Newest prospects to give SoxFest a new feeling
It's SoxFest week, a time for fans to get their first look at the 2017 White Sox.
In past years, it was a chance to welcome new additions such as Adam LaRoche, Jeff Samardzija, Melky Cabrera, David Robertson and Todd Frazier. And it was a time to be hopeful about the upcoming season.
This year's SoxFest will be different. Much different.
Cabrera, Robertson and Frazier are still on the White Sox's 25-man roster, and so are Jose Abreu, Jose Quintana and other veterans.
But after general manager Rick Hahn traded Chris Sale and Adam Eaton in early December for seven minor-league prospects, the Sox made it clear they were going young and starting over.
"As you know, our behavior over the last several years has been on the other extreme in terms of adding big-league talent as opposed to accumulating prospects," Hahn said.
That behavior always made the White Sox look good on paper, but they failed to carry it over to the field.
The Sox were 78-84 last year, their fourth straight losing season. They haven't been to the playoffs since 2008.
Something needed to change, and it finally happened at the winter meetings when Sale was traded to the Boston Red Sox for second baseman Yoan Moncada, starting pitcher Michael Kopech, outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe and reliever Victor Diaz.
Moncada is MLB.com's No. 1 overall prospect, and Kopech is No. 30.
Eaton was traded to the Washington Nationals for starters Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning.
Giolito is MLB.com's No. 3 overall prospect, and Lopez is No. 38.
While the team's transition from old to young is off to a promising start, look for more minor-league talent to be joining the organization in future trades involving Quintana, Robertson and possibly Abreu, Frazier and Cabrera.
Quintana has the best value, and the left-handed starter has drawn heavy interest from the Astros, Pirates, Yankees and other teams.
Hahn wants a big return for Quintana, and he is patiently waiting for the right package.
"Our desire to move this thing along is not going to be what dictates the pace," Hahn told reporters at the winter meetings. "What's going to dictate the pace is the value of our players, the potential return we get and how that fits with our long-term plan.
"There may not be anything else until after the holidays or through the (July 31) trade deadline or into next off-season. We're taking a longer-term view and we're going to do this deliberately and with reason and logic, and react accordingly with the market."
SoxFest opens Friday at the Hilton Chicago and runs through Sunday. A limited number of one-day passes and two-days passes are available ($40-$75) at whitesox.mlb.com.
Moncada, Giolito and Kopech are scheduled to attend the annual winter gathering, as are Collins and Zack Burdi, the White Sox's top two draft picks last year.
Signing day:
The White Sox on Monday signed eight free agents to minor-league contracts, including Geovany Soto, Cody Asche, Everth Cabrera and Anthony Swarzak. All were extended invitations to spring training, which opens Feb. 14 in Glendale, Ariz.
As they wait for Collins to develop, the Sox need a veteran catcher and Soto fills that need. Limited to 26 games with the Angels last year due to thumb and knee injuries, Soto played in 78 games for the Sox in 2015 and batted .219 with 9 homers and 21 RBI.
Asche, a third baseman/left fielder, spent the past four seasons with the Phillies and posted a .240/.298/.385 hitting line with 31 home runs and 125 RBI.
Cabrera played for Orioles in 2015 and the infielder was with the Padres from 2009-14. Cabrera slashed .283/.355/.381 and stole 37 bases with San Diego in 2013 and was a National League all-star.
Swarzak was 1-2 with a 5.52 ERA in 26 relief appearances with the Yankees last season.
• Follow Scot's reports on Twitter@scotgregor.