Sox, Williams have to-do list
WHITE SOX | Cash-strapped Williams looking to acquire some outfield and bullpen help
White Sox general manager Ken Williams heads to the GM meetings with a nice little to-do list, mostly because he has little money for free agency.
Therein lies the rub.
(Tom Cruze/Sun-Times)
Williams didn't waste time beginning the Sox' offseason facelift. The team announced Friday that it acquired third baseman Mark Teahen from the Kansas City Royals for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman Josh Fields. Gordon Beckham will move from third to second.
Williams showed his hand in announcing that the Sox would pass on right fielder Jermaine Dye's $12 million option and exercise his $950,000 buyout.
He also admitted that talks to bring Scott Podsednik back have halted for the time being.
None of that would be a problem if Williams entered the offseason with a bulkier wallet, but that's not the case.
''Money is tight,'' Williams said. ''Money is tight all over the world, certainly on the South Side. We'll spend whatever we have available, but there's not much.''
Williams often says, ''We'll have to be creative,'' when discussing how business must be conducted with a limited payroll. That will be tested again as he seeks to trade for an outfielder and help in the bullpen.
The landscape in baseball is changing, with smaller-market teams trading younger players to avoid paying arbitration money. Teams used to trade players before they became free agents, but some clubs are dumping players well before that point.
That's why Williams' phone has been busier than usual this time of year.
''There's been more talk than in previous years,'' Williams said. ''It's surprising to me, but I like that.''
Williams enters the meetings knowing what he wants and who has what he wants.
''We've done our groundwork awhile ago,'' Williams said. ''We're going to look at our outfield. We have one spot left in our outfield. Fortunately, we can look at either corner spot or center field.''
According to Williams, if he doesn't like what he hears on the outfield front, ''we're certainly not under any dire pressure.''
That's because Williams has watched Jordan Danks put on a show in the Arizona Fall League after a solid minor-league season. Sox pitcher John Danks' younger brother also can lead off and play multiple outfield spots.
But with a team built to win in 2010, going with Danks atop the lineup would seem to be a big gamble. That's why Williams isn't ruling anything out, including possibly talking with Dye about a new contract or even making a call to Jim Thome about the designated-hitter spot.
What Williams already has shown is that he's capable of trying anything.