THE WHITE SOX AREN'T GOING TO TRADE ALEXEI RAMIREZ

I guess anything is possible. The Cubs could one day win a World Series. Jay Cutler might one day lead the Bears to a Super Bowl win. A leaked nude photo of Kate Upton with my jizz on her back instead of Justin Verlander's could one day make it's way through the internet.

Who knows?

But while things may be possible, that doesn't mean they're probable, and that leads me to all these trade rumors surrounding Alexei Ramirez. The White Sox have reportedly talked to a number of teams about their malnutritioned shortstop, though Rick Hahn says he's not shopping him.  He's just listening, as any good general manager would do. The two teams we've seen mentioned are the Mets and Dodgers, with the Dodgers apparently pushing harder than anybody else.

Let them push, they aren't going to get him barring some ridiculous offer. Sure! We'll take Clayton Kershaw!


But the fact of the matter is, given what we've seen from Rick Hahn already this winter, it's pretty clear that the goal next season is to contend. Unlike last year when Hahn was taking whatever proven commodities worth a damn that he had and flipping them for prospects, the Sox have signed two veterans to fill needs he believes the team has. Trading Alexei would go against that.

I understand that Alexei is 33 years old and signed for another two years, and I know the Sox are hoping Tim Anderson will be ready to take over his job by then, but that doesn't mean it makes any sense to move him now.

Especially when you look at what the Dodgers are willing to give up for him.

Wipe any fever dream of Joc Pederson out of your mind right now. That's simply not happening. The Dodgers would be willing to give up some secondary prospects and one of their overpaid, underproducing outfielders for the rights to Ramirez.

There's Carl Crawford, a guy whose entire game has been built on making contact and his speed. Those guys always improve after turning 33, and he's only owed slightly more than $60 million the next three years.

Or how about Andre Ethier? He was good that one time. Now he's 32, and his power disappeared last season, but that was probably only a fluke. He's owed another $54 million, and he'll do all he can to live up to that contract.

Matt Kemp? He actually bounced back last season and was productive, it's just he's now on the wrong side of 30, has dealt with a bunch of injuries, and is owed over $100 million. He also spent a lot of last season pissed off because he was moved from centerfield, which is a position he wouldn't be playing here, and there's plenty of talk about how he's a me-first guy that doesn't work in the clubhouse.

A change of scenery would fix that I'm sure!

Even if the Dodgers were willing to send a long a lot of money, it's just not a move that would make sense. I don't have nearly enough faith in guys like Marcus Semien or Carlos Sanchez to just hand them the starting shortstop gig for a full season, though I suppose a stop gap shortstop is available on the free agent market.

But why trade Alexei when you can just sign a guy like Melky Cabrera to man left field and keep Alexei at short?

If you're trying to win next season that combination makes a lot more sense than Carl Crawford and whoever at short.

So I suspect we'll continue to hear rumors about teams being interested in Alexei, because why the fuck wouldn't they be? He's a good defensive shortstop who just so happens to be able to hit as well. And he's on a reasonable contract.

But that reasonable contract should remain in Chicago. If the Sox aren't contending then you move him in the summer.

It just won't happen now.