JOSE QUINTANA CAN'T BE UNDERRATED

This is silly, I know, but if you'll indulge me.

Last week I saw an article from Sports on Earth about baseball's all-underrated team. Not surprisingly, Jose Quintana was featured on the team. This is because any time somebody mentions Jose Quintana they mention how underrated he is.

And that's just idiotic.

By definition, if you keep mentioning Jose Quintana as somebody who is underrated, he cannot be underrated. You're rating him. Everybody is rating him. He is perfectly rated!

I'M HAPPY TO SEE JORDAN DANKS GO

Yesterday the White Sox made the signing of Emilio Bonifacio official, and also announced in the process that Jordan Danks had been designated for assignment. The news brought a smile to my face.

The smile wasn't as big as it will be the moment I find out that Dayan Viciedo is no longer on the roster, but it was a smile none the less. Not because I'm really excited about the addition of Emilio Bonifacio. As I already wrote, I like the move, and I think it made more sense to do it than trade for Ben Zobrist, but it's still just Emilio Bonifacio.

And I didn't smile because I have anything against Jordan Danks. I don't. I actually liked Jordan Danks, but the real truth is that Jordan Danks just isn't very good. He's proven repeatedly that he's never going to be much of a hitter on the Major League level, but that he has some valuable to your roster as a reserve outfield because he can play all three positions well, and he can also serve as a pinch-runner when needed.

No, the smile was about what the move meant.

EMILIO BONIFACIO WAS A BETTER OPTION THAN BEN ZOBRIST

Now don't get getting that headline confused with me saying that Emilio Bonifacio is a better player than Ben Zobrist. He's not. I just think he's a better option for what the White Sox need right now than Zobrist.

First of all, according to reports out there, Bonifacio is coming to the Sox on a one-year deal for only $4 million (apparently it's a one-year with a club option for 2016 according to Levine. He'll get $3 million in 2015 and $4 million in 2016 unless the Sox buy him out for $1 million. So $4 million for 2015 in all probability). While Zobrist only has one year left on his contract for $7 million, it's not just the money you'd have to pay for him, but at least a decent prospect as well. So by signing Bonifacio over Zobrist you're saving a lot more than just $3 million.

But none of us sign the checks, so the money shouldn't be that important. How it affects the White Sox as a team in 2015 does.

LACTOSE INTOLERANT: LEFT FIELD OPTIONS BESIDES THE MELK MAN

We know the White Sox need to upgrade left field. The White Sox know they need to upgrade left field. Rick Hahn himself basically went on the radio earlier this week and said it. While he spoke in his typical measured tones, if you read between the lines of what he was saying you could hear his brain screaming "Dayan Viciedo is so bad please don't make me go through another season with him as my left fielder."

That's why there have been all those rumors about the White Sox and Mariners talking Viciedo, with most of the talking coming from the White Sox end of things. Maybe the Sox are hoping that if they say Seattle's interested in Viciedo enough that it will eventually come true. Like an exasperated Jedi mind trick.

I don't know that it will work no matter how many times that Sarah McLachlan commercial plays.

TIME TO GET BACK TO ENJOYING OURSELVES

The excitement is back. I've sat here at my laptop for a while now getting ready to write a post breaking down the moves the White Sox have made, but it all feels so secondary. I've already shared my thoughts on the money they're giving David Robertson, and they haven't changed.

I don't like spending that much on a closer. Never have, never will. But I can live with it because I understand it.

As for the Samardzija trade, how can any reasonable fan be anything other than thrilled? You get a great starter you can slot between Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, and you don't have to give up any top prospects to do it. If the Sox can't sign Shark long term you get the draft pick when he leaves next winter. A draft pick that replaces the second round pick you lose by signing Robertson.

There. That's the analysis. Let's get to the emotions.

IS MIGUEL MONTERO NECESSARY?

Tyler Flowers had his best season with the White Sox in 2014. That's a good thing, but like most things, it's all relative.

Flowers had set the bar rather low for himself, and it's somewhat sad that a season in which he finished with an OBP of .297 and an OPS+ of 95 could be considered a career year, but that's the situation Flowers finds himself in. It also leaves the White Sox in a position in which they have to wonder whether or not an upgrade is something they should pursue, or if the money should be spent elsewhere.

The fact they've apparently checked with the Diamondbacks on Miguel Montero might give us an indication about how they feel. Montero is still owed $40 million over the next three seasons, which is a sizeable investment for this White Sox team to make. But the question is whether or not it'd be worth it.

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!

WHITE SOX SIGN ADAM LAROCHE

The White Sox offseason continues to take shape as it was reported Friday night that the Sox had signed free agent Adam LaRoche. The White Sox are yet to officially announce the deal, but it was reported by Bob Nightingale that LaRoche received a two-year deal worth $25 million.

And that's fine.

Two years isn't going to hamstring the Sox, even if LaRoche is now the second-highest paid member of the team, sliding in behind John Danks.

As for what the signing means to the Sox next season, my initial reaction was a bit trepidatious. Maybe I'm just put off by the idea of signing a left-handed slugging first baseman from the Nationals considering what happened with Adam Dunn, but that's stupid. LaRoche isn't Adam Dunn. At least I hope he isn't.

What we know about LaRoche is that he's coming off a pretty good season with the Nationals. He hit .259/.362/.455 in 140 games with 26 home runs and 92 RBI. He was worth 2.2 WAR. That's not bad at all. What isn't great is that LaRoche just turned 35 a few weeks ago, so he's not exactly coming to Chicago in the middle of his prime.