Report: White Sox make formal offer to Manny Machado

Manny Machado

As of 9:40 p.m. Thursday, the lead headline on mlb.com reads, "Report: White Sox make formal offer to Machado."

For this blog, I've tweaked that headline a little bit, just in case anyone out there believes the Sox are trying to sign Dixon Machado. (You can never have enough utility infielders, right?) Or maybe the Sox are trying to bring back Robert Machado as a roving catching instructor or something.

Nah, this article actually talks about the Sox's interest in superstar free agent Manny Machado. I believe the report because it comes from USA Today's Bob Nightengale, who has more credible Sox information that most national reporters.

Nightengale reported the long-term offer is serious, but closer in value to $200 million over the life of the deal than $300 million. If that's the case, then maybe Bruce Levine's report that the Sox want to give neither Machado nor Bryce Harper more than seven years is accurate.

Personally, I still think it's going to take a 10-year offer worth $300 million to lure Machado to the South Side, and I won't believe that the Sox are willing to do that until I see it. If the Sox are going to offer only seven years, then they will finish third in the pursuit of these high-end talents.

Robertson to Philadelphia

Former Sox closer David Robertson has signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal is worth $23 million and contains a club option for $12 million for 2021 with a $2 million buyout.

Robertson probably becomes Philadelphia's closer at this point, unless the Phillies decide to add either Craig Kimbrel or Zach Britton. Of course, Philadelphia also is in the running for both Machado and Harper, so I'd be surprised if the Phillies do anything else significant before they get an answer from the two superstars on the market.

Some notable baseball figures who died in 2018

Year in review articles often include a list of notable people who died in the past 12 months. When I read those, I often think, "Geez, I didn't know that guy was gone."

Here is an alphabetical list of some baseball figures we lost in 2018:

Tito Francona, 84: He played 15 years in the big leagues for nine teams, including a half-season with the White Sox in 1958. The career .272 hitter batted .363 for the Cleveland Indians in 1959. His son, Terry Francona, now is the manager for the Indians.

Oscar Gamble

Oscar Gamble, 68: Known for his ridiculous Afro, the left-handed hitter totaled 200 home runs in his 17-year career. He had two separate stints with the White Sox. He hit a career-high 31 homers for the Sox as a member of the 1977 South Side Hitmen. He also finished his career in Chicago in 1985.

Augie Garrido, 79: He made 15 College World Series appearances as a coach (eight of them at the University of Texas) and won an NCAA record 1,975 games.

Doug Harvey, 87: The Hall of Famer umpired for 31 seasons. His nickname was God. Seriously.

Bruce Kison, 68: He pitched 15 seasons for three teams and finished his career 115-88 in 380 games (246 starts). His best years were with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1970s. He pitched 11 scoreless innings in the playoffs for the 1971 world champion Pirates.

Willie McCovey, 80: The Hall of Fame first baseman played all 22 of his seasons (1959 to 1980) with the San Francisco Giants. He totaled 521 home runs and won the National League MVP award in 1969, when he hit .320 with 45 home runs and 126 RBIs. That season, he led the NL in both on-base percentage (.453) and slugging percentage (.656).

Red Schoendienst, 95: He was a 10-time All-Star as a second baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals and spent 67 seasons as a player, manager and coach with the St. Louis organization. He totaled 1,041 wins as a manager.

Rusty Staub, 73: The six-time All-Star totaled 2,716 hits over a 23-year career, and he was the first star player for the Montreal Expos. Staub was an original member of the Expos, who joined the National League as an expansion team in 1969. Staub hit .302 that year, despite playing for a 52-110 team.

Luis Valbuena, 33: The utility infielder played 11 years with five teams, including the Cubs. He died in a car crash in Venezuela, along with former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jose Castillo.

Happy New Year from The Baseball Kid

Merry Christmas from The Baseball Kid

Early list of 2019 SoxFest attendees released

Dewayne Wise

SoxFest 2019 will take place from Jan. 25 to 27 at the Chicago Hilton, and believe it or not, that's only about a month away.

I've already got my hotel package booked, so I got an email this week with an early list of players scheduled to attend the event. Let's have a look:

Current players:
Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, Nicky Delmonico, Adam Engel, Jace Fry, Lucas Giolito, Leury Garcia, Michael Kopech, Reynaldo Lopez, Yoan Moncada, Daniel Palka, Yolmer Sanchez.

Prospects:
Micker Adolfo, Luis Alexander Basabe, Dylan Cease, Zack Collins, Eloy Jimenez, Nick Madrigal, Luis Robert.

Coaches:
Rick Renteria, Daryl Boston, Nick Capra, Don Cooper, Curt Hasler, Joe McEwing, Greg Sparks, Todd Steverson.

Alumni:
Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk, Ken Harrelson, Carlos May, Bill Melton, Tim Raines, Jim Thome, Dewayne Wise.

Broadcasters:
Jason Benetti, Steve Stone, Ed Farmer Darrin Jackson.

A few thoughts:

1. Props to Giolito for showing up. Usually, when a guy has a bad season he doesn't want anything to do with the fans at SoxFest the following winter.

2. Early favorite for most crowded autograph line: Jimenez. They probably will pare him with someone that few fans will be interested in, such as Delmonico.

3. I'm not sure Baines and Fisk have any stories left to tell that I haven't already heard. Of course, Baines is a team ambassador, and he was just elected to the Hall of Fame, so I'm sure the Sox will try to capitalize on that with a seminar of some sort.

4. Wise is an unusual name to appear on the guest list. I guess 2019 is the 10-year anniversary of Mark Buehrle's perfect game -- and Wise's spectacular catch to preserve that achievement -- but reflecting on that day isn't worth much if Buehrle isn't around to share in it.

5. What, no Ron Kittle?

White Sox make baffling trade for Yonder Alonso

Yonder Alonso

Yonder Alonso is Manny Machado's brother-in-law.

I've heard at least two dozen people point that out since the White Sox acquired Alonso on Friday from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for minor league outfielder Alex Call.

However, I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. Do we really think Machado is going to sign with the Sox because his brother-in-law is on the team?

I don't.

I think Machado will sign with the Sox if they offer more money than all the other suitors, and to this point, we have no reason to believe the Sox are going win a bidding war for any free agent -- let alone those at the top of the market.

This Alonso trade is baffling. First off, it's a trade that helps division rival Cleveland. The Indians save at least $9 million in this deal -- Alonso's $8 million salary for 2019, followed by a $9 million club option for 2020 or a $1 million buyout.

Moving Alonso along clears space for Carlos Santana to play first base for Cleveland -- the Indians reacquired Santana earlier this month in a three-team deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners.

The salary savings also might allow the Indians to keep their starting rotation together. Maybe those Corey Kluber trade rumors won't come to fruition now. I think we all can agree it would be great news for AL Central teams not based in Cleveland if Kluber were sent elsewhere.

While I see clear benefits for the Indians here, I see few benefits for the Sox.

Alonso slashed .250/.317/.421 in 574 plate appearances in 2018, which is nothing special for a first baseman. He hit 23 home runs from the left side of the plate. That's nice, but Alonso only had 19 doubles last season.

Personally, I prefer guys who play corner positions and get 500-plus at-bats to provide at least 50 extra-base hits over the course of the season. Alonso failed to do that last season, so I'm unimpressed.

Jose Abreu, in a down season, provided 59 extra-base hits for the Sox in 128 games -- 36 doubles, 22 home runs and one triple.

Oh, yeah, that's right. The Sox still have Abreu as an incumbent first baseman. Both Abreu and Alonso don't play any positions other than first base. Alonso bats left and Abreu bats right, but other than that, aren't these guys redundant on the roster? I think so.

Are the Sox going back to having a set DH? I guess so, and if that's the case, Alonso doesn't provide the power you want from that position, or from the first base position. What is the point of this move?

I'm honestly struggling to figure out what the Sox are doing so far this offseason. The Ivan Nova trade, that one I get, and I'm OK with it.

However, the signing of a subpar catcher such as James McCann and this trade for Alonso are confusing decisions.

Sources: White Sox sign catcher James McCann (puke)

James McCann

The White Sox are going the cheap route again.

The team on Friday agreed to a contract with catcher James McCann, pending a physical, according to MLB.com.

MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reports the deal is worth $2.5 million.

For me, that's about $2.5 million too many. The 28-year-old McCann posted a .220/.267/.314 slash line with eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 118 games in 2018. That season is worse than his career slash of .240/.288/.366. While McCann is competent at controlling the running game, he grades poorly as a receiver and a blocker.

He was non-tendered by the 98-loss Detroit Tigers after the season. What does that tell you?

As we mentioned earlier on this blog, there are several catchers available to be acquired this offseason. The Sox, somehow, managed to sign the least impressive name on the list.

Why not just bring back Alex Avila or see what Dioner Navarro is up to?