So here's a quick question as I begin to ponder a big offseason plan -- which White Sox players are the most likely to be dealt?
It's difficult, because I can only think of four that could both 1) bring back a major-league ready player, and 2) not kill the Sox's chances in 2010. The acquisitions of Jake Peavy and Alex Rios seem to indicate that the latter isn't an option.
Here are the four I have...
No. 1: Josh Fields. Fields is basically a quieter version of Brian Anderson with one OK season under his belt. Fields wouldn't acquire anybody worthwhile 1-for-1, but he could be packaged to a team that thinks he can be saved.
No. 2: Bobby Jenks. The groundwork -- differences in opinion in Jenks' conditioning -- is there. The existence of suitors is a little harder to prove right now.
No. 3: Alexei Ramirez. I don't think he'll be dealt, but a lot of teams would love to pay $1 million for an average shortstop. The Sox have an above-average one playing third right now.
No. 4: Jordan Danks. Here's an incredibly interesting case, because the Sox have a number of reasons why they could trade him, and one big reason why they shouldn't.
Danks is only valuable in center, but the same can be said for Alex Rios, who is under contract for another five years, at least. Another down year in Birmingham (if he starts there, and I'm guessing he will) only strengthens the Ryan Sweeney comparisons with the bat, but he hit enough before his wrist injury to suggest that there's enough potential. Of the top five prospects, Danks is the only one who doesn't fill a need, immediately or down the road.
But there's one big complication, and that's the contract extension the Sox are trying to reach with his brother. Jordan Danks basically came to the Sox because of a package deal (they both dropped Scott Boras so the Sox could sign Jordan), so it stands to reason that the Sox would have to extend John Danks' contract before they could even suggest trading his little brother. And who knows when that will happen.
That's basically it, isn't it? If you wanted to push a list to five, you could include one of Mark Buehrle or A.J. Pierzynski, but the intangibles -- positive for Buehrle, mixed for Pierzynski -- seem to eliminate them from contention.
After them, we're stuck with a handful of fringe guys (Carlos Torres, Chris Getz) and a bunch of others not worth discussing. Is there anybody I'm missing?
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Arizona Fall League:
- Friday: Peoria Javelinas 13, Peoria Saguaros 3
- Jordan Danks and Dayan Viciedo each went 2-for-5 with a double and three runs scored. Danks struck out once, Viciedo twice.
- Sergio Santos struck out three over two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits.
- Saturday: Peoria 9, Scottsdale 5
- C.J. Retherford went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI.
- Danks had two singles and two RBI in five at-bats, with one strikeout.
- Matt Long allowed a run on three hits in an inning of work.
