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Home , Cuban National Series, Dane Dunning, Rick Hahn

WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF DECEMBER 12, 2016 “Giolito excited to join White Sox talent haul” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Abreu thrilled for reunion with Moncada” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Rick Hahn, White Sox prepared to make more ‘painful decisions’ if the price is right” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “ striving to contribute to White Sox ‘as soon as possible’” … Paul Roumeliotis, CSN Chicago “Lucas Giolito eager for ‘fresh’ start after humbling shot in big leagues” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Michael Kopech has big potential, but drama-free development needed” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox believe ‘five-tool’ Yoan Moncada can be impact player” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Giolito eager to impress White Sox in 2017” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Rozner: Reinsdorf will be key to White Sox rebuild” … Barry Rozner, Daily Herald “Paging Rick Hahn: Five proposed trades for the White Sox” … James Fegan, The Athletic “Levine: White Sox still set up for big trades ahead” … Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago “MLB Rumor Central: Jose Quintana asking price too much for Astros?” … Kyle Brasseur, ESPN.com “Let’s make a deal for Jose Quintana” … David Schoenfield, ESPN.com “MLB Hot Stove: White Sox, Royals moves help open the door for Tigers in AL Central” … Mike Axisa, CBS Sports

Giolito excited to join White Sox talent haul Top-ranked pitching prospect acquired in 4-player trade with Nationals By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | December 9th, 2016

CHICAGO -- A few moments existed on Monday when Lucas Giolito thought the White Sox stood as his next pitching destination as part of a high-level trade for Chris Sale.

Such is the world of social media, especially at the Winter Meetings.

Giolito ended up with the White Sox, but as part of a four-player trade Wednesday involving outfielder going to the Nationals. The 22-year-old right-hander joins seven other prospects as part of the rebuild of all rebuilds -- or at least it looks that way after two trades by Rick Hahn.

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

The Eaton trade featured right-handers Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning joining Giolito in the White Sox transition. Lopez has a small amount of Major League experience, much like Giolito, and Dunning was the Nationals' first-round selection in the 2016 Draft.

Lopez and Giolito, who have played together since '14, are pretty close, according to Giolito. Both will get fresh opportunities with the White Sox, after Lopez posted a 5-3 record with a 4.91 ERA over 11 games (six starts) and Giolito finished 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA over six games (four starts) with 11 and 12 walks in 21 1/3 innings for the Nationals last season.

At 6-foot-6, Giolito admitted sometimes his mechanics get out of whack. And during the '16 season, despite pitching well at Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse, Giolito said those mechanics were a constant struggle.

"So this year, with my training program, I've been lifting in the offseason and Pilates and everything," he said. "I'm trying to make sure I can stay as athletic as possible so I'm able to keep the right delivery more often. Once I start playing catch and doing bullpens and everything these next few weeks and right before Spring Training, make sure I put that all together so I can keep my delivery as best as possible."

Not pitching to the best of his capabilities in the big leagues served as a learning experience for Giolito. It left him believing he can help the White Sox in 2017. Of course, Giolito was ready to help the Nationals at the start of the week. But things change suddenly this time of year, even for the top-rated pitching prospect per MLBPipeline.com.

"I was trying to focus on what I'm doing this offseason, which is lifting and all of my workouts, and just kind of whatever happens, happens," Giolito said of his attitude this week. "It's funny that Sale ended up going to the Red Sox and then something else happened that I'm going to the White Sox now along with a couple of teammates.

"Really interesting stuff, but I'm super excited. I'm just really looking forward to making it up in the big leagues with the White Sox and contributing as soon as possible."

Abreu thrilled for reunion with Moncada Slugger issues statement welcoming Cuban teammate to White Sox By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | December 9th, 2016

CHICAGO -- Jose Abreu is as excited to have Yoan Moncada as part of the White Sox as the euphoric White Sox fan base.

"I am very happy about the White Sox acquisition of Yoan Moncada," Abreu said through translator Billy Russo in a statement released by the White Sox on Friday. "I'm proud because I played with him in [in ], I was his captain, and now we are going to play together again.

"He is a very talented player. It will be an honor to work with, guide and support him."

Abreu and Moncada played together in Cuba during the 2012 season. The switch-hitting Moncada ranks as the No. 1 prospect in the game per MLBPipeline.com and came to the White Sox on Tuesday via a five-player trade sending ace Chris Sale to Boston.

The 21-year-old is projected as the White Sox second baseman of the future -- a future quite possibly beginning at some point in 2017.

"Moncada is a five-tool player," Abreu said. "He really has everything needed to succeed, and I know that with the proper guidance of veteran players and coaches with experience, he can become an All-Star- caliber player.

"He is going to make a huge impact in the White Sox organization. Both the fans and the team will be thankful."

As part of general manager Rick Hahn's ongoing rebuild, Abreu has been thought of as a potential trade candidate. These comments from the first baseman, who had at least 25 homers, 100 RBIs and a .290 average in each of the three seasons since joining the White Sox, paint Abreu as someone who believes his immediate future will be spent with Moncada and the South Siders.

"I already spoke with him to welcome him to the team," said Abreu, a point Moncada made during his conference call Wednesday. "I told him that I'm going to be there for him, for everything that he needs, on and off the field."

Rick Hahn, White Sox prepared to make more ‘painful decisions’ if the price is right By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | December 9th, 2016

That Jose Abreu and Yoan Moncada have reunited is a nice story, but it won't dramatically change the mindset of the rebuilding White Sox, who earlier this week demonstrated they aren't messing around.

Abreu said in a statement issued by the White Sox on Friday that he's "very happy" about the prospect of again playing alongside Moncada, who played 12 games with the star slugger in 2012 for Cienfuegos in the Cuban National Series. Moncada, 21, is the centerpiece of a four-player package acquired from the Boston Red Sox for Chris Sale on Tuesday, a toolsy infielder who MLB.com has rated as the No. 1 prospect in .

While the concept of Abreu mentoring Moncada has plenty of merit — the first baseman's work ethic is outstanding, and he's beloved by coaches and teammates — don't think the White Sox would hesitate to trade him if someone paid the right price. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn just spent four days at the Winter Meetings discussing how a team that just traded away its best and position player remains open to listening to all offers and is prepared to do what is must to get the franchise healthy again.

"We're extremely open-minded on ways to continue the process that we started," Hahn said earlier this week, adding that the White Sox "have to make some painful decisions."

The White Sox have grown tired of never having all the pieces — or even more than a few — to fill the holes created by injury, poor performance, etc. They want to be flush with young talent and essentially have said anything that isn't nailed down at is available with the exceptions of Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon.

The team wants to cash in on the chips it possesses.

While they don't have a ton, the few the White Sox have could help expedite a rebuild process as the Sale and Eaton trades have shown. Those deals brought back seven players, including three who played at the big league level last season (Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez). Some of those players potentially would start 2017 in the big leagues, and that possibility increases the internal value of Abreu and starting pitcher Jose Quintana, who is equally revered among teammates and coaches for his dedication and team-first mentality.

Having those young players see firsthand what it takes to excel in the majors from veteran teammates is invaluable. Abreu, who arrived in the United States from Cuba in late 2013, addressed that point in his statement about Moncada, who signed with Boston in 2015.

"Moncada is a five-tool player," Abreu said. "He really has everything needed to succeed, and I know that with the proper guidance of veteran players and coaches with experience he can become an All-Star caliber player."

"He is going to make a huge impact in the White Sox organization, and both the fans and the team will be thankful.

"I already spoke with him to welcome him to the team. I told him that I'm going to be there for him for everything that he needs on and off the field."

In a conference call Wednesday, Moncada said he's "thrilled" to once again play with Abreu. Whether they will hasn't yet been determined.

When asked about Moncada's 2017 starting point earlier in the week, Hahn said the 21-year still needs to develop. Moncada appeared in eight big league games last season for Boston and struggled with contact, striking out 12 times in 20 plate appearances. But that promotion came after a meteoric rise through Boston's farm system, an aggressive path that included only 45 games played above High-A. Nothing has been announced, but it appears Moncada will receive an invite to big league camp next spring and be seated near Abreu in the clubhouse.

Still, Hahn sounds like he intends for Moncada to spend much of 2017 refining his approach in the minors. He also has demonstrated he is willing to dig deep and make more painful moves if it betters the team in the long run, all of which means the White Sox wouldn't hesitate to trade Abreu or Quintana if they get what they want.

Lucas Giolito striving to contribute to White Sox ‘as soon as possible’ By Paul Roumeliotis / CSN Chicago | December 9th, 2016

At one point, it was looking like Lucas Giolito could be headed to the White Sox in exchange for Chris Sale.

But when Sale was dealt to the Boston Red Sox, Giolito's name was in the clear of rumors — until 29 hours later, when the Nationals' top prospect would be headed to Chicago in a different trade, which sent outfielder Adam Eaton to Washington.

“It’s kind of like the world we live in now. Social media is always out there and everything is on Twitter,” Giolito said in a conference call Friday. “I saw my name being mentioned on Twitter for Chris Sale. I know with the winter meetings all sorts of stuff being thrown around. I was just trying to focus on what I’m doing in this offseason which is lifting and all my workouts. Kind of just whatever happens, happens.

“It’s funny that Sale ended up going to the Red Sox and something else happens that I’m going to the White Sox now with a couple teammates. It’s really interesting stuff but I’m super excited.”

The move for Rick Hahn & Co. to acquire Giolito was the second major trade to begin the White Sox rebuilding process. But Giolito didn't come alone.

In addition, the White Sox received Reynaldo Lopez — who Giolito has played with since 2014 — and the Nationals' 2016 first-round pick Dane Dunning.

"I definitely think it’s amazing to be coming over to the White Sox with a bunch of young talent," Giolito said. "I think it’s a great opportunity for us to all develop and get better and hopefully put a really good team together in Chicago. Definitely excited to be coming over with a couple guys from my previous organization."

Giolito went 6-5 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across three minor-league levels this past season. He admitted his mechanics weren't quite in sync and is looking to improve on that.

"Sometimes things get out of whack. I believe I let too much get out of whack last year," Giolito said. "So this year with my training program I have in this offseason — lifting and Pilates and everything — I’m just trying to make sure that I can stay as athletic as possible so I’m able to repeat the right delivery more often. Once I start playing catch and doing bullpens and everything these next few weeks, right before spring training, I’m going to make sure I put that all together so I can repeat my delivery as best as possible."

His struggles continued when he got to The Show.

In his major-league debut on June 28, Giolito held the New York Mets to just one hit over four scoreless innings before a rain delay cut his night short. That turned out to be his most effective outing of the season as he finished the year with an 0-1 record, 6.75 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in six games with the Nationals, four of them being starts.

"(My MLB debut) didn’t go as well as I would’ve liked it to go, obviously, as you look at the numbers and everything," he said, "but I feel that with the White Sox now (and) getting traded and everything, it’s kind of like a fresh opportunity and a new start to get up to the big leagues again and contribute and do everything I can to stay there as well."

Despite his low numbers, the 22-year-old Giolito believes he's ready to play on the White Sox main roster as soon as next season.

"I’ve had some experience in the big leagues last year," Giolito said. "Especially last year, I took a lot positives away because I did experience such a good amount of failure in a lot of I’d say like hardship when I made it up and didn’t perform up to what I believe is my best capabilities.

"I’ve pitched a good amount of innings in the minor leagues and I’ve had a little experience in the big leagues so I’m just really looking forward to making it up in the big leagues with the White Sox and contributing as soon as possible."

Lucas Giolito eager for ‘fresh’ start after humbling shot in big leagues By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | December 9th, 2016

When Lucas Giolito stepped on the mound at Nationals Park on June 28 for his major-league debut, it was "a dream come true" for the then-21-year-old Nationals right-hander.

The rest of his major-league experience, which included three more starts and two relief appearances last season, wasn't quite so idyllic.

The top-ranked pitching prospect in the country, according to MLB.com, gave up 18 runs — 16 earned — over 211/3 innings in his first few months in the majors. He walked 12, struck out 11 and had a 1.781 WHIP, not quite the numbers expected from the No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

Perhaps that initial struggle in the big leagues factored in the Nationals' decision to trade Giolito to the White Sox along with two other pitching prospects to acquire outfielder Adam Eaton on Wednesday. But Giolito sees the deal as a new shot to return to the major-league dream.

"It didn't go as well as I would have liked, obviously," Giolito said. "But (this) is a fresh opportunity and a new start to get up to the big leagues again and contribute. Do everything I can to stay there as well."

Giolito watched on social media this week as his name initially was mentioned as a possibility in a trade for Chris Sale, who eventually went to the Red Sox. One day later, he was one of seven new prospects on the South Side, including long-time teammate Reynaldo Lopez, a right-hander MLB.com ranks No. 38 in the country.

"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 put a really good team together in Chicago."

Giolito has had a couple of challenges in his career thus far, including coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2012. He has posted a career 2.73 ERA in five minor-league seasons, including 2.97 at three levels in 2016.

He said he struggled with his mechanics for most of this year, but he already is taking steps this offseason to start solid when he joins the Sox in February.

"I'm a big guy, I'm 6-foot-6," Giolito said. "Sometimes things get out of whack. I believe that I let it get out of whack too much last year. So this year, with my training program, I've been lifting in the offseason and doing Pilates. I'm trying to make sure I can stay as athletic as possible so I'm able to keep the right delivery more often."

Nationals general manager was asked a couple of questions Wednesday at the winter meetings about giving up Giolito when he appeared to be so highly valued by the club not long ago. Rizzo defaulted to speaking about receiving Eaton in return.

"The determining factor to do a deal that included Lucas was the player we got in return," Rizzo said. "It was something that fit for us well.

"We feel comfortable with the deal. … I like win-win deals. I think the White Sox did a great job of acquiring good, potential upside players. We got ourselves a good, young skillful player we can control at below market values for five seasons. You have to give to get."

Giolito said he thinks he can draw from his first failures in a potential return to the big leagues this year, but it's unclear when. Sox general manager Rick Hahn said all of the the Sox received in the trade – Giolito, Lopez and first-year minor-leaguer Dane Dunning — are "not finished products."

"We are very optimistic about their ceilings and their ability to force the issue and get themselves to Chicago quickly," Hahn said. "But we're going to do that on the timeline that their performance dictates as opposed to potentially a need at Chicago immediately."

Michael Kopech has big potential, but drama-free development needed By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | December 9th, 2016

If people have compared new White Sox prospect Michael Kopech to Mets All-Star Noah Syndergaard, he can understand why.

They're both tall, young, right-handed Texans who leave their golden locks flowing under their baseball caps as they fire triple-digit fastballs.

"It's hard not to compare a 6-foot-4-plus, long blond hair, hard-throwing pitcher to another one," said Kopech, who is shorter than his 6-6 counterpart. "There are not many of us.

"At the same time, I don't want that to be my ceiling, no disrespect to him. I want to kind of set my own limits. I would like to see what those are for myself. I'm not big on comparisons, but that's not a bad person to be compared to."

After acquiring him from the Red Sox as the secondary piece in the Chris Sale trade Tuesday at the winter meetings, the Sox wouldn't mind if Kopech, 20, reached the heights Syndergaard, 24, has in two seasons with the Mets —23-16 record, 384 strikeouts in 333 2/3 innings.

But that's still a little ways off.

Sox general manager Rick Hahn said MLB.com's 30th-ranked prospect could start the season at Class A Winston-Salem, but is likely to hit Double-A Birmingham sometime in 2017.

Kopech was drafted 33rd overall out of high school in 2014 and has compiled a 2.61 ERA with 172 strikeouts and 69 walks over 1342/3 innings since. He made headlines this summer when his fastball was clocked at 105 mph in a minor-league game.

But what he needs in 2017 is to put together a full minor-league season free of off-the-field drama.

Kopech was suspended 50 games in 2015 for violating the minor-league performance-enhancing drug policy by testing positive for a stimulant. At the beginning of the 2016 season, he broke his pitching hand in a fight with a teammate. Hahn said the Sox delved into the issues while evaluating Kopech before the trade.

"We got comfortable with what led up to the background and the back story behind him," Hahn said. "There is still a fair amount of development left for him given the missed time and where he finished the season, but he did perform extremely well in the Arizona Fall League, which sort of reinforced those projections we have for him."

Kopech returned from the injury in July to put up a 2.25 ERA in high Class A before moving on to the AFL, where he said he worked on his fastball command and changeup. He said the second half of the year was important to prove he can be the pitcher teams want him to be.

"Bottom line is you can't take anything for granted," Kopech said. "I've missed too much time in my opinion. This half of the year was very important for me. I needed to show people that I'm still out here to compete and get better.

"I put a little bit of pressure on myself, maybe a little too much, but overall it strengthened my mentality, the second half of the year. That matured me quite a bit and put me in a good mindset to compete for a big-league spot sooner than later."

Kopech was in the middle of a training session Tuesday when the Red Sox traded him, a move he said left him "shocked." But he also is excited to see what the White Sox can do with their new load of prospects.

"It's an opportunity for me and for all of us," he said.

White Sox believe ‘five-tool’ Yoan Moncada can be impact player By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | December 10th, 2016

When Yoan Moncada was a 19-year-old amateur out of Cuba deciding on his first major-league team, the White Sox admired him from afar.

"We were interested in him as an amateur and quickly realized we weren't going to be able to sign him as an amateur," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said.

That distinction went to the Red Sox, who not only gave him a $31.5 million signing bonus but paid a matching tax because they went above spending limits for a $63 million total expenditure on the heralded infield prospect. The White Sox found a price they could afford less than two years later, in the form of one of the best pitchers in baseball, Chris Sale, in the five-player trade with the Red Sox on Tuesday.

It's not often the top prospect in baseball is traded.

MLB.com, which with provides the two most prominent prospect rankings, says it's the first time in at least 25 years it has happened, though the Diamondbacks traded No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson last year. But Moncada said he is taking the change in organizations in stride, even though he doesn't yet know much about the White Sox.

"I have the opportunity right now to represent the White Sox organization and be one of the key players in this process," Moncada said through an interpreter. "I feel good and I hope this pays off for the team, too."

Carlos Febles, the Red Sox's Double-A manager in Portland, Maine, said he was shocked when he heard about the trade of a player he managed over 45 games in 2016. He believes the deal probably is win-win for both teams.

Febles, a former Royals second baseman, watched the switch-hitting Moncada bat .277 with six doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, nine stolen bases and a .910 OPS in his first stint at Double A. Combined with his time in Class A, he hit .294 with 31 doubles, 15 homers and 45 stolen bases last year.

Febles said he envisions him eventually hitting 25 to 30 home runs and stealing 50 bases per seasons. Defensively, Febles said Moncada, whom the Sox will keep at second base for now, has excellent first- step quickness but still has work to do maintaining focus and making routine plays.

"He is a five-tool player who will help them win ballgames in different ways," Febles said. "He's a guy who brings a lot of excitement to the game."

Febles compares Moncada as an all-around player to Carlos Beltran, with whom he played on the Royals.

Hahn didn't want to make big-league comparisons, "but a little Google search will show you who he is compared to. We share that kind of view of his future."

Such a search brings up a long list of excellent major leaguers, but Robinson Cano is the most prevalent. The Sox won't put that on Moncada yet, however, because they recognize there's still a lot of development left for someone who has played just two seasons in the United States.

Sox manager Rick Renteria watched plenty of film on Moncada, most of it from when he was called up to the Red Sox in September. He called him "a very talented human being" but one who also has work to do.

Moncada only had 20 plate appearances in eight September games, and it wasn't the best of debut months. He was 4-for-19 with a double, an RBI and 12 strikeouts.

The strikeouts were not a new issue. He compiled 124 in 106 games in the minors in 2016 as he is learning to handle offspeed pitches better.

And learning is exactly what Renteria saw on the film.

"That's just experience," Renteria said. "They were coming down, finishing him off underneath the hands down and in. He's a 21-year-old man who has not seen that type of bite coming from pitchers, and it's probably changing the lane in which he's looking for that particular type of slider, where he has to get it out and away.

"He also has shown discipline. He walks. There's a look and an action to him that I believe will generate (positive) change (regarding strikeouts)."

The Red Sox pushed Moncada to the majors after just 187 minor-league games to try to provide a spark for a playoff push. So it's not a huge shock it didn't go exactly as planned.

Moncada said he felt he earned his promotion with his minor-league play, but he also recognized he has room to grow.

"I learned you have to be open to making adjustments because this is the best baseball in the world and you're going to face the best of the best," Moncada said. "You have to be open to get some advice and to apply it.

"I didn't play too much (with the Red Sox), but if I get the opportunity to play every day I can improve and I can be a better player with more experience."

Hahn stressed at the winter meetings the White Sox no longer will push their prospects into the majors before they're ready just to augment the big-league team. So while Moncada may be close, he could start the year at Triple-A Charlotte.

"He already has been (in the majors), but there is still some development with him," Hahn said. "Certainly he could be a factor at some point in '17, but given his age and where he has been, if that's not the case that is fine. Part of this process is not rushing the guys just to show some benefit or to feel like this is working because, 'Look, here's what we got.'"

When he does arrive, Moncada will join a legacy of Cuban players with the Sox, from Minnie Minoso to Jose Contreras and Orlando Hernandez to Alexei Ramirez and Jose Abreu.

He received a text message from Abreu on Tuesday welcoming him to the team. The pair had played together for Cienfuegos in Cuba when Moncada was 17, and the youngster is eager to reunite with Abreu — if the Sox first baseman is not traded before spring training.

"I can reconnect with Abreu, and he's a person who is going to give me some advice," Moncada said. "He will be like a tutor for me."

Abreu said through a Sox interpreter it would be "an honor to work with, guide and support him."

"He really has everything needed to succeed, and I know that with the proper guidance of veteran players and coaches with experience he can become an All-Star caliber player," Abreu said. "He is going to make a huge impact in the White Sox organization, and both the fans and the team will be thankful."

Giolito eager to impress White Sox in 2017 By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | December 9th, 2016

The have already traded No. 1 starting pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for four top minor-league prospects.

The White Sox are listening to offers on No. 2 starter Jose Quintana, and they also are expected to move Miguel Gonzalez and James Shields, although the latter has little or no value.

Like the rest of the roster, the team's 2017 rotation is impossible to project right now. At some point next season, though Lucas Giolito hopes to be in the starting five.

"I definitely do believe I'm ready," said Giolito, who was one of three prospects acquired from the on Wednesday in the Adam Eaton trade. "I had some experience in the big leagues last year. I took a lot of positives away because I did experience such a good amount of failure. When I made it up (there), I didn't perform up to what I believed were my best capabilities."

A 22-year-old righty, Giolito was a combined 6-5 with a 2.97 ERA in stops with Class A Hagerstown, AA Harrisburg and AAA Syracuse last season. The success elevated the 6-foot-6, 255-pounder to No. 3 on MLB.com's top prospects list.

Giolito had two stints with the Nationals last season and he struggled, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.

"The debut was like a dream come true," said Giolito, Washington's first-round draft pick (No. 16 overall) in 2012. "It's really amazing being able to step on the field for the first time in a major-league uniform. And yeah, it didn't go as well as I would have liked it to go, obviously, if you look at the numbers and everything.

"But I feel that with the White Sox now, getting traded and everything, it's kind of like a fresh opportunity and a new start to get up to the big leagues again and contribute and do everything I can to stay there as well."

Like most young major-league starters, Giolito left himself plenty of room to improve.

"Last year, I was struggling with mechanics throughout most of the course of the year," he said. "I'm a big guy. Sometimes things get out of whack. I believe that I let too much get out of whack last year. So this year, with my training program, I've been lifting in the off-season and (doing) Pilates and everything. I'm trying to make sure I can stay as athletic as possible so I'm able to keep the right delivery more often."

Abreu, Moncada reunited:

In 2013, current White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu was playing for Cienfuegos in his native Cuba.

He remembers a flashy 17-year-old teammate, Yoan Moncada.

"I was his captain," Abreu said. "Moncada is a five-tool player. He really has everything needed to succeed. I know with the proper guidance of veteran players and coaches, with experience he can become an all-star caliber player."

On Tuesday, the White Sox acquired Moncada from the Boston Red Sox in the Chris Sale trade. The 21- year-old second baseman is ranked No. 1 on MLB.com's top prospect list.

Moncada is expected to open the 2017 season with Class AAA Charlotte, but should join the White Sox sooner than later.

If he is not traded, Abreu will be eagerly awaiting Moncada's arrival.

"I already spoke with him to welcome him to the team," Abreu said. "I told him I'm going to be there for him for everything that he needs on and off the field."

Rozner: Reinsdorf will be key to White Sox rebuild By Barry Rozner / Daily Herald | December 11th, 2016

So where are all the people who hated the plan?

Maybe they've forgotten all the pontificating, all the times they trashed and Tom Ricketts, how upset they were when the Cubs traded the likes of Scott Feldman, Ryan Dempster and Jeff Samardzija.

But now, they say, Epstein is a genius who should run for emperor and cure the world's ills.

Interesting.

Oddly, this amnesia can only benefit the White Sox, who finally -- after years of middling their approach -- have gotten permission from to start over.

And GM Rick Hahn is off to a very good start.

The trades of Chris Sale and Adam Eaton have brought a stark upgrade to the farm system, their top four prospects not even a part of the organization one week ago.

The top 10 is star-studded -- and this is just the beginning.

Hahn is likely to move Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Jose Abreu sometime between now and July 31, depending on the desperation of the market.

Keep dealing and keep collecting prospects and get to somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 to 20, at which point you hope one becomes great, two or three become really good players and maybe a few more contribute at the big league level.

You lose 100 games a couple times, you draft high and score big at the top. You sign a few midlevel free agents and you move them in late July for young players.

Do it enough times and you can find yourself with a sustainable minor league system that produces players who can help you compete for a postseason spot year after year, and players who can help you get what you need through trade.

Not nearly as simple as these words suggest, but not nearly as complicated as the Epstein detractors made it out to be.

What is unsustainable is spending to fix your mistakes year after year -- unless you have an unlimited budget -- something Epstein explained at his very first news conference, though much of it fell on deaf ears.

If you think in terms of a five-year project, the Sox are essentially finishing Day 1.

It's just amazing that the White Sox are in charge of the market and controlled the winter meetings from the bottom rung on the ladder.

It's about time.

As was the case with the Cubs, this will be a long and painful process, filled with bad players at the major league level, place-holding for the talent of the future.

The Sox won't rush anyone here just to sell some tickets and they won't give up halfway through and go for it before it's appropriate.

At least, that's the hope -- and this is where Reinsdorf comes in.

It was Ricketts' patience that made the Cubs' World Series possible. He didn't fall apart when things were at their worst, and he didn't break down when the haters crushed Epstein for trading Samardzija and Jason Hammel for Addison Russell.

"Theo laughs about the days when I was too patient, and thinks I should have been yelling at him more," Ricketts said before the World Series. "Once you see the plan, and once you understand what you have to do to build the organization, you know it takes time and you know if you take a shortcut, it'll be a dead end.

"And you know if you rush it, you'll screw it up."

It won't be fun, it won't be easy and it won't lack for ugly days, and there are no promises it will work, though the last 10 years are proof enough that the Sox had to try something different.

So it will be up to Reinsdorf to hold it all together by allowing Hahn to do his job and giving young players a chance to develop at their own rate.

If he panics or moves too early, before the time is right to strike, the Sox will be right back where they were, wondering where it all went wrong.

So Reinsdorf deserves the credit for being willing to start over.

But his patience -- or lack thereof -- may yet determine whether the White Sox ever get this program off the ground.

Paging Rick Hahn: Five proposed trades for the White Sox By James Fegan / The Athletic | December 12th, 2016

Making up trades is the most efficient way of looking foolish on the Internet. Even with more in-depth prospect coverage and statistical analysis than ever, information about how teams value their own players is still held impossibly close to the vest. While the White Sox did very well in the Adam Eaton trade, much of the immediate furor stemmed from outdated public reports that had Lucas Giolito as a future ace, when league perception of him had dropped to an erratic future No. 3 starter with potential.

But the White Sox have radically altered their future on the strength of two major deals, and by the time they get through all their remaining tradable assets, they could give themselves the No. 1 system in baseball by the length of the Magnificent Mile. So, with some help from Baseball Prospectus’ minor league editor Craig Goldstein and talent evaluators across the league, let’s try to figure out deals that provide fair value and could be feasible.

The White Sox have one more super cost-controlled All-Star in his prime to deal in pitcher Jose Quintana. But they also have ace reliever in Nate Jones, who has four years of control, and slugger Jose Abreu, who opted into arbitration for this season. The relief market is crazy enough to foster some real demand for closer David Robertson. And that’s before we get to possible rental deals for Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie.

Quintana is the biggest trade chip the Sox have left by far, but it’s more difficult to deal him than that would suggest. Aggressive buyers are not commonly flush with top-end prospects. The Astros, loaded with a dynamite young lineup and impressive prospect depth, look like the best matchup. To that end, Peter Gammons has already reported the core of the White Sox ask for Quintana. Let’s look at it.

Astros Get: LHP Jose Quintana

White Sox Get: RHP Frances Martes, OF Kyle Tucker, RHP Joe Musgrove, IF Miguelangel Sierra

Martes and Tucker are the two best prospects in the Astros system. Martes would add to their collection of power arms, but a particularly polished and precocious one, as Martes conquered Double-A in the second half of 2016 despite being the youngest player in the league when he started the year. Tucker is a left-handed corner outfielder who turns 20 in January, who should hit for high average. Musgrove, a massive right-hander, made 10 starts in the majors and lacks the swing-and-miss breaker to tease a ceiling beyond the back of the rotation, but might make 2017 more watchable. The very raw, but athletic and plus-fielding 19-year-old Sierra would be a nice mid-tier throw-in.

This is fair value for four very affordable years of Quintana, who has done nothing but steadily improve and produce, but if it’s fair and has already been asked, why are we still writing about it? The Astros have been reluctant to start the process of stripping away from their future to supercharge their immediate bid to contend, and also have another option in Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer to consider. Meanwhile, teams like the Rockies or Pirates would need to make similar unprecedented steps forward to meet the White Sox’s price. ESPN’s Buster Olney floated a deal for right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows, andfirst baseman Josh Bell package on his podcast. That deal would easily blow every other offer away if it were ever put on the table.

The Astros are still the most likely fit at the moment, but a lot of people felt the same way about the Nationals the night before the Chris Sale trade.

Frazier is probably the next-most mentioned trade piece after Quintana, but finding a good preseason match for him might be a little bit of a tortured process.

The Giants have Eduardo Nunez in place for now, tapped out their payroll last winter and might be hesitant to add Frazier’s $13.5 million estimated arbitration figure. The Red Sox likely aren’t that happy to hand Pablo Sandoval his job back, but pot-committed enough to break camp with him. The Dodgers are in a weird place; they have plenty of prospects to deal, and ended the season with needs in the starting rotation, third base, second base, and the bullpen. They have already re-signed Rich Hill, and could solve some of these issues by re-signing Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen, but will still have bullpen needs even if they sign the latter.

But would the Dodgers bite on this deal?

Dodgers Get: 3B Todd Frazier, RHP David Robertson, IF Brett Lawrie

White Sox Get: OF Alex Verdugo, 2B , OF Starling Heredia, RHP Trevor Oaks, LHP Caleb Ferguson

This is firmly in the universe where the Dodgers blow a ton of money on Jansen, take themselves out of getting Turner and still need relief help. Verdugo will start the season in Triple-A and makes tons of contact, and has enough athleticism and throwing strength to tamp down some memories of Eaton in right field. Calhoun is a small man with a lot of power but possibly no position beyond left field. Heredia has good power and a strong arm, but was born in 1999 so he could be more of a project for the time being. Oaks and Ferguson are pure depth, but Oaks is at least the No. 30 prospect in the Dodgers’ organization, per MLB.com.

The Dodgers are probably more likely to sign Turner than anyone else, which might downgrade Frazier to a mid-season rental for some team needing a third baseman or simply any kind of bat. Here’s a package that addresses the Dodgers’ more likely needs.

Dodgers Get: RHP Nate Jones, IF Brett Lawrie

White Sox Get: OF Alex Verdugo, RHP Jordan Sheffield

Sheffield, a 2016 supplemental round pick, has a huge fastball and a chance to boast three plus pitches, with a delivery that needs to be rounded out to avoid a life in the bullpen. However, if the Dodgers pull off a trade for Brian Dozier, the Sox might be looking to drop Lawrie somewhere midseason as well.

The Cardinals could also use a corner infielder, but I’m adding a different one.

Cardinals Get: 1B Jose Abreu

White Sox Get: RHP Sandy Alcantara, OF Magneuris Sierra, SS Edmundo Sosa, 2B Eliezer Alvarez

There’s not a ton of likelihood for a superstar here, but Alcantara can throw triple digits and miss a ton of bats without even trying, so the White Sox would be fine adding that to their system. Magneuris Sierra has plus speed and the ability to hit for average from center, while Sosa is a true shortstop if nothing else. Abreu is coming off a down year in market with other first base options like Edwin Encarnacion, Mark Trumbo, Mike Napoli, Pedro Alvarez and Chris Carter, so there’s a very good chance they could find better value down the road, unless they can find a team that has a lot of faith that Abreu is still the best of this group. If they trade now, they could find plenty of depth but relatively light star power.

Surprisingly, given how Robertson has struggled in Chicago, the relief market that is so crazy that it’s hard to see him pitching for Chicago on opening day. The Nationals may have already emptied out their farm system, but are still all-in for the next two seasons.

Nationals Get: RHP David Robertson, $12 million

White Sox Get: SS , RHP Koda Glover

The Sox have not loved eating money in trades in the past, but they are already down to $52 million in commitments for 2017 and could surely spare a little for the sake of boosting the talent in some of the trade returns. Perhaps where I am shading most toward unrealistic scenarios here is asking for so many 2016 first round picks, such as Sheffield and Kieboom. They look like fair value to the public, but if the Dodgers felt like Sheffield was a likely a reliever, and if the Nationals thought Kieboom was unlikely to stick at short, they are probably not their first day selections. Just as Giolito was more warmly regarded outside the Nationals organization than within, the opposite exists as well, which makes it hard to figure out which players can be dealt for.

Frazier, and especially Melky Cabrera, both read as solid but unremarkable bats at non-premium positions. Needs will emerge for them during the grind of the season, but big-time prospect returns might be hard to coax. There’s certainly not much to be gained by doubting Hahn’s ability to move and wring value out of everything left on the current roster, and the thought of veterans who came to the Sox with the goals of competing being stranded on a team mid-teardown is unpleasant enough to be a motivating factor.

Rentals aside, it’s hard to envision even a low-end projection of the trades the White Sox are able to complete before the start of the season that doesn’t end with them having the best system in the game — the proposed Quintana and Frazier-Lawrie-Robertson packages would give them 10 of MLB.com’s top 100 prospects. They need more just a great system to fully remake an entire major league roster, but there seem to be real rewards to tearing down a team full of young, affordable stars in their prime. They still get to draft players after this, you know. Maybe their Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber are still out there.

Levine: White Sox still set up for big trades ahead By Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago | December 9th, 2016

(CBS) The winner of the Winter Meetings this past week was none other than the White Sox, whose front office got their player development play jump-started in a big way over a two-day period in which they acquired seven quality prospects to replenish their farm system.

Five the the seven prospects the White Sox received in trading ace left-hander Chris Sale to the Red Sox and outfielder Adam Eaton to the Nationals were pitchers, several of them of the blue-chip variety, including right-hander Lucas Giolito and right-hander Michael Kopech.

The Eaton deal could really be a steal for the White Sox. He’s a plus statistical player with advanced metrics that are highly valued by many different teams. He plays with a high energy, and his baseball IQ grew over his three years in Chicago, where he took on a leadership responsibility that he frankly wasn’t ready for after Paul Konerko retired following the 2014 season.

Also stepping up as a vocal leader was Sale, and both had to do so before their time. Leaders ascend to the role over time; it’s not a responsibility that can be mandated. Eaton and Sale will be better positioned with their new teams, where such a burden won’t be foisted upon them.

The impressive cache of young players the White Sox received may be only the tip of the iceberg for the White Sox as they pursue another seven to 10 young players. The “for sale” sign is hanging on the likes of left-hander Jose Quintana, third baseman Todd Frazier, first baseman Jose Abreu, outfielder Melky Cabrera and closer David Robertson.

All of those pieces are attractive in an active marketplace.

“We have had a lot of interesting conversations on many different fronts about our players,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “Yes, we do have reliever pieces and starter pieces that are appealing to various teams throughout the league. We are certainly deeply engaged with teams on a number of different fronts.”

It’s the signing of free-agent closer Kenley Jansen that’s worth keeping an eye on. Whom Jansen signs with could well impact the White Sox’s next big move, as the teams that lose out on him could then turn their interest to Robertson. The White Sox don’t have a need for a shutdown closer making $25 million over the next two seasons that they’ll be rebuilding in.

The Marlins, Dodgers and Nationals are all in the market for a new closer, and only one will give the big money to Jansen, who’s likely to get around $18 million annually on a long-term deal. The other two teams could then be interested in Robertson’s more modest contract.

Robertson has converted 71 of 85 save opportunities in two seasons with the White Sox in which he’s been reliable but not dominant. He had a 3.41 ERA in 2015 and a 3.47 ERA last season.

Robertson and Quintana alone should bring back another four to six highly ranked minor league players. So keep an eye out, as Chicago’s South Side could continue to be the “Let’s make a deal” capital of the baseball world over the next few months.

MLB Rumor Central: Jose Quintana asking price too much for Astros? By Kyle Brasseur / ESPN.com | December 10th, 2016

The Houston Astros are looking to add an ace-caliber starting pitcher, but Chicago White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana might prove out of their price range.

The Astros have been linked to the White Sox in recent days regarding Quintana, and Chicago has asked for right-handers Francis Martes and Joe Musgrove and outfielder Kyle Tucker in return for the 27-year- old, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reports.

Rumor CentralThat's a steep price, as Martes is considered the team's top prospect, and Tucker and Musgrove aren't far behind. The trio were ranked second, fourth and sixth, respectively, among prospects in the Astros organization by ESPN's Keith Lawentering the 2016 season. Alex Bregman, the team's then- No.1 prospect, has since graduated.

Coming off his first All-Star season, Quintana has plenty of value. The southpaw posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 32 starts this year. Including the 2019 and '20 options in his contract, Quintana is under club control at a team-friendly rate ($36.85 million if both options are exercised) for the next four seasons.

ESPN's Jayson Stark writes that it's hard to imagine the Astros parting with a haul of prospects like the Boston Red Sox did to land Chris Sale from the White Sox. Meanwhile, ESPN's David Schoenfield lays out what he thinks a potential trade for Quintana could look like for Houston, and includes Martes and Tucker as key pieces to get a deal done.

Let’s make a deal for Jose Quintana By David Schoenfield / ESPN.com | December 10th, 2016

Three things you need to know about starter Jose Quintana:

1. He's really good. Over the past four seasons, the left-hander is seventh in the majors in WAR among pitchers, right behind Corey Kluber and just ahead of Felix Hernandez.

2. He's durable. He's one of just six pitchers with at least 200 innings pitched in each of the past four seasons.

3. He's signed to a team-friendly contract that covers four more seasons. He makes $7 million in 2017 and $8.85 million in 2018, followed by team options for $10.5 million and $11.5 million. That means there's basically no financial risk, given the salaries and options.

Maybe Quintana isn't Chris Sale, but he's pretty close to Chris Sale, and he'll cost only a few million more than what the Cardinals will pay reliever Brett Cecil the next four seasons. As we saw in particular with the Adam Eaton trade, making a deal isn't simply an exchange of talent. It also involves the surplus value attached to a player's contract, and Quintana has a lot of potential surplus value.

White Sox lefty Jose Quintana is durable and has a friendly contract. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast If the White Sox continue to dismantle their roster to acquire more young players, Quintana is their third huge asset. As Buster Olney wrote Friday, however, general manager Rick Hahn doesn't need to trade Quintana:

But before the White Sox trade the left-hander to Houston or some other team for another boatload of prospects, it might be worthwhile for Hahn and his staff to think about this: Sooner than expected, the White Sox might need somebody exactly like Quintana.

Through the trades with Boston and Washington, Chicago has added young players who will make an impact with the White Sox next year. Those include Yoan Moncada, Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito, who already have major league service time. Pitchers Dane Dunning and Michael Kopech are a little further away and more likely to reach the majors in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Royals are crashing headlong into the financial limitations of their market and have started a measured sell-off of assets that might continue through the coming summer because of the wave of K.C. players eligible for free agency next winter. The Twins are early in their rebuilding process. The Tigers have an older, bloated roster with almost no financial flexibility and, according to rival evaluators, a relatively thin farm system.

Unlike Sale, whose fastball velocity declined in 2016 (perhaps because he made more of a conscious effort to pitch to contact but perhaps because he simply wasn't throwing as hard), Quintana averaged a career-high 92.0 mph with his fastball. There are no signs that he is due to regress. And Buster's right: In what looks like a weak AL Central aside from the Indians in the coming years, the White Sox might be contenders sooner than most rebuilding jobs, especially if they can dig into the lucrative free-agent market that will arrive after the 2018 season.

Anyway, Quintana remains a valuable trade chip, and deals will be discussed. Let's see if we can find one that might work.

Houston Astros: This is the team everybody mentions as a potential trade partner. The Astros have improved their lineup, and adding Quintana alongside Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh and a healthy Lance McCullers would make for a nice rotation. Any deal would have to start with Francis Martes, Houston's top prospect and one of the top pitching prospects in the minors. He pitched in Double-A last season, so he isn't far away. Outfielder Kyle Tucker was the team's first-round pick in 2015, and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who already reached the majors, would start for the White Sox in 2017. A.J. Reed bombed in his first big league trial but is the kind of high-OBP bat the White Sox need. Something like Martes, two of Tucker/Hernandez/Reed and maybe another lower-level prospect might work.

Seattle Mariners: They're looking for another starter with experience to replace Taijuan Walker, but I don't see the prospects here to entice the Sox.

Baltimore Orioles: They're in the same boat as Seattle: They could use another starter -- the O's had a 4.72 rotation ERA -- but have an even worse system than Seattle. No match here.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Unable to deal Andrew McCutchen, maybe they flip the switch and decide to add a veteran. Even the Pirates can afford Quintana, and they have a highly regarded farm system. The White Sox would want right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows, ranked eighth and ninth on MLB.com's top 100 prospects, and the Pirates have other interesting prospects, such as first baseman/outfielder Josh Bell and shortstop Kevin Newman.

Atlanta Braves: They were rumored to be interested in Sale, and though they have a system viewed as having a lot of depth, I don't see a sure thing, top-end talent here (not including Dansby Swanson). Shortstop Ozzie Albies doesn't have much power and hit just .248 in Triple-A. He's very young and should improve but could be more Elvis Andrus than Francisco Lindor. Sean Newcomb is a huge lefty with a huge fastball and control issues. Are those two and something else enough? Probably not, given the uncertainty of Newcomb.

Colorado Rockies: Shortstop Brendan Rodgers is a top-10 overall prospect after hitting 19 home runs at age 19 in the South Atlantic League with solid contact skills. If the Rockies believe in Trevor Story, Rodgers could be bait to acquire that front-end starter they're always unable to sign in free agency. Outfielder Raimel Tapia has already reached the majors, and right-hander -- the fourth overall pick in 2016 -- could complete the deal.

Texas Rangers: The Texas system isn't as strong as it has been in the past. I don't see anything here.

New York Yankees: They've added some strong depth with the likes of outfielder Clint Frazier and shortstop Gleyber Torres. Shortstop/second baseman Jorge Mateo is a ways off from the majors but has power and speed potential. But given Frazier's issues, none of these three is a sure bet. (The Yankees actually had Quintana at one point but lost him as a six-year minor league free agent.)

Los Angeles Dodgers: They're trying to decrease their payroll, but Quintana doesn't break the bank. Right-hander Jose De Leon and outfielder Alex Verdugo would be an interesting pair to start with.

Chicago Cubs: Don't even think of a deal with their crosstown rivals.

The Astros still seem like the best best, given their system strength and desire to add a final piece for 2017 and beyond. The Rockies are a sleeper team, as they seem to be making a push for playoff contention. Will another team value Quintana on the same level as Sale or Eaton? If so, I think he starts the season in a new uniform.

MLB Hot Stove: White Sox, Royals moves help open the door for Tigers in AL Central The path to a potential AL Central title is a little clearer for the Tigers now By Mike Axisa / CBS Sports | December 10th, 2016

Very early in the offseason, there were indications the Tigers would try to get younger and more cost effective. Cameron Maybin was traded to the Angels the day after the World Series, and other veterans like Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander and even Miguel Cabrera popped in trade rumors. Since the Maybin trade, the Tigers have done nothing aside from signing a few minor league free agents and selecting lefty Daniel Stumpf in the Rule 5 Draft. If general manager Alex Avila was going to tear things down, it would have happened by now. This won't be a total rebuild as some expected.

If Avila is still planning to tear things down, or at least trade one or two more veterans, the offseason activity of other AL Central teams should give him pause. The White Sox are clear sellers after trading Chris Sale and Adam Eaton at last week's Winter Meetings. The Royals aren't full blown sellers, but trading Wade Davis for is a move made with the future in mind.

The Twins aren't very good and are in the middle of a rebuild. The White Sox have joined them and the Royals might not be as formidable as they were in 2016, when they went 81-81. A slow start to the season could push Kansas City to a massive trade deadline fire sale given all their impending free agents. Everything else going on in the AL Central this winter favors the Tigers.

Then there are the Indians, the defending AL champs who pushed the Cubs to extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series despite not having their best hitter (Michael Brantley) and two of their three best starters (Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar). Cleveland has to replace cleanup hitter Mike Napoli, either with someone else or by re-signing Napoli himself. Otherwise they're still set to be a top tier contender in 2017.

The Tigers won 86 games this past season and were 2 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot despite going 4-14 against the Indians. Four wins in 18 games! Realistically, what are the odds of that happening again? Very, very small. The Indians really whupped Detroit in those 18 games -- they outscored them 106-71 and only two of those 14 losses were decided by one run -- but that's a level of dominance we rarely see.

Right now, if you're Avila and the rest of the Tigers brass, you're looking at the state of the AL Central and thinking two things:

The Twins and White Sox won't be very good in 2017 and the Royals are at a crossroads. They're going to be pressured into making a quick decision about their ability to contend or need to rebuild.

There's no possible way we can go 4-14 against the Indians again. That's such an extreme outlier. The Tigers can contend in 2017, given their roster. If Avila is working under a mandate to get younger and shed salary, that's a different story, but I don't think that's the case. Owner Mike Ilitch has made it very clear he wants to win a World Series during his lifetime. I believe the 87-year-old would support any decision to try to win now. His track record proves it.

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The question now is how can the Tigers put themselves in the best possible position to win next season? What moves do they need to make? They traded their starting center fielder a few weeks ago, so that's one obvious opening. Unless they really believe in JaCoby Jones and Anthony Gose, finding a more veteran replacement for Maybin would be a good start.

As it stands, the Tigers are set on the infield (Cabrera, Kinsler, Jose Iglesias, Nick Castellanos), on the outfield corners (Justin Upton, J.D. Martinez), and at DH (Victor Martinez). Three of the five rotation spots are set (Verlander, Michael Fulmer, Jordan Zimmermann) and chances are Daniel Norris has a leg up on one of the other two spots. Let's run down their options at the other positions.

Catcher James McCann's first season as the starter did not go too well, at least offensively. He hit .221/.272/.358 overall while the league average catcher hit .243/.310/.393 in 2016. McCann did throw out 45 percent of base stealers, which is phenomenal, but he also was a below-average pitch-framer according to StatCorner. There is definitely room for improvement here.

Free agency does offer some decent catchers at the moment. Matt Wieters is the big name and might be a little too pricey for the Tigers, who presumably do not want to bury McCann entirely. Welington Castillo would provide more offense without much defensive downgrade, if any. Brayan Pena would be a defensive upgrade and a lateral move offensively. Jason Castro would have been a nice fit, but he signed with the Twins.

Center field The free-agent market doesn't offer much help in center field. The best available center fielders are Ben Revere, Rajai Davis and Austin Jackson, who is coming off knee surgery. That's not great. Are they better than Jones and Gose? Probably, but they're downgrades over Maybin. Free agency is not the best way to plug a center field hole this offseason.

The most obvious trade candidate, who really is a strong fit for the Tigers, is Brett Gardner. The Yankees are in the middle of their quasi-rebuild and Gardner is very much available. He's a strong defender who always gets on base (.350 OBP in 2016), and since the Tigers have such a strong lineup, Gardner would end up hitting eighth or ninth, not leadoff. There are two years and $23 million left on his contract, plus a club option for 2019, so he's not going to blow up Detroit's budget.

Other potential trade targets include Jarrod Dyson, Lorenzo Cain, Marcell Ozuna, Juan Lagares, Travis Jankowski, Charlie Blackmon and Billy Hamilton. Obviously some are more available (and desirable) than others.

Starting rotation The Tigers have three spots accounted for with an odds-on favorite for the fourth spot. Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey are still around, so they'll be in the mix for the fifth spot thanks to their contracts. Shane Greene and Matt Boyd are possibilities, too. The Tigers don't need another starter. Chances are one of Sanchez, Pelfrey, Greene or Boyd will take the job and run with it. Or at least that's what the team hopes.

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Should Avila want more of a sure thing in the rotation, especially with Norris relatively unproven and Zimmermann coming off a poor season, the best the free-agent market has to offer is Ivan Nova and Jason Hammel. Yikes. A Doug Fister reunion or a roll of the dice with Brett Anderson are lower cost alternatives. Rotation depth is important, though I'm not sure free agency offers anything better than what the Tigers already have.

The trade market is a bit more robust. The Diamondbacks have been getting hits on all their young arms. The Dodgers would reportedly like to unload Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy. The Rays have essentially their entire rotation on the trading block. There are starters available. The only question is whether the Tigers are willing to pay to get them. Pitching isn't cheap these days.

Bullpen The Tigers are in perpetual need of bullpen help, aren't they? Francisco Rodriguez is solid in the ninth inning and the Wilsons, Alex and Justin, are a fine righty-lefty tandem. Greene, Bruce Rondon, Mark Lowe and Kyle Ryan are other members of the 2016 bullpen, a bullpen that ranked 12th in MLB with a +4.3 WAR, according to FanGraphs.

Shopping at the top of the free-agent market for Kenley Jansen isn't necessary, though of course he would make the bullpen better. Brad Ziegler stands out as a free agent who could really help the Tigers in a setup role, though he may get a closer's job elsewhere. Same with Greg Holland. Others like Joe Smith, Sergio Romo and Joe Blanton would improve the middle relief situation at a lower cost. The Tigers may be a bit jaded about the bullpen market after Lowe melted down this summer, though. As it stands right now, the Tigers can definitely contend in the weakened AL Central, and they'll rely on their veterans to lead the way. Verlander and Cabrera have to be great, Upton and Zimmermann have to rebound, and Castellanos and J.D. Martinez need to stay healthy. If that happens, Detroit will be in the hunt. If not for the AL Central, than at least for a wild-card spot.

Personally, I think trades for Gardner and McCarthy plus Castillo and Ziegler signings would make the most sense for the Tigers. Whether they have the wherewithal to make those moves (prospects to trade, money to spend, etc.) is another matter. They all represent upgrades though, and since the Tigers still have a win now roster and the rest of the AL Central got weaker, any upgrade is worth making.