Dec. 09--Everything you thought you knew about the White Sox changed overnight.
A team building for the long-term traded for a starter on a rental. A team that grooms its own closers signed the best available veteran closer to a four-year deal.
Just like that, the Sox filled two big holes with A's starter Jeff Samardzija and Yankees closer David Robertson in one of the craziest nights in franchise history.
The next thing you know, the Sox will be moving the press box back behind home plate and giving away beer in the bleachers.
General manager Rick Hahn made the two moves that put the Sox back in the mix in the American League Central while proving that last season's poor attendance was not an impediment to offseason spending.
The threesome of Chris Sale, Samardzija and Jose Quintana is as strong as any in the league, and now they have a closer who can be trusted to hang onto a lead. If first-round pick Carlos Rodon has a strong spring, the lefty can move into the rotation in either the No. 4 or 5 spot, depending on whether they keep John Danks.
On Monday afternoon, after the Robertson rumor popped up and the Samardzija deal heated up, Hahn said the leaks were fun for Sox fans to read about.
"Selfishly though it makes it real hard, real hard," he said. "When stuff gets out you then are subject to other clubs potentially jumping in and bidding up a price on a free agent conceivably or accelerating their timetables whether it be on that target or on backup targets because they're worried they're going to lose that person. You could have other clubs jumping into trade talks.
"Over the years it has proven much more beneficial for us to keep things out of the light of day. I get why it happens. It's part of the business and if I weren't wearing my White Sox hat I'd be following it all and excited just like everybody else."
Apparently the leaking didn't hurt the Sox's chances in either of their moves. Hahn gave up infielder Marcus Semien and pitcher Chris Bassitt for Samardzija, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Bassitt didn't pitch in his first game this season until July 12 due to a broken right hand, but went 3-1 with a 1.56 ERA in six games at Double-A Birmingham. He made six appearances for the Sox, including five starts, posting a 3.94 earned-run average and going 1-1.
Semien is a .240 career hitter in 85 games, and batted .234 this year with six home runs and 28 RBI in 64 games for the Sox, though he came up with several clutch hits before being sent back to Triple-A Charlotte.
There is probably a third player involved, but the Sox were able to keep shortstop Tim Anderson, the first-round pick who is expected to eventually take over for Alexei Ramirez.
So Hahn has reason to crow about another successful off-season following the Jose Abreu-Adam Eaton additions from last winter. He said at the general managers meetings last month that the Sox didn't need to make a big splash, but that's exactly what he did on Monday.
What can Hahn do to top this?
We have two more months to find out.
psullivan@tribpub.com
