Chicago White Sox Black Friday Shopping List

Jun 6, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Hanser Alberto (68) throws to first base on a grounder against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Texas won the game 4-2. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Infield depth: With the corners now being set in this scenario fielding Frazier and Abreu, the focus turns to infield depth. Carlos Sanchez likely did enough in the second half to earn another shot at second base and it appears Tyler Saladino will get first crack at shortstop, the team would need an infielder who can play up the middle to spell either of those two sophomores next season; provided the organization wants Micah Johnson to continue getting consistent playing time and keeps him at AAA Charlotte. One possibility that kills two birds with one stone is trading Danks (as discussed in the previous slide) back to the Texas Rangers for Hanser Alberto. Texas takes most, but not all, of the remaining money on Danks’s contract since he became a steady pitcher following the 2015 All-Star break, improving his ERA by 1.28 points and WHIP by .124 in the second half for an average prospect who saw time at second, third, and shortstop last year for the American League West champs. The Rangers already have a replacement in former number one overall prospect in baseball by the name of Jurickson Profar. Alberto, the #30 ranked prospect in the Rangers system following the 2014 season proved he could play at the major league level this post season, knocking in the go-ahead run in the 14th inning during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. With Texas looking to make another playoff run with a healthy team in 2016, the veteran southpaw Danks would certainly not hurt the team as a fifth starter. Trading Danks would mean cutting ties with the current longest tenured and highest paid member of the team, but with free agency coming at the end of the year, 2016 would likely be Danks’ final year on the Southside anyways, so giving the team better depth in the infield would benefit the team more than a sixth starter. Danks would also be back with the organization that drafted him in the 2003 draft. TRADE: Danks plus cash to the Rangers; Alberto to the White Sox