WHITE SOX PAVEWAY FOR FUTURE
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. Chicago White Sox generalmanager Rick Hahn, departing baseball’s winter meetings Thursday morning, suddenly was overcome with a peculiar mix of emotions, unsure of just how he’d feel on that flight home. He was ecstatic, but saddened.
He was thrilled, but distraught. Inspired, yet discouraged. By the time the Gaylord Hotel was cleared out of baseball folks, there were a whole of teams sharing the same sentiment.
It was a winter meetings like no other.
The White Sox, at long last, were dumping players.
The Colorado Rockies, for the first time since the days of Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle, were spending.
High- powered agent Scott Boras didn’t have a single client receive more than $ 13 million in a contract but was still ridiculed when the Washington Nationals accused him of seeking at least $ 400 million for Bryce Harper.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, the richest
team in baseball, signed starter Rich Hill, 36, for $ 48 million but continued to balk at bringing back free agent closer Kenley Jansen or third baseman Justin Turner at their asking prices.
The New York Yankees, who aren’t expected to contend again until 2018, spent a record $ 86 million on a closer, Aroldis Chapman, who can opt out of his contract after 2019.
The Kansas City Royals, who won the 2014 American League pennant and 2015World Series with closer Wade Davis the centerpiece of the finest bullpen in baseball, traded him for 24-year- old-outfielder Jorge Soler.
The Pittsburgh Pirates shouted to the world that they were going to trade Andrew McCutchen, the face of their franchise, only to keep him.
“It is weird,” Hahn says. “I feel like we’ve walked out of previous winter meetings when we addressed a number of holes at the big- league level and you get that excitement about wanting to see it all come together.
“Now, with what we’re doing, we’re making some painful decisions. The first phase is going to involve some hardships and take some time. There is a sense of excitement, but it’s going to be delayed satisfaction.”
Considering the White Sox pulled down an impressive array of seven prospects, overhauling their organization and changing their philosophy in one fell swoop, they easily were crowned champions of the winter meetings.
The White Sox will stink in 2017, and probably 2018, but then they could become a force, knowing that they could be hauling in a dozen more prospects once they unload Jose Quintana, Jose Abreu, David Robertson and Todd Frazier.
“They did an excellent job,” Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila says. “They had the right players and they made the right moves. When you have Chris Sale, one of the best pitchers in baseball with one of the best contracts and team control, it’s the right guy to have if you want a good return. And they had a great return.”
The White Sox’s return for Sale and Adam Eaton left the Tigers envious. They don’t want to go into a full rebuilding mode like the Sox, but their plan was to move a few players while trying to stay at least competitive. Yet outfielder J. D. Martinez is still with the Tigers. So is second baseman Ian Kinsler.
“It’s going to be a slower process, trying to find the right fit. This is not a fire sale. We’re not dumping anybody. We’re not eating millions of dollars and assuming salary. But we’re not going to be chasing the big- time free agents like we have been, either.”