Happy New Year from The Baseball Kid

 

Some more free agent signings to catch up on ...

Here's a look at some recent free agent signings:

• Michael Conforto, San Franciso Giants, 2 years, $36 million
• Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers, 2 years, $34 million
• Corey Kluber, Boston Red Sox, 1 year, $10 million
• Jean Segura, Miami Marlins, 2 years, $17 million
• Drew Smyly, Cubs, 2 years, $19 million
• Taylor Rogers, San Francisco Giants, 3 years, $33 million

Segura's signing takes the most prominent remaining free agent option at second base off the board, which caused White Sox Twitter to melt down for approximately the 23rd time this offseason.

You can't really blame the fans, though, since the internal "options" being sold to them by the front office include Romy Gonzalez, Lenyn Sosa and ... gulp, Leury Garcia.

Gonzalez has not shown that he's good enough to start for a team that expects to contend. Sosa has promise, but he's simply not ready yet. The big fear is this road leads back to Garcia. Again.

San Francisco's signing of Rogers had a ripple effect, too, as the Giants designated second baseman Tommy La Stella for assignment to make room for the veteran pitcher on the roster.

Thus, La Stella is a free agent, and some Sox fans are talking about him as a possible option. Buyer beware. 

Injuries limited La Stella to 60 games last season, when he accumulated -0.7 WAR. He's entering his age-34 season, and it's not unreasonable to believe his days as a useful player are past. He doesn't merit anything other than a minor league contract, if that. There's a reason the Giants let him go.

Carlton Fisk, now age 75, was the rare great White Sox free agent signing

It's been almost 30 years since Carlton Fisk was unceremoniously let go by the White Sox in the summer of 1993, and he was age 45 at the time. 

So, I shouldn't be surprised that a player I grew up watching is now 75 years old -- Fisk's birthday was Dec. 26. When I read Fisk's age the other day, my first thought was, "Geez, he's almost as old as Tony La Russa!" 

My second thought: Fisk has to be on the short list of rare great Sox free agent signings. After Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn bought the team, they were looking to make some headlines, so they signed Fisk on March 18, 1981.

At the time Fisk came to the South Side, he was 11 years into a Hall of Fame career, with all of those seasons being spent with the Boston Red Sox. And he had been named to the All-Star team in seven of those 11 seasons. 

The signing paid immediate dividends on Opening Day -- April 10, 1981 -- when Fisk hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning in an eventual 5-3 Sox victory.

Fittingly, the home run came at Fenway Park against Boston. Harry Caray's call is now immortalized as part of the introduction to Chuck Garfien's White Sox Talk podcast:

For you kiddos out there, yes, Caray was once a Sox broadcaster.

This home run was the first of 214 Fisk hit over his 13 seasons with the White Sox. He made four more All-Star appearances with the South Siders (for a career total of 11) and was third in AL MVP voting in 1983, which is the first season of Sox baseball that I can remember. 

That season, Fisk hit .289/.355/.518 with 26 homers and 86 RBIs. In 1985, Fisk hit 37 homers and 107 RBIs, both career highs. As late as 1991, at age 43, he made the All-Star team.

Sometimes it pays to sign a premium free agent, doesn't it? 

Believe it or not, it's been almost 23 years since Fisk was inducted into Hall of Fame. He was elected in 2000. Time flies.

Take a digital stroll around the original Comiskey Park

This is a slow time for baseball news, so let's entertain ourselves by watching this video. It allows you to take a digital stroll through the lower concourse of the original Comiskey Park, as it stood at the end of its life.

For those of you unfamiliar, Comiskey Park was home to the White Sox from 1910 to 1990. Watching this video, I'm suddenly 10 years old again. I definitely remember the old picnic area in left field, where you could sit at a table at field level and look out across the playing surface.

Merry Christmas from The Baseball Kid

 

So, Carlos Correa is actually going to the Mets

Carlos Correa

This is a new one for me. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this before. All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants earlier this month.

But on Tuesday, the Giants canceled a press conference during which Correa was scheduled to be formally introduced. Apparently, something came up in Correa's physical that held up the deal.

So, Correa reopened his free agency late Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning, he had a 12-year, $315 million deal with the New York Mets. He'll no longer be a shortstop, because the Mets already have Francisco Lindor. Instead, he'll play third base.

On Wednesday, I saw an estimate that said the Mets' payroll would be an estimated $384 million, with luxury tax penalties totaling $111 million. Add it all up, and that equals $495 million.

According to reports late Wednesday, the Mets are trading struggling catcher James McCann to the Baltimore Orioles, so that sheds some payroll. Still, this is one expensive baseball team.

Here are the contracts the Mets have doled out this offseason:

• Correa, 12 years, $315 million
• Brandon Nimmo, eight years, $162 million
• Edwin Diaz, five years, $102 million
• Justin Verlander, two years, $86 million
• Kodai Senga, five years, $75 million
• Jose Quintana, two years, $26 million
• Omar Narvaez, two years, $15 million
• Adam Ottavino, two years, $14.5 million
• David Robertson, one year, $10 million 

That's a total of $806.1 million. 

We've talked about the White Sox giving $75 million to Andrew Benintendi, and how that's the richest deal in team history. For the Mets, $75 million would only be the fifth-highest deal they've handed out this offseason. Forget team history.

No wonder Jerry Reinsdorf voted against allowing Steve Cohen to buy the Mets.

Rumor mill: Mets reportedly interested in Liam Hendriks

This story popped up on MLB.com Tuesday. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported the New York Mets are talking to the White Sox about a trade for Liam Hendriks.

I've learned through the years to never say never, but I'm not seeing a match here. Earlier this offseason, the Mets retained their incumbent closer, Edwin Diaz, by signing him to a five-year, $102 million contract. New York does not need a ninth inning guy.

Not to mention, the Mets also signed David Robertson to a one-year deal. Robertson is a veteran reliever with ample closing experience, should Diaz get injured or falter. On Tuesday, the Mets signed reliever Adam Ottavino to a two-year, $14.5 million deal.

It seems to me that the Mets are set for innings 7, 8 and 9. I get that they are looking to accumulate an embarrassment of riches this offseason, so maybe that's why they've inquired about Hendriks.

That said, what is in it for the Sox? As all Sox fans know, the team has holes at second base and in right field. And Hendriks might be their most attractive trade chip. In my way of thinking, that means any trade involving Hendriks has to include a starting-caliber second baseman or outfielder coming the other way.

Are the Mets trading the Sox their starting second baseman, Jeff McNeil? I don't think so. Why would they do that going into a season where they have World Series expectations? Do the Mets have an extra left-handed corner outfielder that could start in right field for the Sox? No, it doesn't look like it to me. Maybe I'm wrong, and someone will correct me.

What's the motivation for the deal here, for either side?

I saw one proposal today that had the Mets acquiring Hendriks for a package of prospects. This also makes little sense. The Sox might be foolhardy in their belief that they can win in 2023, but the signing of Andrew Benintendi this past weekend signals they are still going for it.

And if they are going for it, why wouldn't they want Hendriks to continue as their closer?

Minnesota Twins without a shortstop so far this offseason

Catching up on some of the free agent signings from recent days:

• Dansby Swanson, Cubs, 7 years, $177 million
• Justin Turner, Boston Red Sox, 2 years, $21.7 million
• Michael Brantley, Houston Astros, 1 year, $12 million
• J.D. Martinez, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1 year, $10 million
• Joey Gallo, Minnesota Twins, 1 year, $11 million

Swanson was the last high-priced free agent to come off the board. As you can see from the list above, some of the late-career veterans are starting to sign short-term contracts. Brantley decided to stay where he's been in Houston. Turner went from Los Angeles to Boston, while Martinez when from Boston to Los Angeles. The two essentially swapped places.

My main takeaway on Swanson: The Twins are left without a shortstop to this point in the offseason. They sought to retain Carlos Correa, but they were outbid by the San Francisco Giants. Swanson seemed to be their fallback, but he chose to come to the North Side of Chicago.

Now, Minnesota is in a fix. The best free agent shortstop left on the market is ... probably Elvis Andrus, who had a resurgence with the White Sox at the end of 2022, but it's far from certain that the 34-year-old veteran can sustain that level of play moving forward.

The Twins ended up with Gallo to plug an outfield spot, while the Sox signed Andrew Benintendi on a five-year deal. That's a little surprising. At the start of the offseason, no one would have been shocked if Gallo had landed on the South Side on a short-term deal. The Twins seemed more likely to make a multiyear splash on somebody, either an outfielder or a shortstop.

I must say, I did not want Gallo on the Sox. He's a boom-or-bust player, and while I fully acknowledge that he could hit 40 homers for the Twins and make me eat my words, the Sox already have a little too much boom-or-bust in their everyday lineup.

The Sox were better off signing an outfielder who sets a higher floor at his position, and Benintendi is that guy. Gallo simply is not. 

Who are the top remaining free agents? Well, I wouldn't say there's anyone left you would call "top of market." Besides Andrus, Jean Segura and Brandon Drury are still out there as infielders. Michael Conforto is available for anyone still interested in an outfielder. Jurickson Profar would be an option for a team seeking an all-purpose type. Nathan Eovaldi is probably the best starting pitcher still out there. Need a closer? I'm not sure Craig Kimbrel will ever regain his "future Hall of Fame" form, but he's available.

Andrew Benintendi agrees to 5-year deal with White Sox

Andrew Benintendi

These days, a 12-pack of Pepsi costs $7.99 at regular price. That seems like a lot, but it's actually the going rate in today's inflationary economy.

Similarly, it costs about $15 million a year to add an average starting outfielder in free agency. That seems high, but when you look around baseball, it's actually about par.

And that's the way I look at the deal the White Sox gave left fielder Andrew Benintendi. According to sources, the 28-year-old agreed to terms Friday on a five-year, $75 million contract. It is the most lucrative deal the Sox have ever handed out in free agency.

That last sentence sounds weird to say, doesn't it? When you're handing out the biggest contract in team history, shouldn't that money be going to someone who is a perennial All-Star? You would think so, but that's not the way the Sox operate. 

What the Sox have done here is pay market rate for adequacy at a position, and there's really nothing wrong with that. It just invites ridicule when the biggest deal a team has ever handed out goes to a decent-but-not-great outfielder.

Benintendi does most things reasonably well, although he lacks a carrying skill. He swings left-handed, which is something the Sox need. He plays respectable defense in left field -- he won a Gold Glove in 2021 as a member of the Kansas Ciry Royals -- which is also something the Sox need.

His career slash line is .279/.351/.782 over seven seasons, with OPS+ of 109 -- meaning he's been 9% above league average as an offensive player for the totality of his career. Benintendi's contact rate is good; he takes his fair share of walks (a bonus for the free-swinging Sox); and he's a decent baserunner.

One big concern: While Benintendi hit a career-best .304 last season, he managed only five home runs. He's hit as many as 20 in a season (2017 with the Boston Red Sox), so cross your fingers and hope that a little bit of that power returns playing in hitter-friendly Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox struggled last season, in part, because of the lack of home runs in their lineup. Benintendi does not solve this problem.

In fact, this signing does not change the fact that the Sox are counting on healthy, more effective seasons from Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal. They are counting on Eloy Jimenez to finally play 100-plus games in a season, too.

The Benintendi signing helps in that regard, because he's going to play left field. Jimenez can put away his glove for the most part, and focus on being the best designated hitter he can be.

Essentially, Benintendi raises the floor of the 2023 Sox. He's not a All-Star. He's not going to carry the team. But he can provide some stability, and prevent the Sox from being tempted to play a first baseman in the corner outfield. 

The expectation should be a 2.0 to 3.0 WAR season for Benintendi. If he does that, he's a complementary piece to the so-called "core," whom the Sox are counting on to carry them back to the playoffs in 2023.

Carlos Rodon joining Yankees on 6-year contract

Carlos Rodon

Former White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon on Thursday agreed to a six-year, $162 million contract with the New York Yankees.

My first thought was, "Didn't Rodon always pitch well against the Yankees?"

The answer to that is, yes, he did, especially at Yankee Stadium. As pointed out by Chris Kamka on Twitter, Rodon has made four career starts in the Bronx. He's 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA.

But perhaps his most memorable outing was his no-decision, which came on May 21, 2021. Rodon went six shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He struck out 13(!) and walked none. Of course, the Sox found a way to lose that game, 2-1, because neither Michael Kopech nor Evan Marshall pitched well in relief.

That particular game served notice that Rodon was healthy and operating at his peak power, and he's been mostly good ever since. His one season in San Francisco turned out well -- 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA in a career-high 31 starts. He finished sixth in the 2022 NL Cy Young voting.

Of course, health will always be the question with Rodon. When he pitches, he's good. However, he's probably a bad bet to make it through a six-year contract without landing on the injured list a few times.

That said, if Rodon makes it to October 2023 in one piece, the Yankees finally have a legitimate No. 2 starter to pair with Gerrit Cole. That increases their odds of finally getting past the Houston Astros in the American League playoffs.

I would call this move "high-risk, high-reward" for the Yankees, but given their position, it's the right gamble to take.

Carlos Correa signs 13-year deal (!) with San Francisco Giants

Carlos Correa

The San Francisco Giants swung and missed in their attempt to sign Aaron Judge, who was the biggest free agent on the market this offseason.

Give the Giants credit. They dusted themselves off and took a big swing at the second-biggest free agent available. This time, they converted, reeling in All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa with a 13-year, $350 million contract.

Thirteen years!

Correa is 28 years old, a superstar in the prime of his career. I don't doubt for one second that Correa is going to be tremendously productive during the front half of that contract. The back half? We'll see. The deal takes him through his age-40 season. He might not be so good by then, but if the Giants win the World Series while Correa is still an elite player, I'm sure they can live with it.

The thing about Correa is, he was a free agent last offseason, too. He signed with the Minnesota Twins for three years, $105 million -- with an opt out after each season. After one season with Minnesota, he opted out and bet on himself. Now, he's cashed in big.

I've heard that Correa was looking for a 10-year deal last year. The Cubs were among the teams interested, but ultimately, nobody was willing to give him that length of contract. Had a team offered him that, they'd probably have Correa under contract for nine more years at this point.

Instead, he went back on the open market and got himself 13 years, after two other prominent shortstops signed for 11 years -- Trea Turner in Philadelphia and Xander Bogaerts in San Diego.

It just goes to show that the price for these elite players only tends to go up. Some of these teams that are waiting for the price to come down to levels they are "comfortable" with, that's just a failing strategy.

Now, Dansby Swanson is the top remaining shortstop on the market. He's a good player, but he's not a franchise changer like Correa or Turner.

However, I won't be surprised if some team gives Swanson the contract that Correa should have gotten last season.

Some other MLB free agent signings

The Carlos Correa speculation is in overdrive here in Chicago. Being a White Sox fan, it doesn't concern me. I'll root against Correa no matter where he signs. While that media firestorm continues, here's a look at some other recent free agent signings: 

• RHP Chris Bassitt, Toronto Blue Jays, 3 years, $63 million 
• C Mike Zunino, Cleveland Guardians, 1 year, $6 million 
• RHP Ross Stripling, San Francisco Giants, 2 years, $25 million 
• LHP Sean Manaea, San Francisco Giants, 2 years, $25 million 
• OF Kevin Kiermaier, Toronto Blue Jays, terms undisclosed

Sean Murphy heads to Atlanta Braves in three-team, nine-player deal

The trade market hasn't been particularly "fruitful" so far this offseason, but Monday brought what I would call the first major swap of the winter, with the Atlanta Braves acquiring catcher Sean Murphy in a three-team, nine-player deal.

Here's the breakdown:

Atlanta gets: Murphy

The Oakland A's get: LHP Kyle Muller, OF Esteury Ruiz, RHP Freddy Tarnok, RHP Royber Salinas, C Manny Piña

The Milwaukee Brewers get: C William Contreras, RHP Justin Yeager, RHP Joel Payamps

Murphy batted .250/.332/.426 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs in 148 games with Oakland last season. He's considered an elite defender, having won a Gold Glove during the 2021 season.

The Braves gave up a 24-year-old catcher in Contreras as part of this swap. Contreras hit .278 with 20 homers last season, so no doubt the Brewers are looking at him to be an upgrade over Omar Narvaez, who is a free agent this offseason.

Murphy simply gives the Braves more consistent defense behind the plate, which is what they are looking for in the middle of their contention window.

From Oakland's perspective, this deal is about acquiring futures, although Muller and Tarnok pitched some for the Braves last season and could be ready for a longer look at the MLB level.

My main reaction: Hey, at least Cleveland didn't acquire Murphy. We know catching is a hole for the Guardians, and Murphy would be a great fit there. He's a great fit in most places, in fact.

There was one move in the AL Central on Monday, as the Minnesota Twins signed catcher Christian Vazquez to a three-year, $30 million deal.

The move makes sense for the Twins, since their catchers combined to post a .630 OPS last season. Neither Gary Sanchez nor Ryan Jeffers were getting it done.

Enter the 32-year-old Vazquez, who won a World Series ring in 2022 with the Houston Astros, after being traded midseason from the Boston Red Sox.

Vazquez batted .274/.315/.399 last season with nine homers and 52 RBIs. He's respectable, and that's an upgrade for the Twins at that position.

New York Mets continue to spend money in free agency

It feels as though not a day goes by without the New York Mets signing another free agent.

The Mets added to their starting rotation on Friday by signing right-hander Kodai Senga to a five-year deal worth $75 million. For those not familiar with Senga, he's a 29-year-old who has pitched 11 seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball league, going 104-51 with a 2.42 ERA over 275 starts.

Earlier this offseason, the Mets signed AL Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander and veteran left-hander Jose Quintana. With ace Max Scherzer and right-hander Carlos Carrasco also in the rotation, New York seems set on the starting pitching front -- even though Jacob deGrom is now a member of the Texas Rangers.

This offseason, the Mets have also retained outfielder Brandon Nimmo on a eight-year, $162 million deal, and closer Edwin Diaz on a five-year, $102 million deal. They also added veteran reliever David Robertson for one year and $10 million.

New York's estimated payroll is now about $345 million, which would be an all-time high if they don't shed salaries in trades between now and the start of the 2023 season. If the payroll holds, Mets owner Steve Cohen will have to pay $76.2 million in luxury tax penalties. With the way that team is spending, it seems as though he doesn't care.

Must be nice as a fan.

In case you were wondering, the biggest free agent contract the White Sox have ever handed out was to catcher Yasmani Grandal, who is entering the fourth and final year of a $73 million contract.

In other words, Cohen could pay more in luxury tax penalties in 2023 than Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has ever paid to a free agent.

Winter Meetings: A recap of all the White Sox news

The 2022 Winter Meetings are over, so let's take a look back at what the White Sox did over three days in San Diego ...

OK, that's all folks! You would think a team that went 81-81 in the middle of its alleged contention window would move aggressively to fix roster holes, but apparently, you're wrong!

Hopefully, the Sox do something worth talking about soon.

Winter Meetings Day 3: Some thoughts on the signings

Aaron Judge

Some thoughts on the signings that occurred on the third and final day of the Winter Meetings:

Aaron Judge, N.Y. Yankees, nine years, $360 million. The reigning American League MVP chose to stay in New York, turning down offers from San Diego and San Francisco, according to reports. I saw one report that said the Padres were willing to go 10 years, $400 million, but ultimately, Judge wanted to remain a Yankee. He did carry New York to the ALCS last season. It's worth noting that Judge turns 31 years old in April. I'm sure he's got some high-level baseball left in him, but nine years? The back end of that deal is likely to be ugly, so Judge needs to help deliver at least one World Series to New York in the next four or five years. Otherwise, he could be subject to boos as a struggling, overpaid 38-year-old seven years from now. If he's a World Series champ, he'll get diplomatic immunity from the Yankees fans.

Willson Contreras, St. Louis, five years, $87.5 million. Remember the Cubs' last home game before the trade deadline? There were hugs and tears as it was presumed the veteran catcher would be traded. He was not traded. He finished the year in Chicago, and during the last home game of the season at Wrigley Field, there was yet another round of emotional, over-the-top, syrupy Cubbie goo as the faithful said goodbye to a longtime favorite. I'm guessing Contreras will get a very different reception next time he visits Wrigley, now that he'll be wearing a St. Louis Cardinals uniform. Contreras replaces Yadier Molina, who finally retired at the end of the 2022 season. This was a necessary move to fill a need by the Cardinals.

Kenley Jansen, Boston, two years, $32 million. This move created a ripple for White Sox fans, because there has been a lot of speculation that Liam Hendriks is a candidate to be traded. Now that Jansen -- an experienced, accomplished closer -- is off the free agent market, the thought is that other teams looking for a closer might be calling the Sox to ask about Hendriks. If the Sox move the veteran right-hander, his 2024 option automatically vests, and the acquiring team would owe him $29 million over the next two seasons. That's actually pretty good value in this market, so the Sox should be able to get a good return, should they be willing to part with Hendriks. The question is, if the Sox are serious about winning in 2023, why would they trade their closer? Perhaps they would fill a hole on their roster with such a trade, but they'd also be creating a hole. Can you tell I'm not on the Reynaldo Lopez for closer bandwagon?

Jose Quintana, N.Y. Mets, two years, $26 million. Good for Quintana. I've always been a fan. The veteran lefty had two seasons of injury struggles in 2020 and 2021, but he bounced back to post a 2.93 ERA in 165.2 combined innings with the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals last season. That earns him one more decent payday entering his age-34 season. I'll be interested to see who ends up providing the greater value: Quintana with the Mets or Mike Clevinger with the White Sox? 

Jameson Taillon, Cubs, four years, $68 million. I remember when only pitchers at the top of the market received contracts such as this. Now, it's the going rate for a mid-rotation starter. If you can make 30 starts and post an ERA around 4.00, you can get yourself $16 million or $17 million a season. Taillon went 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA last season with the Yankees. That was a nice year for him, and now he's cashing in. The Cubs needed to add at least one starting pitcher this offseason, so there's the fit.

Cleveland Guardians address need for designated hitter

Josh Bell

The Cleveland Guardians won the AL Central Division title in 2022, but it wasn't because they received good production from their designated hitters.

In fact, Cleveland DHs combined to bat .217/.276/.309 with only eight home runs and 57 RBIs last season. That's poor, given that whichever player you put in that spot in supposed to be able to hit.

The Guardians moved to address that weakness Tuesday, signing veteran switch-hitter Josh Bell to a two-year contract worth $33 million. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the 2023 season.

Bell split time between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres last season. He was traded to the Padres midseason as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto deal.

He finished 2022 with .266/.362/.422 slash line, with 29 doubles, 17 home runs and 71 RBIs.

In other words, he performed better than all the Cleveland DHs combined. So, yes, I think this is a smart move by Cleveland.

I saw a lot of my fellow White Sox fans melting down on Twitter after this signing was announced. The reaction is somewhat understandable because, hey, the team that whooped your ass in the division last season just got better.

That said, it isn't like the Sox should have bid on Bell. They don't need anymore 1B/DH types, and while Bell is a good player, he wouldn't fit on the South Side of Chicago from a positional need standpoint.

I commend the Guardians for getting better. Of course, the problem from my perspective isn't what Cleveland is doing. The problem is what the Sox aren't doing. So far, Sox GM Rick Hahn gives the impression that he's sitting around watching the world go by.

Bellinger, Haniger also sign

A couple of free agent outfielders signed with new teams Tuesday. Cody Bellinger is joining the Cubs on a one-year, $17.5 million deal. Mitch Haniger is now with the San Francisco Giants after agreeing on a three-year, $43.5 million contract.

These signings also contributed to Sox fan angst, as we all know the Sox need outfielders. Obviously, these moves mean there are two fewer options available on the board, although I'm not sure either one of these two guys would have fit on the South Side.

Bellinger is still a good defensive outfielder, and he could help any club on that side of the ball. He will certainly make the Cubs a better defensive team. The question mark is his bat. Bellinger won the 2019 National League MVP award as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he's not been the same hitter the past three years after suffering a shoulder injury. He had a .654 OPS and 78 OPS+ plus last season, meaning he was 22% below league average.

Injuries limited Haniger to 57 games last season with the Seattle Mariners, and again, I'm not a huge proponent of signing injured guys -- although Haniger's production was fine when he was healthy. He had a .736 OPS and a 114 OPS+, meaning he was 14% above league average as a corner outfielder. 

Mainly, I look at these deals and come to the conclusion that it's going to take anywhere from $14 million to $20 million per season to sign a competent starting corner outfielder. The Sox need to do that this offseason, but until proven otherwise, I'm bracing to hear that they "weren't comfortable" going to those lengths for any of the available players.

If that's the case, the Sox should get "comfortable" with finishing second or third in the AL Central again next season.

Trea Turner to Phillies; Justin Verlander signs with Mets

Trea Turner

“I really philosophically believe that you win with star players."

It's hard to argue with Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations with the Philadelphia Phillies, because he's built a lot of winning teams throughout his years in baseball.

The Phillies came up just short in 2022, losing to the Houston Astros in the World Series. On Monday, the first day of the Winter Meetings in San Diego, Philadelphia moved to address one of its holes by agreeing to terms with superstar shortstop Trea Turner on a 11-year, $300 million deal.

Turner is 29 years old, and I'm sure by the end of that contract, he probably won't be worth his salary. But that's a problem for another day. The Phillies are looking to win in 2023, and that's commendable. Opportunity only presents itself so often, and it's important to push chips into the middle of the table when the time comes.

Philadelphia has a lot of big contracts on its books. Bryce Harper ($26 million), Zack Wheeler ($24.5 million), J.T. Realmuto ($23.9 million), Nick Castellanos ($20 million), Kyle Schwarber ($20 million) and Aaron Nola ($16 million) are raking in the money with the Phillies. Add Turner's $27.3 million AAV to that list. 

But you know what? Harper, Turner, Realmuto, Wheeler and Nola are all blue-chip players, and you win with those types of guys. And while I'm not a fan of "three true outcome" batters as a rule, credit Schwarber for leading the National League with 46 home runs last season.

I wish my favorite team had All-Star talent like the Phillies do. They are giving themselves a chance in the rugged NL East.

Verlander signs with Mets 

Speaking of the NL East, Justin Verlander is signing with the New York Mets, agreeing to a two-year, $86.7 million contract.

Verlander, the Cy Young Award winner in the American League in 2022, leaves the Astros and basically takes the place of Jacob deGrom at the top of the New York rotation.

The Texas Rangers signed deGrom to a five-year, $185 million contract over the weekend, and you figured the deep-pocketed Mets would respond quickly.

Indeed they did, as Verlander will join former Detroit Tigers teammate Max Scherzer to form a 1-2 punch with the Mets.

I think this is a win for New York because even though Verlander is 40 years old, I trust him to stay healthy more than I would deGrom. Verlander gave the Astros 28 starts and 175 innings last season, going 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA.

Meanwhile, deGrom has totaled only 26 starts and and 156.1 innings over the past two seasons combined. He's still one of the best in the league when he takes the mound, but at age 34, you have to wonder what the Rangers are getting there. I'm not a huge proponent of signing pitchers with long injury histories.

Granted, you never really know with pitchers, but I think the Mets are getting a little more certainty with Verlander.

Fred McGriff elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame

The 16-member Contemporary Baseball Era Committee on Sunday elected former big league first baseman Fred McGriff to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Whenever I hear McGriff's name, the first thing I think of is the Tom Emanski defensive drills video, which, of course, has McGriff's "full endorsement":

 

The irony is, McGriff was not a particularly good defensive first baseman. He's been elected to the Hall of Fame because he could hit the damn ball.

In 19 seasons, he totaled 493 home runs and collected 2,493 hits. He finished in the top 10 of MVP balloting six times and was chosen to the All-Star team five times.

McGriff had 10 seasons of 30 or more home runs, and he hit 30-plus homers for five different franchises. He was a member of the 1995 World Series champion Atlanta Braves. He had 1,550 RBIs in his career, and finished with a .284/.377/.509 career slash line.

In order to be elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, a player needs 12 of 16 votes, or 75% of the ballots. McGriff was unanimously chosen.

Don Mattingly (8 votes), Curt Schilling (7 votes) and Dale Murphy (6 votes) were others who received consideration and fell short.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Albert Belle and Rafael Palmeiro were also on the ballot, but all received less than four votes.

White Sox announce initial 2023 promotion schedule

The White Sox on Thursday announced their initial promotion schedule for 2023. You can look it over for yourself by clicking here.

Four quick thoughts: 

1. The bobblehead days are for Eloy Jimenez (May 13) and Luis Robert (July 8). Amid rumors that a core player will be traded this offseason, perhaps as soon as next week's winter meetings, does this mean Jimenez and Robert are safe? Do you suppose baseball operations and marketing communicate about stuff like that?
2. The Hawaiian shirts (June 10) the Sox hand out just keep getting uglier and uglier. The last two or three have ended up in my Goodwill pile. I'm pretty sure this game isn't part of my 2023 ticket plan. Just as well.
3. I'm excited to get the 1993 American League West Division Champs crewneck (April 15). As I get older, I have more nostalgia for good Sox teams of the past. Maybe that's because the present is nothing to celebrate, but I digress. Much like the current era, the Sox of the 1990s had a different player in right field every season. However, unlike the current era, whomever the Sox signed to play right field in the '90s actually produced. Remember Ellis Burks in '93? He only played one season in Chicago, but a solid season it was.
4. The Sox seem to have developed a fetish for creating jerseys for other sports. Get your Sox hockey jersey (April 29), your Sox basketball jersey (June 24), your Sox football jersey (Aug. 12) and your Sox soccer jersey (Sept. 2). OK, I'll admit I wouldn't mind the hockey one, as I am a big hockey fan. But the rest of this, I can take or leave.

Which Sox promotion are you most excited to stand in line for next season? 

Jerry Reinsdorf's statement on Jose Abreu inadvertently summarizes history of White Sox baseball

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf released a statement after longtime first baseman Jose Abreu signed a three-year contract with the Houston Astros:

Here's the part that stands out to me: "Unfortunately, hope is not always translated into reality."

Hmmm ... Doesn't that sum up what we've been looking at these past few years with the Rick Hahn rebuild? Heck, doesn't that inadvertently summarize the entire history of White Sox baseball?

There's been plenty of time spent selling hope, but not much of it has brought results in reality.

Oh, the irony.