Levine: Third Base Still The Hole The White Sox Want To Fill
By Bruce Levine--
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CBS) -- The names out there are Brett Lawrie, Todd Frazier and David Freese. Filling the gaping hole at third base is the top goal of the White Sox organization heading into the 2016 campaign. While the deep and dark abyss at the hot corner has been difficult to deal with, the White Sox are hoping to make a move soon that can help solidify an infield of unknown origin other than star first baseman Jose Abreu.
The slow offseason process of grinding out a trade with only a few movable assets can be mentally difficult to handle. For the White Sox front office, action at the hyperactive Winter Meetings has been tempered so far.
"We are exploring multiple options," general manager Rick Hahn said. "We have been doing just that for the last several days and weeks. Why certain notions (Twitter rumors on Lawrie) and others don't, I can't really explain. Obviously we have not announced anything. Until we get to a point where we are prepared to make an announcement, we really aren't going to talk about any specific ideas."
Like most clubs, the White Sox do a good job of hiding their trading and free-agent pursuits from outsiders. All is fair in love, war and the baseball market place between team officials and media members. Twitter is the common ground for the media and baseball executives. They laugh at you when you float a story of half-truths. At the same time, they get excited like anyone else when they read news about other teams.
The White Sox are still working on moves.
"Things have gotten more substantial in that area," Hahn said. "We have had pretty specific exchanges with numerous clubs about potential fits. They were about how potential trades may line up. We have not gotten to the point where everyone has agreed on terms. That could happen (soon) or tomorrow or a week or two."
Lawrie has been on Chicago's radar for several weeks, as I previously reported. In 2015, he had his first healthy season since coming to the majors in 2011. His power numbers were fair. Lawrie hit .260 with 16 home runs while driving in 60. Those numbers don't scream Mike Schmidt to you, but the 26-year-old Lawrie has had a tough time staying on the field in years past and often dealt with nagging injuries as well.
Lawrie will earn around $4 million in his second year of arbitration next season. There's contract control on him by the team through 2017.
Freese is a free agent who has had his days in the sun but for the most part has underachieved. A former World Series hero with St. Louis, Freese hit .257 last year with the Angels. He's a .276 career hitter averaging 15 home runs and 78 RBIs per 162 games. At 32, he's a stop-gap player.
Frazier's the most intriguing name of the group. He will earn a modest $7.5 million in 2016 and be arbitration eligible in 2017 and eligible for free agency ahead of the 2018 season. The Reds are dumping salary and would love to get young players for this premier home run hitter. Frazier hit 29 home runs in 2014 and 34 in 2015.
Frazier's a solid defender at third base and was the National League All-Star starter in 2015 as well. Frazier won the Home Run Derby with a late rally in his home ballpark in mid-July. Of the three, Frazier would the highest-profile potential addition.
"There does come a point where a team has to say yes or no and get an answer," Hahn said.
The White Sox also have interest in 32-year-old Japanese third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda, a 10-year veteran in Japan.
Matsuda hit a career-high 35 home runs in 2015. The ballparks in Japan are smaller and therefore Japanese players have hit fewer home runs when playing in the western world's stadiums. The San Diego Padres are said to be interested in Matsuda as well.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
