In an effort to sign their lone arbitration-eligible player and massage their acrimonious relationship with agent Scott Boras, the White Sox are letting special assistant Dennis Gilbert handle negotiations with third baseman Joe Crede on a one-year contract.
I realize that Williams is just a week removed from surgery for kidney stones. It just feels like he's using that as an excuse not to talk with Boras.
Don't be looking for Crede to receive a multi-year deal like AJ and Garland. Crede is just in his first year of arbitration, and the only thing he can be counted on for is his inconsistency. A one-year deal is the best move here. If he is able to carry over his post-season heroics into a full season of above average baseball, then, and only then, will he be worth a multi-year commitment.
If you're wondering why there is a smoking monkey pictured in this post, well he was on page two of Google Image Search for "special assistant."