Black Sox Beat Writer
Chicago Sports Online
The past week has brought a flurry of activity and change that has brought a couple of significant changes to the Chicago Black Sox roster.
Most notable were three contract decisions that led to the departure of two long-time members of the Sox and a third more-recent acquisition.
Gone are:
- Left fielder Fernando Reyes, who was not extended a contract offer in arbitration. Although Reyes is a talented power hitter, he’s weak against left-handed pitchers and realistically can only play in a platoon with a right-hander. Reyes lost significant playing time in 2042 to OF José Figueroa. While his final numbers (.277/.332/.550 with 17 homers) were not terrible, Reyes was asking for $9.5 million in extension talks and estimates of his likely arbitration price were in that range, too. The team, ultimately, decided that payroll cap space could be better spent on other areas of need – especially right-handed hitting. Reyes was the team's first round pick in 2035, and had been on the big-league roster since 2037.
- SP/RP Manuel Peña, whose contract expired. With Peña asking for around the same amount to extend that contract, Sox General Manager Benny Vitale decided the team could, again, spend the money more wisely to address other areas of need. Peña, who came to the organization in 2038 via a trade with Omaha, had a 7-6 record with 3 saves and a 4.72 ERA in 2042, mostly in long relief.
- DH Dusty Rhodes, who was acquired from California late in the season for $1 and a tower of pears. Although Rhodes opted into his contract, Chicago exercised its team option and terminated the $5 million deal at a cost of $1.1 million. Rhodes was thoroughly ineffective in a platoon role for the Sox, slashing .160/.250/.200 in limited use and was left off the team’s postseason roster for its first-round playoff series against Yellow Springs, which the Sox ultimately lost 3 games to 2.
Fernando Reyes
Manuel Peña
Dusty Rhodes
González (.211/.274/.333) has made no secret of the fact that he’s unhappy with reduced playing time behind Tomás Durán (.298/.375/.486), who had a breakout year in 2042 and seized the starting job.
In fact, shortly after the season ended, González demanded a trade through his agent, saying he wanted to go to a team “who respects his talent level and will play him in the role he so richly deserves.”
Despite that broadside, however, González exercised his contact option to stay with the team in 2043 instead of entering free agency.
“That tells you something right there,” Wilkes said. “Luis and his agent knew he wouldn’t draw anywhere near $13 million on the open market, so he decided to stay. But, unless Durán gets hit by a bus, there’s no way González will be anything more than a platoon player against left-handers.”
Whether any of these moves pay off for the Sox in the coming season will depend on how they fare in the free agent market and whether prospects such as OF Ricardo Torres (who the Sox tout as their next Fernando Reyes) can make the roster after spring training and play effectively at the BBA level.
“We are confident in our ability to address our needs and improve our roster,” said Benny Vitale. “We thank Mr. Reyes and Mr. Peña for the years of excellent service and wish them well in their future endeavors, but it was time that we each took our separate pathways.
“This, we think, will prove best for everyone concerned.”