White Sox not finished looking for ways to get better
Club willing to make more deals in makeover
CHICAGO -- The routine has remained the same for the past few weeks or even the past few months in regard to the White Sox.
General manager Rick Hahn talks about a move designed to upgrade the dismal 2015 offense, whether it's adding catchers Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro, infielder Brett Lawrie and third baseman Todd Frazier, and Hahn is asked if he's satisfied with where his team stands. The answer has been, 'No,' every time, and Wednesday's conference call to announce the Frazier trade was no different.
• White Sox acquire Frazier from Reds, send 3 prospects to Dodgers
"We're going to continue to be aggressive on numerous fronts and certainly continue to talk to various free agents as well as other clubs about trades," Hahn said. "We'll have to see how the coming weeks unfold."
Better questions for Hahn at this point fall under the headings of: What do the White Sox have left to do, and what resources do they have to execute such moves? With those offensive struggles from '15 in mind, for a team that inexplicably hit just 136 homers, another power bat frequently gets mentioned.
Video: Frazier traded to White Sox in three-team deal
Free-agent outfielders such as Justin Upton, Alex Gordon and Yoenis Cespedes remain available, while the White Sox have inquired about Rockies outfielders Carlos Gonzalez, Corey Dickerson and Charlie Blackmon. Gordon and Upton both would require Draft-pick compensation, and the White Sox seem set on keeping their three picks in the first 50 of the 2016 Draft. The White Sox probably would have to convince one of these big-ticket players to take a back-loaded contract, with John Danks and Adam LaRoche coming off the books after 2016 and Melky Cabrera and Zach Duke having expiring contracts after 2017.
Talks centered on the Rockies' trio have focused upon Jose Quintana, a player the White Sox don't seem inclined to move if they intend to contend. But based on Hahn's comments Wednesday, a big bat is not the only thing they are studying for improvement. Think more incremental or big-picture fit as much as another big splash.
• Rogers: Frazier could be missing piece for White Sox
"Honestly, it's about getting better any way we can, whether it's scoring more runs or preventing the other club from scoring as many as they have," Hahn said. "We're not going to close off any avenue from a run-scoring standpoint, whether it's power, on-base capabilities or speed, or from a defense, pitching or run-prevention standpoint.
"In the end, we have to outscore the other club, and there's multiple ways to do that. We're going to continue to look at ways to address that."
• White Sox add pop to offense, stability at third
Adding another outfielder also could lead to a second move with Cabrera, Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia presently set there. One of those players could move to designated hitter, but LaRoche and the $13 million he is owed remain in that spot.