Hahn: Chicago White Sox's plan will become clear
Looking ahead to the off-season for the Chicago White Sox, a strong argument can be made that it's time to shop starting pitchers Chris Sale and Jose Quintana and get as much quality young talent in return as possible.
Why trade two of the top starters in baseball?
The Sox have had Sale and Quintana in the rotation since 2012 and they haven't been to the playoffs. They haven't been to the playoffs because they've had too many offensive holes in a lineup that has been routinely patched together.
They need to go in a different direction.
Specifically, the White Sox need as many young hitters with impact potential as they can get. Trading Sale and Quintana should bring back five promising bats in return, at a minimum.
The Sox might decide to go all-in again in 2017, but that is highly doubtful considering this is their fourth straight year with a losing record.
Speaking to the media before Thursday night's game against the Seattle Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field, Sox general manager Rick Hahn did not dismiss an off-season rebuild.
"Everything is on the table," Hahn said.
That's all Hahn is saying for now, which is understandable.
"We have a sense of what we want to do," the White Sox's GM said. "Frankly, regardless of which direction it is, we have 25 guys in there trying to win a ballgame tonight. If I were to say we're going to do a full rebuild, that's disrespectful to what they're trying to accomplish.
"To the other extreme, if I were to say we're going to fight and go for it and plug the holes, it begs the question, 'Where are the holes?' and that's disrespectful to the guys in the clubhouse.
"But there also comes a point where there is a level of frustration with the way things have played out over the last couple of years. There are different approaches, and again, I'm not saying (a rebuild) is the route we're going to go, but I assure you there is absolute openness from (chairman) Jerry (Reinsdorf), (vice president) Kenny (Williams), myself.
"Everyone in that front office is looking for the best path to get us on an extended period of success, even if that involves a short-term step-back.
"By the time we make our first or second transaction, publicly it will be fairly clear as to our direction, and while we aren't going to say, 'Next on our list is this,' it will be obvious what we're trying to accomplish."
There have been more rumblings that Hahn and Williams can't work together, be it on an off-season rebuild or going in another direction. The two have been in the Sox's front office since the end of the 2000 season.
At this year's Aug. 1 nonwaiver trade deadline, Hahn reportedly wanted to start the rebuilding process but was undercut by Williams.
"The frustrating thing is it seems every few months we need to have this same conversation," Hahn said. "The fact of the matter is I have no idea where an unnamed random report of any discord at the deadline came from.
"It's simply untrue. There was no trade or direction of whatever it was described as vetoed, so to speak, at the deadline. We are of a similar mindset as to how best to proceed.
"We've had a number of conversations - both Kenny and I as well as Kenny, Jerry and I - about the best way to approach the off-season and what we want to accomplish. And once the off-season rolls around we will start executing that plan."