Opinion: Chris Sale Trade Not Enough to Set White Sox on Right Path

For years now, the Chicago White Sox have been in a position where they felt close to competing, but after once again missing the playoffs in 2016 and seeming to be directionless, they’ve opted for a rebuild now as ace pitcher Chris Sale has been traded.

If G.M. Rick Hahn is thinking the way he needs to be thinking, the move to send Sale to the Boston Red Sox is merely the opening salvo in a round of trades that will help position this team to compete for championships in the future, and to finally set a course for a ship that has been sailing in circles for far too long.

For the White Sox, that sea change started with Sale, and there are a lot of players that could also be jettisoned as they look to rebuild for the future. A player like Jose Quintana could conceivably become the new ace of the staff, but he could also be unloaded for a healthy load of prospects and talent if that’s the direction the team chooses to go.

If the White Sox understandably don’t feel it’s necessary to deal Quintana away, there are plenty of other pieces that will attract interest. The first one that comes to mind is third baseman Todd Frazier, who is one year away from unrestricted free agency.

With a powerful bat and a contract that will expire before the insane free agent frenzy of 2018, he is an asset that should command interest, and there have already been reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking at him as a fall-back option if they are unable to bring back Justin Turner this offseason.

Another player that should command some interest is first baseman Jose Abreu. Even though he opted out of his contract and is now eligible for arbitration this offseason, the slugger has shown some incredible talent in his first three big league seasons, and with a power-hitting first baseman serving as the cornerstone for some of the sport’s most competitive clubs, there could be a line around the block to trade for him if he is indeed available.

In fact, there is already one report linking Abreu to the Colorado Rockies, who have been looking to field a more competitive team thanks to the development of players like Nolan Arenado and the continued success of outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.

Outfielder Adam Eaton is another player, like Quintana, that could fall under either the “too good to give up” or “good enough to gather up a bumper crop of prospects.” With a solid defensive year in right field and a lead-off bat that many teams covet, Eaton could return a huge amount of talent if the Sox decide to trade him, but he could also be a cornerstone type player for when the team hits competitive times again in a few years.

Closer David Robertson is another player that teams should be interested in, as he’ll be cheaper than Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen and can help bolster a bullpen in an era where teams are loading up on arms for playoff glory in the mold of the 2015 Kansas City Royals and the 2016 Chicago Cubs.

Finally, there are other players that could potentially garner interest, including second baseman Brett Lawrie, and the White Sox should explore every option that they have in terms of moving players who are in their final few years of team control.

To be blunt, the White Sox were not just a Chris Sale trade away from being competitive in the future, and the move has to be a first step if the transition process is going to be an effective one.

There are a lot of variables that can go wrong in a rebuild, but if the team is dedicated to a goal and actively works towards it, then it is a heck of a lot better for fans in the long run than a team that continues to tread water and wonder why it isn’t getting any closer to land.

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