This yr’s MLB winter conferences are in contrast to every other Chris Getz has attended previously.
“It’s different in the sense I’m running the meetings and having the direct conversations with other clubs and agents,” Getz stated Monday on the Opryland Resort.
This is Getz’s first winter conferences since changing into the final supervisor for the Chicago White Sox. He was the crew’s assistant normal supervisor/participant improvement earlier than taking up because the GM on Aug. 31.
“More than anything, you’re just trying to find ways to get better with your club, regardless of what role you’re in,” he stated.
The Sox are one of many groups to observe on the winter conferences as they arrive off a 101-loss season. There are holes to fill and a few gamers at the moment on the roster have been talked about in commerce hypothesis.
The one title that retains popping up in that chatter is pitcher Dylan Cease.
“There’s certainly no urgency to move Dylan Cease,” Getz stated. “And similar to I’ve stated from the start, if there’s a chance to assist our membership each close to time period and long run, we’ll take a look at it. But we’re speaking about probably the greatest pitchers in baseball. There’s a duty to your group, for the Chicago White Sox, to do what’s finest for them.
“Dylan’s a star in our game. There’s no real reason to come here and expect us to move a Dylan Cease, but if a team brings something that meets a threshold that we feel we’ve just gotten a lot better, then we’re going to do that.”
Getz stated there’s usually “a pace to these things.”
“I’ll continue to take the calls and certainly compare different opportunities for, perhaps, getting better,” he stated. “The starting pitching market is always an area in which teams are looking to dive into to improve their club, and Dylan’s right at the top.”
With or with out Cease, pitching is an space for the Sox to give attention to.
“There’s different ways to go about it,” Getz stated of addressing the pitching wants. “It could possibly be a veteran. It could possibly be a younger participant prepared to interrupt into the large leagues. We had been lucky to accumulate some arms on the (commerce) deadline. We’ve performed a reasonably good job just lately with drafting and creating a few of these arms which are pushing towards the highest of the minor leagues.
“We are having a lot of conversations with both teams and agents that either have starting pitching and looking to move in deals, but also certainly talking to agents as well for guys who can cover innings for us.”
The Sox added pitchers Michael Soroka and Jared Shuster final month as a part of the six-player commerce that despatched reliever Aaron Bummer to the Atlanta Braves.
They additionally acquired infielder Nicky Lopez in that deal and later added extra defensive assist by signing shortstop Paul DeJong to a one-year deal.
The Sox will proceed what Getz stated might appropriately be phrased as a “retool.”
“I say that because we do have talent on this roster,” Getz stated. “Obviously, it hasn’t worked, so you’ve got to be creative and find ways to improve it. Whether it be, we talk about the makeup and the chemistry of the team or certainly add depth or acquire players who are flat-out better. We are on a pursuit to improve this team and there are different ways to go about it.”
Generally talking, there isn’t an urgency for particular accomplishments this week, “other than the fact that we want to continue to use the momentum that we’ve already gained here in the offseason from the Aaron Bummer trade and look for opportunities and if we feel like there’s something to really act on, we’ll go ahead and do that,” Getz stated.
There’s loads of time — and work to be performed — earlier than pitchers and catchers report in February.
“Every day you wake up, you’re looking to better your club and quite honestly I’m obsessed with that,” Getz stated. “Talk about winter conferences and engaging in one thing whereas we’re right here, it’s doable. We’ve obtained months earlier than we get to spring coaching and we’re going to search for each alternative to enhance the membership. There are alternative ways to go about that.
“We need to fill out a rotation, and to feel good about it. We need to have depth underneath it. The bullpen, you’ve got to have depth, both at Double A, Triple A that are, what you’re hoping for is knocking at the door to become an option at some point. The defense, improving the catching position and maximizing that area along with other areas around the diamond. We have time and I look forward to continuing to get back to work and finding ways to improve this.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com