In late January, Chicago signed RHP Shingo Takatsu to a one-year, $1M contract that includes a $250,0000 buyout on a $2.5M option for 2005. Takatsu left Japan this off-season after pitching for the Yakult Swallows for thirteen seasons. The 35-year-old set the Japanese career record for saves and wanted to move on to the challenge of Major League Baseball.

Manager Ozzie Guillen plans to open the season with RHP Billy Koch as his closer, but Takatsu would like to challenge Koch for the job. Unfortunately, I'm not certain his skills will carry over to the majors. Last season for Yakult, he posted a 26:21 K:BB with 42 H allowed in 42 IP for a 3.00 ERA. I wouldn't find those numbers impressive in a major league pitcher and studies indicate the level of play in Japanese baseball is much more comparable to AAA than the majors. His side-arm delivery may give him a slight advantage, but the number of side-arm pitchers in the majors has grown over the past few years, making the delivery less unusual. I doubt the White Sox will be interested in picking up the 2005 option.

Chicago also signed several players to minor league contracts in late January, including UT-R Mike Bell, OF-L Marvin Benard, SS-R Kelly Dransfeldt, UT-R Bobby Smith, RHP Mike Jackson, and RHP Jose Santiago.

Bell once possessed solid power and plate discipline. Those skills faded over the last few years, but the 29-year-old's position flexibility and the White Sox's limited depth should secure him a serious tryout in spring training.

Knee problems sidelined Benard for most of the last two seasons. He underwent another knee surgery in October, but there's no guarantee this latest procedure has corrected the trouble. His base stealing days appear over, however he offers modest power and the White Sox need at least one reserve outfielder. If he's healthy, the 34-year-old should make the team as a back-up.

Dransfeldt began 2003 with the Reds' AAA affiliate at Louisville and closed it at AAA Pawtucket after Cincinnati released him and he signed with Boston. The 28-year-old possesses only marginal speed and power skills, lacking the plate discipline and defense to win a job in the majors. Chicago won't want him in the majors as more than emergency injury filler.

Smith appears to have the most upside of this batch of position players. He possesses decent plate discipline and marginal power skills while owning the ability to play all positions with the exception of catcher. However, the 29-year-old likely will need a strong camp to win a place on the team. Smith played with Guillen on Tampa Bay in 2000, but given Guillen's frequent hazing of youngsters during his playing days, Smith's prior experience with the manager likely offers little advantage in his quest to return to the majors.

Jackson chose not to sign with another club last season after Arizona released him at the end of spring training, so he's been out of baseball for a year. If he makes the White Sox out of spring training, Jackson will receive a one-year, $500,000 contract. While the 39-year-old pitched effectively in 2002, I'm concerned that he may not be able to regain his rhythm after that long of a break at this age. Of course, Chicago has several bullpen slots open for competition, so unless he has a horrible camp, he has a good chance of making the team.

Santiago demonstrated surprising effectiveness last season with the Indians and their affiliate at AAA Buffalo. The 29-year-old doesn't possess overly solid control and isn't a dominating pitcher, but he's developed into an extreme groundball pitcher. While I'm concerned about the Chicago defense behind him, Santiago likely will find a spot in the pen at some time during the season even if he doesn't make the team out of spring training.

Elsewhere in the American League, Anaheim signed arbitration-eligible pitchers Jarrod Washburn and Ben Weber to one-year contracts on January 20th. LHP Washburn agreed to a salary of $5.45M. The 29-year-old's strikeout rate dipped slightly last season as he suffered from some injury trouble, but he exercised solid control and pitched effectively. If healthy in 2004, Washburn's ERA should drop as he reemerges as one of the better left-handed starters in baseball.

RHP Weber signed a one-year, $900,000 contract. Despite a low strikeout rate, the 34-year-old continues to find success by keeping the ball on the ground and limiting his walks. As long as the Angels field a reliable defense, Weber should be an effective reliever.

Earlier in January, UT-R Shane Halter signed a one-year, $575,000 contract with Anaheim. The Angels signed Halter as a utility player to primarily cover the non-first base portion of the infield. His presence likely means that IF-S Alfredo Amezaga will open the season at AAA, which isn't a bad move as Amezaga probably will gain more from playing everyday at Salt Lake than he would from riding the bench in the majors. Halter possesses solid power, but he really doesn't offer much offensively overall; his primary contribution is his defensive flexibility.

The Angels also signed former White Sox's catcher C-R Josh Paul to a minor league deal. C-R Wil Nieves might possess the offensive upside to challenge for the position of back-up backstop, but Paul's limited skills aren't likely to provide Anaheim with the incentive necessary to displace reigning reserve C-R Jose Molina, the brother of starter C-R Ben Molina.