White Sox GM Kenny Williams paints a less-than-rosy picture

In off-seasons past, White Sox general manager Kenny Williams went after big names like David Wells, Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, Jim Thome, Roy Halladay, Torii Hunter and yes, Adam Dunn.

Williams also twice brought back Paul Konerko after he explored the free-agent market.

This winter, following a record $128 payroll and subsequent 79-83 disaster of a season, the Sox are “retooling.” You can call that code for slashing payroll.

Earlier Thursday, the White Sox signed two minor-league pitchers — Donnie Veal and Jose Quintana — and added them to the 40-man roster.

Veal and Quintana just might be your big off-season additions this time around.

Speaking to reporters later Thursday at U.S. Cellular Field, Williams said the club’s marketing, advertising and sales departments are still assessing the damage from this past season.

Williams has not yet received a budget for 2012, but he already knows it will be reduced.

“Do I have an idea where we are?” Williams said. “Yes, and it’s a little bit less than what we had last year.”

Once the final numbers are in, Williams is preparing to deal with a lot less money to spend on payroll.

In past off-seasons, Williams already had targeted additions and was prepared to make offers.

Not this year.

“You know by now I’m generally ready,” Williams said. “I’m not ready right now. There’s some fact-finding that has to go on and this is going to take a while. We have some players that have garnered some interest from a number of clubs.

“We’ve got to exhaust ourselves to make sure that if we end up making a deal, or we stay the course and try to add to it, we know exactly what we’re getting ourselves into.”

Ideally, Williams would like to unload players like Dunn, Alex Rios and Jake Peavy, who will make a combined $43 million in 2012.

In reality, the White Sox are stuck with the trio, so that means players like John Danks, Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd, A.J. Pierzynski and Matt Thornton are more likely to be moved.

“We’re going to sit down, and we have started the process,” Williams said. “Sit down and determine what our course of action is based upon what we think our current chances are, and protecting our future. If we can do both and give ourselves a chance to win at the same time while growing from within as we have for the last 12 years, we’ll continue down that road.

“If I feel like at the end of the day the best scenarios are those in which we have to take that big step back, then we will do so and field a younger team out there. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be trying to win.

“That means we go out to get young guys that are ready for the major leagues, or really close to the major leagues. As we sit today, it’s still with the mindset of winning.”

sgregor@dailyherald.com