White Sox: Is Rick Hahn Done Making Trades This Offseason?
By Brian Draus
With Spring Training approaching, is Rick Hahn done making trades for the White Sox this offseason?
Over the last several months, Chicago White Sox fans have experienced two huge trades, not to mention endless trade speculation. Now, we have to ask ourselves if the 2017 team is in place? As SoxFest approaches this upcoming weekend, is it realistic to think the club will make any more substantial moves?
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While all indications suggest Rick Hahn could deal Jose Quintana, it seems as though no one is willing to meet his trade demands at this time. Now, there is still time before Spring Training not to mention Opening Day, but it appears more and more likely Quintana is a member of the White Sox to start this season.
In regards to Quintana pitching for the White Sox this year, Hahn is rolling the dice a bit. He is coming off of a 13-12 season, not to mention a strong ERA of 3.20. Assuming the team is not as strong around him, it is unlikely his record will be anywhere near what is was in 2016. Another concern is Quintana pitches to contact, as he allowed 192 hits last year, which is nearly one hit per innings pitched (208 IP-less defensive talent will hurt).
Let’s say his production does drop a bit this upcoming season. If that ends up being the case, there is no question his trade value takes a dip as well. It appears at the moment the White Sox are treating Quintana as an ace when negotiating a deal, and if he fails to perform as he did in 2016, it will be difficult for them to get an ace-like return.
As far as the rest of the roster, Todd Frazier is a player the White Sox could move, just due to the fact he will become a free agent after the upcoming season. It might make a bit more sense to hope he bounces back a bit in ’17, due to the fact that even though he hit a significant amount of home runs (40), his batting average (.225) and strikeouts (163) were terrible in 2016.
Some short-term free agent deals are a possibility, however it wouldn’t make sense to sign a player to a long-term deal at the moment. That could make sense in regards to the 2018 class, but spending a fortune right now would be counterproductive at this stage of the rebuild. While we might have to wait a year, our fan base should see some action on that front next offseason.
Next: Can Todd Frazier Fill Leadership Void?
Overall, the fan base is going to have to be patient during this rebuild. Many fans have lost trust in the front office, however the returns from the Chris Sale and Adam Eaton trades have the potential to help the ballclub for a long time. More moves are forthcoming, which have the ability to bring more prospects such as Yoan Moncada to the South Side. Remember White Sox fans, patience is a virtue.