"We are headed towards a bright future. We want to make moves that are going to enhance that, not necessarily take away from it."

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF DECEMBER 15, 2017 Hahn mum on any White Sox-Machado talks Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox happy to have quieter Meetings Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox trade Rule 5 pick Tocci to Texas Scott Merkin, MLB.com What Rick Hahn and the White Sox are thinking as avalanche of rumors links them to Manny Machado Vinnie Duber, NBC Sports Chicago Take a break from Machado Mania, here s a new White Sox trade rumor involving Avisail Garcia Vinnie Duber, NBC Sports Chicago Manny Machado rumor reveals a discouraging White Sox truth Steve Rosenbloom, Chicago Tribune Column: Acquiring Manny Machado would be risky business for White Sox too risky Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune Winter meetings wrap-up: White Sox aim high while Cubs bolster bullpen Mark Gonzales, Chicago Tribune White Sox do less than expected in Rule 5 Draft Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Dare to dream? White Sox remain in mix for Machado Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Why it s a big risk for White Sox to trade for Manny Machado.. Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Hard to square a risky pursuit of Manny Machado with the White Sox rebuild James Fegan, The Athletic White Sox year in review: The rebuild chugs along, but the hard part is only beginning James Fegan, The Athletic White Sox select Carlos Tocci in Rule 5 Draft, Trade him to Rangers for cash Staff, CBS Chicago Hahn mum on any White Sox-Machado talks Chicago unlikely to compromise strong farm system for one year of star s services By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- White Sox general manager Rick Hahn would not comment on his team's trade pursuit of Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado during Thursday morning's media session on the final day of baseball's 2017 Winter Meetings. Hahn wouldn't comment on whether Chicago had made the best offer for Machado, as some reports have indicated. He actually wouldn't even acknowledge if talks had taken place between the two teams. But he certainly was willing to stress six or seven times during a 12-minute interview how the team has not wavered from a rebuild goal of putting itself in the best position for the long term with each move they make. "Nothing has changed in terms of what we are trying to accomplish," Hahn said. "We're very interested in adding premium young talent to what we've already built, but at the same time we're not going to rob Peter to pay Paul, if that makes sense. "We are headed towards a bright future. We want to make moves that are going to enhance that, not necessarily take away from it." So what does this comment or Hahn's overall interview theme mean in terms of a potential Machado acquisition? Don't look for any of the top prospects amassed by the White Sox over the past year, such as right-handed pitchers Michael Kopech or Lucas Giolito, to be included in a deal for a player with one year remaining of contractual control. The White Sox did not work diligently over the past year and beyond to assemble a critical mass of young talent only to cut into it for the potential chance of having a leg up on signing Machado before or even shortly after he reaches free agency. At 25 years old and considered a generational sort of elite talent, Machado certainly fits the White Sox overall rebuild gameplan. But at what cost are they willing to add him in the present. "Now we may take some calculated risks along the way," Hahn said. "We repeatedly said we are going to be opportunistic in this market and explore opportunities to make us better.

2 "However the goal again remains putting us in the best position for the long term. Nothing in the last few days or the last year-plus has been done with the intention of deviating from that long-term vision." As far as Winter Meetings rumors go, Hahn pointed out most of their trade news in the past year came from the team and didn't play out following advanced leaks. The White Sox find themselves in a development phase of the rebuild, requiring patience as they try to figure out how these players fit and where needs will arise. The White Sox possess the Minor League depth and payroll flexibility to acquire Machado and retain him long term, but they won't jeopardize a significant part of their future plans to make it happen. "When it comes time to add to what we've accumulated or continue this process, it's going to be with the vision of putting ourselves in the position to contend for multiple championships," Hahn said. "In the end that's what's going to be more important: The ability to win championships than send messages." White Sox happy to have quieter Meetings Faster than expected development of in-house prospects let Hahn be conservative By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- White Sox general manager Rick Hahn had a different vision for the 2017 Winter Meetings that concluded Thursday than when the organization's rebuild plan was devised last offseason. Hahn thought the White Sox would need another four-day run, such as the one they had at the 2016 Winter Meetings, when ace hurler Chris Sale and leadoff man/right fielder Adam Eaton were traded to Boston and Washington, respectively, for a return of seven prospects, including second baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed pitchers Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. But the White Sox actually moved ahead of schedule through those returns, not to mention the prospects like outfielder Eloy Jimenez obtained during in-season trades. That accelerated pace, along with the free-agent acquisition of catcher Welington Castillo prior to these Winter Meetings, allowed Chicago to make no moves and still feel very good about where it stands overall. It also gave the White Sox a chance to explore other avenues, including a reported offer for Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado, which Hahn would not confirm Thursday following the Rule 5 Draft. What's next Putting the franchise in the best possible position to win future World Series titles remains Hahn's focus. But adding veteran help to the bullpen and the starting rotation remains an immediate target for the team. "We're going to continue to be true to this process and continue to be opportunistic when the possibilities arise to further brighten our long-term future," Hahn said. "At the same time, we do have to make some short-term commitments. We obviously have some needs on the pitching staff and want to make sure we solidify that over the coming weeks." With the starting-pitching market a little slower to develop this offseason, Hahn believes those moves could run even into January. As for the pursuit of Machado, who has one year of contractual control remaining before free agency, Hahn only would re-iterate that the Sox are focused on planning for the future. "We are very interested in premium young talent that can be here for the long term," Hahn said. "That hasn't changed, whether that's prospect-level talent you've seen us accumulate over the last year, or young players that are already in the big leagues. "But again the focus remains on putting ourselves in the best position for the long term. Nothing has changed in that regard." Rule 5 Draft There were two Rule 5 targets for the White Sox, per Hahn, who didn't list either player by name. One player was taken before the White Sox pick at No. 4, and the second player will be in need of surgery soon according to an sent by Major League Baseball to teams Wednesday night. The White Sox selected outfielder Carlos Tocci from the Philadelphia system and traded him for cash considerations to the Rangers. Their 40-man roster remains at 36, and they did not lose any player left unprotected from the 40-man during the Rule 5. More > GM's bottom line "All 30 clubs sort of leave here and take a breath and kind of revisit conversations, both with free agents and trades over the coming days. We'll just have to continue those conversations and see how it unfolds through the weekend and into next week." Hahn

3 White Sox trade Rule 5 pick Tocci to Texas By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The White Sox selected outfielder Carlos Tocci from the Philadelphia system with the fourth pick of the 2017 Rule 5 Draft on Thursday morning at the Winter Meetings. They then traded Tocci to the Rangers for cash considerations. General manager Rick Hahn mentioned two Rule 5 targets for the White Sox. One of those unnamed targets was taken prior to the White Sox pick, meaning either outfielder Victor Reyes or righties Julian Fernandez and Nick Burdi, The other White Sox target needs to undergo surgery in the coming days according to a standard disclosure Major League Baseball sent to all the clubs Wednesday evening. "As a result we wound up trading the pick since both of the guys we targeted were not going to be available to us," Hahn said. None of the players Chicago left unprotected off its 40-man roster were selected by other teams. The White Sox 40-man remains at 36. What Rick Hahn and the White Sox are thinking as avalanche of rumors links them to Manny Machado By Vinnie Duber / NBC Sports Chicago Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Rick Hahn is not commenting on the avalanche of trade rumors linking the White Sox to Manny Machado, the flurry of reports that have thrown the final day of the Winter Meetings into complete madness. Supposedly a bunch of teams have contacted the Baltimore Orioles about their superstar third baseman, but according to a report from USA Today s Bob Nightengale, no team s offer has been as good as the White Sox. Hahn, speaking in his final media session of the Meetings, refused to comment on the reports and he should not have been expected to. But what the White Sox general manager did do was repeat his team s dedication to its rebuilding effort, one that s come a long way in just a year thanks to a massive influx of minor league talent. Obviously you guys know me, know us well enough to know I m not going to comment on any individual trade rumors or anything specific to conversations that we may or may not be having, Hahn said. However you also know us well enough to know everything we have done over the last year-plus has been aimed at putting us in the best position for the long term. Nothing has changed in terms of what we are trying to accomplish. We are not looking to make any sort of move that s aimed at simply jumping up and perhaps contending for a wild card or maybe even the division for one year. The focus remains on the long term. Now we may take some calculated risks along the way. We repeatedly said we are going to be opportunistic in this market and explore opportunities to make us better. However the goal again remains putting us in the best position for the long term. Nothing in the last few days or the last year-plus has been done with the intention of deviating from that longterm vision. We re very interested in adding premium young talent to what we ve already built, but at the same time we re not going to rob Peter to pay Paul, if that makes sense, Hahn said later in the session. We know that we are in a position right now and are headed towards a bright future, and we want to make moves that are going to enhance that, not necessarily take away from it. Now that sounds like a pretty forceful denunciation of the high-risk notion of trading multiple of those highly touted prospects for Machado, who has just one year left on his contract before becoming a headlining member of the bonkers 2019 free-agent class. According to reports, there will be no negotiating window in any potential trade, meaning Machado will be just a one-year player for whichever team acquires him as he plans on hitting the market next winter. The names of big-time pitching prospects Michael Kopech and Lucas Giolito were mentioned in a report from The Athletic s Ken Rosenthal, and it's been reported the Orioles are seeking two young, controllable pitchers. To see the White Sox deal away either of those arms plus any other members of the championship team of the future that would be needed to create a return package for a player who would not be guaranteed to be under contract past the 2018 season would be to see the White Sox pull an about face in their stated goals: to methodically build a team that contends far into the future.

4 But the lure of a proven player like Machado is understandably strong. At the young age of 25, he s already made three All-Star teams, won a pair of Gold Gloves and finished in the top 10 in American League MVP voting three times. He s a slick defender who reportedly wants to move to shortstop and has a great bat, with a combined 105 home runs in the past three seasons. If the White Sox were somehow able to convince Machado to sign a contract extension rather than search for a monstrous deal on the open market, that would be quite the player to build a team around. And, while Hahn keeps saying he wants to acquire as much young talent as possible a descriptor, by the way, that does not exclude Machado having so many highly rated players in the system allows Hahn s front office to make some decisions based on that depth, especially when some of it is still a few years from making an impact at the big league level. We are every interested in premium young talent that can be here for the long term, Hahn said. That hasn t changed. Whether that s prospect-level talent you ve seen us accumulate over the last year, or young players that are already in the big leagues, but again the focus remains on putting ourselves in the best position for the long term. Nothing has changed in that regard. Hahn also said that flexibility extends not just to trades but to free-agent spending. If the White Sox truly covet Machado as much as their fan base does, they could wait 2018 out and make a run at him next offseason no matter how expensive that might be. Certainly if a high percentage of the players we have internally are able to contribute to a championship club in Chicago, he said, it should be fairly cost effective from a payroll standpoint which would allow us some freedom to be more aggressive on spending either on higher-price players via trade or in free agency. A problem, though, with committing resources both in prospect capital and actual money to a player like Machado is the fact that there is still to development that needs to happen for some of those minor leaguers that have fans so excited for the future. Without knowing exactly where the holes will be a few years down the road, it s perhaps difficult to make such an impactful decision with one player. That s exactly what the balancing act is at this time, Hahn said. I think as time passes that will become a little bit easier once we know a little bit more about the pace and the likelihood of hitting the ceiling of many of our young players. At this point there s a still a bit of projection on guys who are in A-ball. As they advance up the ladder, we ll know more. As for how do we balance that at this time, that's a risk-reward analysis. And again, we re going to be opportunistic, we re going to take some calculated risks along the way in order to further this thing, but every move we make along those lines is going to be aimed at the long term. And so in the end, Hahn did what any baseball executive should be doing at this time of year: He left all the doors open. At first he painted a picture of a team waiting on its prospects to develop, a team whole-heartedly dedicated to its longterm vision of a homegrown champion. But he made it clear that there were ways the White Sox could surprise without deviating from that plan. As much as trading away these recently acquired minor leaguers seems to be counterintuitive to that vision, Machado s age and proven capabilities have the potential not to weaken the rebuild but to strengthen it. You can call it dancing around a question or talking out of both sides of your mouth, but the White Sox have made themselves flexible over the past year. That was a theme of the Jose Abreu trade speculation at the beginning of this week s activities, and it remains a theme of the most recent barrage of Machado-related craziness. The White Sox are dedicated to long-term success. As for how they get there, though, well the options are open. I think the moves over the past year-plus reinforced our words and have put us in a position to have a very bright future, Hahn said. When it comes time to add to what we ve accumulated or continue this process it s going to be with the vision of putting ourselves in the position to contend for multiple championships. In the end that s what s going to be more important: the ability to win championships.

5 Take a break from Machado Mania, here s a new White Sox trade rumor involving Avisail Garcia By Vinnie Duber / NBC Sports Chicago Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Looking to take a short break from Machado Mania? There's a new White Sox trade rumor involving Avisail Garcia. The outfielder has been the subject of trade speculation this winter, and he's finally getting some reported interest, with USA Today's Bob Nightengale listing both the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays as teams that have talked with the White Sox about Garcia. The Winter Meetings started with questions about potential trade candidates Jose Abreu and Garcia, who both put up great offensive numbers last season. Garcia was statistically one of the best hitters in the American League, ranking second behind only MVP Jose Altuve with a.330 batting average and sixth with a.380 on-base percentage. That production and the White Sox rebuilding efforts seemed to make Garcia a logical trade chip, someone who could potentially further stockpile the minor league system with more highly touted talent. The option, of course, also exists for the White Sox to hold on to the 26-year-old outfielder, who despite being in the bigs since 2012 didn't put together a big offensive season until They could keep him and trade him at a later date, once the rest of baseball finds out if he's capable of repeating what he did last season. Or they could keep him for good, extending him and including him as a part of their long-term core. Of course, all of that talk was obliterated by the Thursday morning reports about the White Sox and a potential trade for Baltimore Orioles superstar third baseman Manny Machado. Starting with The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, several national writers reported on the White Sox aggressive push for Machado, who's set to become one of the headlining members of the 2019 free-agent class. There are pros and cons to trading for Machado, and White Sox general manager Rick Hahn spoke about the team's thinking before departing the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. But perhaps Machado isn't the only subject of trade talks on the South Side right now. Manny Machado rumor reveals a discouraging White Sox truth By Steve Rosenbloom / Chicago Tribune Dec. 14, 2017 Manny Machado would be a great addition to the White Sox. In For just free-agent cash, no prospects. But that s apparently not the case. The Sox appear to be trying to make a big move now because it s their only play. That s the way the game works for teams like the Sox. While admitting nothing and refusing to name names, GM Rick Hahn said it might be time to gamble during the rebuild he has executed so spectacularly, but really, it always has been time to gamble and always will be when you re the Sox, a diplomatic way of revealing a South Side truth: The Sox s pursuit of Machado in such a risky way reportedly willing to give up part of the farm system just to get a season s audience to sell themselves to a player scheduled to be a free agent next winter again exposes how far down the food chain the Sox rank in terms of destination franchises. The Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and, yes, sorry, Sox fans, the Cubs just show up with money and reputation. They have cachet and the ability heck, the demand to compete every year. The Sox, not so much. That, of course, is the plan competing every year. Sustained success. Hahn has pulled off every right move to convince even calloused skeptics that the goal is attainable. But still, the Sox need to pay a cover charge of sorts. The Sox must pay big just to get someone in the house ahead of time just for the chance to pay bigger to convince the player not to leave.

6 It s not an unwinnable game, not with the deft, savvy Hahn making calls, but it is a game that requires more assets and nerve than the richer and more romanticized teams face. Joe Maddon said, yes, as a matter of fact, Kyle Schwarber could bat leadoff again. The Cubs manager isn t real subtle about forcing the Cubs baseball president to trade for a real leadoff hitter, is he? Did you notice that John Fox allowed the Bears to attempt passes downfield against the Bengals? It s amazing the things you can accomplish after you ve killed both your season and all your future employment prospects. Dowell Loggains showed on the first series he figured out that stretch plays around end are called for Tarik Cohen and blasts up the middle are called for Jordan Howard. Just like all of us figured out three or four months ago. So, yes, it s official, Loggains can in fact handle a two-house paper route. One of the Bears 10 penalties against the Bengals came because they had 12 men in the offensive huddle. Looking for someone other than Kendall Wright who could get open, I guess. Oh yeah. Forgot about Eddie Jackson. Why does Jackson do so little for so long that we forget about him? What s up, Mike Wells? Column: Acquiring Manny Machado would be risky business for White Sox too risky By Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune Dec. 14, 2017 White Sox fans who went to bed early Wednesday night woke up to some stunning news. Not only were the Sox discussing a deal with the Orioles that would bring superstar Manny Machado to the South Side, USA Today called it the strongest of any team s offers. A source told Tribune baseball writer Mark Gonzales the Sox s offer was indeed impressive, and general manager Rick Hahn added fuel to the report later at baseball s winter meetings in Orlando, Fla., when he said they re still looking longterm but are willing to take calculated risks along the way of the rebuild. Hahn wasn t specifically referring to the Machado rumor, of course, though it was the talk of the winter meetings Thursday. Would acquiring and then trying to sign an impact, middle-of-the-order superstar for $300 million or more qualify as a calculated risk for the Sox? Or would it be pure insanity for a franchise in the second year of a rebuild? Considering where the Sox are in the rebuild, dealing top prospects for a player who can bolt next year makes little or no sense. If Machado left in free agency after the 2018 season, it all could blow up in the Sox s face, spoiling all the goodwill they have built up with their fan base over the last year That s why it s so intriguing to see the Sox even considering such a risky deal. It s the kind of move you would expect from executive vice president Ken Williams, who loved making a big splash every winter for a so-called difference-maker when he was the general manager. Hahn started that way early in his career as GM but has turned into a reborn rebuilder, having gone to great lengths to explain the Sox s plan over the last year. He has executed it well so far. Why diverge from the plan so soon? It s easy to be tempted by the notion of having the Orioles star on the South Side. Certainly Machado s bat could help the Sox to a few more victories in 2018 and maybe even vault them into contention for a wild-card playoff spot. Machado could take over at shortstop, Tim Anderson can scoot over to third, and with free-agent signee Welington Castillo in the lineup, the Sox s offense is drastically improved.

7 And it definitely would be fun over the summer to watch Machado, Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez back-to-back-to-back, especially it Yoan Moncada is hitting ahead of them. Just try saying Moncada Machado quickly five straight times if you don t believe it. The best-case scenario for the Sox goes something like this: They acquire Machado, make the postseason immediately and convince him this is the place to spend the next 10 years. They hand him a $300 million deal which would be more than four times larger than the biggest one in Sox history, Abreu s $68 million deal and he helps makes the Sox a perennial contender with one of the more lethal lineups in the AL. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gets another ring, broadcaster Hawk Harrelson rides into the sunset a winner. And Sox fans finally can tell their Cubs fan buddies to shut the bleep up. But then there s the worst-case scenario: The Sox give up Lucas Giolito and watch him become a Cy Young Award-caliber pitcher for the next decade. They miss the playoffs next year because they re still too young and have no bullpen. Machado leaves after one year because the Sox can t outbid the Yankees. The rebuild regresses, as the Phillies has. Naturally, there s another crazy scenario being bandied about: The Sox trade Giolito or other top prospects for Machado and give him a few months to sign an extension. When Machado doesn t budge, they put him on the block at the July trade deadline. They probably could send him to the Yankees for a bunch of prospects who may or may not be better than the ones they sent to the Orioles. One thing we don t know is whether Machado would boost attendance at Sox Park. Remember, even Chris Sale couldn t help pack the place during his prime years in Chicago. The last time the Sox finished in the top 20 in average attendance was a 17th-place ranking in Over the last four years they have finished 28th (2014), 26th (2015 and 16) and 27th (2017). If he doesn t pack the place in 18, Machado is not worth a nine-figure contract, at least for the Sox. The Marlins were also bottom-dwellers in attendance when they opted to splurge on homegrown star Giancarlo Stanton in 2014, giving him a record 10-year, $325 million deal. The contract quickly became an albatross, and the new Marlins owners are so deeply in debt they have dumped the remainder of Stanton s contract on the Yankees, turning into what agent Scott Boras called baseball s version of a pawn shop. Guaranteed Rate sounds like a good name for a pawn shop, but no one wants to see the Sox turn into the Marlins in five years. So the best option is to stay the course. The Sox already have a potential difference-maker in Jimenez, and he s not that far away. Winter meetings wrap-up: White Sox aim high while Cubs bolster bullpen By Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune Dec. 14, 2017 As the Cubs secured three pitchers in completing their trip to Florida for the winter meetings, the White Sox planted the seeds for a potential franchise-changing move. The future-minded Sox have made what one source described Thursday as an impressive offer to the Orioles for threetime All-Star third baseman Manny Machado. The Sox s interest in a player like Machado, who can become a free agent after 2018, seems to buck their insistence on concentrating on the long term. After 13 months of transforming one of the shallowest farm systems into a pool of arguably the best young talent in baseball, the Sox appear confident enough to take a chance on acquiring an elite player without taking a significant step backward.

8 We re very interested in adding premium young talent to what we ve already built, but we re not going to rob Peter to pay Paul, said general manager Rick Hahn, who refused to comment directly on Machado, 25. We are in a position right now and are headed toward a bright future, and we want to make moves that are going to enhance that, not take away from it. Several hurdles must be cleared for a Machado trade to crystallize. First is the Orioles willingness to trade their franchise player now, or whether they re merely sifting through offers they might revisit. Last July, for instance, the Cubs and Astros each were working on deals to acquire left-handed closer Zach Britton from the Orioles, only to have Orioles owner Peter Angelos nix any deals, according to a source. Second is the Sox s willingness to increase their offer without draining a significant portion of their farm system. The Cardinals were able to acquire outfielder Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins this week without mortgaging their farm system and remain in position to land Machado, along with the Yankees. The Orioles seek pitching, and the Sox possess two prized prospects in Michael Kopech and Lucas Giolito, along with injured left-hander Carlos Rodon, who might not rejoin the rotation until well into Finally, it would help the Sox to have assurances of being able to re-sign Machado, currently slated to join Bryce Harper as the premier free agents next offseason. Machado, who hit 33 home runs and drove in 95 runs last season, will get a robust raise in his final year of salary arbitration from his $11.5 million salary in Jose Abreu s six-year, $68 million contract is the largest in Sox history, although Hahn said it s not the biggest offer they have made to a player. All 30 clubs leave here and take a breath and revisit conversations, both with free agents and trades, over the coming days, Hahn said. The Cubs bolstered their bullpen Thursday with a two-year agreement with sidearmer Steve Cishek, three days after signing fellow free agents Brandon Morrow and Drew Smyly. Cishek saved 39 games for the Marlins in 2014 and posted a 2.01 ERA in 49 appearances with the Rays and Mariners in He has limited right-handed batters to a.205 average in his career. A source said the Cubs are lined up for several moves, contingent upon the agendas of teams and agents. A starting pitcher heads the list of needs, with the Indians Danny Salazar looming as a trade target. Extra innings: The Orioles selected right-hander Pedro Araujo from the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft. Araujo, 24, had a 1.81 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings at Class A Myrtle Beach last season. After learning that one potential Rule 5 draftee needed surgery and another already had been drafted, the Sox elected to draft Phillies outfield prospect Carlos Tocci and traded him to the Rangers for cash considerations. White Sox do less than expected in Rule 5 Draft By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. The White Sox selected outfielder Carlos Tocci from the Phillies in the Rule 5 Draft, then traded him to the Rangers for cash considerations as the Winter Meetings came to a close Thursday morning at the Dolphin and Swan Resort. The Sox were hoping to select right-hander Nick Burdi, the brother of former first-round Sox pick Zach Burdi, with their pick (fourth overall) but Burdi was scooped up before them by the Phillies. We actually had two targets in the Rule 5, Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. One was taken prior to our pick, then last night in a standard disclosure MLB sent to all the clubs we found out the other one of our targets needs to undergo surgery here in the coming days. In need of pitching and having four roster spots open on the 40-man, the Sox were expected to be more active. On the plus side, they did not lose any of their prospects to other clubs. In the Minor League phase of the draft, the Sox picked catcher Yermin Mercedes from the Orioles. Mercedes, 24, has played in 12 games at the Class AA level and has a track record as a productive hitter.

9 Dare to dream? White Sox remain in mix for Machado By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times Dec. 14, 2017 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. The Winter Meetings came to a close with the rebuilding White Sox, unexpectedly, at the center of the biggest buzz heated trade speculation surrounding Orioles star Manny Machado. For many in Sox nation, Machado, 25, has been that dream addition to the left side of the infield be it at third base or his preferred position at shortstop who would have arrived just as the rebuild is crystallizing in a year or two. Machado becomes a free agent after the 2018 season and is expected to command a whopping contract in the $300 million to $400 million range. Those are big, big bucks for an organizaton that has never spent more than $68 million on one contract (Jose Abreu). Dare to dream, Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday, when asked if it s conceivable to add a long-term piece with limited years of contract control. Is it conceivable? Yes, Hahn said. We like good players who fit into the long term, yeah. Good players? Machado is a great one, but he would probably would cost the Sox two controllable starting pitchers, according to what the Orioles would want in return. And one of them would include either right-hander Lucas Giolito or prized right-hander Michael Kopech but not both, according to The Athletic s Ken Rosenthal. The Sox won t deal Kopech, their top pitching prospect. But at least one report characterizes the Sox offer for Machado as the strongest among numerous teams. Hahn, as expected, declined to comment Thursday morning before boarding a plane for Chicago as the meetings were wrapping up, calling the story that gained momentum through the night the elephant in the room. Obviously you guys know me, know us well enough to know I m not going to comment on any individual trade rumors or anything specific to conversations that we may or may not be having, Hahn said. However, you also know us well enough to know everything we have done over the last year-plus has been aimed at putting us in the best position for the long term. Nothing has changed in terms of what we are trying to accomplish. A drawback for the Sox in such a deal is they would have Machado for one season at great cost before he reaches free agency. The Orioles, who will continue to field offers while in no rush to make a deal for Machado, don t seem willing to grant a potential trade partner a negotiating window to sign him long term. I don t see that as a viable option, Orioles general manager Dan Duquette said Thursday. Should the Sox attempt to corral Machado with an extension, the cost would be well beyond anything they have spent on one player. Sometimes you need to be creative, Hahn said. Sometimes you need to perhaps take a risk. Perhaps the Sox trade for Machado, and he falls in love with them. Perhaps they flip him to another team mid-season if that doesn t happen. Dream on? It s probably slightly easier after a player has been part of this organization, understands what we re about, to extend him as opposed to meeting him cold as a free agent and trying to sell him on the organization, Hahn said Wednesday. As for the economics of an extension, the Sox figure to have almost nothing in contract obligations on the books beyond Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia in So they have that going for them. But it s still a dreamy proposition for the Sox, even though they are one of numerous teams to have discussed Machado, considered one of the game s elite young players, with the Orioles. The Cardinals, Yankees, Giants and Red Sox are also on that list, but the White Sox offer is the strongest, according to USA Today s Bob Nightengale. So many things would have to fall right, and it would be an aggressive gamble for the Sox. It could depend on how aggressive they are willing to be at a time when it might not be necessary.

10 Why it s a big risk for White Sox to trade for Manny Machado By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald Dec. 15, 2017 Heading into the winter meetings earlier this week, the Chicago White Sox sounded like a team that was in the second phase of a rebuild. Over the past year, general manager Rick Hahn traded 11 veteran players for a pile of prospects while adding touted outfielder Luis Robert in the international signing period and first-round draft pick Jake Burger, a slugging third baseman out of Missouri State. That was the first phase, the most important part of a rebuild. The second phase involves patience. Give young talent such as Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez time to grow at the major-league level, and give Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Robert, Burger, Alec Hansen, Zack Collins and Blake Rutherford time to develop in the minor leagues. "The clubs we've been dealing with in the last 12 months have benefited from enhancing their positions into the postseason," Hahn told reporters at the start of the winter meetings. "And it seems we've enhanced our position for the long term as well. If we're able to find a similar match in the coming days, we'll move on it. "But at this point, my common theme of needing to be patient needs to be reiterated, not necessarily for White Sox nation, but for those of us up in the room." A "similar match" seemed to be code for Hahn trading his two remaining veterans with value -- Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia -- for even more prospects. But the Sox apparently have shifted into Phase 3 of the rebuild. That would be trading some of their young players for an established veteran. In this case, Manny Machado is the established veteran. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Baltimore Orioles have received multiple offers for Machado, their star third baseman, and the Sox's offer is the best. Interesting. And, stunning. One one hand, the White Sox's involvement makes sense because Machado is only 25 and that age fits on a team in transition. If it seems like Machado is a battle-tested veteran moving past his prime, remember he broke in with the Orioles at the age of 19. Over the past five-plus seasons, Machado has batted.279 while averaging 29 home runs and 86 RBI. He's a three-time all-star and two-time Gold Glove winner. On the other hand, Machado is going to be a free agent at the end of the 2018 season, and you're hearing the cost to keep him is going to be $300 million-plus over 10 years. Baltimore wants major-league ready pitching for Machado, and the Sox are loaded in that department. You would have to think Giolito and Kopech are untouchable. The guess here is the White Sox's trade package to the Orioles starts with Carlos Rodon, who had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in late September. The recovery time is 6-8 months, so Rodon is expected to be ready to pitch before the all-star break. Let's say the offer for Machado is Rodon, Dylan Cease and Carson Fulmer. If that gets the trade done, the Sox would have plenty of money to meet Machado's expected asking price as a free agent. But suppose he wants to play somewhere else in 2019 and beyond, like the Yankees? "Sometimes you need to be creative," Hahn said. "Sometimes you need to perhaps take a risk." This would be a huge risk, but the Sox are likely thinking Machado would be comfortable playing on an up-and-coming team and would ideally be open to agreeing to a contract extension before hitting the free-agent market.

11 The White Sox are also likely thinking Machado could be traded for more prospects before the July 31 nonwaiver deadline if contract extension hopes fizzle, like they did with Jeff Samardzija in Hard to square a risky pursuit of Manny Machado with the White Sox rebuild By James Fegan / The Athletic Dec. 15, 2017 AKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Hopefully no one spent too much time preparing for the Rule 5 draft. With the fourth pick in baseball's most well-attended garage sale, the White Sox had two targets in mind to add to their roster, only to have one selected by a team in front of them in the draft order, after they learned Wednesday night that their other target needed significant surgery. As a result, general manager Rick Hahn began his post-rule 5 briefing by announcing the Sox had already agreed the pick they did wind up making, and sent center fielder Carlos Tocci (acquired from Philadelphia) to the Texas Rangers for cash considerations. Not that anyone cared much at that point. Now for the elephant in the room, Hahn began, with a tacit acknowledgment of Ken Rosenthal's report the White Sox had made a strong bid to the Orioles for Manny Machado. Obviously, you guys know me, know us well enough to know I m not going to comment on any individual trade rumors or anything specific to conversations that we may or may not be having. However you also know us well enough to know everything we have done over the last year-plus has been aimed at putting us in the best position for the long term. Nothing has changed in terms of what we are trying to accomplish. That should be enough indication since Hahn consistently refuses to address current trade negotiations on the record that any deal for Machado, a free agent after the 2018 season, would be made with the goal of extending him through the Sox's contention window. It would take an offer obliterating previous franchise contract value records for the Sox to get Machado to bypass a free agent payday at the age of 26, and would more likely require an overpay rather than offer the opportunity for a discount, but Hahn said the Sox's glut of young, cost-controlled talent should allow them to be more aggressive on major targets than ever before. If a high percentage of the players we have internally are able to contribute to a championship club in Chicago, it should be fairly cost-effective from a payroll standpoint which would allow us some freedom to be more aggressive on spending either on higher-price players via trade or in free agency, Hahn said. There's been a lot of things over the last year that I think perhaps may have surprised people or at the very least deviated what people have perceived the way we would do things. There was certainly a notion that the Chicago White Sox would never rebuild, there was certainly the notion that the White Sox would never incur a substantial penalty or substantial tax in order to sign a player, as we did with Luis Robert. There was repeatedly written and reported, even a year ago at this time, that the White Sox would never make a trade with the Chicago Cubs, so we've repeatedly shown that what you've assumed about our actions in the past doesn't indicate how we're going to act going forward. So the notion that we wouldn't potentially be aggressive when the time is right in free agency or would not spend big on a premium ticket item, I would say probably fits in with those old narratives that we've already proven to be false. Hahn agreed on Wednesday that he believes having a player in the organization increases their chances of signing him long-term rather than going in cold in free agency, and an exclusive opportunity to make their pitch to Machado might be intriguing for a team like the White Sox, who might otherwise be hard-pressed to command the attention of a marquee free agent, or outbid larger market clubs in an open process and all the oneupmanship that would entail. While the Sox have touted that their excellent farm system means they have a potential solution at every position, some of those solutions most notably 2017 first-round pick Jake Burger at third base are in Single-A, and far from dominant in their early performance. With his exceptionally young age for being such a proven commodity, Machado offers a unique solution to fit the White Sox's window, and the Sox are rightly making a large effort to see what would be necessary to secure him, even if that includes giving up prospect value for a chance to sell him on their long-term vision. You can reasonably and objectively, and those outside of the organization have projected answers for each position on a championship club from guys we have internally, Hahn said. But we know that s not going to be the reality of player development. There s going to be setbacks, there are going to be guys that don t hit their ceilings for whatever reason. As you sit here right now, yes it s possible we have answers everywhere, but at the same time we at least have to listen and explore and be opportunistic if perhaps more proven or likely answers are available.

12 Yet with USA Today's Bob Nightengale and the New York Post's Joel Sherman both reporting that the Orioles would not grant a negotiating window to any trade partner, the gambit of giving up real value and top-level starting pitching prospects shifts from risky to truly perilous. If the Sox could avoid handing over Michael Kopech the one true potential No. 1 starter in the organization they have assembled the depth where Alec Hansen and Dane Dunning could help ease the loss of Carlos Rodon or Lucas Giolito, or Dylan Cease could slide in and have the same career as Reynaldo Lopez or better, or any combination of thereof. But with the oft-stated larger goal of trying to put the Sox in the best position available, it's hard to square that with the idea of giving up pitching depth for a quixotic quest to sell Machado on the pleasure of being one of Ricky's Boys, and the merits of never quitting, unless they have more indication they would be successful than can currently be seen. White Sox year in review: The rebuild chugs along, but the hard part is only beginning By James Fegan / The Athletic Dec. 14, 2017 Probably as intense, if not the most intense game the White Sox played all season, was their crosstown series-opening tilt against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in late July. A newly off-the-disabled-list Miguel Gonzalez improbably gritted his way through 7 1/3 innings, escaping the seventh only after standing his ground and pleading with Rick Renteria to stay in and face Anthony Rizzo. A strong wind and a sprinting Adam Engel at the center field wall to track down Rizzo's blast saved the Sox's 2-1 lead, and a fired up Gonzalez gave way to Anthony Swarzak, who was similarly fired up when he nailed down the last four outs and stranded the tying run by freezing a red-hot Willson Contreras. After the game, in a packed manager's office, I asked how Tyler Clippard had found himself out of the closer role after a bad weekend in Kansas City. An unusually testy Renteria retorted, I went with the guy who was throwing the best. The next day, Swarzak was traded to Milwaukee. For testy postgame interviews, Renteria was easily topped four days later by Derek Holland, who capped a two-month slide from success story of the season to DFA candidate with complaints about umpire Bill Welke, and his own struggles, following a 9-3 loss to Cleveland. I have to step my shit up, Holland said, before immediately apologizing for cursing. These were big, memorable moments in the White Sox's 2017 season, starring their two leaders in innings pitched, their best reliever, and a cameo from the man who was their everyday starting center fielder for the last three-and-a-half months. The team that prided itself on trying hard and running out every ground ball and popup with full acknowledgment that there were going to be an awful lot of them wound up defining itself with a lot of high effort moments that are hard to see the meaning of now, at the end of the year. Willson Contreras argues the last strike called by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the ninth inning during the Cubs' 3-1 loss to the White Sox at Wrigley Field. (Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports) Gonzalez, Holland and Swarzak are all gone, and I would bet against them playing for the White Sox ever again. Engel was appreciated for what he provided in 2017 but will need a big offensive turnaround to hold onto playing time in the years ahead. The Sox grabbed a ton of prospects, and hit important developmental milestones, but it was still a rebuilding year. You can hustle all you want and the Renteria-led Sox did that and more but when a team loses 95 games, talking about hustle is something to do while you're getting kicked around. And despite the painstaking preparation from the coaching staff, and numerous improbable comebacks of indomitable spirit, they played a lot of long games in which they could not get outs. === But that's over now, and while a startling number of people who contributed to the Sox in 2017 have left the organization enough to make you wonder if the season had much purpose beyond getting it over and done with those that remain, especially Renteria and Rick Hahn, will insist the organization is permanently improved for how they conducted themselves through what should have been their dreariest season. The culture that Ricky and his coaching staff has been able to create in that clubhouse, Hahn said at the end of the year. I cannot tell you how many various fans have stopped me, or ed me or mentioned to me that they ve never been this excited over a 60-win team. Or they ve never been excited about a team that isn t going to the playoffs. And I think so much of that is based on how Ricky and the coaches have them playing day in and day out. You see them fighting for 27 outs, you see them prepared every night. Sure, we re going to get outmanned at portions during this process, but the fight

13 and competitiveness and the style of play is the kind of thing that is going to endure year in and year out. And that is extremely important for us to establish at the big league level for all of us. Still, the beauty of a rebuild is that every year gone by is one fewer dismal season that needs to be sat through before the good stuff starts, and that all is well that ends well. Tim Anderson's nightmarish first four months would have sunk any real contention hopes, but his red-hot end to the season that validated that his talent is still there carries more weight. Lucas Giolito and Carson Fulmer both spent sizable portions of 2017 looking unfit to retire Triple-A hitters, but ended the season showing either the guile and smarts, or just the raw stuff necessary to earn themselves spots in future White Sox starting rotations, even if they're not at the top of them. If we set up the major tentpoles of the White Sox season, there are all the points of progress vital to a rebuild. Despite hitting the disabled list in Triple-A, scaring the bejeezus out of the fan base and delivering a flying knee that knocked Willy Garcia out cold on the Guaranteed Field grass and broke his jaw, and striking out at a ~35 percent rate for his first month, Yoan Moncada hit.261/.357/.447 after Aug. 1 and made enough gasp-worthy plays at second base to look like a longterm above-average regular. The White Sox's acquisition of Luis Robert was one of the highlights of their year and only adds to the hype, intrigue and mystery surrounding some of their prospects. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Michael Kopech's commendable decision to just stop walking people in the second half of his season at Double-A vaulted him from a high-ceiling, high-voltage risky arm, to on the doorstep of the majors and one of the five best pitching prospects in the game. Eloy Jimenez torched High-A pitching, then Double-A pitching, then Dominican winter league pitching, and then, after all that, turned 21. Luis Robert is still a man of mystery, but a highly compelling one with truly topof-the-scale tools, and the warm reassurance of the White Sox being willing to empty the bag to outbid the Cardinals on the international market has not cooled yet, even six-plus months later. With those four as the potential franchise-dominating players of a rebuilding club, it's hard to hold a dismal view of the White Sox's future. There are warts here and there. Carlos Rodon started the year hurt, and ended the year hurt, and will start the next year hurt, which is not becoming for frontline starter status. Centering a seven-player trade around Blake Rutherford got panned by several around the league at the time and only looked worse after he struggled in Low-A Kannapolis. Making high-value prospect deals is great, but the fact that high-ranking farm systems do not equal victories is an argument the White Sox would have made just a few years ago, when they did not have a high-ranking farm system. Between a top system and the Sox closing the season with a high-effort, mark over their last month and a half of play, there's a temptation to think that once every big name Sox fans have been waiting for arrives, they will be ready to win. That's not how it works. Anthony Rizzo's early years on the Cubs showed that's not how it works. And the fits and starts of Anderson and Rodon, and even Moncada's early major league debut has shown how much development and growth and difficulty is waiting for the Sox still even when their brighter days arrive. === After the last game of the year in Cleveland, a fairly lifeless spot start loss from Chris Volstad yet another player who fought hard to make some career highlights, but might wind up being a good name to stump your friends with in five years Renteria was sitting in his office as the Sox beat rolled in one final time. I expected him to seem exhausted, or relaxed, or just look like someone who had finally exhaled and let out a deep breath after eight months of live-wire activity. Instead, he just looked busy, organizing his notes, checking his lineup card. In a couple weeks he would be in Arizona, giving rousing speeches to minor leaguers at instructional league, and the next month he would be in the Dominican Republic doing the same. He fittingly acted like someone whose work wasn't done, just entering into a new phase. I think all and all, we certainly showed improvement, Renteria said when asked to reflect. I think we showed some fight. I think we had a lot of guys come through here over the last 2 1/2 months and I think they have kind of taken to how we ve gone about our business. I think we ve had some good things. People should be optimistic about the future. There are a lot of good-looking players coming up not only here already but coming up through the system. They should be optimistic for coming years. White Sox select Carlos Tocci in Rule 5 Draft, Trade him to Rangers for cash By Staff / CBS Chicago Dec. 14, 2017 (CBS) The White Sox selected outfielder Carlos Tocci from the Phillies organization in the Rule 5 Draft, then promptly traded him to the Rangers for cash Thursday morning.