WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF NOVEMBER

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF NOVEMBER 22, 2017 Climb machine: Eloy working way up to MLB Rhett Bollinger, MLB.com After baseball punishes Braves, one ranker says White Sox have game s best farm system Vinnie Duber, NBC Sports Chicago Eloy Jimenez will force the issue of making the White Sox to start 2018 season Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune White Sox could target familiar names in free-agent pitching market Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune Column: White Sox s rebuild appears ahead of Cubs pace but there are no guarantees Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune Top White Sox prospect Eloy Jimenez raises the bar Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Winter league success boosts confidence of White Sox prospect Jimenez Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Eloy Jimenez transcript: I feel very confident that I can play in the majors James Fegan, The Athletic Will the White Sox go back to their wheeling, dealing ways in December? James Fegan, The Athletic Omar Vizquel on Hall of Fame, being let go by Tigers and future with White Sox Katie Strang, The Athletic Climb machine: Eloy working way up to MLB White Sox top prospect Jimenez full of confidence after strong Winter League showing By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com Nov. 21, 2017 Fresh off a strong performance in the Dominican Winter League and being added to the White Sox's 40-man roster on Monday, top prospect Eloy Jimenez said he's feeling confident and believes he's close to reaching the Majors. Jimenez, ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect by MLBPipeline.com, spoke with reporters in a conference call from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday, discussing a wide range of topics about his play and expectations for the coming season. Jimenez, acquired in the trade that sent lefty Jose Quintana to the Cubs, hit a combined.312/.379/.568 with 19 homers and 65 RBIs in 89 games between Class A Advanced and Double-A last year. The 20-year-old outfielder followed that up by batting.368 with four homers and 21 RBIs for Gigantes del Cibao in 19 games in the Dominican Winter League. "It was great," Jimenez said through translator Billy Russo. "It was something indescribable for me. I visualized that experience before the season started, but it was unbelievable. I faced really good pitchers. They were of really good quality and pitched in the U.S., Mexico and Japan. It was a really good experience for me. I enjoyed it." New White Sox prospect Eloy Jimenez discusses how he began playing baseball and falling in love with the game Jimenez, who is expected to open the year at Double-A Birmingham, said he leaned on his teammates to find out what to expect in the Majors. "They all told me that playing in the Majors is a very unique experience," Jimenez said. "You have to take advantage of it and work hard. And work even harder than before. But you have to play your game and be yourself and not put pressure on yourself." Jimenez, a career.302/.350/.498 hitter in 300 games in the Minors, said he's looking to impress White Sox brass this Spring Training, but he acknowledged it's ultimately up to the front office on when he'll get called up to make his debut. "I can't tell you exactly what will happen," Jimenez said. "But I'm very positive and have confidence in myself in what I can do. I'm going to do my best. I feel very confident I can play in the Majors whenever the team makes that decision with me. But for now, all I can do is work hard and do what I need to do to force the issue for the team to put me in the Major Leagues." No. 1 White Sox prospect Eloy Jimenez discusses being traded to Chicago as well as his plans for the offseason

2 Jimenez added that he models his game after Miguel Cabrera offensively and Adam Jones defensively, but was pleased to hear general manager Rick Hahn's remarks, comparing Jimenez to David Ortiz because of their similar personalities. "What can I say? I feel very proud to hear that from the GM. David Ortiz is one of the biggest players from my country," Jimenez said. "He's a very happy person and played with a focus with what he had to do. I'm also a very happy person and know what I have to do to get better. But I feel very humble when you have your name mentioned with a guy who is probably going into the Hall of Fame." After baseball punishes Braves, one ranker says White Sox have game s best farm system By Vinnie Duber / NBC Sports Chicago Nov. 21, 2017 In the wake of Major League Baseball's punishment of the Atlanta Braves for breaking rules regarding the signing of international players which included the removal of 12 illegally signed prospects from the Braves' organization MLB.com's Jim Callis tweeted out his updated top 10, and the White Sox are back in first place. Now obviously there are circumstances that weakened the Braves' system, allowing the White Sox to look stronger by comparison. But this is still an impressive thing considering that three of the White Sox highest-rated prospects from the past year are now full-time big leaguers. Yoan Moncada used to be baseball's No. 1 prospect, and pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez weren't too far behind. That trio helped bolster the highly ranked White Sox system. Without them, despite plenty of other highly touted prospects, common sense would say that the White Sox would slide down the rankings. But the White Sox still being capable of having baseball's top-ranked system is a testament to the organizational depth Rick Hahn has built in such a short period of time. While prospect rankings are sure to be refreshed throughout the offseason, here's how MLB Pipeline's rankings look right now in regards to the White Sox: 4. Eloy Jimenez 9. Michael Kopech 22. Luis Robert 39. Blake Rutherford 57. Dylan Cease 90. Alec Hansen Eloy Jimenez will force the issue of making the White Sox to start 2018 season By Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune Nov. 21, 2017 Eloy Jimenez is ticketed to start the 2018 season with Double-A Birmingham unless the soon-to-be 21-year-old displays enough talent and maturity to sway the White Sox into making a big-league decision. For the record, Jimenez is prepared to force the team s hand. My mind is very positive and I m always very confident about myself and the things I can do, Jimenez said Tuesday via an interpreter during a phone interview. It s a decision the team has to make. I m going to try to do my best. I feel very confident I can play in the majors whenever the team thinks is the best moment for me. The only thing... that s in my mind right now is to work hard and try to do the things that I know that I can do (and) try to force the issue. Jimenez was speaking from the Dominican Republic where he blazed through the Dominican Winter League. In 19 games with Gigantes del Cibao, Jimenez batted a league-leading.368 with four home runs, 21 RBIs and a slugging percentage of.676. That performance came on the heels of strong efforts in Class A and Double A after his July 13 trade from the Cubs to the Sox. That s a lot of baseball, which is a good thing, according to Jimenez.

3 It's just a matter of conditioning your body to your routine, he said. This is just a good way for us to get ready for when the time comes for us to play in the World Series, probably two, three years ahead. Sox general manager Rick Hahn said during last week s GM meetings in Orlando, Fla., that Jimenez, who was added to the Sox s 40-man roster on Monday, needs more seasoning to improve his game something with which the outfielder agrees. As a player, you always have to improve in all of your game, Jimenez said. Offense, defense, running the bases... all the areas of the game. But the only way you can do that is getting experience (so that I can) reach the majors as soon as I can. White Sox could target familiar names in free-agent pitching market By Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune Nov. 21, 2017 With three rookies penciled in to join James Shields in a rotation likely lacking Carlos Rodon while he recovers from shoulder surgery, the White Sox will be in the market for a veteran starting pitcher or two for the 2018 season. There are some good ones on the free-agent market, including Jake Arrieta, Yu Darvish, Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb but none of them will be coming to the Sox. Instead, general manager Rick Hahn will once again scour the bargain bin for reclamation projects who will try to revive their careers while providing the Sox some innings. And if they flash enough skill to bring a prospect or two back to the Sox come trade deadline, all the better. There are a lot of different options and varying levels of risk, to be honest, Hahn said last week at the general managers meetings in Orlando, Fla. Sometimes you re dealing with some checkered injury past or some performance issues in the recent past. Really, it s just a matter of getting with our scouts and our analysts and the agents and trying to find out what s the best fit to get a guy who can help not only us but, in all candidness, a guy looking to rebuild some of his value perhaps and sees an opportunity with us to do that. Hahn said bringing in a veteran starter would most likely come via free agency but not necessarily. We re certainly engaged on trade fronts too, Hahn said. During the 17 season, the Sox employed veterans Miguel Gonzalez, Derek Holland and Mike Pelfrey to eat up innings and help mentor young pitchers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Carson Fulmer. The three veterans are gone (but not forgotten) and Hahn is back on the lookout. Here are five possibilities for Hahn to pull off the scrap heap and try to strike gold: Miguel Gonzalez Hey, where have we heard that name before? The popular right-hander would be welcomed back into the Sox clubhouse with open arms and might consider rejoining the team that traded him to the Rangers at the 17 deadline. Gonzalez was the Sox s most dependable starter before Hahn shipped him to Texas in for infield prospect Ti Quan Forbes. The 33-yearold didn t fare well with the Rangers, going 1-3 with a 6.45 earned-run average in five starts. Now a free agent, Gonzalez would fit seamlessly back into the Sox s rotation and wouldn t break Hahn s bank to do so. Jake Peavy Another name from the Sox s past, albeit this one a bit further back. The former Cy Young Award winner in 2007 with the Padres is a free agent after sitting out the 17 season because of some personal issues and is reportedly seeking to return to the major leagues. The right-hander spent parts of five seasons with the Sox from and was an All-Star in 12. Peavy last pitched with the Giants in 16 and went 5-9 with a 5.54 ERA. At 36 and likely without a whole lot of suitors, Peavy wouldn t demand huge money and if he somehow recaptured some of the magic that helped him record doubledigit win totals eight times throughout his career could bring some return on the trade market. Scott Feldman Feldman was the Reds opening-day starter in 2017 and with command of three pitches put together a solid first half before falling on hard times because of a knee injury and finished the season 7-7 with a 4.77 ERA. The right-hander who will be 35 when the 18 season rolls around was a 17-game winner with the Rangers in 09 and posted three consecutive

4 sub ERA seasons before stumbling in 17. Feldman is coming off a one-year deal that paid him $2.3 million, so he could fit nicely in the Sox s budget. Yovani Gallardo It wasn t that long ago that Gallardo was considered one of the top pitchers in the majors, having compiled a record and 3.42 ERA with the Rangers in Since then, however, Gallardo has struggled and finished 5-10 with a 5.72 ERA with the Mariners in 17 and found himself relegated to the bullpen. The right-hander will be 32 when the season begins so he could still have some life in his arm. He might not strike out 200-plus batters anymore, but could be worth a flier. John Lackey Bear with us here. At 39 and coming off a season during which the right-hander was a member of a Cubs rotation that helped the North Siders again reach the postseason, Lackey reportedly wants to keep playing and would seem to be a veteran presence Hahn would covet. But we all know Lackey isn t here for a haircut and the Sox don t have a corner of the clubhouse reserved for curmudgeons, so this is a relationship that isn t likely to happen. Other (legitimate) possibilities: Ubaldo Jimenez, Francisco Liriano, Jesse Chavez, Anibal Sanchez, Wade Miley. Column: White Sox s rebuild appears ahead of Cubs pace but there are no guarantees By Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune Nov. 21, 2017 When he approached White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf about his rebuild plan last year, general manager Rick Hahn thought it would be a tough sell. Hahn knew Reinsdorf, who turned 81 in February, wanted to enjoy at least one more Sox championship, and asking for patience from an octogenarian is difficult no matter the request. But Reinsdorf was receptive from the outset, and now he s the proud owner of two rebuilding teams, with the Bulls also in Year One of their long-term plan. I don t think years ago if he could have drawn it up, he would have said, OK, at age 81 I m going to have two rebuilding franchises, Hahn said. But in just about every room he s in he s the smartest guy in it, and he knows what needs to be done. He deserves a great deal of credit for allowing the teams the latitude to do what s best in terms of their long term health and competitiveness, despite him not really wanting to sit through it. Hahn was joking, I think. Either way, Year Two of the Sox s rebuild is officially underway, and the early results have been encouraging for their much-abused fan base. Oddly, the defining moment of Year One may have been a foul ball. It came during Yoan Moncada s first at-bat at Sox Park on July 19, a shot down the right-field line that would have been a home run had it not hooked foul. It s the most excitement I ve ever seen over a foul ball, Hahn said with a laugh. The place was electric on that line shot. It might not be the greatest foul ball I ve ever seen, but it s as good as any other. I think he got a standing ovation on that walk. Moncada, baseball s top prospect, was the first of the core players to be called up, unofficially kicking off the new era. It reminded me a little of Javier Baez s Cubs debut at Coors Field in August 2014, when Baez went hitless in five at-bats before cranking the game-winning home run in the 12th inning. Baez s debut gave Cubs fans reason to believe, and their patience ultimately was rewarded with a playoff team one year later, and a World Series championship the next. The biggest difference is Baez began the revolving door of prospects in Year Three of the Cubs rebuild, while Moncada s debut was only halfway through Year One of the Sox plan. That suggests the Sox are actually ahead of the Cubs pace in that respect, though no one is planning a World Series parade for 2020 just yet. Recall that Jorge Soler followed Baez later that summer, and then Kris Bryant and Addison Russell arrived in late April The Cubs kept Bryant and Russell at Triple-A Iowa long enough to have them under team control for seven years instead of six, which will benefit Hahn when he decides to send flamethrower Michael Kopech back to Triple-A Charlotte at the end of next spring s Cactus League games to assure a seventh year of his services.

5 You won t hear Sox fans complaining when Kopech is not on the opening day roster even if he dominates at Camelback Ranch in March. They are savvy enough to understand the reason why. And once Kopech arrives, the anticipation will begin in earnest for outfielder Eloy Jimenez, the former Cubs prospect who looks like the organization s best young slugger since Frank Thomas came up in Another elite prospect, Luis Robert, is further on the horizon. Obviously we view this as having waves of similar talent (to Moncada) coming to Chicago, Hahn said. And if there is that level of excitement when each of them shows up, much less when it all starts coming together, it s certainly a sign there are some exciting times ahead. The Sox can be thankful this Thanksgiving for their fans, who bought into the rebuild with open arms. They drew 1,629,470 in 2017, near the bottom of the majors, but it was only a slight drop of 116,823 from 16 in the final season of the Robin Ventura era. Cubs attendance at Wrigley Field dropped 135,210 in the first year of their rebuild in 2012, but they still drew nearly 2.9 million for a 101-loss team. The Sox obviously have a much lower season-ticket base. But the walk-up crowds during the summer were strong, and the ones who did show up were enthusiastic. That has been the thing that I at least, and I think others, underestimated the most the level of fan support we were going to experience, at least in the early phases of this, Hahn said. There certainly was a concern as we charted out this course, the impact the decision to rebuild was going to have on attendance, and more broadly, revenue. In reality, the support has been fantastic. And anecdotally, at least, the fans I ve talked to or the feedback I get through various means all has been, for the most part, very supportive and understanding of where we are and why we re doing what we re doing. (They are showing) optimism about where this is headed. Hahn said the Sox were committed to the rebuild no matter what the attendance figures would be, but they also knew there was risk of turning off fans with an awful team. Reinsdorf felt the frustration of that team crumbling after its hot start in 2016, Hahn said, making the selling of the rebuild easier. He understood, and he got it, he said. I don t think he was too enthusiastic to start down this path, but he knew we had to. Hahn credited modern technology for helping maintain interest while the major-league product is sub-par. Sox fans can follow the prospects on Twitter, watch videos on You Tube or scan box scores on the internet. It makes it a little easier for them to embrace and understand where the areas of progress are being made, he said. As opposed to having some GM standing up there and saying Oh, we re doing a great job of getting all these talented players. They can see it with their own eyes. The last three World Series winners the Royals, Cubs and Astros all have gotten to the top by starting at the bottom, ripping up their rosters and enduring a lot of bad baseball for a long-term goal that wasn t a certainty to achieve. The Phillies rebuild is stuck in neutral, the Braves rebuild seems to be regressing and the Marlins aren t even calling their rebuild a rebuild, despite shopping National League Most Valuable Player Giancarlo Stanton. Cubs President Theo Epstein doesn t believe the glaring successes of the last three World Series champs will convince more owners to opt for the rebuild route. I don t think so, he said. There are a lot of teams that have tried it and don t end up with the title, and lots of teams that don t take that path who do end up winning the whole thing. There are a lot of different ways to get there. There is no sure-fire route to nirvana, of course. But the Cubs did it the hard way, and that s also the path the Sox have chosen. The second wave is on its way.

6 Time to jump in. Top White Sox prospect Eloy Jimenez raises the bar By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times Nov. 21, 2017 White Sox prospect Eloy Jimenez would like to model his offensive game after Miguel Cabrera and his defensive game after Adam Jones. That should work. What Jimenez, the fourth-ranked prospect in baseball by MLB.com, looks like when he joins the Sox is one of the more intriguing elements of their rebuild. Fans will see the 6-4, 205-pound outfielder, whom the Sox acquired in a trade with the Cubs for left-hander Jose Quintana, in a Sox spring-training uniform for the first time in February. I would like to mix the abilities of those two players and be the best of those two, Jimenez said through a translator on a conference call Tuesday. Jimenez enjoyed an exceptional debut in the Sox system at Class A Winston-Salem and Class AA Birmingham, hitting to all fields with power and average, and he recently completed another strong showing in the Dominican Winter League, where he batted.368 with four home runs, 21 RBI and a.676 slugging percentage in 19 games. He also will participate in a Sox hitters camp in January in Glendale, Arizona. It s all good, said Jimenez, who already is thinking about a World Series a few days shy of his 21st birthday. You see a lot of major-league players who get over 600 at-bats, and they play winter league, Jimenez said. This is just a good way for us to get ready for when the time comes for us to play in the World Series. We can t say, Oh, I m tired because I had 600 at-bats. Jimenez was one of five prospects added to the Sox 40-man roster Monday, which protects them from the Rule 5 draft. The Sox will let Jimenez show his stuff at major-league spring training, then likely will start him where he left off in 2017 at Birmingham. Between Class A and Class AA with the Cubs and Sox, he hit 19 home runs and batted.312/.379/.568. Jimenez said in September that he is ready for the majors. On Tuesday, he seemed to understand starting the season with the big club is a long shot. I can t tell you exactly what is going to happen, he said. I have a lot of confidence in myself and can play in the majors whenever the team thinks it s the best moment for me. The only thing I can do is work hard, do the things I know I can do and try to force the team to put me on the majorleague roster. Winter league success boosts confidence of White Sox prospect Jimenez By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald Nov. 21, 2017 Sports Illustrated published its 2018 power poll on Tuesday because why not? No trades of note have been made this off-season, and the same goes for free agent signings. Nonetheless, SI pulled out the tea leaves and deemed the World Series champion Houston Astros as next season's top team, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians. The Chicago White Sox are still in rebuild mode, but Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez have already arrived and top prospects Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Zack Collins and Alec Hansen will be pushing their way toward the South Side in the upcoming season. For now, Sports Illustrated is not overly impressed. In Tuesday's power poll, the Sox checked in at No. 27, ahead of only the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers, who are projected as the worst team in baseball next season.

7 Maybe the White Sox will prove SI wrong, and maybe they won't. But with players such as Jimenez in the system, the Sox are still looking at a bright future. Rated as baseball's No. 4 overall prospect by MLB.com, Jimenez was acquired in the July 13 trade that sent Jose Quintana to the Cubs. The outfielder, who turns 21 on Monday, had a combined hitting line of.312/.379/.568 with 22 doubles, 19 home runs and 65 RBI in 89 games with Class AA Birmingham and A Winston-Salem in the White Sox's system and A Myrtle Beach in the Cubs' organization. Jimenez followed up the big season by playing winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. In 19 games with Gigantes del Cibao, he hit.368 with 4 homers and 21 RBI. "It was something great," Jimenez said through Sox interpreter Billy Russo on Tuesday. "Something indescribable for me. I visualized that experience before the season started, but once the season started it was something that was unbelievable. The level there is very good. I faced very good pitchers, pitchers with very good quality, pitchers that have pitched in the U.S. and Mexico and in Japan." As expected, Jimenez was added to the White Sox's 40-man roster on Monday. He'll report to major-league camp when spring training starts in February and is likely to open the 2018 season at Class AA Birmingham or with AAA Charlotte. If Jimenez continues to terrorize opposing pitchers, it's only a matter of time before he joins the White Sox. "I can't tell you exactly what is going to happen," Jimenez said. "My mind is very positive and I'm always very confident about myself and the things I can do. It's a decision the team has to make. I'm going to try to do my best. I feel very confident I can play in the majors whenever the team thinks it's the best moment for me." Jimenez drew immediate comparisons to Jermaine Dye after being acquired from the Cubs. As for his own role models, the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder has a pair of good ones. "I have two favorite players, one in each (side) of the game," Jimenez said. "In the offensive side, I have Miggy Cabrera. My idol. The person I like to follow up. On the defensive side, I like Adam Jones. I would like to mix the abilities of those two players and be the best of those two. I think I can be that player. I feel confident and, yes, they are the two players that I have as my guides." Eloy Jimenez transcript: I feel very confident that I can play in the majors By James Fegan / The Athletic Nov. 21, 2017 Eloy Jimenez is fresh off dominating the Dominican Winter League (.368/.443/.676 in 19 games) and was just added to the White Sox's 40-man roster in advance of his seemingly inevitable midseason arrival in He s due in Arizona for hitters minicamp in January, and for big league spring training the month after that, but took some time to chat with White Sox beat writers before Thanksgiving. Questions are from the Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc, WSCR's Bruce Levine and myself, and Jimenez's answers are translated by Billy Russo except where indicated. What was Winter League like? How do you feel you played and was it a special thrill to get to play in your home country again? Jimenez: It was something great. It was something indescribable for me. I visualized that experience before the season started, but once this started, it was something unbelievable. The level there is very good, to have that opportunity to share that time with my teammates and my team there. I faced some very good pitchers; pitchers with very good quality, pitchers that have pitched in the US, in Mexico and in Japan. It was a very good experience for me and I enjoyed it and it was good. There s a wide variety of talent in the Winter League, some guys who have played in the major leagues before where you re trying to end up. Did you take any lessons from the older players? Jimenez: Yes, on my team I have teammates with a lot of experience, young guys who are also playing in the majors, and all of them told me that to play in the majors is a unique experience. It s a very great experience and you have to take advantage of it. You have to work hard, once you are there you have to work harder than you worked before. You have to

8 play your game; you don t have to be overwhelmed or over-pressured. Just be yourself, try to enjoy the game and try to do the little things. Of course, work hard, that s the important thing. You have to work harder than you worked once you reach the majors. [White Sox general manager] Rick Hahn said you ll probably start the season at Double-A Birmingham but you could force his hand. Are you prepared to start with the major league team out of spring training? Jimenez: I can t tell you what exactly is going to happen. I m very positive, my mind is very positive and I m always very confident about myself and the things that I can do. That s a decision that the team has to make. I m going to try to do my best. I feel very confident that I can play in the majors whenever the team thinks it s the best moment for me. The only thing that I m thinking right now and the only thing on my mind right now is to work hard and do the things that I know that I can do and try to force the issue to make the team put me on the major league roster. Rick Hahn was asked about comparing you to David Ortiz in terms of his personality and impact. He said you have to be yourself, but that his expectations for you are very big. How do you react to that? Jimenez: What can I say? I feel very proud to hear that word from the GM and I think that David Ortiz is one of the biggest players in my country. He's a very happy person and he's a person who always played with a focus on what to do. In that sense, we are kind of the same because I am also a very happy person and I know what I have to do to get better and what I have to do to perform at the level that I want to perform. I feel very humbled too, because you mention my name along wih a player that possibly is going to be in the Hall of Fame, it's a big deal and I feel very honored with that word. Speaking of David Ortiz, who were your idols coming up and who do you model your game after? Jimenez: I have two favorite players, one in each half of the game. On the offensive side I have Miggy Cabrera. My idol. The person I like to follow up. On the defensive side, I like Adam Jones. I would like to mix the abilities of those two players and be the best of those two. I think I can be the player, I feel very confident and, yes, they are the two players that I have as like, my guides. What aspect of your game do you need to improve upon to reach the major leagues? Jimenez: If I have to pick just one specific area, I would say just to have more experience. Because you as a player, you always have to improve in all your game. Offense, defense, running the bases and all the areas of the game. But the only way you can do that is also getting experience, and that s why I think that just to have more experience is a thing that I like to have for me to get better and to reach the majors as soon as I can. What numbers are most important to you? Home runs, RBIs, OPS? What numbers are most important to you for you to see how you're progressing? Jimenez: Honestly, I don t have any specific stats just to follow. The only stat that I try to check every time is the strikeouts because I don t like to strike out. I like to be a hitter who can put the ball in play, a hitter that can be able to hit for average, homers and RBIs too. But I think probably strikeouts [are the biggest thing]. You just wrapped up Winter Ball, you're invited to January hitters camp and have major league camp at spring training after that. Is this a long season for you or are you used to an all-year-round schedule? Jimenez: I wouldn't say it's long. You can see a lot of major league players who get over 600 at-bats and they play Winter League and all these things. It's just a matter of conditioning your body to your routine. It's what professionals have to do to get better. This is just a good way for us to get ready for when the time comes for us to play in the World Series, probably two, three years ahead. When that time comes, we have to be ready for that. We can't say 'Oh, I'm tired because I'm playing too much,' or 'Oh, I'm tired because I had 600 at-bats.' When that time comes we have to get ready, and I think this is a good way for us to be prepared, for when that moment comes. We know you've made great strides in speaking English, how important is that for you? Jimenez (answering in English): That's very important because you can speak with coaches or teammates if you're having trouble. If you can't communicate with your teammates nor coaches, it can hurt. You don't learn. You learn in English every day. How do you feel about where your game is at after Winter League and since you've been watching your strikeouts, do you feel like you're making enough contact?

9 Jimenez: I felt really comfortable. I had confidence, but I'm not overconfident. I was enjoying the game and was happy to be playing the game there. That was the key for me there. I was enjoying the time there, I was enjoying the game and I wasn't thinking too much about stats, homers and strikes. I just enjoyed the game, and that's just the way I did it, and that was good. Will the White Sox go back to their wheeling, dealing ways in December? By James Fegan / The Athletic Nov. 22, 2017 Remember this past May, when the White Sox surprised everyone and outbid the field for Cuban super prospect Luis Robert, even rising above teams that had nothing to lose in terms of penalties for the international signing period? We talked a bit about how the White Sox were forsaking other opportunities in order to get their man at the time, and how much faith in Marco Paddy and his scouts' evaluations of Robert this decision required. Now, you're really seeing it. Restricted at offering no more than $300,000 for any international prospect, the Sox are hard-pressed to scoop up any of the 13 Braves prospects thrown back into free agency as a result of their almost impressive litany of international misdeeds. Even if the Sox chose to dip into next season's bonus pool as allowed to pursue any of the available players, and even with a $200,000 exemption that allows for a $300,00 offer to only count as $100,000 against their pool, their competitive disadvantage against the offers of the rest of the league would remain. Shohei Otani might very well wind up passing on the highest offer he gets for the ideal fit, as he is some sort of weirdo driven by factors other than money and coming to play in a hyper-capitalist country. Tuesday's news of his imminent posting also confirmed that he will qualify as an international free agent, and be subject to the same limits. Unless he's the biggest Tadahito Iguchi fan in the world, or addicted to Ricobene's breaded steak, he does not look to be South Side bound. Even a month ago let alone six months ago the Sox had little reason to bank on the idea that the likes of Kevin Maitan would become newly available. Otani forcing his way to the United States and shirking a larger payday has been a rumor for a while, but he had millions of reasons to wait another two years, when the Sox would be fully abled players in the international market again. As boring as it might be for the Sox to be on the sidelines for these two free agent prospect bonanzas, if given the chance to do it again, they would probably have it play out the same way. Robert's arrival in Chicago was the product of five years of scouting by Paddy and his team, and the Sox's triumph in the bidding was supported by their own history of facilitating success for multiple Cuban players and the environment they have built behind Rick Renteria. In a choice between three mega prospects, Otani is unquestionably the best one, but Robert is the most natural fit for this organization, and they acted decisively to secure him. In immediate reaction, the Sox have pivoted to trading off their international bonus pool money for prospects, most recently getting hard-throwing project Thyago Vieira from the Otani-hungry Mariners for a theoretical half-million dollars, and a coming wave of competition for international talent could only help facilitate more deals. Speaking of sitting on the sidelines, industry sources have repeated that the trade market is waiting for the bidding for Giancarlo Stanton to figure itself out before secondary targets such as Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia will come into play. Abreu could play the role of new middle-of-the-order masher for a Cardinals contention bid, but they are currently submitting a formal offer for Stanton to be their cornerstone, and even teams not openly in on Stanton are similarly still waiting for his deal to set the market. Rick Hahn is not looking to set the market with Abreu or Garcia, or aggressively shop them at all. Instead, after the success the Sox had with holding onto Jose Quintana and getting Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease in July, they won't be treating the start of the 2018 season as any sort of deadline to act on the market for their current assets, even though Garcia's.392 BABIP in 2017 will be hard to replicate. Every indication of the Sox's current ask for Abreu is that it's very robust, and that they are waiting for the market to rise up to them. That may yet happen post-stanton, but the Sox aren't acting like they're going to hold their breath waiting for it. Now that the White Sox have essentially put Jake Peter up for grabs in the Rule 5 Draft, they can ease their nerves by pining after some targets of their own to carry on their roster in Dylan Covey didn't light the world on fire in the majors as a Rule 5 pick in the starting rotation, and his path forward is unclear after arm fatigue ended his run in Arizona Fall League. But he's in the organization to stay and gave innings to the weakest unit on the White Sox roster in a rebuilding season, and they could repeat this model in If there's a unit on the Sox roster that could carry a Rule 5 pick, it's certainly the bullpen, which has nothing but questions after Nate Jones (who is expected back for spring but that remains to be seen), Juan Minaya, Danny Farquhar, Aaron

10 Bummer and Gregory Infante. Pretty much anyone else needs to prove they're healthy (Jake Petricka), or demand a starting spot with a strong spring (Jace Fry, Thyago Vieira, Al Alburquerque). So let's breeze through some Rule 5 candidates who have been left unprotected. He's done nothing but start as a professional, and was legitimately bad in Double-A last season, but it's hard to ignore that the Twins left former fourth overall draft pick Kohl Stewart unprotected after a 2017 season marred by knee injuries. Zack Burdi's brother, Nick Burdi, is a couple months ahead of his sibling in his Tommy John recovery but would still be a risky bet to stick on the active roster the required 90 days to stay, let alone be effective immediately. Both brothers throw baseballs very fast and have elbow scars. Angels righty Damien Magnifico has very messy results at the upper levels and significant control problems, but throws in the mid-to-upper 90s with good stuff and obviously a tremendous name. Marlins righty Jeff Brigham throws extremely hard and his fastball-slider combo should work out of the bullpen someday; the question would be whether it will work straight out of High-A. Pirates right-hander Yeudy Garcia started to click when he switched to the bullpen midseason in Double-A and has the plus fastball to succeed in relief. Blue Jays righty Francisco Rios has a tricky motion, some run on his fastball and could be a reliever if he pares down to two pitches, but his control was a mess for all of Tigers righty Adam Ravanelle can hit 100 mph and could reminisce about his Vanderbilt days with Carson Fulmer, but also got torched in Double-A last year. Feel free to imagine me listing eight more guys with big fastballs, potentially good sliders, iffy minors stats and zero control. If the White Sox want to go the position player route, Cardinals third baseman Patrick Reason has mega-pop (31 homers in Triple-A) to go with with a plus-plus throwing arm. He also has contact and on-base issues, and I'm well aware that the White Sox already have Matt Davidson on the roster, but it's a popular profile for rebuilding teams. Carlos Tocci of the Phillies and Jose Azocar of the Tigers are speedy, slap-hitting center fielders if the White Sox truly believe they do not have enough of that profile in tow, but beyond the shape of the roster, converting a big stuff guy with control problems into a major league reliever seems like the most feasible Rule 5 trick. Omar Vizquel on Hall of Fame, being let go by Tigers and future with White Sox By Katie Strang / The Athletic Nov. 22, 2017 The uproar among Tigers fans over the Lou Whitaker snub on the recently released Modern Baseball Era ballot had barely subsided when the one for the 2018 National Baseball Hall of Fame was revealed earlier this week. On that ballot, stacked with the likes of Chipper Jones and Jim Thome, is fellow first-ballot candidate Omar Vizquel, who could offer a polarizing case of his own. The 50-year-old Vizquel is regarded as one of the most gifted shortstops to play the position the three-time All-Star has 11 Gold Gloves, intangibles aplenty and incredible acrobatic abilities but he may encounter trouble with the Sabermetric community in a deeper analysis of his career numbers. Hall of Fame candidacy ranks right up there with hot stove season as one of the most lively topics of debate among baseball fans, and Vizquel s candidacy could prompt some fiery back-and-forth. What does he think about his chances? I think I have a pretty good chance, even though going in on the first ballot is pretty tough, Vizquel told The Athletic when reached by telephone this week. It s tough, you have to be a superstar to come out of the first ballot. Even though I don t think I was a superstar, I think I have the numbers to (feel good) about my chances (of getting inducted eventually). I think if you look at the numbers, the numbers are there. If you compare my numbers to the other shortstops that are already there, I think they match pretty good to what they have. This is where the analytics community may take issue. Though Vizquel has some impressive numbers he ranks first in career games played by a shortstop (2.709), first in double plays turned by a shortstop (1,734), second in all-time fielding percentage among shortstops with a minimum of 1,000 games (.985) and 12th all-time in total games played there are others not as favorable. Though Vizquel was known for his defensive acumen, his less-than-stellar offensive contributions and career WAR rankings (only 45.3, according to Baseball-Reference.com) could weaken his case. Vizquel is aware that his WAR rankings could hurt him with a more statistically minded set of scribes. Still, he feels confident that not every voter will prioritize these metrics, though they are en vogue. He feels his awards will, and should, make a strong impression.

11 I don t know how they re going to look at it, because I know there are some old-school guys that are probably not going to take a look at that, Vizquel said of the advanced statistics. They would see the 11 Gold Gloves and think that says it all. Vizquel thinks voters should rely on the eyeball test when filling out their ballots, and he hopes the fact he played in both the American and National League helps him to that end. If you had the chance to see me play during the time I played, like most of the guys did, they should probably make their decision based on that, he said. Vizquel, who spent the past four years coaching in the Tigers organization, knows well how much the topic of Hall of Fame candidacy can resonate, especially within a fan base that feels wronged. Vizquel said he s still struggling to understand why fellow shortstop Alan Trammell has yet to be inducted (though he may get his chance when the Era committee votes next month). I don t see a reason why he s not in there, Vizquel said. It was sad to see him not get the recognition he deserved. Trying to discern how he will be judged and why has been difficult for Vizquel to decipher, and not just in terms of Hall of Fame voting. Vizquel has been searching for answers when it comes to his managerial ambitions as well. Vizquel was one of two internal candidates to interview with Tigers general manager Al Avila after Brad Ausmus was informed he would not return in (Dave Clark also interviewed with Tigers' brass.) Ultimately, the job went to 60-yearold Ron Gardenhire, who managed the Twins for 13 seasons. I thought it went really well. I thought it was going to be a lot tougher, Vizquel said. I don t know how they rated me. Al congratulated me when I left the interview and said everything was OK, that was good. So, at the end, I don t know. I guess it wasn t good enough, because otherwise they would ve considered letting me stay on the team, but they decided to let me go. Though both Clark and Lloyd McClendon will return to join Gardenhire's staff, Vizquel will not. Ramon Santiago will replace him as first base coach. I think they decided to let the manager pick (his) people and I wasn t on that list, Vizquel said. I did not have an option. Vizquel is, however, reportedly in line to take over as manager for the Chicago White Sox s Single-A team in Winston- Salem, according to multiple reports. He did not want to discuss that possibility when asked about his plans. This is not official yet, he said. I ve been talking to them, going back and forth, but there s nothing official yet. I really don t want to talk about it before it becomes official because I don t want to count the chickens before they (hatch). Vizquel, whose first managerial turn was leading the Venezuelan team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, said he is still trying to gain experience, despite having spent more than two decades in the majors. I m learning the ropes, they call it, because apparently 20 years in the big league is not enough to manage, Vizquel said. They say that you are supposed to manage other places and know the system and how things are handled and all this stuff so I went through my four years of coaching in (Detroit). The gregarious and well-traveled Vizquel, who spent a few weeks vacationing in Mexico this offseason and plans to embark on a South America jaunt before spring training, doesn't sound bitter when pointing this out, but rather bewildered. He hopes his time in Detroit, in addition to his ample MLB experience, bolsters his case in the future. Managing a big league team remains the goal. Vizquel was hoping that his bilingual abilities would be a strong selling point, but now wonders how much of an impact that really has, considering that recently hired Red Sox skipper Alex Cora is one of only two Latino managers in baseball, along with Rick Renteria of the White Sox. (Tigers general manager Al Avila is the lone Latino among his major league peers). That s puzzling to Vizquel, considering baseball s demographics. There s supposed to be more Latino people in the front office and coaching and managing, Vizquel said. I think that would be huge for an organization to have guys like that. Asked if he felt managerial experience would strengthen his chances for future openings, Vizquel replied:

12 I didn t think I needed more. I think that, really, 24 years in big leagues and four years of coaching I mean, what else can a guy need to manage in the big leagues? People said experience. OK, experience managing somewhere. Now, I m going to get the experience of managing somewhere maybe. That should be it, right? If you don t learn in this game in a 24-year-career of playing and then coaching (for four years), then what else can you do? I need to go to a university and learn now the Sabermetrics or something. Who knows? It s just a matter of the right time with the right people, I guess, Vizquel said, laughing. Vizquel said he feels there is a shift toward teams favoring candidates well-versed in analytics, managers that can crunch numbers and analyze that sort of information. But he s confident his brand of tutelage can pay dividends, too. He s seen it work with the players he mentored and forged relationships with in Detroit, particularly Tigers shortstops Jose Iglesias and Dixon Machado. It only take me a few minutes to see a guy taking ground balls to determine if he s going to be good, or whether he has good hands, if he s going to be good or bad, Vizquel said. It s just a matter of time and creating relationships with these guys. They listen. They tried to apply it on the field and I feel very proud at the end of the year they could dominate the things we talked about. He s hoping he ll have that chance to make a similar impact with more players down the road.