Catching up on some White Sox news and notes

Lucas Giolito

I've been in a busy stretch at my real job recently, so I haven't had the chance to write about baseball much. 

Any of the things below probably could have been a blog entry, but for the sake of time, I'll just bullet point some of the recent White Sox news and notes:

• The Sox avoided arbitration with ace pitcher Lucas Giolito by agreeing to terms on a one-year, $4.15 million contract. Barring injury, we'll see Giolito on the mound Opening Day.
  
• The Sox also avoided arbitration with right-hander Reynaldo Lopez by agreeing to terms on a one-year, $2.1 million contract. Lopez will be pitching for his job in the spring -- he is projected to compete with Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech for the last two spots in the starting rotation.
• The Sox finalized a contract with right-hander Liam Hendriks. The terms are exactly what we described earlier in the week. Hendriks will be the closer this season.
• The international signing period began Jan. 15, and as expected, the Sox signed Cuban outfielder Yoelqui Céspedes for $2.05 million. They also signed Cuban right-hander Norge Vera for $1.5 million.
• Connor McKnight has been hired to host pregame and postgame shows on ESPN 1000 AM. McKnight will fill in on radio broadcasts with Darrin Jackson when Len Kasper is doing TV work on NBC Sports Chicago. He also will host "White Sox Weekly," which is a one-hour program that airs at 9 a.m. Saturdays on 1000 AM. That show will expand to two hours when the season begins.

OK, I think we're up to date.