Parity? Mediocrity? Buy? Sell? White Sox epitomize MLB season of flux

Bob Nightengale | USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO - They epitomize this zany baseball season and why it's impossible to predict the trade market, where one day you plan on selling, and the next, you may be buying.

Go ahead, you try figuring out the Chicago White Sox.

They sure can't.

The White Sox were gross underachievers the first three months of the season, and then spent the past week toying with the front office's emotions by winning four consecutive games against the powerful St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles.

White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija, who was supposed to be packing his bags for his third trade in 12 months, suddenly may be staying put, well, at least for a few more weeks.

And it's quite possible that no one other White Sox player will be traded by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline despite sitting in last place with a 36-42 record.

"We've been patient for a long time now,'' White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams told USA TODAY Sports. "But then you look at us, and you say, wait a minute, this team will only be held down for so long.

"We're still in the evaluating phase and it will be a collaborative effort on which direction we want to go.''

Yet, no matter what happens with Samardzija, who's being strongly pursued by the Toronto Blue Jays, Williams insists there won't be a teardown. This is Year 1 of their 3-year plan, Williams says, and he and GM Rick Hahn refuse to believe that their massive winter overhaul was a bust.

"It's important that we not lose sight of what our organization goal was,'' Williams said, "and that was to give us the best three-year window. And we're not going to abandon that completely with only three months to play.

"I think (Hahn's) done one hell of a job. Everyone wants to put the blame on (manager) Robin (Ventura), too, but all he can do is put the players in position to succeed. They're the ones who have to look in the mirror and execute.

"If we do anything, it will be consistent with trying to maximize this three-year plan or window that we set out originally.''

Really, it's no different than in Boston. Or in San Diego. Or Cleveland. Or Miami.

Sure, you would think these clubs would realize that this is a lost season, but then they take a look at the standings, and realize that outside the National League Central, there are only three teams who are more than five games above .500, and only four teams who have lower than a .450 winning percentage.

It's parity, baby.

Or maybe it's mediocrity.

Either way, it has teams like the White Sox confused, looking at themselves in the mirror, and having no idea what they're seeing.

"I don't want to say my expectations were too high,'' Williams said, "but certainly we were optimistic. We certainly see the potential, it just hasn't manifested itself yet.''

"But just because it hasn't come to fruition yet, it would be short-sighted to tear it down and go for a total rebuild.''

Still, the White Sox also are realistic - knowing that their 0.95 ERA during the winning streak can't continue - telling teams that if they've got a trade proposal, they'll pick up the phone and listen.

This is why every club with an urgent pitching need, from the Blue Jays to the Los Angeles Dodgers, have told the White Sox they have interest in Samardzija, a free agent at the end of the season.

Oh, and if you really want to get greedy, and are ready to make a wildly creative proposal, go ahead, and you can ask for ace Chris Sale, too.

"We've always had that mind-set that we will listen to anyone who wants to make an offer for our players,'' Williams said. "How else do you know what the value is? Something may bowl you over. But we can't envision anything happening along those lines.''

If the White Sox dared to trade Sale, perhaps the best pitcher on the planet these days, they better look for another place to play their home games, because U.S. Cellular may be under siege from irate fans.

"That would be one of the worst moves in the history of sports,'' Samardzija told USA TODAY Sports. "If you have a guy like that, you don't ever get rid of him. He's the most underpaid player in the league, if you ask me.''

Indeed, Sale, who could become the first pitcher in history to record nine consecutive games of 10 or more strikeouts Monday against Toronto, is tied up through 2019. He's earning $6 million this year in the third season of a five-year, $32.5 million contract, and the White Sox have a $12.5 million option in 2018 and a $15 million option in 2019.

It's the same reason, a high-ranking Boston Red Sox official said, why Clay Buchholz isn't going anywhere. The Red Sox have a $13 million option in 2016, and a $13.5 million option in 2017 on Buchholz, which is what they're paying fifth starters these days.

The finest starters available on the trade market this month are Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels; Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake of the Cincinnati Reds; Mat Latos and Dan Haren of the Miami Marlins; Matt Garza and Kyle Lohse of the Milwaukee Brewers; Scott Kazmir of the Oakland A's; perhaps Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy of the San Diego Padres; and, of course, Samardzija.

The White Sox, who acquired Samardzija from the Oakland A's last December in a six-player trade that included prized shortstop prospect Marcus Semien, will keep Samardzija if they truly believe they can contend for a wild-card spot. If not, they will soon have a heart-to-heart talk.

"You can't blame anyone for wanting to see what their value is on the open market,'' Williams said. "We just have to get some sort of indication it's possible or not to sign him. We have to also see if it's realistic given our resources and the other obligations we have.''

Well, while Samardzija says he's enjoying his time back in Chicago after 8 ½ years in the Cubs' organization, it's hard to imagine that any deal could be consummated just three months from free agency.

"I worked hard to get to this spot in free agency,'' Samardzija said. "I just want to sign with a team that is competing every September with a chance to be playing in October.

"Look, I don't hold bad blood or grudges against anybody. I understand how the business side works. Front offices have to do what they have to do. But I also need to protect myself and make sure I'm in a situation where I can win for a long time.

"But by me going to free agency, by no means does it take the White Sox off the list. If something doesn't happen now, it doesn't mean it's not going to happen in the future.''

Besides, who knows who will even be managing the White Sox after this season if they don't show improvement? Hahn certainly is entrenched as the GM, but the Blue Jays solicited Williams' services last winter to be their club president, and are expected to actively pursue him again after the season to replace Paul Beeston. It's also quite possible clubs will call and try to lure Williams back into the GM role, with several vacancies looming.

"I'm a strong believer in requiring our players to have their head and their tails in the same city,'' Williams said, "and focus on the goal at hand. If that's what I ask of our players and everyone in organization, I have to have the same mentality.

"I have enough things on my mind to focus on right here in Chicago.''

Stay tuned, where this strange season could even get more bizarre.

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