White Sox ready to introduce Abreu
The White Sox have plenty of work to do this off-season, and they officially are going to get started Tuesday morning by announcing the signing of first baseman Jose Abreu to a reported six-year, $68 million contract.
The Sox have scheduled an 11 a.m. news conference at U.S. Cellular Field. According to a source, Abreu will be in attendance.
Major League Baseball typically prefers teams to wait until after the World Series before making major announcements, but the White Sox apparently have received the OK to introduce the 26-year-old Abreu, who defected from Cuba in August.
News of the Abreu signing broke Oct. 17.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Abreu has been a longtime star in Cuba, and he batted .360 (9-for-25) with 3 home runs and 9 RBI in last spring’s World Baseball Classic.
With the addition of Abreu and designated hitter/first baseman Adam Dunn under contract for one more season, the Sox have to determine if there is room for Paul Konerko, assuming he wants to play another year.
Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Rick Hahn are scheduled to meet with Konerko in Arizona next month.
Announcement No. 2:In addition to Jose Abreu, the White Sox are expected to announce that Todd Steverson is the new hitting coach.Steverson has been with the Oakland Athletics since 2004 in multiple coaching and managing roles. The past two years Steverson was the Athletics#146; minor-league hitting coordinator.Steverson replaces Jeff Manto, who was fired as hitting coach with two games left in the season. The Sox finished last in the American League with 598 runs scored.Star search:Two members of the White Sox playing in the Arizona Fall League #151; infielder Marcus Semien and right-handed pitcher Chris Bassitt #151; have been selected to play in the Nov. 2 Fall Stars Game.Semien, who joined the Sox in September and batted .261 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in 21 games, was 2-for-5 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI for the Glendale Desert Dogs on Monday. He#146;s batting .171 in the AFL.Bassitt has a 1.50 ERA in 6 relief appearances. He was a starter during the regular season, combining to go 11-4 with a 3.08 ERA with Class A Winston-Salem and AA Birmingham.