WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JANUARY 4, 2016 “Inbox: Will Sox hang on to Frazier, Abreu?” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “With eye on long term, White Sox build for 2016” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “White Sox look to focus on positives in 2016” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Source: Robertson not part of Yanks/Sox talks” … Cash Kruth, MLB.com “Righty White Sox prospect Hansen ‘special’” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “White Sox scout creates ‘Miracles’ for kids” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Why Hawk Harrelson wants to call White Sox games for 4 more years” … Staff, CSN Chicago “Report: Talks between White Sox and Yankees feature Jose Quintana, David Robertson” … Staff, CSN Chicago “Report: Pirates – Owners of two top-10 prospects – trying to trade for Jose Quintana” … Staff, CSN Chicago “Why the Yankees are the perfect trade partner for White Sox Jose Quintana” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Alex Avila back with Tigers after one season with White Sox” … Staff, Chicago Tribune “Deck the Hauls: Quintana deal would adorn Sox’ prospect list” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun- Times “Is Raines’ long wait for Hall of Fame finally over?” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “3 teams that might take White Sox’s high price for Quintana” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “As 2016 comes to a close, White Sox look toward uncertain future” … James Fegan, The Athletic “Slow trade market not worst thing for White Sox” … James Fegan, The Athletic “Leinve: White Sox pushing teams in hot pursuit of Jose Quintana” … Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago “White Sox Scouting Director Nick Hostetler: Communication, Analytics have been key in scouting department progress” … Staff, CBS Chicago “Top five White Sox prospects: Giolito, Moncada spur rebuild” … Jeremy Deloney, USA Today “MLB Hot Stove rumors: Yankees working on trade to get Quintana and Robertson” … Dayn Perry, CBS Sports

Inbox: Will Sox hang on to Frazier, Abreu? Beat reporter Scott Merkin answers questions from fans By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | January 3rd, 2016

CHICAGO -- A belated Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone. And remember, only 40 days until White Sox pitchers and catchers report. Let's get to the questions.

Young teams benefit from some veteran presence. Do you foresee the White Sox extending and keeping Jose Abreu through the rebuild? -- David, Denver, @david_e_larson

I talked to Frazier late last season about the possibility of being a veteran presence on a rebuilding team and he genuinely seemed ready to embrace the role. He's an outstanding clubhouse influence and certainly could help younger players. Abreu recently released a statement through the team concerning his excitement to play with Yoan Moncada and mentor his Cuban countryman, which sounds like a player who will be with the White Sox at the very least at the outset of 2017.

But remember this rebuild is fluid, as in fluid from hour to hour, let alone week to week or month to month. If the right deal arises, either one of these veterans could be moved. There is a need for veterans in the mix, though, with this high-end youth.

Do you expect Jose Quintana to be traded before the start of the season? I'll hang up and listen. -- Reggie, Chicago, @HashTagReggie

The answer I've received from a couple of people who seem to be in the know stands as 50-50 before the start of . How's that for me being non-committal? The asking price is high and with Quintana's ability, tremendous temperament and team-friendly contract, those demands shouldn't budge.

Shouldn't Quintana get the same haul as , or 90 percent of it? Contract is very favorable. -- Paul, Chicago, @cronebender

See the above answer, Paul. In a word, absolutely, without a doubt.

Any free agent, one-year-deals on Rick Hahn's radar? -- Joe, Elk Grove Village, Ill., @joeybats5

While all the focus, all the fan adrenaline and buzz, comes from the top prospects added, the White Sox still plan to field a Major League roster in 2017. A number of power bats remain available, and the White Sox could add one at the right price into the designated hitter mix.

Do you see Moncada as the White Sox Opening Day second baseman? -- Tim, Chicago, @TimBingham21

I do not. I see Moncada's arrival to mean he's in the Majors to stay, barring anything unexpected. My guess would be more midseason or a bit earlier.

With all the arms the White Sox have now, should trades focus on position players or just best package available? -- Charles, @RUN_CBC

Trades should focus on the best players available, and remember, the White Sox have thoroughly researched who they are targeting. It's not like they are going through MLBPipeline's Top 30 Prospect lists for each team and yelling out "Oh, yeah. I forgot about him." As the old adage goes, a team can never have enough pitching.

With eye on long term, White Sox build for 2016 Offseason makeover has set South Siders on different course By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | December 30th, 2016

CHICAGO -- The White Sox have a long-term goal of contending for, and hopefully winning, numerous World Series championships.

In order to reach that goal, they will be taking a new approach during the 2017 season. The South Siders started what many believed to be a long overdue rebuild by trading Chris Sale, one of the game's top starting pitchers, to Boston, and by trading multi-threat outfielder to Washington during the Winter Meetings.

Their return of seven solid prospects, including MLBPipeline.com's No. 1 player in Yoan Moncada and No. 1 pitcher in , instantly jumped Chicago's Minor League system from outside the Top 20 to inside the Top 10. The White Sox also started building up much-needed depth in the farm system. 2016 Year in Review

And the process has only just begun. With this rebuild firmly in mind, here's a look at five big questions to be answered about the 2017 season.

1. How deep is the rebuild? The White Sox could supply a frontline starter such as Jose Quintana or a power-hitting third baseman such as Todd Frazier or a steady closer in David Robertson to a team more likely to contend in '17 or '18, but only if their often-times lofty demands are met in return.

General manager Rick Hahn proved in the Sale and Eaton deals there will be no settling in regard to the prospects received. In a case such as Quintana, teams not only would add an All-Star hurler but also a pitcher under favorable team control through 2020 with a pair of team options.

2. Who will catch? One of the glaring openings on the roster is behind the plate. , the team's top pick in the 2016 Draft, remains one or two years away as he refines his catching craft, while Omar Narvaez earned a roster spot with a strong finish to '16, but he probably isn't considered the starter.

Free agents could deliver a year or two until Collins is ready, while providing veteran guidance for Collins. A catcher also could come via trade. 3. When will top prospects arrive? There's rarely been a time when the White Sox held back prospects if they were deemed ready to compete at the big league level. See Sale or Carlos Rodon as prime examples. But some promotions have looked a little rushed or forced, and Hahn already has made it clear current prospects won't be brought up because there might be an opening at fifth starter or at catcher, as examples.

Moncada, Giolito and pitcher Reynaldo Lopez already have a small amount of big league experience, and they figure to be the fastest arrivals from the rebuild moves. Even in this instance, though, it could be a few months into the season. Keep an eye on , the team's 21-year-old closer of the future and 26th pick overall last year, who could break camp with the team or reach the Majors at some point in April.

4. Will Rick Renteria make a difference? Renteria already has earned rave reviews for his offseason work and the energy brought to the team. Players are familiar with him from one year as bench coach, and he has rebuild experience from his managerial campaign with the Cubs.

5. Can Rodon become a rotation stalwart? Rodon, the third overall selection in the 2014 Draft, had a 4.67 ERA at the end of July last season but produced a 3.11 ERA over his final 11 starts, covering 66 2/3 innings. Rodon fanned 70 and walked 20 during that stretch, so signs of dominance and -- more importantly -- consistency existed for the southpaw.

A similar finish took place for Rodon in '15, but remember, the 24-year-old has 51 starts of experience in his career. If Quintana is moved, Rodon could become the team's Opening Day starter. But as part of this rebuild, the pressure won't exactly be intense in '17 as Rodon continues to develop his changeup and command, while developing as a pitcher.

White Sox look to focus on positives in 2016 With some top prospects acquired in trades, club starts rebuilding phase in ’17 By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | December 28th, 2016

CHICAGO -- A number of positive results transpired for the White Sox during the 2016 season.

Jose Quintana became an All-Star for the first time in his steady career, often bordering on spectacular, while the southpaw also notched a career-best 13 wins, a 3.20 ERA and 181 over 208 innings. 2016 Year in Review

Chris Sale topped the Majors with six complete games, reaching All-Star status for a fifth straight season, while striking out 233 in a career-high 226 2/3 innings.

Jose Abreu produced at least a .290 average with 25 homers and 100 RBIs for the third straight Major League season since coming from Cuba. Third baseman Todd Frazier reached 40 home runs for the first time in his career and logged 98 RBIs. Adam Eaton played Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field from start to finish.

So how did these strong efforts add up for the White Sox?

The sum of the parts were not close to greater than the individual accomplishments, as the South Siders finished 78-84 and 16 1/2 games back in a fourth-place finish in the American League Central. The managerial situation changed from Robin Ventura to bench coach Rick Renteria after the campaign, and the direction changed via trades of Sale and Eaton after general manager Rick Hahn described his team as "mired in mediocrity" late in the season.

Here's a look at some of the top storylines from 2016, which marked a fourth straight sub-.500 season for the White Sox.

1. Let the rebuild begin White Sox fans searched for a puff of white smoke coming from Guaranteed Rate Field or any sort of sign to indicate the team's direction. That answer arrived at the Winter Meetings when the White Sox traded Sale to the Red Sox for an elite four-prospect return including infielder Yoan Moncada and hard-throwing right-hander .

The club then shipped Eaton to the Nationals for right-handers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning. These were trades built for the future, as in 2018 and '19 more so than '17, even if a few of these projected Minor League standouts get to the Majors this season.

"It's a weird feeling. Mixed emotions. You never like parting ways with stalwarts on this roster like Chris Sale and Adam Eaton," Hahn said. "At the same time, it's nice to feel good about the first steps in our plan and the return which we received."

This rebuilding process remains ongoing. More trades are possible in January, during Spring Training, at the non-waiver Trade Deadline or into next offseason.

2. Sale(ing) away Eaton played an important part of the White Sox offense and defense for three seasons, but with all due respect to the team's catalyst, Sale's departure falls in a category by itself. The White Sox selected Sale 13th overall in the 2010 MLB Draft, promoted him to the bullpen two months later, moved him into the starting rotation in '12 and agreed to a five-year, $32.5 million deal in Spring Training '13.

Sale developed into one of the best pitchers in baseball and in team history. He also emerged as the face of the franchise.

"He was excited about the chance to potentially go win something with Boston, which you have to respect," Hahn said. "We wished him well, but he was very considerate and appreciative for what the organization had done for him."

"You don't know how long you are going to have guys, you just never do," White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. "But while they are under the care, it's important to me that we maximize what they are able to do, and I feel comfortable that certainly happened with Chris Sale."

3. Ventura out; Renteria in Ventura's final season of a five-year tenure certainly was an eventful one. Adam LaRoche unexpectedly retired during Spring Training over a disagreement with executive vice president Ken Williams on restricted team access for LaRoche's son, Drake, leading to a strong player reaction. Sale had an issue with wearing a throwback jersey on a night he was scheduled to pitch, leading to the destruction of said jerseys and his ensuing five-game suspension, and on the field, the team started strong and then faded immediately thereafter. Ultimately, Ventura's contract ended after the '16 campaign, and he decided not to return.

Renteria, who dealt with a rebuild as the Cubs manager in '14, served as White Sox bench coach this past season. He's an energetic teacher who should benefit the team at its current construction. "It goes back to me handling the job with whomever it is that we have available to us and trying to get the most out of those guys that we have," Renteria said.

4. What happened? Frazier launched a 12th-inning grand slam off of the Rangers' Cesar Ramos on May 9 to give the White Sox an 8-4 victory. At that point, they were 23-10 and held a six-game lead in the division. While the White Sox weren't quite as good as that impressive start, they didn't foresee going 10-26 over the next 36 games. Key injuries and shortcomings on offense stood as a few of the significant problems contributing to the downfall.

5. Anderson arrives Carlos Lee, Aaron Rowand and Joe Crede would qualify as the last homegrown position players who made a consistent impact. But , the team's top pick in the 2013 Draft who debuted on June 10, gave the White Sox fans hope that a shortstop had been found for years to come. Anderson fanned 117 times against 13 walks, but he hit .283 with 37 extra-base hits in total and played solid defense.

Bonus: Triple their pleasure The White Sox turned three triple plays, or make that four if a Cactus League tri-killing is added. One of them came on April 22 at home against the Rangers, of the 9-3-2-6-2-5.

Source: Robertson not part of Yanks/Sox talks By Cash Kruth / MLB.com | December 28th, 2016

The Hot Stove started to buzz on Tuesday when a report circulated that the Yankees and White Sox have discussed a trade that would send left-hander Jose Quintana and closer David Robertson to New York. However, a source told MLB.com that those talks have not really progressed and that the report is overstating the seriousness of the discussions.

USA Today reported Tuesday morning that New York was interested in acquiring both Quintana and Robertson from the White Sox, who would eat a portion of the $25 million remaining on Robertson's deal. The New York Post later reported that the Yankees have not discussed acquiring both players. The clubs have not commented on the reports.

The Yankees have been one of a handful of teams linked to the 27-year-old Quintana, who's under club control through 2020. A source told MLB.com on Tuesday it's "50/50" Quintana will be dealt before the start of Spring Training, but reiterated the team's asking price for Quintana remains high, especially with the prospect package it received from Boston in exchange for Chris Sale.

Robertson has also been on the trade market, but the Tuesday morning report of the White Sox eating a portion of Robertson's salary isn't a move they typically make. And in this instance, adding Robertson to a potential Quintana deal without eating money would lessen the return, which defeats the rebuild purpose. Robertson has a 3.44 ERA and 71 saves in two seasons with Chicago since signing a four-year, $46 million deal before the 2015 season.

Righty White Sox prospect Hansen ‘special’ By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | December 26th, 2016

CHICAGO -- One word described the impression made by Alec Hansen during his debut in the White Sox organization last season.

"Special. He's special," said Matt Zaleski, who was Hansen's pitching coach at Great Falls of the Rookie level Pioneer League during the 2016 campaign. "His stuff is pretty much off the charts."

By the letter of the law, Zaleski's description surpassed one word. But the general idea quickly becomes clear: the team's second-round pick in the 2016 Draft out of Oklahoma pretty much overwhelmed the competition.

Hansen, Chicago's No. 14 prospect as ranked by MLBPipeline.com, made three appearances for the Arizona Rookie League team, with the right-hander yielding one hit over seven innings and striking out 11. He raised the bar at Great Falls with 12 hits and 12 walks allowed over 36 2/3 innings to go with 59 strikeouts. Against Idaho Falls on Aug. 5, Hansen struck out 11 while giving up one hit in six innings. Against Ogden on Aug. 16, Hansen threw five hitless innings. And on Aug. 21, Helena managed one hit in six innings as Hansen knocked down 13.

After going through '16 struggles to the tune of a 5.40 ERA with the Sooners, Hansen looked more like the first overall pick that he was projected to be immediately following the 2015 Draft.

"It was great. It was definitely a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be," a confident Hansen told MLB.com at the end of instructional league action. "I know it's not always that fun. But that was my biggest surprise.

"Definitely I feel like I put a little more pressure on myself than I needed to [at Oklahoma]. All the expectations just kind of got to me when I had struggled a little bit and made it worse than it really could have been. But it's fun learning from people who have been there and people who have a lot of experience and know what they are talking about."

This Hansen development concluded with a 2.45 ERA over two starts at Kannapolis. Actually, it ended back in Arizona, with Hansen focusing primarily on his changeup during the instructional league. With a fastball getting up in the 98-mph range and a solid breaking ball already in place, the changeup remains a necessity for Hansen to succeed at the highest level.

"We'd like it a couple of miles slower," said Zaleski, who also watched him in instructional league play. "But the location of it and all that kind of stuff was pretty dang good."

"You really have to be able to throw strikes and not just throw the ball over the plate, but be able to locate it a little bit," Hansen said. "Also have a secondary pitch. That was the biggest thing for me. [Opposing hitters] are good at finding the pitch they want to hit and putting a good swing on it."

Fans already have begun thinking about how quickly the 6-foot-7 Hansen can reach the Majors. They also are dreaming of a future rotation involving some combination of Carlos Rodon, Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, Reynaldo Lopez, Carson Fulmer and Hansen -- the pot of gold at the end of the rebuilding rainbow.

But the 22-year-old presently focuses on his upcoming full season of , when he's not testing out a set of new golf clubs he received for his birthday in October. Hansen proved to be a good teammate who carries himself with special authority on the mound.

He's infinitely coachable, making it easier for White Sox player development to take the baton from scouting.

"Our coaches and amateur scouts did a hell of a job on this one. It showed a nice symbiotic relationship between amateur scouting and player development," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "He's had a great year and deserves a world of credit for being open to the [changeup]."

White Sox scout creates ‘Miracles’ for kids Tumminia’s non-profit organization introduces baseball to children across globe By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | December 23rd, 2016

CHICAGO -- Following the 2018 season, when John Tumminia will be 66 years of age, the longtime White Sox scout plans to retire.

A logical jump would be for Tumminia to move full time into Baseball Miracles, the labor of love and non- profit charitable endeavor he began about five years ago. But here's the only problem with that logic: Tumminia already delivers a full-time commitment to Baseball Miracles while working for the White Sox. "It's an everyday, 24/7 thing, really," Tumminia said. "We have a pretty dynamic, growing and progressive foundation right now."

"The expression on the kids' faces is like a light bulb," White Sox scout John Tumminia said. (BaseballMiracles.org)

To pull from the holiday theme at this time of year, Tumminia is a thin version of Santa, and his gift to many is baseball. Through Baseball Miracles, 10 clinics have taken place around the world.

Tumminia proudly lists off some of the locales: Honduras, Kenya and two in South Africa, to name a few. A clinic in New Orleans has been scheduled for August 2017 after the non-waiver Trade Deadline -- Tumminia figures to be busy with his scouting duties until then.

Argentina is on the docket for the first or second week of next November, with Ethiopia and the South Bronx penciled in for 2018. These clinics usually encompass three days, with the focus getting kids of all ages, often those from areas with economic and/or environmental disadvantages, interested in the basics of the game at no cost to them.

White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has helped Tumminia with contributions ranging from financial assistance to gloves, tees, bats and balls. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle, with whom Tumminia became good friends through baseball, recently joined the organization's advisory board.

"It's satisfaction guaranteed on both sides of the fence," Tumminia said. "We have two teams [of workers] now, so one team will go to New Orleans and another team will go to Argentina. We have about 18 or 19 on our staff, and all are volunteers."

The clinics bring out, on average, 225 boys and girls, according to Tumminia, and the group in Kenya included 400. Thirty years of Tumminia's life have been spent as a professional scout, but he spent just as much time working for the Department of Corrections in New York.

Tumminia retired from that position eight years ago, but his work in three maximum-security prisons pushed Tumminia toward developing Baseball Miracles as much as his love for baseball did.

"I saw a lot of these men locked up for 25, 50, 100 years in a maximum-security jail," Tumminia said. "I saw guys who were talented and had ability and could have gone somewhere.

"So I said to myself that there were a lot of kids who could get a taste of baseball. They could get an opportunity to learn the game around the world and maybe do something with the game, do something with themselves, unlike a lot of these inmates who resorted to drugs, robbery and murder and got locked up in a penitentiary for the rest of their lives.

"My thought was, 'I have to go out now and do something, make a contribution in our society,'" Tumminia said. "I felt very energetic about it, and my wife was my biggest supporter. She kept pushing me in the direction to do it at times when I was going to back off. I don't have the words to explain. … The expression on the kids' faces is like a light bulb."

Why Hawk Harrelson wants to call White Sox games for 4 more years By Staff / CSN Chicago | December 27th, 2016

Hawk Harrelson reduced his workload as White Sox broadcaster in 2016. But don't expect him to leave the booth anytime soon.

Harrelson joined CSN's Chuck Garfien on the White Sox Talk Podcast and discussed, among other topics, his future with the team. Harrelson told Garfien that he plans to be the White Sox broadcaster for four more years. And there's a specific reason.

"I'd like to go four more years. I’d like to go to 2020 because that would put me in a category that not many guys have reached. I know Vin Scully has been there, Don Zimmer, Dave Garcia and maybe a couple others, but if I go to 2020 that would put me in a category of being in baseball for eight decades. And the reason I want to do this is for my grandchildren. That would be nice for them to have a grandfather who was in baseball for parts of eight decades, and if I go to 2020 that would put me in that category.

"Seven is not bad, but eight is something special."

Harrelson also discussed his thoughts on the White Sox rebuild, as well as the round of golf he played with umpire Joe West on the Podcast. You can listen to the entire interview right here.

Report: Talks between White Sox and Yankees feature Jose Quintana, David Robertson By Staff / CSN Chicago | December 27th, 2016

The Yankees' interest in White Sox All-Star starting pitcher Jose Quintana has been reported numerous times throughout the past week or more. But are the Bronx Bombers interested in another South Side pitcher, as well?

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, trade talks between the White Sox and Yankees include not only Quintana but also closer David Robertson, who joined the White Sox as a free agent after spending seven seasons with the Yankees.

Robertson has spent the past two seasons on the South Side, posting a 3.44 ERA and notching 71 saves in 125 2/3 innings over 122 appearances. He has two seasons remaining on the free-agent contract he signed ahead of the 2015 season.

Robertson worked for a long time as a stellar setup man with the Yankees, earning an All-Star nod in 2011, a season in which he finished 11th in Cy Young voting and 22nd in MVP voting after posting a pencil-thin 1.08 ERA in 70 games. He moved to closer and saved 39 games for the Yankees in 2014.

Quintana's credentials are well known after he turned the best year in his young career last season. Quintana made the American League All-Star team and finished the campaign with career bests in wins (13), ERA (3.20) and strikeouts (181).

Given Quintana's age and team-friendly contract, he's expected to be able to fetch quite a haul, not dissimilar to what White Sox general manager Rick Hahn landed for Chris Sale and Adam Eaton from the and Washington Nationals, respectively.

Hahn acquired a bevy of top prospects in those deals, including the current Nos. 1 and 3 prospects in baseball: Yoan Moncada and Lucas Giolito.

The Yankees also possess some of the highest-rated prospects in the game, including four of the top 22, per MLB.com: outfielder Clint Frazier, shortstop Gleyber Torres, infielder Jorge Mateo and outfielder Aaron Judge.

Report: Pirates – Owners of two top-10 prospects – trying to trade for Jose Quintana By Staff / CSN Chicago | December 23rd, 2016

Add another team to the list.

It's no surprise that White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana is drawing interest from multiple clubs. The are reportedly one of them, an intriguing possibility considering their loaded farm system.

But so too are the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, who reported this week that the Bucs are trying to pull off a deal for the All-Star lefty.

Much like the Yankees, the Pirates have a number of players ranked among baseball's top prospects, which should make them an appealing trade partner for a White Sox team trying to load up on young talent like they did in trades with the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals.

The Pirates have two of the top-10 prospects in baseball, per MLB.com's rankings: pitcher Tyler Glasnow (No. 8) and outfielder Austin Meadows (No. 9). First baseman Josh Bell is ranked 20th, and he logged 45 games with the big league club last season. Shortstop Kevin Newman (No. 42) and pitcher Mitch Keller (No. 72) are also ranked in the top 100.

Quintana, just 27 years old and on a team-friendly contract, would figure to fetch a big return. And with Rick Hahn already sending Chris Sale to the Red Sox and Adam Eaton to the Nationals this offseason in a pair of deals that gave the White Sox two of the three top prospects in baseball — infielder Yoan Moncada and pitcher Lucas Giolito — it wouldn't be a surprise to see the general manager try to further bolster the farm system.

Why the Yankees are the perfect trade partner for White Sox Jose Quintana By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | December 21st, 2016

Recent reports suggest the prospect-hungry White Sox received a recent inquiry from the New York Yankees about the availability of All-Star pitcher Jose Quintana.

According to one analyst, there’s nobody that general manager Rick Hahn would rather hear from than Yankees counterpart Brian Cashman when it comes to the possibility of trading Quintana, who is affordably signed through 2020 and has produced 18.1 Wins Above Replacement the past four seasons, according to fangraphs.com. Not only might the Yankees need Quintana now more than ever, MLB.com’s Jim Callis opines, they possess the top farm system in baseball and could absorb the high cost.

A first-time All-Star in 2016, Quintana has received similar hot stove attention to Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, each of whom was included in a blockbuster trade at the Winter Meetings earlier this month. The Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates have also reportedly shown interest in Quintana, one of baseball’s most productive starting pitchers over the past four seasons. Set to earn $36.85 million through 2020 if both his team options are exercised, Quintana could be worth as much as Sale.

While Callis said on CSNChicago.com’s most recent White Sox Talk podcast that he isn’t certain New York would part with shortstop Gleyber Torres, the club has three other top prospects (all are ranked in the Top 22 on MLB.com’s current top 100) around which to build a package.

“If I’m Rick Hahn, I want to be talking to Brian Cashman about Jose Quintana,” Callis said. “That would be the No. 1 team to matchup with because of need, desperation, value prospects they have. You could make a really nice deal there.”

The White Sox have already done extremely well with the returns for Sale and Eaton, who brought back seven prospects, including four currently ranked in MLB.com’s Top 30 (Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Michael Kopech).

Though he doesn’t possess the same arsenal as Sale, Quintana has a 3.35 ERA since 2013 and one more year left on his deal than Boston Red Sox ace, who is signed through 2019. That extra season could have Quintana in the same value range as Sale, who netted Moncada, the top position player prospect in the majors, Kopech, who has drawn comparisons to Noah Syndergaard, toolsy outfielder Luis Basabe and pitcher Luis Diaz, who has a good fastball.

Hahn and the White Sox have attached a premium price to Quintana and aren’t inclined to deal him unless its met. With five of seven prospects acquired being pitchers, its believed the White Sox would like to acquire another big bat and are more focused on position players.

Five of the Yankees’ top six prospects are position players, including, Torres, outfielders Clint Frazier, Aaron Judge and and infielder Jorge Mateo. Rutherford is ranked as the No. 51 prospect in MLB.com’s Top 100 and the rest are in the Top 22.

While the Yankees need another starting pitcher, speculation continues that the club may prefer to hang onto its top prospects, many of whom were acquired last July in trades for Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman and Carlos Beltran. The general message out of New York has remained consistent the past six months: The Yankees like their farm system and aren’t too eager to dip into it.

Still, Callis thinks the club could feel more pressure to make a move. Not only are the Red Sox with Sale a strong contender for the pennant, the Yankees have only a 2015 wild card loss to Houston to show for the past four seasons. The team’s lack of success could hurt both its cable ratings and its ability to draw fans. Even if the Yankees have to pay the premium for Quintana, Callis thinks the system is deep enough to handle such a move.

The entire scenario has Hahn in a good place.

“That’d be the perfect team to engage because I think the Yankees have the best farm system right now and the deepest,” Callis said. “The Yankees can make that trade and still have a good farm system and really improve their big league club.

“I do think teams value their prospects, but they also value winning. You’ve got to catch a team in the right cycle. Just using the Yankees for example, yes they went out an acquired prospects. But viewership on the YES Network was down. And if the Yankees aren’t winning, people aren’t going to pay for the YES Network. They have to win.”

“What they did was good for the long-term future of the franchise. But if the Yankees win 80 games this year and miss the playoffs again — they’re not going to be able to keep doing that. They’re going to go all in and start trading these guys.”

Alex Avila back with Tigers after one season with White Sox By Staff / Chicago Tribune | December 24th, 2016

Alex Avila got a present of sorts, indirectly from his father, and will host a celebration this weekend with his family minus any potential baseball-related drama.

The Detroit Tigers brought back Avila to play behind starting catcher James McCann, giving him a $2 million, one-year contract.

Avila's father, Al Avila, is Detroit's general manager.

"I don't think he was even part of negotiations," the younger Avila told The Associated Press on Friday night.

Alex Avila spent this year with the Chicago White Sox, then became a free agent for the second straight offseason. Avila said the deal came together between his agent, Matt Laird, and assistant general manager John Westhoff.

"Westhoff contacted my agent and expressed an interest and the last few days, I haven't really slept much because I'm so excited," he said. "I'm sure my dad was involved at some point. Now that it's done, I talked to him and we'll be together at my house in Florida this weekend. And, we'll have something other than Christmas to celebrate."

Al Avila let his son get away as a free agent last year, and now the organization he leads is putting him back on the roster. The Tigers designated right-hander Angel Nesbitt for assignment to clear a spot.

Detroit drafted Avila in 2008 and he hit .242 with 66 homers and 282 RBIs with the Tigers from 2009-15. Avila had career highs in 2011 with a .295 batting average, 19 homers and 82 RBIs, earning his only All- Star selection.

"Alex is a left-handed hitter who has some pop in his bat," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "We like his ability to catch and throw, his familiarity with the organization and his leadership qualities, which makes him an asset to the ballclub."

The 29-year-old Avila played in 57 games for the Chicago White Sox this year, hitting .213 with seven homers and 11 RBIs. He can make an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses based on starts at catcher: $100,000 each for 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100.

"I'll be backing up James and doing whatever I can to help the team win," he said. "I might even play some first place to give Miguel (Cabrera) a break and I'll catch whenever Brad wants me to catch. I love Detroit and I'm really excited to be in that clubhouse and playing with those guys again."

Deck the Hauls: Quintana deal would adorn Sox’ prospect list By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | December 27th, 2016

The White Sox are only two trades into their rebuild, and already they have climbed in organizational prospect rankings from a bottom-10 outfit to top-10 material.

First, the Sox sent five-time All-Star Chris Sale to the Red Sox for infielder Yoan Moncada, right-hander Michael Kopech, outfielder and right-hander Victor Diaz. Then, they sent outfielder Adam Eaton to the Nationals for right-handers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning.

Baseball America’s recently released top-10 list for Sox prospects looks as follows, with only four holdovers in it. Six of the aforementioned seven prospects acquired are on the list, including the top three and four of the top five:

1. Moncada, 2B-3B

2. Giolito, RHP

3. Lopez, RHP

4. Zack Collins, C

5. Kopech, RHP

6. Zack Burdi, RHP

7. Basabe, OF

8. Carson Fulmer, RHP

9. Spencer Adams, RHP

10. Dunning, RHP

The bottom two on the list stand to be dropped off if and when general manager Rick Hahn trades his other prime chip, left-hander Jose Quintana, 27. The Sox have discussed Quintana, a remarkably steady and consistent No. 2 starter since 2013 and an All-Star in 2016, with the Astros, Pirates, Yankees and Braves, all of whom are equipped with enough prospects to make a deal.

While the Quintana trade rumors have churned of late, some of it stems from discussions that are now weeks old. What’s known is that Hahn won’t pull the trigger on a trade until he receives a return that’s comparable to what he garnered for Sale and Eaton.

He said as much after those trades, knowing Quintana’s value, barring an injury or poor start to 2017, also will be rich during the season. Such trades likely will go down next offseason, as well.

Quintana’s value stems from his age, performance and contract. He has thrown at least 200 innings in each of the last four seasons, and he has had ERAs of 3.51, 3.32, 3.36 and 3.20. His team-friendly deal calls for $7 million in 2017 and $8.85 million in 2018 with club options for $10.5 million in 2019 and 2020.

Meanwhile, a trade market also exists for closer David Robertson and third baseman Todd Frazier. Robertson has two years left on his four-year, $46 million contract, which looks more affordable after Aroldis Chapman (five years, $86 million) and Kenley Jansen (five years, $80 million) signed. And Frazier can become a free agent for the first time after next season.

The Sox aim to stockpile as many top-tier prospects as they can, let it all shake out for the next two or three years and see a significant percentage of them meld with young holdovers such as left-hander Carlos Rodon and shortstop Tim Anderson to produce a deeper roster than they have had.

“This is just the start of what’s going to be a long process,’’ Hahn said after trading Sale and Eaton. “Just because we want it done quickly doesn’t mean it’s going to get done quickly. We have to react to the market, react to our players’ value, react to how our players develop.’’

Is Raines’ long wait for Hall of Fame finally over? By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | December 26th, 2016

Is the 10th time going to be the charm for Tim Raines?

In his 10th -- and final -- year on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot, early returns indicate Raines is finally going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The prolific leadoff hitter was at U.S. Cellular Field (now known as Guaranteed Rate Field) last May, and Raines was feeling fairly confident about his Hall of Fame chances.

"This is probably the first year that I really, really feel like I have a chance," said Raines, who played for the Chicago White Sox from 1991-95. "I was 23 votes away last year. Up until that point I thought about it, when people asked me about it, and the only thing I wanted to see was how many votes I got. But this year, realizing I was only 23 votes away, I think about it a lot more than I ever have in the past."

Raines was a seven-time all star over a career spent with the Montreal Expos, White Sox, New York Yankees and Oakland A's.

The switch-hitting outfielder has a .294/.385/.425 career slash line and his 808 stolen bases are the fifth- highest total in history.

"I had a really great career," Raines said. "I know it personally. I wouldn't change a thing. I loved every minute of playing the game. It's just a situation now where I have an opportunity to close that chapter of my career. Hopefully, it's getting in.

"If I don't, it's not the end of the world. But I just know the things that I did on the field, I enjoyed doing them and I'm sure the fans that cheered for me and cheered against me enjoyed seeing me doing the things that I did. I would love for it (Hall of Fame induction) to happen. It would be something that I never really thought of when I first started playing the game, or even when I finished playing the game."

Raines is on my ballot again, as are and Trevor Hoffman.

After taking another look, I'm adding Mike Mussina and Edgar Martinez.

Mussina has 270 career wins, a 3.68 ERA and he threw 200 or more innings 11 times in his 18-year career. Those are statistics worthy of Cooperstown.

Martinez gets knocked for primarily being a designated hitter, but he was a great one. His career slash line of .312/.418/.515 is good enough to get my vote.

Guerrero is on the HOF ballot for the first time and he's not likely to garner the 75 percent of the vote needed for induction.

Regardless, Guerrero had a Hall of Fame career in my eyes, slashing .318/.379/.553 with 449 home runs and 1,496 RBI.

Bruce Miles breaks down his Hall of Fame picks:

For the past several years, I had been going by the old Rolling Stones adage of "time is on my side" when it came to the "Steroids Era" and the Hall of Fame. I had withheld my vote from players such as Bonds and Clemens because I wanted to hear more from them.

My time is up.

With the recent election of former Commissioner Bud Selig to the Hall of Fame, Bonds and Clemens must join him on stage.

That's only fitting since Selig was the commissioner during the "Steroids Era," and he and the game profited mightily from the exploits of players who might have been juiced up. In other words, why should the best of those players be on the inside looking out when Selig will be honored in Cooperstown come July?

Bonds and Clemens, two of the most prominent former players whose names were linked to steroids, will get my vote for the first time this year. Maybe they all deserve each other anyway, but glory for one should be glory for all.

As for the others, Raines was the best leadoff hitter not named Rickey Henderson. For me, first-timers Guerrero and Rodriguez are no-brainers.

Scot Gregor's ballot

• Tim Raines • Jeff Bagwell • Trevor Hoffman • Mike Mussina • Vladimir Guerrero • Edgar Martinez

Bruce Miles' ballot

• Jeff Bagwell • Barry Bonds • Roger Clemens • Vladimir Guerrero • Trevor Hoffman • Edgar Martinez • Mike Mussina • Tim Raines • Ivan Rodriguez • Lee Smith

3 teams that might take White Sox’s high price for Quintana By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | December 21st, 2016

For major-league teams committed to a serious rebuild, what's better than acquiring high-end prospects?

Acquiring more high-end prospects.

The Chicago White Sox did quite well for themselves earlier this month when they started trading away veterans for young pieces.

They got Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz from the Boston Red Sox for Chris Sale, and they got Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning from the Washington Nationals for Adam Eaton.

According to MLB.com, Moncada is the White Sox's No. 1 prospect, Giolito is No. 2, Kopech is No. 3, Lopez is No. 4, Basabe is No. 9 and Dunning is No. 10.

"I definitely think it's amazing to be coming over to the White Sox with a bunch of young talent," Giolito said. "It's a great opportunity for us all to develop and get better and hopefully put a really good team together in Chicago."

Trading Sale and Eaton gave the White Sox's moribund farm system needed life and provides a new kind of hope for the future.

As an added bonus for fans of the rebuild, Sox general manager Rick Hahn has made it quite clear he's not finished dealing.

Jose Quintana is still on the market, and the No. 2 starter behind erstwhile ace Sale is attracting plenty of attention that should eventually bring even more prospects to the White Sox.

Here are the three teams rumored to be most interested in Quintana:

Pirates

After three straight playoff appearances, Pittsburgh finished 78-83 last season, 25 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central.

The Pirates are looking to bolster their rotation and adding Quintana -- who has a combined 3.35 ERA over the last four seasons and is owed only $15.85 million over the next two years with club options of $10.5 million in 2019 and '20 -- would instantly address that need.

Like Sale and Eaton, the Sox are asking a lot for Quintana. That means Pittsburgh would have to part with outfielder Austin Meadows, their top positional prospect, Tyler Glasnow, their top pitching prospect who made it to the majors last season, and either first baseman Josh Bell, who projects as a designated hitter, or shortstop Kevin Newman.

The Pirates have been hoarding their young talent for years, so that philosophy has to change if they want a top-end starter like Quintana.

Astros

Houston has been extremely active this off-season, trading for catcher Brian McCann and signing free agents Josh Reddick and Carlos Beltran.

That adds more muscle to an already potent lineup, but the Astros still have a glaring need for a starting pitcher.

Naturally, they are interested in Quintana, and Peter Gammons reported the White Sox are asking for Francis Martes, Kyle Tucker and .

Martes is Houston's No. 1 prospect and Tucker is ranked No. 2. Musgrove made it to the majors last season and was 4-4 with a 4.06 ERA.

The problem with this potential trade pairing? Martes and Musgrove are starting pitchers, and the Sox have already landed Giolito, Lopez, Kopech and Dunning.

Tucker is a 19-year-old outfielder with power potential.

Yankees

Is Quintana headed back to the Bronx?

That is entirely up to the Yankees, who actually lost Quintana to the White Sox as a minor-league free agent in 2011.

New York is loaded with prospects and can offer the Sox young talent like outfielders Clint Frazier, Aaron Judge and Blake Rutherford, shortstop Gleyber Torres (acquired from the Cubs for Aroldis Chapman) and infielder Jorge Mateo.

As 2016 comes to a close, White Sox look toward uncertain future By James Fegan / The Athletic | December 27th, 2016

By the time 2017 rolls around on the South Side, most of the exciting trades that have begun to stock the White Sox farm system will have already come to pass, and the thrill of perusing the new names on their top prospect list will have become the new routine.

Seeing the White Sox minor league system mentioned as the strongest in the game will come closer to feeling like a birthright and less like the most bizarre thing on Earth.

But there will also be losing. Barring some unforeseen spin on the rebuilding strategy, the Sox’s investments in the major league team will be downgraded to giving chances to post-hype prospects, long- time organizational soldiers, and a heaping dose of the best talent on the and Birmingham Barons, whose potential is dwarfed by that of all their new trade additions.

As an intellectual exercise, it might be kind of thrilling. Anyone with a modicum of curiosity about what Tyler Saladino, Carlos Sanchez, Leury Garcia, Omar Narvaez, Rymer Liriano, Charlie Tilson, , Jacob May, Jason Coats, or even still Avisail Garcia could do with an extended opportunity will likely have that itch scratched and then some.

Lefty pitcher Derek Holland is the first of surely many veteran reclamation projects the Sox will play host to, and anyone curious whether James Shields can possibly recover from 2016 is likely to get a clear answer as well. Those without such a curious spirit will probably just lament a team that will frequently struggle to compete, and even those who praised the clear direction of a rebuild will find the foibles of the 2017 team tiresome at some point.

This new White Sox team is not the Cubs, and is not the Blackhawks, and will not match either of their rebuild-to-dynasty trajectory stride for stride by any means. But there is some sense that this path has been seen before in Chicago, and we can recognize its stages — even its deepest horrors — as part of process.

Whereas the 2016 Sox had their year demarcated by bizarre Chris Sale episodes and what they represented about the team at that moment, the 2017 team will mark time by rookie debuts and milestones, and small progressions toward a roster that looks like it might be a future contender.

Second-year shortstop Tim Anderson and still-budding pitcher Carlos Rodon are likely to be in tow and will provide Sox fans with something to watch right away as they develop and produce, and one of these disregarded extra pieces is bound to surprise and spark discussions on whether they too deserve to be considered as part of the future.

The Sox’s development from the ground up will be slow, grueling and often dull process. There’s a reason they avoided it for so long. There’s a reason why fan interest plummets during rebuilds, and there’s a reason why the proliferation of this strategy, and our collective acceptance of it as a tactic and the massive buyer-seller divide it has created, raises concerns about the quality of ’s product going forward. But if we just accept all that grime as a necessary step toward a brighter future, we’ll find the journey can surprise us too.

Slow trade market not worst thing for White Sox By James Fegan / The Athletic | December 22nd, 2016

The night before Chris Sale was traded, while every public report suggested mounting momentum for a deal with the Nationals, the Red Sox were silently finalizing their monster prospect package to send back to Chicago. A nearly equally large trade for Adam Eaton the very next day gave rise to the notion that the Sox would start upon a lightning stripdown of the entire core.

Instead it has been followed by two weeks of silence, which has in turn offered the opportunity to speculate how much of the 2016 team will still be on hand for Opening Day on the South Side, and what risks of losing trade value they will face.

The Yankees broke into the news this week as a possible suitor for Jose Quintana, the third and seemingly the most overlooked of the White Sox triumvirate of All-Star caliber talents locked down to hyper-affordable contracts. Jon Heyman reported the breakdown as a familiar one: the Sox asked for the Yankees’ top prospects — the jewel of their development system and the centerpiece of their plans for the future — in return for a new top of the rotation, and they blinked. It’s a big leap for one of many teams slowly coming to terms with the merits of pushing their chips in for 2017, and it was coupled with a telling revelation was that all these talks were post-mortem.

Buster Olney reported that the Yankees discussions died weeks ago, a reminder that the echoes of actual trade discussion often reach the ears of the public only after significant delay. In turn, active and ongoing discussions could be currently ongoing and only set to spill out when talks are dead or a deal is close to being done. And that’s when public reports are not just blatantly intentional leaks to manipulate the market, of course.

An oft-mentioned virtue of the White Sox rebuild is that there was no need to hurry, that even if they needed to wait a half-season or a full year to suss out major offers for Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, Jose Abreu, Nate Jones, and even David Robertson to an extent, they could still command a significant return without incurring a value penalty for offering rentals. There’s a real truth to this: in the case of Abreu and Robertson, a strong return to form to start off 2017 could boost their value.

In Quintana’s case, the Sox should not be afraid of allowing a pitcher with arguably the cleanest delivery in baseball to risk injury and kill his value by making starts for them. The massive values pulled in for selling off all of the remaining service time for Sale and Eaton should not drive them to rush resolutions for their other negotiations.

Of course, there’s value in a clarity of purpose, and it will be easier to turn the page both in terms of roster decisions and clubhouse composition if the bulk of a core that was brought in and assembled with the purpose of a playoff run is moved out and shipped off to contenders. Laboring alongside veteran reclamation projects and prospect debuts isn’t the most glorious ending imaginable for the Abreu era in Chicago, even if it might be unavoidable.

But the staggered progress of the Sox teardown and rebuild is reflective of a larger transaction market that has stalled for the second-straight year. Despite the lack of last year’s massive glut of talent, as Olney has noted, a huge chunk of the free agent crop remains unmoved nearing year’s end. Sale has been dealt and Rich Hill re-signed, but no other high-end pitchers have been moved, as there are no more in free agency and Chris Archer and Danny Duffy — perceived competitors for Quintana’s market — have thus far stayed put.

Abreu’s market figures to remain inscrutable while big bats Edwin Encarnacion and Mark Trumbo remain unclaimed, and on the opposite end of the spectrum the run on relievers market has been so frenzied and expensive (two years apiece for Daniel Hudson and Junichi Tazawa!) that the rush of dollars has fostered more hope that there could be ample demand for Robertson and Jones.

It’s not just the sounds of the Pirates still rapping at the door for Quintana that should keep confidence that the White Sox’s moment atop the trade market has not ended. Beyond short-term rentals like Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie, who may just need an injury or an under-producing starter to create a need for them, the league has not passed them by so much as dragged them along with the peculiar slowplay that is becoming typical of MLB offseasons.

As Rick Hahn said himself, the Sox would like to already have a half dozen trade press conferences in their rearview mirror, the best farm system in town and a long, thorough plan for developing and rolling out their new core. But they don’t need to be there just yet. So they should go along for the slow ride, and likely already are, even if we haven’t heard about it yet.

Leinve: White Sox pushing teams in hot pursuit of Jose Quintana By Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago | December 27th, 2016

CHICAGO (CBS) — As the sweepstakes for White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana continue, the latest is that the New York Yankees have expanded their trade talks with Chicago, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday.

In addition to Quintana, the Yankees are also interested in re-acquiring closer David Robertson in a bigger deal that would include more prospects going to the rebuilding White Sox, according to Nightengale. Robertson pitched for the Yankees from 2008-’14, and the Yankees have been one of the most interested teams in Quintana this offseason.

The impetus for the expanded deal hints at the White Sox being willing to pay some of the $25 million left on Robertson’s contract over the next two years. The Yankees picked up 11 young promising prospects in deals in the 2016 season that sent lefty reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians, closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs (he’s since been re-signed by the Yankees) and designated hitter Carlos Beltran to the Rangers. That has given the Yankees a deep farm system, and shortstop Jorge Mateo and right-hander would have to be a top priority for the White Sox in trade talks.

The news of expanded talks between the White Sox and Yankees must be looked at from many angles. First and foremost, three other teams have had serious talks with the White Sox for Quintana, who turns 28 in January. Last week, speculation had the Pirates closing in on Quintana, but it’s consumer beware on how close deals actually are to being completed. It’s common for a baseball insider for one team serving as a source putting out overstated information in order to get other teams to expand their offers.

Back at the Winter Meetings in early December, the Nationals were close to a deal to acquiring left- hander Chris Sale from the White Sox, according to a report from Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, one of the top reporters in the industry. That revelation helped prompt the Red Sox and president of baseball operations to step up their offer and add a fourth player in a deal that sent Sale from Chicago to Boston.

This dynamic is nothing new or at all unethical. It’s part of the game, with reporters passing along information from top baseball executives. Do the Yankees have interest in Quintana? Absolutely. Did the Nationals truly want to add Sale to their already-formidable rotation? Yes indeed. The way to prod a team that’s on the cusp of making a trade is to push hard on all fronts.

In Quintana, the White Sox have the most attractive, affordable left-handed pitcher available on a trade market that has no other top-of-the-rotation arms available. (That could change of the Rays decide to move any of their young starters.) For now, the White Sox are keeping the interest of the Yankees, Pirates, Astros and Rangers in the Quintana sweepstakes, and all four clubs have quality farm systems from which to offer a deal.

Quintana has a career 3.51 ERA and four straight seasons of 200-plus innings, which gives the White Sox leverage. He’s under club control for four more years at about $38 million. Robertson, who turns 32 in April, has a 2.97 career ERA.

The White Sox’s job — like the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline — is to get the best talent available by quality and quantity from contending teams. Helping the White Sox right now is that there’s no stressful deadline to meet in the offseason. Pushing prospective teams is an art form, as the addition of one more player in a trade can make a big difference in a team’s future for a decade to come.

There’s strength in numbers for the White Sox. As we know, many prospects — no matter how highly touted — will never make it in the big leagues. So the more prospects are better. That’s the job of the White Sox brass as they trade off their valuable assets in this organizational rebuild.

White Sox Scouting Director Nick Hostetler: Communication, Analytics have been key in scouting department progress By Staff / CBS Chicago | January 3rd, 2016

(CBS) Shortly after the 2015 MLB amateur draft, then-assistant White Sox scouting director Nick Hostetler sat down for a conversation with general manager Rick Hahn. While amid an eventual 76-86 season and with a disappointing 2016 season in which they tried to contend still to come, they were already mapping out an overhaul for the entire baseball operations department.

“I thought we needed to a better job of communicating, we needed to do a better job of using more of our analytics, tying that into our scouting aspect and getting the full picture of who the player is,” Hostetler said in an interview last week with Dan Bernstein on 670 The Score. “I felt those were two things that we needed to tackle and do it rather quickly. We made sure that right off the start, we did that in 2016.”

In August 2015, Hostetler was promoted to be the White Sox’s director of amateur scouting. Now a year- and-a-half later, Hostetler is in the spotlight as the White Sox have started their rebuild in earnest. In December, Chicago traded ace left-hander Chris Sale to Boston in a four-prospect package that was highlighted by second baseman Yoan Moncada, considered the top prospect in the sport by many. A few days later, the White Sox traded outfielder Adam Eaton to the Nationals for three pitching prospects, headlined by right-hander Lucas Giolito, a top-five prospect according to most outlets.

It’s Hostetler’s job now to oversee the development of those youngsters, and it’s an opportunity he’s been waiting for. He also lauded the team’s 2016 draft, which was marked by taking catcher Zack Collins and right-hander Zack Burdi in the first round.

“Our amateur scouting staff this past year, I couldn’t have been more happy with the effort they put in but the open-mindedness that they went into it with,” Hostetler said. “And I think this draft showed. I’m very proud of this draft, and I know this staff is as well.”

You can hear Hostetler’s full interview on the Boers and Bernstein audio page here, under Dec. 30, Hour 3.

Top five White Sox prospects: Giolito, Moncada spur rebuild By Jeremy Deloney / USA Today | December 31st, 2016

Throughout the offseason, USA TODAY Sports Weekly will be profiling the top five prospects from each major league team as part of its Organizational Reports series.

This week: the Chicago White Sox.

1. Lucas Giolito, RHP: The prize of the Adam Eaton trade has exceptional stuff, including a mid-90s fastball, hammer curveball and usable changeup. Though he got hit around in a short major league debut in 2016, the 22-year-old has a very high ceiling because of high potential. He could be up from Class AAA by midseason.

2. Yoan Moncada, 2B-3B: An explosive athlete who reached the majors late in 2016, Moncada likely will return to second base, where he’ll show off above-average speed (45 steals) and power potential. The 21-year-old swings aggressively but is willing to draw walks. He’ll polish his pitch recognition and defense at Class AAA.

3. Reynaldo Lopez, RHP: Small in stature but strong, Lopez pumps mid-90s fastballs with ease, but his command comes and goes. Lopez, 22, has an aggressive demeanor that seems well-suited for a late- innings role, but he’ll remain in the rotation for now, likely starting at Class AAA.

4. Michael Kopech, RHP: The tall, aggressive pitcher hits triple digits with his fastball and racks up strikeouts (86 in 561/3 innings in 2016). His fastball is explosive, and he throws a hard slider. Kopech, 20, must improve his control, starting at high Class A.

5. Carson Fulmer, RHP: Fulmer, 23, was a starter in the minors but a reliever in his White Sox debut. He has an above-average fastball and big-breaking curve. His command has been inconsistent and could lead to a full-time bullpen role. He will be in the mix for a spot on the White Sox roster.

MLB Hot Stove rumors: Yankees working on trade to get Quintana and Robertson Talks with the White Sox on a major trade are reportedly expanding By Dayn Perry / CBS Sports | December 27th, 2016

The White Sox this offseason have undertaken what's thus far been an impressive rebuild, as they netted lots of high-ceiling young talent by trading away Chris Sale to the Red Sox and Adam Eaton to the Nationals. Their biggest remaining chip is left-hander Jose Quintana, and the Yankees are known to be among those interested. Now, though, the framework of a potential Yankees-White Sox blockbuster may be expanding. Here's the dirty from Bob Nightengale of USA Today ...

David Robertson, who's going into his age-32 campaign, was of course a lockdown reliever for the Yankees before signing a free agent contract with the White Sox prior to the 2015 season. In 2016, Robertson pitched to a 3.47 ERA/116 ERA+ with a K/BB ratio of 2.34 in 62 appearances. That's a solid enough campaign, but it's well shy of what we've come to expect from Robertson. In particular, he struggled with his control, as he issued 28 unintentional walks in 62 1/3 innings. He's under contract through 2018 and owed $25 million over that span. In any order to increase their haul in any deal, the White Sox may need to throw in some cash to offset what's left on Robertson's deal, as Nightengale indicates.

As for Quintana, he's still just 27 years of age and is signed through 2018 at a total cost of just $14.35 million. His contract also includes bargain options for 2019 and 2020 ($10.5 million/$1 million buyout in each instance). The price of those options can increase if Quintana hits certain incentives, but he'll still be a bargain relative to other frontline starting pitchers.

Quintana's topped 200 innings in four straight seasons and for his career he owns an ERA+ of 118 with a K/BB ratio of 3.20. Last season for the White Sox, he pitched to a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts and struck out 181 batters against just 49 unintentional walks. The Yankees badly need some stability in a rotation that has little depth and includes injury risks like Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda. Loaded with young talent after last season's trades, the Yankees also have the capability to meet Chicago's asking price for Quintana without gutting the system.