Report: White Sox bring back Andrus on 1-year deal, will play 2B

Elvis Andrus is returning to the South Side.

The veteran infielder has reached an agreement with the Chicago White Sox on a one-year contract, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Financial terms are not yet known, and the deal is pending a physical.

Andrus is expected to play second base for the White Sox, according to Passan. When he does line up at the keystone, it will be the 34-year-old’s first time playing a position other than shortstop in 15 big-league seasons. His only experience playing second as a professional came in 2005, when he made one appearance there as a 16-year-old prospect in the Gulf Coast League.

White Sox add Benintendi on 5-year, $75M deal

The White Sox are adding outfielder Andrew Benintendi on a five-year contract worth $75 million, per MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers was first with the report.

The club has not yet confirmed reports of the deal.

Benintendi hit double-digit home runs in each of his first three full Major League seasons while playing for the Red Sox, but he traded some of that power for more contact in 2022 and had one of the better years of his career. In his second season with the Royals, Benintendi batted .320/.387/.398 with three homers through his first 93 games, earning his first All-Star selection along the way. He ranked third in the AL in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, second in hits (111) and first in multihit games (34) through July 27.

White Sox keeping an open mind regarding roster changes

How much can an expensive closer bring back in a deal?

“A year ago, we’re coming off a division championship, we’re wildly prognosticated to win the division going away,” Hahn said. “So, a blockbuster or roster-shaking move was probably a little less on the agenda. This year, I think we have to be open-minded given the way we performed in ‘22. Does it mean that’s what’s going to happen? Not necessarily, but we at least have to be open-minded to something like that.

“We have all sorts of ideas floating around. Some that we volunteer to other clubs, and some that come through the door from someone else’s brainchild. It’s been important to us to look at how we do things with fresh eyes. Everything from our pregame prep to our hitting program to our sports performance side of things to how we make decisions in the front office. Based on how things went last year, we need fresh eyes.”

White Sox bolster rotation with Clevinger

The White Sox needed a fifth starter to complete an already solid starting rotation, and in adding right-hander Mike Clevinger, they brought in a talent with a chance to make this front five elite.

Clevinger and the White Sox agreed to a free-agent deal, a source confirmed to MLB.com on Sunday. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was the first to report the signing, which is pending a physical. The White Sox have not commented on the potential deal.

MLB Network’s Jon Paul Morosi reports the deal is for one guaranteed year at more than $8 million. Clevinger joins Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech, with Clevinger taking the rotation spot of Johnny Cueto, who became a free agent after showing himself as one of the American League’s most consistent starters in ’22.

Sources: White Sox to hire Royals’ Pedro Grifol as manager

Pedro Grifol is expected to be the next manager of the Chicago White Sox, an announcement that could come later this week, according to multiple sources.

Grifol, 52, has been on the staff of the Kansas City Royals since 2013, most recently as the bench coach. The Royals interviewed him recently for their managerial opening, but hired Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro to fill that spot.

Grifol was born and raised in Miami, and played collegiately at Florida State University before nine seasons in the minors, reaching Triple-A.

Report: White Sox interviewed Guillén for manager job

The White Sox interviewed Ozzie Guillén for their managerial opening on Monday, NBC Sports Chicago’s Chuck Garfien said on Thursday’s episode of the “White Sox Talk Podcast.”

“I can tell you that Ozzie on Monday met with the White Sox front office, Rick Hahn, Chris Getz, Jeremy Haber,” Garfien reported.

The White Sox’ managerial search is nearing the one-month mark after Tony La Russa announced he was stepping down due to health concerns.

There has been much discussion around Guillén as a possible candidate for the opening. He managed the White Sox from 2004-11 and led them to their first championship in 88 years in 2005.

He led the Sox to two playoff appearances and five winning seasons before leaving the team in the final days of the 2011 season.

Tony La Russa expected to announce retirement Monday as White Sox manager

Tony La Russa, who was hoping to lead the Chicago White Sox to the World Series, instead is expected to announce his retirement Monday at a news conference in Chicago.

La Russa, who turns 78 on Tuesday, certainly gave it everything he had, but his heart gave out.

He planned on returning to fulfill his contract in 2023, but was in his office on Aug. 29 when he received a telephone call from his doctors. He was instructed to leave the ballpark immediately, go home, and come in the next day for testing. He was on a flight the next day back to Arizona and underwent a procedure to repair his pacemaker.

La Russa, feeling much stronger, still planned to return as manager. He flew to Oakland on Sept. 10 to attend Dave Stewart’s jersey retirement ceremony, spent time visiting with his team, and felt refreshed. He flew back on the team plane to Chicago, and watched the White Sox’s next two home games from owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s suite.

It was the last time he was with his team.

La Russa returned to Arizona and underwent more testing, and there were further procedures. The doctors sat him down and provided their expert medical opinion: He should not manage again.

Not only this season.

But ever again.

La Russa listened, and will walk away. He likely will stay in the White Sox organization as a special assistant, but those long, demanding and stressful days are over.

This is not the way he envisioned his career to end.

Orlando Cabrera To Retire From Baseball

OH NO, EXPO!

Last season, Orlando Cabrera batted .238 with the Indians and Giants, posting a 61 OPS+. The season before that, he posted a 76 OPS+. The season before that, he posted an 85 OPS+. Orlando Cabrera has been declining, and just turned 37 years old. As a free agent, Cabrera didn’t drum up much interest, which I’m guessing is why he’s intending to hang ‘em up. Enrique Rojas:

  “Orlando Cabrera to retire from baseball, he said in Colombia radio station. Thanks for memories!”

Cabrera had a long career that’ll be difficult to forget. He debuted with the Expos in 1997, and remained there until the giant Nomar Garciaparra three-way trade in 2004. That year, with the Red Sox, Cabrera won a World Series. He wound up with the Angels, earning the unfortunate nickname “The Wizard of O.C.”, and then he wound up with the White Sox, and the A’s, and the Twins, and the Reds, and the Indians, and the Giants ... He remained a shortstop to the end, and collected 2,055 hits. He will always be remembered as a pest. An absolute pest.

Baseball America’s Top 10 Prospects: Chicago White Sox

Leapin’ Lukevics! What a mess!

1. Addison Reed, rhp
2. Nestor Molina, rhp
3. Simon Castro, rhp
4. Trayce Thompson, of
5. Jake Petricka, rhp
6. Keenyn Walker, of
7. Jhan Marinez, rhp
8. Tyler Saladino, ss
9. Juan Silverio, 3b
10. Ozzie Martinez, ss

With his farm system failing to supply impact players, GM Ken Williams constantly has had to be on the lookout for OPT—other people’s talent. He has chosen poorly in recent years, hamstringing Chicago with bad contracts for Adam Dunn, Jake Peavy and Alex Rios.

...The club could struggle to contend in the immediate future because it has done a poor job of signing and developing its own talent. Chicago has the worst farm system in baseball, and it’s no coincidence that it ranks last in draft spending in the last five years ($18.3 million) and has had little presence on the international amateur market in that time.

RLYW: Salvaging a Sunken cost

Burnett projects to have an RA of 5.03 in CAIRO.  The following possible starting pitchers project better than that.

CC Sabathia (3.57)
Michael Pineda (4.37)
Freddy Garcia (4.55)
Brad Meyers (4.56)
Hiroki Kuroda (4.57)
Phil Hughes (4.63)
Ivan Nova (4.93)
...

If that’s true, then every start that goes to Burnett is a start that should be going to one of the above.

...

Unfortunately, since Burnett is owed $33 million over the next two years, the Yankees probably feel obligated to try and get some value out of him.

I don’t think they can do that by pitching him…. trading Burnett’s bad contract to another team for their bad contract might be a way to recoup some of that value.

Kevin Goldstein: White Sox Top 11 Prospects

System in 20 Words or Less: Two words: Not good.

Four-Star Prospects
1. Addison Reed, RHP
Three-Star Prospects
2. Nestor Molina, RHP
3. Trayce Thompson, OF
4. Jake Petricka, RHP
5. Simon Castro, RHP
6. Keenyn Walker, OF
Two-Star Prospects
7. Eduardo Escobar, SS
8. Jhan Marinez, RHP
9. Myles Jaye, RHP
10. Tyler Saladino, SS
11. Andre Rienzo, RHP

Nine More
12. Juan Silverio, 3B: He’s a third baseman who has the ability to hit, and could move forward in 2012.
13. Jared Mitchell, OF: This former first-rounder still has tools, but the results have been disastrous.
14. Brandon Short, OF: His plus hit tool is matched with a poor approach and a lack of corner-outfield power.
15. Pedro Hernandez, LHP: He was acquired from the Padres in the Carlos Quentin deal. Martinez could pitch in the big leagues this year, but he has a seventh-inning ceiling.
16. Gregory Infante, RHP: Infante is another potential 2012 bullpen piece. He has a power arm, but does not have much to go with in.
17. Erik Johnson, RHP: This 2012 second-round pick has a plus fastball and slider, but he needs to refine his changeup and command.
18. Michael Blanke, C: He has raw power and a good arm, but there are big questions about his bat.
19. Dylan Axelrod, RHP: His ceiling is a fifth starter, but he might already be there.
20. Ozzie Martinez, SS: Martinez arrived from Florida in the Ozzie Guillen deal. He’s a future utility player.

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

Andy Carey, helped preserve Larsen’s perfecto, dies

RIP,

Andy Carey, a former Yankees third baseman who helped preserve Don Larsen’s 1956 perfect game, passed away on Dec. 15 in Costa Mesa, Calif., his family announced. He was 80.

A career .260 hitter, Carey played in 11 Major League seasons from 1952-62, beginning with the Yankees at age 20 in ‘52 and spending nine seasons wearing pinstripes.

Born on Oct. 18, 1931, in Oakland, Calif., Carey signed with the Yankees after spending a summer playing semi-pro ball in Weiser, Idaho. As New York’s everyday third baseman in ‘55, Carey led the league with 11 triples and was known as a solid defender and clutch hitter.

Carey played on four Yankees World Series teams, winning rings with the 1956 and ‘58 squads. He is remembered as playing a key role in Larsen’s Oct. 8, 1956, perfecto against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium.

White Sox trade Jason Frasor to Jays

Reliever Jason Frasor is headed back to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 34-year-old righty was traded from the White Sox to Toronto on Sunday, five months after the Blue Jays dealt him to Chicago.

The White Sox got minor league right-handers Myles Jaye and Daniel Webb in this latest swap….

“It felt like I was never coming back. (His July 27 trade) was an emotional day. I think it was the first time I’d cried since I gave up five runs in Atlanta a couple of years ago,” Frasor said….

Frasor, from Chicago, was 3-3 with a 3.60 ERA in 64 relief appearances with the White Sox and Toronto last season. Chicago acquired him and pitcher Zach Stewart from the Blue Jays for pitcher Edwin Jackson and infielder-outfielder Mark Teahen in midseason.

Frasor had been the longest serving member of the Blue Jays and left as the franchise leader in games pitched when they traded him. He spent eight seasons—2004-11—with the Blue Jays, posting a 24-28 record in 455 games with 36 saves and a 3.69 ERA.

And who is 119th in franchise history in games pitched - who else? - Octavio Dotel.

Padres acquire Carlos Quentin from the White Sox

As Byrnes put it, “We twa hae run about the braes after being hit by a pitch, and pu’d the gowans fine.”

The Padres just announced that they have acquired outfielder Carlos Quentin from the White Sox for prospect right-hander Simon Castro and prospect left-hander Pedro Hernandez.

St. Louisian Don Mueller, former big-league star, dies

Don Mueller...

St. Louis native Don Mueller, who led the majors in hits in 1954 and roamed the outfield with Willie Mays of the New York Giants, died on Wednesday. He was 84.

Mueller, who played at CBC, was signed by the Giants in 1944 and made his big-league debut four years later.

At age 23, he became a starter for the Giants in right field and hit .291 in his first full season.

...A career .296 hitter, Mueller became known as “Mandrake the Magician.” He finished his career with two seasons with the White Sox in 1958 and 59.

Sickels: Chicago White Sox Top 20 Prospects for 2012

“The horror. . .the horror.”

1) Nestor Molina, RHP, Grade B+: Acquired from the Blue Jays for Sergio Santos, and immediately became Chicago’s first or second-best prospect. I think he can remain a starter. Molina was a big topic of discussion earlier this month.

2) Addison Reed, RHP, Grade B+: The best closer prospect in baseball thanks to superior command of 93-97 MPH fastball and devastating slider. You can make a case to rank him ahead of Molina, if you think Molina will be a reliever.

3) Tyler Saladino, SS, Grade C+: 2010 seventh round pick out of Oral Roberts developed from draft sleeper into solid prospect. Good power for a middle infielder, and has some idea about the strike zone, scouts like his work ethic. Main issue now is if he can stick at shortstop, and I think he has a decent chance to do so.

4) Trayce Thompson, OF, Grade C+: Highest-ceiling bat in system, tapping into his power now and making good progress on defense. Kills lefties but has serious contact problems against right-handed pitching. Struck out 172 times while repeating Low-A. Has the tools to be a star slugger but also carries a high risk of failure.

5) Hector Santiago, LHP, Grade C+: Came out of nowhere to reach the majors (briefly) in 2011 thanks to development of a new screwball to go with 90-95 MPH fastball. Third pitch still needs work and it is unclear if he starts or relieves in the long run, although recent rumors indicate the Sox will continue to start him. Projects as number three/four starter if third pitch develops, or a power relief arm.

White Sox lock up Danks for his prime

Expect it to become official soon after Christmas. Multiple reports have the deal at five years, $65 million.

This came out of nowhere, eh?

Cowley: Don Cooper rubbed Sox wrong way — Jake Peavy in particular

...but for a handful of Sox pitchers who felt betrayed by the way pitching coach Don Cooper conducted business last season.

“He was in survival mode for the first five months, and then all of a sudden when he got his contract [extension], he was back to ‘good ol’ Coop,’ ’’ one pitcher said recently. “They preach to us to act a certain way in a contract year, and you have a coach who couldn’t even lead by example. That rubbed a lot of us the wrong way.

...“That’s exactly right,’’ Danks said. “Things need to be fixed. I’m easygoing, I didn’t have anything with anyone, but I know Jake and Coop need to both sit down and get on the same page.

“There are a bunch of grown men in there. It’s a clubhouse where guys will go to the person they have a problem with and talk it out. This isn’t a girl’s high school volleyball team. The easiest way to nip all this in the bud is to sit and talk. It’s not always comfortable, but it has to happen with a few guys. It has to get squared away. It can definitely be a distraction if it’s not.’’

...That said, Danks is somewhat frustrated that the Sox didn’t protect his younger brother, Jordan, on the 40-man roster, nor did they seem serious about an extension for John, at least what Danks and agent Jeff Berry deemed serious.

“Maybe just in the baseball world I’m not thought of as a [Mark] Buehrle or a Jon Lester,’’ Danks said. “I know the wins weren’t there, but there is more that goes into getting a win than people think. For whatever reason, I’m not considered upper-echelon, but I’m not going to get caught up with what other people think about me.”

The downer-echelon: 138-124-115-97 (ERA+ last four seasons).

CSN Chicago: Buehrle says ‘I’ll be back’

The Cyberdine System is go!

Mark Buehrle might not be a part of the White Sox anymore, but if you ask Mark, the White Sox will forever be a part of him.

“I think I’ll always be a Chicago White Sox no matter what happens from here on out,” Buehrle said Sunday in an interview with Comcast SportsNet. “I kind of told some people, I said, ‘It’s just a 4-year break. I’ll be back before you know it.’ Maybe I’ll be playing, maybe just bugging people in the clubhouse, just coming through getting fat and drinking a beer, having fun and watching the game as a fan. It’s just a 4-year break, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

Mark will be 37 at the start of the 2016 season. As recent as last spring, he spoke about retiring. Does he really think he’ll still be playing after his contract runs out with the Marlins?

“I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to retire after these 4 years, or that I’m looking for another 4-year contract, or a 1-year deal, because you know where that got me. If I’m feeling healthy in the end, I’ll come back and maybe play 1 more year and finish out in Chicago.”

Rule V Results

1.Astros take Rhiner Cruz from Mets.
2.Twins take Terry Doyle from White Sox.
3.Mariners take Lucas Luetge from Brewers.
4.Orioles take Ryan Flaherty from Cubs.
5.Royals take Cesar Cabral from Red Sox; traded to Yankees for cash.
6.Cubs take Lendy Castillo from Phillies.
8.Pirates take Gustavo Nunez from Tigers.
  21.Braves take Robert Fish from Angels.
22.Cardinals take Erik Komatsu from Nationals.
23.Red Sox take Marwin Gonzalez from Cubs.
  25.Diamondbacks take Brett Lorin from Pirates.
  29.Yankees take Brad Meyers from Nationals.

Buehrle to sign with Marlins

Mark Buehrle and Ozzie Guillen reunited: The free-agent pitcher reportedly will sign a four-year, $58 million deal with the Miami Marlins, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

White Sox trade Sergio Santos for Blue Jays prospect Molina

Sergio: Once Upon a Time in the East…Duck, You Sucker!

The Chicago White Sox sent closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays for pitching prospect Nestor Molina in a trade of right-handed pitchers Tuesday.

Santos, 28, saved 30 games in 63 appearances in his first full season in the majors in 2011.

Molina, a 22-year-old from Venezuela, was 12-3, pitching at Class A Dunedin (Fla.) and Class AA New Hampshire for the Jays last season. For his minor-league career he is 22-7 with a 2.21 ERA.

Santos was originally drafted as a shortstop by the Diamondbacks with the 27th overall pick in 2002.

McGrath: Minnie Minoso a Legend, But Not Hall of Fame-Worthy

He messed around with a bloke named Smoky Burgess
Hidee-hidee-hidee-ho…

Minoso’s influence is less celebrated, though as a Spanish-speaking, dark-skinned Cuban he had to overcome a daunting language barrier as well as a reluctantly falling color barrier when he reached the big leagues for good in 1951. He was traded to the White Sox that year, and became a baseball treasure in Chicago, a dynamic performer on the field and a cheerful, charismatic presence in the community.

While multiple award winners like Rod Carew, Alex Rodriguez, Roberto Clemente and Pedro Martinez might exaggerate the degree of Latino dominance, there is no denying the impact players from Latin America have had on baseball.

Latinos held more than 28 percent of M.L.B.’s opening-day-roster spots in 2011. Since Minoso’s debut in 1949, 19 most valuable players, 10 Cy Young Award winners, 31 batting champions and 19 home run leaders have been of Latino descent.

...Bill Veeck owned the Indians when they signed Minoso in ’48. He brought him back to Chicago in 1960, after buying the White Sox, one of several dubious trades that mortgaged the future of the ’59 pennant winners. Veeck loved Minnie, but using him as a prop in some of his stunts, like pinch-hitting him as a 54-year-old (or a 58-year-old) in 1980, no doubt diminishes his ballplayer bona fides.

Can you imagine the fierce warrior Jackie Robinson or the defiantly proud Roberto Clemente going along with such a gag? But that was Minoso, almost childlike in his love for the game.

Cooperstown? I’m not seeing it, and I’m sorry to say it.

Heyman: Why Bobby Valentine is getting a look in Red Sox managerial search

BMark Buehrle presumably no relation to B’wana Beast, or for that matter, sveunm.

The Red Sox say first-list [managerial] candidates Sandy Alomar Jr., Torey Lovullo and Gene Lamont are still in play (curiously, the Phillies’ respected bench coach, Pete Mackanin, was the one called on Tuesday and told that he is out of the running; “I was a little bit surprised. Maybe I didn’t have what they were looking for ... I didn’t insult them,’’ Mackanin said by phone ). None of them looks particularly likely, however, now that it’s clear Red Sox ownership is involved and seems to have vastly different ideas… Cherington, an extremely bright young executive who’d been Theo Epstein’s righthand man until being promoted to replace the departed Epstein four weeks ago, put together a list of pleasant get-along candidates. That roster was definitely OK for the Cubs, as it was basically their list, too. But Red Sox honchos, who know they operate in a fishbowl, appear to feel the need to make a more serious choice…

The perception that [Boston team president Larry] Lucchino was now heavily involved was inescapable, especially after the name of [Bobby] Valentine, who is a longtime friend of Lucchino’s and is viewed as a of his favorite [sic], surfaced. And Lucchino did admit to reporters here that the search is a “collective’’ process. A longtime Boston person said that one of strengths [sic] of [Theo] Epstein, who earned near-full autonomy after winning his second World Series as GM in 2007, was “helping save some people from themselves.” The perception now will be that Cherington’s power isn’t what was believed… There was… no suggestion that Valentine or anyone like him was on Cherington’s radar in the first go-around… it looks like Valentine would be mostly Lucchino’s call, and one of the others Cherington’s. Word is, Cherington had spoken once before to Valentine, but it wasn’t made clear whether that discussion was at Lucchino’s direction. What is clear is that, heading into the meeting here, Cherington was ready to make [Dale] Sveum the manager.

With Valentine’s name the first to surface, the new direction is undeniable. Sveum is seen as another player’s manager who isn’t likely to rock the boat, while Valentine has all his own ideas. Bobby V is widely respected as a brilliant and accomplished baseball man, but he is a curiously strong personality for a team that uses Moneyball principles and has been run more from the front office than the manager’s office in recent years. That would have to change if he gets the job, of course.

The Miami Marlins are said to have a good feeling about their chances to sign Jose Reyes. But even they know they will have to do better than what was described as a “preliminary’’ offer. Sources suggest it was actually less than the reported $90 million over six years by $10-to-20 million. However, Miami is thought to be eventually willing to come up to $90-to-100 million on a five-year deal. People familiar with their situation continue to describe the Albert Pujols offer as a lowball special designed to work only if Pujols has some incredible and unknown desire to play in Miami.

The Yankees may be gun shy bidding on acclaimed Japanese league pitcher Yu Darvish following their disastrous Kei Igawa signing. They seem more interested in C.J. Wilson, Edwin Jackson, BMark Buehrle and perhaps [John] Danks at the moment.

The Mariners could wind up as a player for free agent Prince Fielder. They are badly in need of offense, and their GM, Jack Zduriencik, is the one who drafted Fielder for Milwaukee.

Though new Astros owner Jim Crane was unanimously approved, some teams would have been opposed had there been any chance they could have voted him down. The Angels, for one, were against him. But as is usually the case in baseball, the vote was 30-0 in Crane’s favor. No matter what anyone thinks of Crane, having 15 teams in each league and a balanced schedule—ripple effects of the approval, which was contingent upon Crane agreeing to move the Astros to the AL West—are major benefits.