WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JANUARY

Transcription

1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JANUARY 16, 2017 Frazier, 4 others agree with Sox on 1-year deals Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox Avoid Arbitration with Todd Frazier, Four Pitchers Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago White Sox settle on contracts with Todd Frazier, four others Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune White Sox avoid arbitration with Frazier, four pitchers Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times White Sox sign Frazier, four pitchers to one-year contracts Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Todd Frazier agrees to $12 million, 1-year deal with White Sox Associated Press On ballot for final time, Tim Raines hopes for Hall entry Associated Press White Sox: Can Tyler Salaino Become Full-Time Starter? Brain Draus, FanSided via Southside Showdown White Sox, Diamondbacks and Rockies: What to Expect from the New Managers Bobby Mueller, FanSided via Call to the Pen White Sox: Chris Carter Makes Sense in the Short Term Matt Manetti, FanSided via Southside Showdown Frazier, 4 others agree with Sox on 1-year deals By Scott Merkin / MLB.com January 13th, 2017 CHICAGO -- The White Sox announced one-year contracts agreed upon with five players on Friday, avoiding arbitration with all five. The White Sox have no remaining arbitration-eligible players and have not gone to an arbitration hearing since 2001, with reliever Keith Foulke. Infielder Todd Frazier ($12 million), right-handed starter Miguel Gonzalez ($5.9 million), left-handed reliever Dan Jennings ($1.4 million), right-handed reliever Jake Petricka ($825,000) and right-handed reliever Zach Putnam ($1,117,500) were the five who came to terms. Frazier, 30, hit.225 with 21 doubles, 40 home runs, 98 RBIs, 89 runs scored and a.464 slugging percentage in his first season with the White Sox after being picked up in a three-team trade with the Reds and Dodgers on Dec. 16, 2015, in a deal that sent Trayce Thompson, Micah Johnson and Frankie Montas to the Dodgers. Frazier ranked sixth in the American League in home runs last season, established a club record for homers by a third baseman and won the MLB Players Alumni Association Heart and Hustle Award. He played under a two-year, $12-million deal that ended after the '16 season, and he'll become a free agent after the '17 campaign. In the context of a White Sox rebuild, Frazier could be moved before the start of Spring Training or even in-season. But Frazier told MLB.com last season that he'd be happy to be a veteran presence for the rebuild. Frazier enters the season as a career.250 hitter with 146 doubles and 148 home runs, but he struggled in '16 with a.171 average with runners in scoring position. Gonzalez, 32, posted a 5-8 mark with a 3.73 ERA over 24 appearances (23 starts) last season, his first with the White Sox after signing as a free agent on April 6. He made his White Sox debut in Toronto on April 25 after his contract was purchased from Triple-A Charlotte.

2 Jennings, 29, went 4-3 with a 2.08 ERA, 10 holds and 46 strikeouts over 60 2/3 innings in a career-high 64 appearances in 2016, his second season with the White Sox. He tied for second among AL relievers with 11 grounded into double plays and ranked seventh in ERA. Jennings has gone 6-6 with a 3.00 ERA and 92 strikeouts in two seasons with the White Sox. Petricka, 28, made only nine appearances in 2016 before undergoing season-ending surgery on his right hip. Putnam, 29, was limited to 25 games last season due to ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. He went 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings before undergoing season-ending surgery on August 5 to remove bone chips. Putnam had similar surgery in 2013, but this surgery was more invasive compared to the previous arthroscopic procedure. Putnam recently talked about playing catch from 120 feet as part of his rehab and mentioned his goal to throw a couple of bullpens before going to Arizona for Spring Training. The relief combination of Jennings, Petricka and Putnam has the ability to pitch late in games, but they can also work multiple innings in the middle of contests. White Sox Avoid Arbitration with Todd Frazier, Four Pitchers By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago January 13th, 2017 The White Sox agreed to one-year contracts with five players on Friday, including a $12-million deal for Todd Frazier. Frazier established a franchise record for home runs by a third baseman in 2016 when he blasted 40 in his first season with the White Sox. A free agent after the 2017 season, Frazier hit.225/.302/.464 in 666 plate appearances, drove in a career high 98 runs and produced 2.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to fangraphs.com. Starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez is set to earn $5.9 million this season. The team also agreed to deals with relievers Dan Jennings ($1.4 million), Zach Putnam ($ million) and Jake Petricka ($825,000). The White Sox acquired Frazier in a three-player trade from the Cincinnati Reds in December It's expected they would try to trade Frazier, who has hit 104 homers since 2014 and participated in the All- Star Game Home Run Derby three consecutive years, before the Aug 1 non-waiver trade deadline as part of the club's rebuilding efforts. Gonzalez went 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) after he was signed to a minor-league deal in early April. Jennings posted a 2.08 ERA in 60 2/3 innings. Putnam had a 2.30 ERA in 27 1/3 innings with 30 strikeouts before he had surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow. Petricka was limited to nine appearances before his season was ended by hip surgery. Both Petricka and Putnam are expected to be ready for spring training. White Sox settle on contracts with Todd Frazier, four others By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune January 13th, 2017 The White Sox have agreed to a one-year, $12-million contract to avoid arbitration with third baseman Todd Frazier, the team announced Friday.

3 Frazier was one of five arbitration-eligible players who came to terms with the Sox this week. The Sox also agreed to one-year deals with right-handed starter Miguel Gonzalez ($5.9 million), lefthanded reliever Dan Jennings ($1.4 million), right-handed reliever Zach Putnam ($1,117,500) and Jake Petricka ($825,000). The Sox previously signed Brett Lawrie and Avisail Garcia and have no remaining arbitration-eligible players. Frazier, 30, hit.225 with 21 doubles, 40 home runs, 98 RBIs and a.767 OPS in 2016, his first year with the Sox after arriving via a three-team trade from the Reds. This is his last year before he hits free agency. Frazier is one of several players who could be traded at some point over the next year as the Sox move further into rebuilding mode. Gonzalez, 32, went 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA over 24 appearances, including 23 starts, in 2016 after signing with the Sox as a free agent in April. Jennings posted a 2.08 ERA over 64 appearances in Petricka and Putnam were limited by injuries in Petricka had season-ending hip surgery in June and Putnam underwent surgery to remove bone fragments in his elbow in August. White Sox avoid arbitration with Frazier, four pitchers Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times January 13th, 2017 The White Sox avoided arbitration with their five arbitration eligible players Friday, agreeing to terms on one-year contracts with third baseman Todd Frazier ($12 million), right-hander Miguel Gonzalez ($5.9 million), left-hander Dan Jennings ($1.4 million), right-hander Jake Petricka ($825,000) and right-hander Zach Putnam ($1,117,500). Frazier, 30, hit.225 with 40 homers and 98 RBI in his first season with the Sox. Gonzalez, 32, went 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA over 24 appearances in his first season on the South Side. With the Sox in rebuilding mode after trading away Chris Sale and Adam Eaton for prospects, it s highly possible neither one will be with the club after the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Jennings, 29, went 4-3 with a 2.08 ERA over a career-high 64 appearances in Petricka, 28, was limited to nine appearances in 2016 before undergoing season-ending surgery on his right hip. He owns a 3.31 ERA with 16 saves over parts of four major-league seasons. Putnam, 29, was limited to 25 games (posting a 2.30 ERA) last season due to ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. White Sox sign Frazier, four pitchers to one-year contracts Scot Gregor / Daily Herald January 13th, 2017 Todd Frazier was one of five Chicago White Sox players agreeing to one-year contracts on Friday while avoiding salary arbitration. On the one hand, the rebuilding Sox could trade Frazier before spring training, during spring training or during the season. Frazier's name has been on the trade block all winter, and he has value as a power hitter. Last season, Frazier ranked sixth in the American League with 40 home runs and he tied for 19th with 98 RBI. The White Sox have minor-league prospect Matt Davidson waiting in the wings at third base, so dealing Frazier makes even more sense.

4 But as the Sox add youth to the roster, they might want to keep a positive veteran influence in the clubhouse. Frazier perfectly fits that bill and he won the 2016 MLB Players Alumni Association Heart and Hustle Award. In addition to Frazier, starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez and relief pitchers Dan Jennings, Zach Putnam and Jake Petricka also agreed to one-year contracts. Gonzalez is back with a $5.9 million salary after going 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) last season. The Sox signed the 32-year-old righty in early April after he was released by Baltimore. Jennings signed for $1.4 million after a solid season out of the White Sox's bullpen. The 29-year-old lefty was 4-3 with a 2.08 ERA in a career-high 64 appearances. Putnam signed for just under $1.2 million after going 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in a 2016 season shortened by injury. After also striking out 30 in 27⅓ innings, Putnam developed ulnar neuritis in his right elbow and had season-ending surgery on Aug. 5. Petricka, who signed for $825,000, is another reliever coming back from injury. The 28-year-old righty was limited to nine games before having season-ending surgery on his right hip. Todd Frazier agrees to $12 million, 1-year deal with White Sox Associated Press January 13th, 2017 CHICAGO -- Third baseman Todd Frazier has agreed to a $12 million, one-year contract with the White Sox after a mixed first season in Chicago. The deal Friday, which avoided salary arbitration, gives Frazier a substantial raise from the $7.5 million he earned last year. He is eligible for free agency after this season. A two-time NL All-Star, Frazier was acquired last offseason from Cincinnati in a three-team deal that included the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a career-low.225 but set personal bests with 40 home runs, 98 RBI, 89 runs and 64 walks. The White Sox have no more players eligible for arbitration after reaching a $5.9 million deal with righthander Miguel Gonzalez and a $1,117,500 deal with right-hander Zach Putnam. Gonzalez went 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 23 starts and 24 appearances after signing with the White Sox on April 7. Putnam made 25 relief appearances before season-ending right elbow surgery. On ballot for final time, Tim Raines hopes for Hall entry Associated Press January 16th, 2017 MONTREAL (AP) The 1982 All-Star Game at Olympic Stadium was the first outside the United States, the host Montreal Expos giving the event a distinctive international flair. As Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn looked on, center fielder Andre Dawson, catcher Gary Carter and left fielder Tim Raines were among five players wearing that tri-color hat of the hometown team.

5 On Wednesday, Raines is likely to join Dawson and Carter as Expos in the Hall of Fame, expected to be voted the honor in his 10th and final year of eligibility. If I get in, that s the team I deserve to go in for, regardless if they no longer have a team, Raines said in a phone interview from his home in Phoenix on Tuesday. That was the team I played with and I m real comfortable with that. Despite falling short of the 75 percent of votes necessary for election last year, Raines was named on 69.8 percent of the ballots cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers of America. That was up significantly from 2015, when he finished seventh in voting with 55 percent. I was happy that I had gained a lot more votes, Raines said. I was only 23 short and this is actually the first year of the 10 years that I really feel pretty excited about the prospect of it happening. But this will be the first year that I really feel that I have a legitimate shot. An All-Star in each of his first seven seasons with the Expos, Raines is the only player to have four seasons hitting.300 or higher with at least 70 stolen bases; Ty Cobb and Rickey Henderson each had three. A switch-hitter, Raines batted.294 with 2,605 hits, including 713 for extra bases, and 1,330 walks. He scored 1,571 runs and ranks fifth with 808 stolen bases in a career from 1979 to 2002 with Montreal, the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Oakland, Baltimore and Florida. His 84.7 percent stolen base success rate is the best of any player with at least 400 attempts. Raines finished with a.385 on-base average. When you think about the caliber of career that Timmy had, he was an impact player, Dawson said in a phone interview from Miami on Monday. You think about all the greatest leadoff hitters of all time, he measures right there. To some, Raines only fault was that he wasn t as great as Rickey Henderson, considered the best leadoff man ever. Carter became the first player inducted into the Hall with an Expos cap on his plaque in 2003, his sixth year on the ballot. Dawson was inducted in 2010 after his ninth try. I think it s a tribute to that organization that they are probably going to have three Hall of Famers that were teammates at the same time, Dawson said. I do think that it s going to happen, first of all, but you didn t really get the notoriety, you didn t really get the same publicity as if you had been playing in the States. So it was a really, really tough environment I think playing across the border when it came to recognition. Traded by Montreal after the 1990 season, Raines spent five seasons with the White Sox. He hit.444 and scored five runs in the 1993 AL Championship Series, which Chicago lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, and then won the World Series twice in three seasons with the Yankees from He signed with Oakland as a free agent in 1999 but was diagnosed with lupus midway through the season. A failed bid to make the United States Olympic team in 2000 fueled Raines desire to prove he could still play, and Montreal offered him that opportunity in Raines was greeted with a standing ovation when he returned to Olympic Stadium as the starting left fielder for the Expos home opener. The crowd of 45,183 remained on its feet all through his first plate appearance and cheered wildly when he drew a walk from Mets starter Glendon Rusch.

6 The ovation that I got was really, really emotional, Raines said. I remember I stole my 800th base against the Expos with the Yankees, and that was kind of emotional. The fans gave me a really big standing ovation, but the ovation I got in `01 topped anything that I could have even imagined, and at that time I knew that I was in love with Montreal. Raines got to play with Vladimir Guerrero, who is on the ballot for the first time this year and could also enter the Hall as an Expos player if he is elected. Well, I think he s among the top players that ever played the game, that s for sure, Raines said. He didn t really say much, but when the game started, you know who was top dog out on the field, and it was going to be him. Late in the 2001 season, the Expos traded Raines to Baltimore to give him the opportunity to play with his son, Tim Jr., who was called up to make his major league debut with the Orioles. Raines, who retired after playing with Florida in 2002, was back with the Expos as a special coach at the end of the 2004 season when Major League Baseball announced that the team, which joined the National League in the 1969 expansion, was moving to Washington, D.C. The world s second-largest French-speaking city, which embraced Jackie Robinson when he played for the Montreal Royals of the International League in 1946, still pines for nos amours, a term of endearment so profoundly French that it defies appropriate translation into English other than to say Montrealers love their Expos. Timmy happened to be one of those individuals that really made an impact not only with that organization but with the country for what he did, what he brought to the game, how he played the game, and how he was perceived all around baseball amongst his peers, Dawson said. But I do feel that the Hall of Fame itself is the due recognition in the end. White Sox: Can Tyler Salaino Become Full-Time Starter? Brian Draus / FanSided via Southside Showdown January 15th, 2017 White Sox utility infielder Tyler Saladino has been solid since arriving in Does he have what it takes to become a full-time starter in 2017? Even though Tyler Saladino was never an elite prospect in the minors, he has exceeded the expectations of many at the major league level with the Chicago White Sox. The next step for Saladino is to become a legit full-time starter in the big leagues, but the question is, will he? So far, Saladino has played all over diamond in his first two seasons as a member of the White Sox. He has been placed at every outfield position, not to mention all infield positions. Basically, Saladino does everything but pitch and catch. Most of his work comes at second and short, which is where he profiles best due to his lack of power. Saladino started 77 games last season, and 67 of them were at these two spots. For the most part, Saladino is an infielder by trade as he has never started a major league game in the outfield. Assuming that he will someday become a full-time starter at the MLB level, he is going to have to make better contact. Over his first two seasons, Saladino has a BB/K of 25/113, which is nearly a strikeout to walk rate of 4 to 1. That will not cut it by any means for a middle infielder, especially one that doesn t have much power. The only way a player can get away with that kind of a BB/K rate is simple, hit a lot of home runs. Assuming that Saladino doubled both his at-bat and home run totals from last season (which was 298), he would only have gone deep 16 times. His RBI total would have been solid (76), however 26 walks and 124 strikeouts is an ugly figure to look at.

7 Here is the way Saladino will stick as a full-time starter, that being his glove. While it is unlikely he will be starting at short anytime soon for the White Sox due to Tim Anderson, he might end up at second base. In 2016, he had a.994 fielding percentage at that position, while only committing one error in 172 total chances. That is remarkable defense, not to mention the fact he had a ZR of Now, with the White Sox currently in the rebuild, it is very possible to for Saladino to be a full-time starter in This is especially the case if Todd Frazier or Brett Lawrie are dealt, due to the fact two infield spots would open up. The only concern for Saladino would be the promotion of Yoan Moncada, who is an elite prospect that may end up playing second base for the South Siders. All in all, there is a chance Saladino could someday become a legit full-time starter. As of right now, he is a jack-of-all-trades infielder with the potential to start full time for a good team, but that will be down the road a bit. So White Sox fans, will Saladino become reserve or a starter? Time will tell. White Sox, Diamondbacks and Rockies: What to Expect from the New Managers Bobby Mueller / FanSided via Call to the Pen January 15th, 2017 What should we expect from the new managers for the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies in 2017? The Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies all have new managers running the show in All three teams finished below.500 in 2016 and none of the three are considered strong contenders in the upcoming season, although the Diamondbacks and Rockies have higher hopes than the White Sox. When MLB teams hire a new manager, they are usually on the bottom of the roller coaster and looking to improve. Often, a new manager will be brought aboard just as the team has traded away some of their veteran players and are going with a youth movement. They hope the new manager can blend the remaining veterans with younger players and develop the team into contenders. In the case of the three teams with new men at the helm in 2017, the White Sox are the best example of team in full rebuilding mode. They traded away their best pitcher and position player and stocked their farm system with high-end talent. The Arizona Diamondbacks also traded away one of their best players from last season, but brought back a young player they hope can help the team right away, rather than a few years down the road. The Rockies believe they are further along the path to contention. Rather than trade away talent, they signed a veteran free agent to improve the team for All three of the new managers this year are former big league players, with varying degrees of success. One was a utility player who had just one season with more than 100 plate appearances in his career. Another had a scorching cup of coffee in September one year then fell flat on his face the next. The third was a 15-year veteran who pitched more than 2,000 innings in his career and won over 100 games. So what can we expect for these teams and their new managers in 2017? The White Sox haven t had a winning season since 2012 and haven t been to the playoffs since Their previous manager, Robin Ventura, got off to a good start with the team when he guided them to an record and a second place finish in They were just three games back of the Detroit Tigers and Ventura finished third in AL Manager of the Year voting. The team plummeted to a record the following year and then won between 73 and 78 games in each of the last three years. Ventura decided not to return after last season. With Ventura stepping down, his bench coach, Rich Renteria, was named the new manager for the White Sox in early October. With his hiring, he joined Johnny Evers of Tinkers to Evers to Chance fame as

8 only the second man to manage both the Cubs and the White Sox. He also became the only current Latino manager in MLB. Renteria is a former big league player who played for three teams in five seasons and finished with a career batting line of.237/.285/.322 in 184 games. He managed four years in the Florida Marlins organization from 1998 to 2001 then four more years in the San Diego Padres organization from 2004 to In his eight years of managing in the minor leagues, he took three teams to the playoffs. In November of 2013, Renteria was hired to manage the Chicago Cubs. In his first game as a big league manager he made history when he was the first manager to challenge an umpire s decision under the expanded video review rule. He lost his challenge. He was also the first manager ejected from a game that year. When Renteria was hired to manage the Cubs, they were coming off four straight last place finishes. They had gone and in the two years before Renteria arrived. He guided them to a record, but they still finished in last place. The core of a contending team was there and it looked like Renteria would be the one to guide them as they grew into a contender. Then, suddenly, he was out. Joe Maddon resigned from the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cubs took advantage of the opportunity to hire him. Renteria was fired on October 31, Maddon, of course, guided the Cubs to a record in 2015 and a record this year as the Cubs won their first world championship since Renteria is in a similar situation with the White Sox that he was in with the Cubs. The White Sox don t look like contenders at the present but they made some terrific trades in the offseason to restock their farm system. They were ranked the sixth-best farm system in MLB by Call to the Pen s own Benjamin Chase. Top prospects include infielder Yoan Moncada (#1) and pitchers Reynaldo Lopez (#10), Lucas Giolito (#12), and Michael Kopech (#22). To acquire those prospects, the White Sox had to trade their ace, Chris Sale, and their best position player from last season, Adam Eaton. Other players who could be on the move include starting pitcher Jose Quintana and first baseman Jose Abreu. This means the team Renteria is taking over will likely struggle in 2017 and 2018, but when Moncada and their pitching prospects reach the big leagues, they should be a force in the AL Central. As the team is currently constructed, they are projected by FanGraphs to go 71-91, which is the worst projected record in the American League. If they trade away Quintana and Abreu (and possibly others), they ll be even worse. Rich Renteria is likely to have another losing season or two on his record but hopefully he ll be kept around long enough to see the White Sox prospects reach the big leagues and become contenders. White Sox: Chris Carter Makes Sense in the Short Term Matt Manetti / FanSided via Southside Showdown January 14th, 2017 The White Sox need help on offense and more depth in the outfield. Chris Carter would add muchneeded power and give them an option in the outfield or DH. This offseason has been interesting to say the least. There are still several decent free agents available and the Chicago White Sox have some needs. The biggest area of concern is their lack of depth in the outfield and their need for some power in the lineup. Understand they are in a rebuilding stage but they still need to play baseball in Mark Trumbo and Jose Bautista represent the best power hitters available. However, both guys are looking for lucrative deals. Although Batista is rumored to be willing to consider a one-year contract. Still,

9 a team in the White Sox position would be silly to move on either one of those guys. So how about going with the next best thing and signing Chris Carter. Carter, who turned 30 in Dec., quietly had a really solid season for the Milwaukee Brewers. The righty hit 41 home runs and drove in 94 RBIs. He s averaged over 30 home runs the last four seasons. This team could use some power and Carter would be a solid option. He wouldn t cost the amount of money other guys would and he is kind of flying under the radar. The bonus would be he s capable of playing a corner outfield spot, first base or he could serve as the designated hitter. I don t know about you but Avisail Garcia starting in right field isn t very exciting to me. He hit.222 last year and.218 for his career. In 2015 he hit.199 but still managed to hit 24 home runs and drive in 64 RBIs. That s pretty bad. A bigger area of concern may be he strikes out at a high rate. Last season he struck out 206 times and in 2013 he struck out 212 times. But he s a power hitter. He s going to strike out a lot. That s just the nature of the beast. Carter represents someone the White Sox could swoop in and sign for relatively cheap. If they can t get him for cheap, then he doesn t make sense for them. If Rick Hahn is able to sign the free agent, he may also be able to trade him at the deadline and get some prospects in return. That would help continue to stockpile their already retooled farm system. In terms of contract, I wouldn t mind seeing them offer Carter a two-year contract in the neighborhood of 6 to $8 million annually. It may seem high but they can afford it since they really haven t taken on a lot of money. If anything they have actually cut their payroll by trading the likes of Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. Also remember they freed up $13 million after Adam LaRoche retired. If the White Sox can make a move, they will have taken care of a couple needs that need to be addressed ahead of Not to mention he would offer more protection for Jose Abreu.