How do you grade Rick Hahn's first off-season as White Sox GM?

[doublem23]

Some key dates to consider:

• October 26 - Hahn is officially introduced as White Sox GM, replacing his former boss Kenny Williams
• October 30 - White Sox sign Jake Peavy to 2 year, $29 million extension with $15 million vesting option for 2015.
• October 30 - White Sox exercise team option on Gavin Floyd's contract worth $9.5 million for 2013 season
• November 21 - White Sox resign Dewayne Wise to 1 year, $700,000 contract
• November 30 - Houston Astros claim Phillip Humber from White Sox off waivers
• December 6 - White Sox select Angel Sanchez from Los Angeles Angels in Rule V Draft
• December 10 - White Sox sign Jeff Keppinger to 3 year, $12 million contract
• December 14 - Kevin Youkilis signs 1 year, $12 million contract with New York Yankees
• December 26 - AJ Pierzynski signs 1 year, $7.5 million contract with Texas Rangers
• January 18 - White Sox avoid arbitration with Alejandro de Aza and Gordon Beckham, signing each to one year contracts worth $2.075 million and $2.925 million respectively
• January 25 - White Sox sign Matt Lindstrom to 1 year, $2.3 million contract with team option for 2014 at $4 million or $500 K buyout.
• February 1 - White Sox select Lars Anderson off waivers from Arizona Diamondbacks.
• February 22 - White Sox acquire Conor Gillaspie from San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor league pitcher Jeff Soptic. To make room for Gillaspie on 40-man roster, White Sox designate Lars Anderson for assignment, where he is selected by Toronto Blue Jays off waivers.
• February 22 - White Sox come to terms with all pre-arbitration eligible players, most notably Dayan Viciedo, Addison Reed, and Chris Sale who will earn $2.6 million, $520 K, and $600 K in 2013. Sale's deal is later amended when he agrees to a long-term contract extension in March.
• March 7 - Sox sign Chris Sale to 5 year, $32.5 million extension, with two option years potentially worth an additional $26 million.

[doublem23]

I was going to go with a B/C range, but the Sale deal is hard to ignore. Hahn's long been known as the money guy in the Sox front office and he absolutely killed that one.

A

[cards press box]

The Sale extension is a great move that gives the Sox an opportunity to be a perennial playoff contender in the forseeable future. Grade of A so far.

[34rancher]

I went with C since I felt like sox were average compared with th rest of MLB. No glaring free agents gained or lost. AJ wasn't coming back no matter what my opinion was. There were some minor additions to bullpen, which should help. I just had to keep reminding myself that no one in MLB did too much. However in today's grade inflated society that must mean a B.

[DumpJerry]

I won't vote until Opening Day and I get a chance to see how fresh the churros are.

[russ99]

I went with D(+), but most of that isn't Hahn's fault.

A lower level of payroll than than 3-5 years ago and hamstrung by big contracts and neglect of the farm system/drafting policy didn't leave him with much to work with.

Keppinger was a good signing if he can get healthy, but leaving us with a Class AA backup catcher and one of the weakest benches in the AL isn't so good.

Glad he inherited a pretty good pitching staff with a number of good young cost-controlled arms. I don't especially agree with the Peavy signing, but that could have been a Jerry-backed "butts-in-seats" move. I like Sale's deal, but there's risk involved for both the Sox and the player, and such high numbers in later years could be a millstone if he gets hurt and can't live up to potential. I'd have preferred a shorter deal, then an un-Jerry like move of paying the guy what he's worth if he becomes what we think he can.

Would have really liked to have seen another deal to bring in a young hitter with patience and can hit to all fields with average to reduce our homer-or-nothing approach, and one of Viciedo, Flowers or Beckham sold high on potential.

[Noneck]

Im going to have problems rating Hahn considering he has two layers above him that are directly involved.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by russ99

I like Sale's deal, but there's risk involved for both the Sox and the player, and such high numbers in later years could be a millstone if he gets hurt and can't live up to potential. I'd have preferred a shorter deal, then an un-Jerry like move of paying the guy what he's worth if he becomes what we think he can.

High number? Are you posting from 1980? There's only one guaranteed year worth over $10 M, which is EXTREMELY reasonable in this day in age for a pitcher of his quality. I don't see the shorter term deal logic, either, Sale was already under the Sox's control for 4 years, so all they've essentially done is extend is contract 1 extra guaranteed year but eliminated the uncertainty of price for the length of his deal. Pretty much any smart team or GM; Tampa Bay, San Francisco, St. Louis, etc. is making these moves nowadays.

[russ99]

Originally Posted by doublem23

High number? Are you posting from 1980? There's only one guaranteed year worth over $10 M, which is EXTREMELY reasonable in this day in age for a pitcher of his quality. I don't see the shorter term deal logic, either, Sale was already under the Sox's control for 4 years, so all they've essentially done is extend is contract 1 extra guaranteed year but eliminated the uncertainty of price for the length of his deal. Pretty much any smart team or GM; Tampa Bay, San Francisco, St. Louis, etc. is making these moves nowadays.

Well, the issue here (that we had threads on this all winter) really is are we going to lose a year from him, and when he comes back, will he be as good?

I am glad they locked him up for a ridiculously good deal – if he pitches all those years.

You can't deny that its a big question mark if he pitches all those years at last year's level of quality. If there was a much lesser chance of severe injury based on the way he pitches, it would be a fantastic deal, which is probably why he signed it.

[cws05champ]

You forgot that he traded Kenny Williams Jr right after he took over as well! Best move to date!!

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by russ99

Well, the issue here (that we had threads on this all winter) really is are we going to lose a year from him, and when he comes back, will he be as good?

I am glad they locked him up for a ridiculously good deal – if he pitches all those years.

You can't deny that its a big question mark if he pitches all those years at last year's level of quality. If there was a much lesser chance of severe injury based on the way he pitches, it would be a fantastic deal, which is probably why he signed it.

You can make this argument for basically every pitcher in baseball, every single one has a ticking time bomb in their elbows, their shoulders, everywhere basically, but that shouldn't preclude you from signing them to team-friendly extensions. Even if Sale's arm blows up, this is not the kind of deal that anchor a team's finances, it's less than $40 million guaranteed over 5 years for a pitcher with LEGITIMATE Cy Young Award winning capability. And if that isn't good enough, we have options on him for his 28- and 29-year-old seasons for a COMBINED $26 million. Such low risk, so high reward. This contract is now the envy of the entire baseball world. It's literally that good.

[doublem23]

Margalus makes the point much more eloquently than I...

http://www.southsidesox.com/2013/3/8...g-term-fortune

[Bucky F. Dent]

The Sale deal pushed him to an A.

[amsteel]

Ask me in September

[Moses_Scurry]

I wish AJ was still on the team, but other than that, I think he's done a great job.