to increase. His control is only getting smaller and he’s not all of a sudden going to develop a 100mph FB. 2) the TOR starting pitching supply was sooo low this off season that the return likely won’t be proportional to what they could have gotten this year.
I agree to an extent. The number of starting pitchers will be higher next year but it looks like a lot of teams are saving money to make a splash in the starting pitching free agent market. Bidding wars between big market teams like the Cubs and Yankees going after a select few number of pitchers could inflate the price of elite starting pitching
The cubs, the team that reportedly isn’t willing to go over 4 or 5 years on Arietta, is going to get into a bidding war with the yankees to drive up pitcher’s prices?
Yes. Lackey will be hitting free agency and Arrieta will be hitting free agency. They get 50 million freed up just from Lackey, Arrieta and Montero coming off the books. The reason they don’t want to just give it to Arrieta right now is because from mid-June on, his command was very spotty. Boras will be wanting money worthy of the 2015 cy young winner. The Cubs might still bring back Arrieta, but they aren’t just going to hand him the money *now.*
A big reason why they got eddie butler for basically nothing from the rockies, he could be a solid pick up for them and a good replacement if they lose Arrieta.
His control is getting smaller? What exactly do you mean by that? Also, to be a successful pitcher you don’t have to throw 100mph anyways. A really, really bad pitcher that hardly hit 90mph is going down as one of the best all time……His name starts with Greg and ends with Maddux. Not to mention Q is a lefty so he has even more of an advantage. It’s all about control and locating the ball in the right spot. HItters will do the rest to make you look unstoppable.
It doesn’t look like they’ve been asking for “the top 5.” The only thing I’ve heard mentioned was Martes+tucker+musgrove which the Astros rejected
While I disagree that he will regress, I agree with your overall point – anyone get get injured.
They don’t want to trade Quintana and they won’t. Their objective was to get rid if the 3 guys that went against Kenny Williams in the whole Adam LaRoache embarrassment . . . Zach Duke, Chris Sale, and Adam Dunn. They did that. Now they’re done, for the most part. This is one hell of a goofball organization.
Adam Eaton not Dunn
HAHA!
Adam Eaton? Lol
Aka other GMs were willing to pay a high price for their 2 most valuable pieces (plus a reliever near the deadline last year). Nice theory though.
You have it backwards. The Sox should “hang themselves” if they foolishly trade him for marginal prospects. They have the luxury of waiting patiently for the right offer, since they’re rebuilding and Q has years left on his contract. My best guess is he’ll be moved before the trade deadline this season for at least two top prospects.
They need to look at his age ! He fits in with the young kids the Ace now ,the Ace then 2years the Sox will need a Ace Q is that Ace.
Rumored offers have not been worth it.
The only one I would have paused at (if true) was the Yanks offer of Frazier, Mateo, Tate and a Lotto Arm.
I think the Sox will be getting big returns for Jones, Robertson and Quintana in the next 5 months.
Quintana joins Sale in Boston
Wow, now that would be something. I think Astros, Yankees and Pirates have pieces to make deal but we’ll see if they want to or not.
That would just be unfair…..But they have the pieces to do it, even without giving up benintendi.
Why
Not gonna happen. Might consider trading Q to Pittsburgh for McCutcheon and RHP Glasnow-nothing less. Problem with that is McCutcheon’s big fat contract. Meadows may be ready to replace McC.
The White Sox will not take Cutch back in a trade. That’d make absolutely no sense. The ONLY way he’s in a deal is if it’s a 3-team trade with at least one more high end prospect going back to the Sox (plus at least one more decent prospect, most likely).
And the problem with Cutch isn’t his contract; it’s that he’s getting old, possibly declining (definitely is defensively), and makes absolutely no sense for what the Sox are attempting to do.
McCutchen was never with the Sox so how can we take him back? 3 team trade??? I don’t get it. Cutch is still just 30 and the guy can hit. And the big problem is his contract. Too pricey for Hahn who would like to save his bucks for all the prospects he hopes he has. And so who is in CF for the Sox? Tilson is hurt. We need some offense out there.
You’re right – you don’t get it. The next 2 seasons aren’t going to be about winning games. For your sake, I hope you can accept that and get used to it quickly.
I know all about Sox” losing teams. They have lost 99,89,86,84 games the last four years. If the Sox can get to .500 ball this year- I’ll be happy. Defensively we still have Cabrera and A. Garcia [bad news on defense] in the OF and traded Eaton. When I was a kid the Sox had Minoso and the 3 Jim’s [Busby, Landis and Rivera] roaming the OF. All those guys could really run down a fly ball, but those days are gone. Go go Sox.
Yeah I mean other than Arrieta (who will command 150 mil plus), Richards (who is injury prone) and Archer (via trade) for next offseason there’s literally no one I’d rather want than Quintana with his age, history & contract! Absolutely no need to rush, is the price of starting pitching going down?
Rick Hahn has a measured approach and a plan. He is sticking to said plan. News at 11.
Rick Hahn’s has “measured” a 68 games under 500 club in his 4 years as GM . . . Next please.
We both know that was not Rick Hahn’s doing and was Kenny/Jerry’s win now and never rebuild approach.
Glad he’s patient enough to not settle for a so-so return on Q, but they are edgy no one has yet stepped up with an offer worth accepting. Perhaps no takers, but wish they did settle so to speak for just dumping salary on any of Melky/Frazier/Lawrie. Wishful thinking they’ll get much of a prospect for the rebuild mid-season for these guys by keeping them.
There are other factors to consider beyond just what they get in return, though, most notably draft order. The sooner they trade Q, Frazier, Robertson, etc., the sooner they’ll hopefully plummet to the bottom of the standings. I don’t know how close any of the teams involved have come to the WS asking price, just that all offers from the Sox have been rejected. Between the injury risk (which appears, admittedly, to be lower for him than for the average pitcher), potential regression, and draft order considerations, I’d be fine if the Sox came down slightly in their price to move him early. I don’t want them to completely cave, just be willing to back off their hard=line stance a little.
Draft order undoubtedly important, but barring injury where a contending type clubs closer or 3B goes down in ST, ownership has to be willing to eat more money than they are willing for Frazier/DRob to go now. Doubt they are. That’s on top of getting little prospect return. Same for a veteran player like Melky. The only 2 chips it would be foolish to impatiently deal for less to essentially rush to tank are Quintana and Nate Jones (assumed Abreu staying until at least deadline).
I’m really tired of the people who are upset that the White Sox have to trade Quintana. You don’t trade him because you “have to”, that’s just stupid. You have years of control, wait until the best deal comes along and then trade him. If you trade him simply because you’re rebuilding and therefore you have to trade him you’re wasting his value. Trade him for what he’s worth or don’t trade him at all. If people are upset that they may start the season with him on the roster then the same people need to realize that they really don’t know what other teams have offered.
Also WS can keep him for their run in 18, 19, or 20. Thats why his price is so high and why WS won’t budge.
Jerry Reinsdorf sucks ……. He should of torn down the Bulls they have 1 player ……. Instead he tore down the Team that had a Playoff Rotation some good Hitters all young and signed for Cheap ………. He spent 50million to bring in Wade who plays once a week ….. Rondo who blows ….. And Robin Lopez who would be good if it was 1992 ………. Where would the Sox be if he Spent that 50 mill on Enconarcion ….. Cespedes …… A Wellington Castillo …. Boone Logan and a few more spare parts
I hate Jerry Reinsdorf
Yes, because both teams share a budget…