Off-Season Central: White Sox Trade For Blake Tekotte

I know, I know. Not the type of earth shattering move by one of our division rivals that should warrant a post. Well, I’ve already committed to this, and I am a little familiar with Tekotte as a player, so I did want to weigh in, no matter how small the deal appears to be.

May 4, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Blake Tekotte (9) slides into second ahead of the tag by Miami Marlins second baseman Omar Infante (12) at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

What it does show is that the White Sox are going to be wheeling and dealing as if Kenny Williams was still pulling the strings as GM. The White Sox gave up minor league reliever Brandon Kloess, who I know nothing about except he had decent numbers last season between AAA and AA.

Tekotte is a classic fourth outfielder type. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but he does have good speed, and plays a good defensive CF. I am a little surprised at this point, how much he has struggled in the big leagues with the bat, but it is a small sample. He is generally known for being a pretty good table setter that has a good idea of the strike zone. However, thus far into his career, he has just 8 hits in 49 at-bats. That of course is too small of a sample to make any sort of a judgment at this point about Tekotte.

He could fit nicely as a late inning defensive replacement for Dayan Viciedo, or for Alejandro De Aza in center and have him move to left. There is also some utility there for Tekotte to be a pinch runner.

Kloess isn’t a big loss, considering the White Sox pieced together a bullpen last year, I am sure that they could do it again, and Kloess wasn’t likely to even play for the Sox.