Hot Stove

Clare called from work Wednesday morning to alert me to an on-line ESPN story speculating that the White Sox could be a dark-horse contender for free-agent third baseman Mike Moustakas.  Given the bone-chill I get every time I step outside, anything from the hot-stove league is a welcome distraction.

Even if the story makes little sense.  Moustakas is 29 going on 30 come September.  He had a career year with 38 homers, but only 85 RBIs and so-so defense.  To me, it makes a whole lot more sense to shift Yoan Moncada to third and put Yolmer Sanchez at second.  Matt Davidson could rotate from first to third to DH.  Problem solved, and you wouldn’t be on the hook for whatever Moustakas wants.

What I should do now is return the favor to Clare and call her about another suggested trade—Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and three top prospects for Marlins’ center fielder Christian Yelich.  You’d be surprised how good my daughter is at judging talent; she did, after all, spend a summer helping recruit softball players to Valpo.  If she’s anything like her old man, she’d turn this deal down flat (and maybe help its author in from the cold, which must be affecting his thinking). 

But, again, it’s January, and you take your baseball where you can.  I seem to remember growing up that, come January, the White Sox were always rumored to be interested in Twins’ outfielder Jimmy Hall.  Nothing ever happened, but the rumors always got me into February, the sainted month when spring training starts.  If Mike Moustakas—or Manny Machado—rumors can do the same, I’m all in.