The long-term benefits of the White Sox short-term offseason additions

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If everything Rick Hahn is trying to do this offseason is focused on the White Sox long-term future, why have all three of their additions to this point been guys on short-term contracts?

Alex Colome, acquired in a pre-Winter Meetings trade with the Seattle Mariners, is under control for two more seasons. Ivan Nova, acquired in a Winter Meetings trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is under control for one more season. Yonder Alonso, acquired in a post-Winter Meetings trade with the Cleveland Indians, is under control for two more seasons.

None of that exactly screams "long term" for a team that isn't expected to contend for a playoff spot in 2019 and a team singularly focused on turning their rebuild into a perennial championship contender for years to come.

But Hahn has talked about these kinds of moves before. Not only do the Colome and Nova additions, specifically, fill the announced needs of the team for the 2019 season, but all three of these guys could make long-term impacts on the team's fleet of young players. It's their influence over the next two seasons that could help the White Sox develop the kinds of players who will power those planned future contenders.

"It doesn’t necessarily have a long-term impact in terms of Nova’s stay with the White Sox," Hahn said after making the trade for Nova last week. "We do think he has the makeup and the presence that he will have a positive influence on some of our young players, which is something we have talked about, about having a longer-term impact through the mentoring or teaching and the effect it has on the young kids. There’s benefit to that as well."

Nova had a reputation as a leader type while in Pittsburgh, someone who younger pitchers looked up to. And he'll be expected to play a similar role on the South Side, perhaps the 2019 equivalent of what James Shields during his time with the White Sox. Nova said last week that he was happy to be a role model in Pittsburgh and he's looking forward to helping the young pitchers in Chicago, specifically mentioning Reynaldo Lopez.

His now-former manager echoed that reputation.

"I shared with Kenny Williams and Ricky Renteria, they're getting a good pitcher and a good man," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said last week. "He's continued to evolve and work and learn. It wasn't like he showed up and thought he was a finished product leaving New York. He had to embrace a different kind of game. A different style of game coming for to the National League.

"He was the definition of a pro. He added value to us in the clubhouse, on the field with all our players. During game time he'd be huddled up with a group at the end sharing comments, sharing thoughts. He'll be a good addition."

Colome isn't quite as veteran as Nova and Alonso, but he provides a long-term benefit, as well, in taking pressure off the host of young arms in the White Sox bullpen. Having an established closer like Colome — the major league saves leader in 2017 — prevents guys like Ian Hamilton, Caleb Frare, Ryan Burr, Jose Ruiz and Jace Fry from getting thrown into the fire.

Meanwhile, Alonso could provide a similar benefit to younger players that his good friend Jose Abreu has in recent seasons. In addition to the potential benefit he could provide in helping to lure mega free agent Manny Machado, his brother-in-law, to the South Side, Alonso is a veteran who's learned from some of the game's best and can teach the young guys about winning.

“Well, it’s a great role," Alonso said Monday of being a clubhouse leader. "It’s pretty much being myself at all times. But for me personally, I’ve been on teams where I’ve had great mentors and great leaders and veteran presences going all the way back to the Cincinnati days with Joey Votto, Scott Rolen, players like that. When I went to San Diego, it gave me a chance to have Mark Kotsay along my side to help me out. Throughout my years with Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz and many guys along the way who have helped me throughout the years be the player I am.

"For me, it’s do my part, go out there every single day, make sure I’m ready physically and mentally. If I need to say something, I think I will say something, but again I’m here to obviously learn from all these guys that are here. I think we have a really good team, and I have no problem being that guy. I have no problem helping out, I have no problem just making waves and facilitate the game as much as I can to all these players.

"I know we have Abreu there, who is an incredible leader, an incredible baseball player. He’s a very talented player not only on the field but in the clubhouse and outside. We keep in touch, and I know he’s helped out a lot of guys. I’m going to be the band aid where I can go and really help out and go to work every single day and at the end of the day, it’s just putting 'W's' on the board.”

So while these — and the reportedly imminent addition of backup catcher James McCann — might not seem like the long-term moves Hahn has been dedicated to making this winter, they could still have a long-term impact on this White Sox rebuilding process.

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