Ostrowski: White Sox's desperate times call for desperate measures
Desperate times call for desperate measures. These are desperate times for the White Sox, for multiple reasons.
The Sox are in a stretch of nine straight divisional games against the Royals, Tigers, Indians. They're just 4-13 against those clubs.
Sox fans are hoping they just saw the worst from their team. It's difficult to go from 13 games above .500 to 1 game below in a month, and that's exactly where the south siders were mid-week.
When the general manager is getting as much TV time as the manager, it's been a very busy week for the front office.
The White Sox called up top prospect Tim Anderson, outfielder Jason Coats twice, and pitcher Tyler Danish. Hahn said goodbye to shortstop Jimmy Rollins, pitcher Mat Latos, and infielder/outfielder Jerry Sands. Veteran first baseman Justin Morneau was signed and then placed on the 15-day disabled list, along with outfielder Austin Jackson. Relievers Jake Petricka and Daniel Webb are out for the rest of the season. And to start Hahn's hectic week, he traded for starter James Shields and dealt Erik Johnson and Fernando Tatis Jr. Still with me?
Tim Anderson
A combination of Anderson's success at the Triple-A level and 37-year old Jimmy Rollins' final days in baseball forced the Sox's hand. There's also the financial aspect. By delaying Anderson's call up, their everyday shortstop won't reach Super Two status. This means he'll go to arbitration three times instead of four.
An issue that has been hanging over the organization for decades is the inability to develop a position player they drafted in the first round. Between Tim Anderson in 2013 and Frank Thomas in 1989, the Sox tried and failed ten times.
You've been warned - the following list has been known to induce vomit: Courtney Hawkins, Jared Mitchell, Gordon Beckham, Josh Fields, Brian Anderson, Joe Borchard, Jason Dellaero, Jeff Liefer, Mark Johnson, and Eddie Pearson.
James Shields
Even though Shields' Sox debut was a disaster in which he was booed off the field, it wasn't a bad trade. Shields replaces Latos in the rotation, a definite upgrade. At this point, it would be a surprise if Erik Johnson sticks in a rotation, and Tatis wasn't ranked as one of the team's top 30 prospects by Baseball America.
Shields does have a couple of ugly outings a year, but not back-to-back. In his last two starts, the pitcher has allowed 17 earned runs for a 32.79 ERA, .533 BAA, and 1.644 OPS.
The innings-eater is owed $21 million in each of the next two seasons, but can opt out. That decision should be a no-brainer for a pitcher turning 35 in December, but it's going to be a weak pitching market. How he performs, likes Chicago, his teammates, and where the Sox finish will weigh heavily on him. If Shields turns it around and opts in, the majority of the Sox's rotation should be set for the next couple seasons.
Don't expect the parts to stop moving any time soon under Hahn.
• Joe Ostrowski is a co-host of the "Hit & Run" baseball show from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on WSCR 670-AM The Score with Barry Rozner. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeO670.