Ken Rosenthal says Mark Buehrle and John Danks won’t be playing for the White Sox next year

J.J. Stankevitz:

With the Winter Meetings less than a week away and White Sox news stagnating a bit in the last few weeks, maybe a reminder that Mark Buehrle and John Danks aren’t likely to be back is in order.

That’s precisely what FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal said on Tuesday’s edition of Chicago Tribune Live, telling the panel he doesn’t see either Buehrle or Danks playing for the Sox for 2012. …

Video (1:29) at the link.

Are the Sox trying to trade LHRP Matt Thornton? [UPDATE]

MLBTR:

The White Sox have been looking to trade Matt Thornton since July and are still trying to move him, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (on Twitter). Before the 2011 season, the White Sox signed the left-hander to a two-year, $12MM extension that covers the 2012-13 seasons and includes a club option for 2014.

The 35-year-old posted a 3.32 ERA with 9.5 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 0.45 HR/9 and a 48.8% ground ball rate in 59 2/3 innings this past season. Armed with a fastball that averages 96 mph, Thornton figures to draw interest this offseason, as he did last summer, especially since the free agent market doesn’t feature lefty relievers of his caliber. The Yankees, Blue Jays and Rangers are among the teams that may seek left-handed relief this offseason.

Thornton commented on his brief and unsuccessful trial as a closer last spring:

“Was mine an interim thing? If I had success, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been,” said Thornton of his abbreviated run at closer. “Obviously everyone knows what happened in the games I was in. Things just didn’t go well for me in that role.

“Maybe it was a sign I wasn’t meant to be a closer here. Over the years, I’ve done a good job of filling in as closer, and I believe in myself in that role and think I can get the job done at any given time when they give me the ball in the ninth inning. But the surge of [Chris] Sale this past year, what he did, and how good Sergio was for most of the year, this is the way it worked out.

“It’s one of those things where things weren’t going good for us and I was part of that in the back end of the bullpen,” Thornton said. “They had to make changes at the time. Just the lack of performance was the most frustrating part for me, my inability to have success that I expect myself to have, prepare and dedicate myself to have all offseason long. It’s very frustrating when you let the team down.”

If Thornton is traded, with Chris Sale moving to the starting rotation, the only lefty in the bullpen will be Will Ohman.

UPDATE: Buster Olney in his video blog (1:52) says the Sox are trying to move Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and Matt Thornton.

Other White Sox links:

• James says the Sox didn’t really lower ticket prices and looks on the latest hot stove rumors.
• J.J. says trading Sergio Santos, isn’t an awful idea and looks at the Matt Thornton trade rumors.
• FutureSox looks how the Sox prospects performed in the AFL.

Sox thinking to trade a pitcher to Cincinnati to get Yonder Alonso?

Phil Rogers:

Can Yonder Alonso become a solid left fielder? That’s the question the White Sox are studying as the Reds shop the left-handed-hitting slugger for pitching. Alonso would be blocked with Paul Konerko at first base and Adam Dunn as designated hitter, although if the Sox really are willing to let Mark Buehrle walk you wonder if they also would approach Konerko about waiving his no-trade clause.

Other White Sox links:

• James looks to the Sox non-tendering Juan Pierre and to Kenny Williams hiring Robin Ventura.
• J.J. says the Sox better stock up on groundballers if they trade for Yonder Alonso.
• colin looks into Chris Sale as he joins the starting rotation.

Carlos Quentin on San Diego’s list of possible acquisitions

MLBTR:

The Padres have Carlos Quentin “on their list of possibilities” for an offseason trade, reports Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  It seems like a good match, given that the White Sox are thought to have Quentin on the market and the Padres are looking for a corner outfielder.  Center mentions elsewhere in his chat with readers that given the Padres’ difficulty in luring free agent hitters to Petco Park, a trade would be the club’s best chance to add that desired corner outfield help.

BTW, Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Seems the Yankees like Sox pitcher John Danks and the Sox like Yankees catching prospect Austin Romine

MLBTR:

The Yankees like John Danks and the White Sox like many Yankees prospects, particularly Austin Romine. However, Danks is a free agent after 2012 and the Yankees are reluctant to over-spend on a pitcher they’ll have for just one year.

Romine got 20 PAs with the Yankees in 2011. Here are his minor-league stats:

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB
2007	18	Yankees	GULF	Rk	NYY	1	3	2	2	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	.500	.667	1.000	1.667	2	0	0	0	0	0
2008	19	Charleston	SALL	A	NYY	104	436	407	66	122	24	1	10	49	3	0	25	56	.300	.344	.437	.781	178	8	3	0	1	0
2009	20	Tampa	FLOR	A+	NYY	118	481	442	61	122	28	3	13	72	11	5	29	78	.276	.322	.441	.763	195	13	4	0	6	2
2010	21	Trenton	EL	AA	NYY	115	497	455	61	122	31	0	10	69	2	0	37	94	.268	.324	.402	.726	183	13	2	0	3	1
2011	22	2 Teams	2 Lgs	AA-AAA	NYY	89	388	351	44	98	13	0	6	48	2	2	32	63	.279	.343	.368	.710	129	7	3	0	2	1
2011	22	Trenton	EL	AA	NYY	85	373	336	43	96	13	0	6	47	2	2	32	60	.286	.351	.378	.729	127	5	3	0	2	1
2011	22	Scranton/Wilkes-Barre	IL	AAA	NYY	4	15	15	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	.133	.133	.133	.267	2	2	0	0	0	0
5 Seasons						427	1805	1657	234	465	97	4	39	239	18	7	124	292	.281	.333	.415	.748	687	41	12	0	12	4
AA (2 seasons)				AA		200	870	791	104	218	44	0	16	116	4	2	69	154	.276	.336	.392	.728	310	18	5	0	5	2

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 11/19/2011.

If Kenny trades John Danks he better ask for someone with a career minor-league OBP higher than .333. A higher ISOP [ISOP=SLG-BA] too.

Sox pitchers John Danks and Gavin Floyd drawing trade interest

Ken Rosenthal:

For teams seeking to trade for a starting pitcher, the White Sox can offer one from Column A and one from Column B.

Lefty John Danks appeals to high-revenue teams – he will get a raise from $6 million in his final year of arbitration, then hit free agency.

Righty Gavin Floyd, on the other hand, fits nicely for low-revenue clubs – he is signed for $7 million next season with a $9.5 million club option for 2013.

The White Sox are drawing interest in both pitchers, major-league sources say. Whether they trade one, both or neither likely hinges on the trade offers they receive. …

Will the Sox trade Danks or Floyd, or let Mark Buehrle go? At least they brought back Jason Frasor…

Jon Heyman tweets the Rangers “are believed interested” in Danks.

Other White Sox links:

• James takes a look around the AL Central and the White Sox regarding their off-season moves.
• Fangraphs’ David Cameron tries to find out what’s behind Mark Buehrle’s success. J.J. takes a look.

Compensation for Ozzie Guillen will be a minor-league pitcher and utility infielder Ozzie Martinez

Scott Merkin:

A source told MLB.com that the players coming to the White Sox figure to be utility infielder Ozzie Martinez and a Minor League pitcher, after Guillen was released from the one year remaining on his contract per his request to pursue other opportunities.

SS Ozzie Martinez‘ stats:

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB
2006	18	Marlins	GULF	Rk	FLA	49	194	171	21	45	4	1	1	21	7	4	19	21	.263	.335	.316	.651	54	4	0	3	1	0
2007	19	2 Teams	2 Lgs	A–A+	FLA	39	131	114	8	21	5	0	0	6	8	2	12	25	.184	.268	.228	.496	26	3	1	4	0	0
2007	19	Jamestown	NYPL	A-	FLA	38	130	114	8	21	5	0	0	6	8	2	11	25	.184	.262	.228	.490	26	3	1	4	0	0
2007	19	Jupiter	FLOR	A+	FLA	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0		1.000			0	0	0	0	0	0
2008	20	Greensboro	SALL	A	FLA	85	331	304	44	90	11	3	6	29	5	5	13	46	.296	.331	.411	.742	125	12	4	8	2	0
2009	21	Jupiter	FLOR	A+	FLA	130	485	433	54	110	16	5	1	45	16	4	41	51	.254	.323	.321	.644	139	15	4	5	2	0
2010	22	Jacksonville	SOUL	AA	FLA	130	587	516	90	156	28	4	5	54	13	9	49	64	.302	.372	.401	.773	207	10	9	11	2	0
2011	23	New Orleans	PCL	AAA	FLA	88	371	339	43	83	15	1	3	26	11	4	21	57	.245	.296	.322	.618	109	9	5	3	3	0
6 Seasons						521	2099	1877	260	505	79	14	16	181	60	28	155	264	.269	.331	.352	.682	660	53	23	34	10	0
A+ (2 seasons)				A+		131	486	433	54	110	16	5	1	45	16	4	42	51	.254	.324	.321	.645	139	15	4	5	2	0
A (1 season)				A		85	331	304	44	90	11	3	6	29	5	5	13	46	.296	.331	.411	.742	125	12	4	8	2	0
AA (1 season)				AA		130	587	516	90	156	28	4	5	54	13	9	49	64	.302	.372	.401	.773	207	10	9	11	2	0
Rk (1 season)				Rk		49	194	171	21	45	4	1	1	21	7	4	19	21	.263	.335	.316	.651	54	4	0	3	1	0
A- (1 season)				A-		38	130	114	8	21	5	0	0	6	8	2	11	25	.184	.262	.228	.490	26	3	1	4	0	0
AAA (1 season)				AAA		88	371	339	43	83	15	1	3	26	11	4	21	57	.245	.296	.322	.618	109	9	5	3	3	0

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/27/2011.

John Sickels gave Martinez C+ grade:

7) Osvaldo Martinez, SS, Grade C+:  .230/.286/.306 with 18 walks, 48 strikeouts in 278 at-bats for New Orleans. 3-for-20 in the majors. The bat is going to be a big problem, and he only ranked this high due to the weakness of the system. Baseball America had him fifth.

As I said earlier, could the minor league pitcher be 20-year old Class-A+ prospect LHP Chad James?

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BK	WP	BF	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2010	19	Greensboro	SALL	A	FLA	5	10	.333	5.12	24	24	0	0	0	0	114.1	116	70	65	3	65	0	105	5	0	18	513	1.583	9.1	0.2	5.1	8.3	1.62
2011	20	Jupiter	FLOR	A+	FLA	5	15	.250	3.80	27	27	0	0	0	0	149.1	173	77	63	12	51	0	124	2	0	10	650	1.500	10.4	0.7	3.1	7.5	2.43
2 Seasons						10	25	.286	4.37	51	51	0	0	0	0	263.2	289	147	128	15	116	0	229	7	0	28	1163	1.536	9.9	0.5	4.0	7.8	1.97

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/26/2011.

John Sickels had this to say for Chad James:

3) Chad James, LHP, Grade B-   3.89 ERA with 114/47 K/BB in 134 innings for High-A Jupiter, 155 hits, 3-15 record. He hasn’t been awful but is hittable. Young at 20.

Sickels’ grades are from last year. Comments are from his review.

Multiple sources say Ozzie Guillen will be traded to Florida by the time tonight’s game ends

Joe Cowley:

According to multiple sources, the Sox and Florida Marlins are in the final stages of completing a deal that would send the never-boring Guillen to South Beach, ending his eight-year stay with the club he grew up white as a player and helped guide to a World Series in 2005 as a second-year manager.

The end is expected to become at the conclusion of Monday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays at U.S. Cellular Field, sources said.

As far as the coaching staff, expect mass changes there as well, all except pitching coach Don Cooper, who according to sources, already has a deal on the table to stay with the organization.

… Sources have indicated, however, that privately Guillen walked away from the meeting knowing his days with the Sox were over, and the talk was more about the details of the split. It was not heated, and if anything, emotional from both sides.

Standard Joe Cowley disclaimer applies.

UPDATE: WSCR reports it too.

Bruce Levine reports that:

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen gathered his players before Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays and told them that it would be his final one, according to sources close to the situation.

UPDATE: More on the CSN postgame report.

UPDATE: A couple tweets from the Sox:

The White Sox have agreed to Ozzie Guillen’s request to be released from his contract, allowing the manager to pursue other opportunities.—
Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 27, 2011

The White Sox retain rights to compensation should Guillen accept a managerial position with another major league team in 2012. #WhiteSox—
Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 27, 2011

UPDATE: Press Release: White Sox release manager Ozzie Guillen from contract.

Ozzie Guillen’s chances to remain with the Sox down to 10%?

Ken Rosenthal:

How rapidly is Ozzie Guillen’s situation deteriorating with the White Sox?

Two weeks ago, a source with knowledge of Guillen’s thinking estimated that the manager was 95 percent certain to return to the White Sox next season.

Over the weekend, the source dropped the odds to 50-50. And on Thursday, he reduced them further, to 10 percent.

The White Sox have not acted on Guillen’s desire for a contract extension. Guillen, meanwhile, was sharply critical of his players after a 6-5 loss to the Tigers in 10 innings on Wednesday night, saying he hasn’t seen “fight.” …

Rosenthal thinks the ‘trade to the Marlins’ would be the obvious solution.

The Sox won’t resolve Ozzie Guillen’s situation until after the Marlins have hired a manager says Jayson Stark

Stark @ ESPN:

Who will be managing the White Sox next season? We tossed that question at a baseball source who is tight with team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, and got this succinct reply: “Ozzie Guillen.”

The same source also said, with zero equivocation, that if the Marlins think they can wait this out and then scoop Guillen off the unemployment line this winter, they’d better re-think. Unless the folks in Florida want to trade a big-time player to the South Side, the source said, the White Sox won’t make any move to resolve Guillen’s future until after the Marlins have hired a manager.

Seems like the Sox want to make others think Guillen isn’t going anywhere so they have more leverage in any negotiations that take place. I’m not confident it will work. There is also this nugget:

White Sox officials have been telling people in the game they need to cut payroll next year after going over budget this season. And they also have five starters under contract for next year, even without Buehrle.

So an executive of one team who spoke with the White Sox brass says the only way he sees them making room for Buehrle is if he’s willing to “be creative” about his next contract. AND the club would have to be able to trade one of its current starters — most likely Gavin Floyd. Can all that happen? Of course. But it’s still a lot of hoops for Buehrle and his team to jump through.

I think Buehrle will be “creative.” Maybe a 2-3 year offer would be enough. Sign him Jerry!

Other White Sox links:

• James recaps last week’s and yesterday’s game.
• Chuck Garfien writes about what’s going on with Joe Crede.
• Jon Paul Morosi has an article on Paul Konerko.
• BTW, B-R’s blog notes the Sox are 14-2 when Paul Konerko draws an intentional walk.
• The Sox added 3 pitching prospects to the AFL’s Mesa Solar Sox: Nevin Griffith, Jacob Petricka and Brandon Kloess.

Florida Marlins haven’t ruled out trading a player for Ozzie Guillen [UPDATE]

Barry Jackson @ Miami Herald:

The Marlins haven’t ruled out trading a player (certainly not a key one) for top managerial choice Ozzie Guillen, but prefer not to, and will wait until his availability is known before moving on to anyone else.

UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal chimes in:

A few weeks back, a source familiar with Ozzie Guillen’s thinking predicted that it was 95 percent certain that Guillen would remain the White Sox’s manager.

The source has now dropped the odds to 50-50, and says Guillen’s chances of staying are that good only because owner Jerry Reinsdorf has been loyal to him before.

Guillen wants a contract extension, and so far the White Sox are cool to the idea. Something has to give: The return of Guillen as a lame duck would be potentially explosive for both sides.

How did Jim Thome unlock his power potential

Kepner @ NYT:

When Jim Thome and Ryan Howard come to the plate, they dig their spikes into the left-hander’s batter’s box, keeping the left foot closer to the plate than the right foot. They extend their right arm, pointing the bat menacingly to some distant spot beyond the center-field wall, like a samurai offering his sword to the pitcher.

Thome, who belted his 600th career homer last week, and Howard, who had 279 entering Friday, both learned from a master.

“Charlie told me about it when I was in Double-A,” Howard said last week, referring to Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel. “He told me to do that to make sure that both eyes were on the pitcher — and to set open, so that when I came back and brought my bat back, my eyes are still on the pitcher.”

The emergence of Howard forced Thome out of Philadelphia in 2005, after three just seasons. But Thome, who now plays for the Minnesota Twins, is still warmly regarded in Philadelphia, where a video tribute to him played before a game last week. He still reveres Manuel, who helped unlock his power as a Cleveland Indians farmhand in the early 1990s. …

Hey, maybe Greg Walker can learn something…

Kenny is looking for pitching

#WhiteSox seeking rotation depth. Traded Jackson to save money, now concerned they're too thin. #tradedeadline #MLB—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2011

Atlanta and Boston would like to acquire Carlos Quentin for a bucket of balls

As we saw before:

#mlb #Red Sox pushing hard for Carlos Quentin and LHP Thornton, but #White Sox would have to be overwhelmed with prospects# tradedeadline—
Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 30, 2011

But Atlanta isn’t the only team interested in Carlos Quentin:

#mlb #Braves also strongly in on Quentin, but with #WhiteSox in race, still unlikely they will make move—
Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 30, 2011

Kenny must be requesting something good in return:

#WhiteSox asking price on Carlos Quentin is very high. #Braves interested but not optimistic about chances for deal, sources say.—
Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 30, 2011

Chuck Garfien says Kenny wants starting pitching:

With the trade deadline coming at 3pm on Sunday, who knows if the current White Sox team will still be intact by then. The hot rumor right now has GM Ken Williams dangling Carlos Quentin to the Braves and Phillies in return for starting pitching.

Matt Thornton is a wanted man

Sources: #Rangers pursuing #WhiteSox's Thornton. White Sox want Holland in return. #tradedeadline #MLB—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2011

Did you say Derek Holland Kenny?

Source: #Rangers would only move Holland for Thornton if #WhiteSox expanded deal to include a starter such as Danks. #tradedeadline #MLB—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2011

John Danks? Kenny just hung up:

#chisox telling teams john danks is not available. makes sense. they are only 2 out in L column. #tradedeadline—
Jon Heyman (@SI_JonHeyman) July 30, 2011

But there is another suitor:

#mlb #Red Sox pushing hard for Carlos Quentin and LHP Thornton, but #White Sox would have to be overwhelmed with prospects# tradedeadline—
Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 30, 2011

You mean the Yankee$ aren’t among the suitors? Well:

Sense #Whitesox have really fallen out love with Thornton, would love move $13M owed '12-'13. #Yankees among teams watching the LHR—
Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 30, 2011

One more:

Dbacks would love LHP Matt Thornton, but source says it "can't happen" given White Sox demand of top prospects whom Dbacks won't give up.—
Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) July 30, 2011