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The Chicago White Sox completed their second trade in two days on Sunday, sending reliever Jason Frasor to the Toronto Blue Jays for two minor league pitchers.

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The second coming of Jose Contreras is on the way. Or at least that’s what Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams suggested Saturday.

Explaining the trade that sent Carlos Quentin to the San Diego Padres and yielded minor-league pitchers Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez, Williams seemed to put most of his expectations on Castro.

“Castro, as I was looking at him on tape, Castro reminds me of Jose Contreras when we got him and there were things he was doing [mechanically] that were counter-productive,” Williams said. “There are a lot of similarities and hopefully we can get the most out of him.”

Does that mean when you squint really hard you are reminded of Contreras? Or can this guy really lead a starting rotation to an 11-1 run during the postseason?

Williams sounded annoyed that he had to reiterate his comparison.

“There are some similarities we see in him that remind us of Jose and some of the issues he has had this past year that he didn’t have before,” Williams said of Castro’s disappointing 7-8 season with a 5.63 ERA at both Double-A and Triple-A. “Sometimes guys get out of whack. This guy is 6-foot-5, throws 90-95 [mph], a lower three-quarter angle and gets around balls but can drop a hard split and he can locate, when he’s right.”

To Williams’ credit, the Contreras comparison isn’t completely off the wall. Castro was the Padres’ minor-league pitcher of the year in 2009 and that success continued a year later. In 2010 he was a midseason and postseason Texas League All-Star and pitched in the Futures Game that season.

Last season, though, on a deep staff at Double-A for the Padres, he had mechanical issues. Despite it he still got six starts at Triple-A, but posted an ERA over 10.

“He will be the first to admit that he didn’t distinguish himself among some of his peers,” Williams said. “We have to get him back there. Just one year ago you wouldn’t have been able to get this kind of guy.”

Consider it yet another reclamation project for pitching coach Don Cooper, who was there to help Contreras turn it around.

Nobody really expects Castro to take over the rotation and lead the White Sox to the World Series next season, but he and Hernandez could see time in the big leagues in 2012.

“Castro twice was a top-100 prospect even though he scuffled at times [last season],” Padres GM Josh Byrnes said. “He was still low to mid-90s [mph fastball], slider, change up and a great kid.”

That makes two big-league GMs with high praise for Castro, although Byrnes was the one who just traded away the right-hander.

The Chicago White Sox traded outfielder Carlos Quentin to the San Diego Padres on Sunday for two minor league pitchers.

The Sox acquired right-handed pitcher Simon Castro, 23, and left-hander Pedro Hernandez, 22.

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CHICAGO -- Kenny Williams’ decision to shut down his trading post at the winter meetings could be paying dividends soon.

When he felt there were no satisfactory trade proposals for some of his veteran talent, especially starting pitcher John Danks, Williams not only said he wasn’t prepared to make a deal at last week’s meetings, but he claimed that he now wasn’t interested in trading any pitching before the start of the season. That comment came after Sergio Santos was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Williams’ statement was perceived to be a bluff, though, and that once the offseason moved on and teams became more intent on trading for pitching a suitor figured to ultimately surface.

That scenario appears to be playing out now as SI.com’s Jon Heyman reported Monday, via Twitter (@Jon_Heyman), that the Yankees could be interested in trading one of their three top prospects for Danks. The White Sox reportedly asked for two of them.

The Yankees don't seem too intent on getting this deal done right now, though.

The group of Yankees prospects apparently under discussion includes right-hander Dellin Betances, an eighth-round draft pick in 2006 out of Brooklyn. Then there is Manuel Banuelos, a left-hander out of Mexico, and catcher Jesus Montero, a Venezuela native, who was ranked as the Yankees’ top prospect entering the 2011 season.

A different Danks-to-the-Yankees trade rumor during last week’s winter meetings in Dallas had the White Sox asking for both Montero and Banuelos for Danks.

The White Sox have also reportedly talked about Danks with the Boston Red Sox, but not much is known about the players under discussion in that potential deal.

Helping to move a Danks trade to the forefront was the fact that both top free-agent starting pitchers, Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson, found new teams late last week. Danks is not only available for the right deal, his salary in 2012, estimated at around $7 million, will be half what Buehrle and Wilson will make.

Heyman also tweeted over the weekend that the Blue Jays and White Sox were talking about a Carlos Quentin deal, but those talks are “cool now.”

DALLAS -- If "extremely laid back" is a managerial style, then perhaps that’s what Robin Ventura will bring to the Chicago White Sox.

Ever since he was hired as White Sox manager in November, Ventura has been pressed for the style of play he prefers. He continues to say the roster will dictate things but he clearly doesn’t know what his roster will be at this point.

“I think it’s more for the spring,” Ventura said about a style of play. “As far as just the way you’re going to play, you obviously go by what your roster is. You can’t sit there and say we’re going to steal 500 bases if you don’t have the people to do it.”

It’s starting to lead to the belief that the entire White Sox roster is in flux, not just the oft-mentioned candidates to be traded like Carlos Quentin, John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Matt Thornton.

General manager Kenny Williams has always had a hunger for power hitters, but perhaps some speed at the top of the order is what he wants now. A contact hitter or two could be the desire, or maybe a defensive-minded outfield.

Not only has Ventura declined to talk about a style of play as it pertains to the players the White Sox do have under contract, he has yet to even reach out to any of those players.

That comes in stark contrast to new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, who admitted at the winter meetings on Monday that he has reached out to just about every player on Boston’s roster. Keep in mind that Valentine has been the Red Sox manager for all of five days.

Of course, nobody is going to confuse Ventura’s personality with Valentine’s, or Ozzie Guillen’s for that matter. Part of Ventura’s appeal was his inner calm, which is the opposite of the high-energy Guillen. When making a change, as the White Sox did at manager, one popular strategy is to go with the opposite of what you just had.

But somehow Ventura seems too calm, sending signals that there is more to it than the fact that he doesn’t see a reason to rush into relationships with his players.

“It will be more clear after we get through this week and being able to talk to guys and see how they’re doing and get ready for spring training,” Ventura said.

Yeah, no reason to call guys who aren’t even going to be part of the mix.

Everybody knew the White Sox were set to make some changes. There is every reason to think those changes could be even more plentiful than first believed.

DALLAS -- You can’t blame Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams for aiming high. The least they can say is “no.”

Indeed, Williams is aiming for the moon when it comes to a report from the winter meetings as to what the White Sox would want in return for John Danks.

According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Williams acknowledged the New York Yankees’ interest in the White Sox lefty by asking for top prospects Jesus Montero and Manny Banuelos. The chances of prying just one of them away from the Yankees wasn’t good.

It’s not hard to see that Williams has the General Manager 101 handbook out and is following it step by step. By going high early, Williams not only is trying to get the best possible return on Danks, he has sent a message around baseball that he means business.

There is still the thought, though, that the White Sox have to trade Danks because of their desire to trim payroll and the belief they will have trouble re-signing him when he becomes a free agent after the 2012 season.

Ultimately, it could end up that the White Sox aren’t in the driver’s seat when it comes to trade talks for Danks, but for now, Williams will see if he can take somebody for a ride.

CHICAGO -- If the Chicago White Sox already have a plan in place to either go young or hold off on trading their veteran players, new manager Robin Ventura wasn’t about to reveal anything.

Ventura, who participated in a conference call in advance of next week’s winter meetings, said the club’s direction will most likely be decided when team officials gather in Dallas.

Not only does left-hander Mark Buehrle appear on the verge of signing with another team, but rumors are rampant that the White Sox could trade any combination of Carlos Quentin, John Danks and Gavin Floyd. Even Matt Thornton and Sergio Santos have been named in trade rumors.

“I’ve kept in contact with [general manager] Kenny [Williams] with different things coming up,” Ventura said, referring to offers the White Sox have received for their established talent. “Obviously I would love to be able to hand the ball to [Danks] 30-plus times, Gavin Floyd the same thing and have Carlos in right.

“It’s kind of a wish list, but that’s not always going to be able to happen. I don’t think he knows, I don’t know and that’s the interesting part about going there [to Dallas].”

What made last year’s struggles even more disappointing was the fact the White Sox had put together a club-record payroll that topped $127 million. The 2012 payroll will be less than that, but how much less remains to be seen.

Shedding Buehrle’s salary would have covered raises due to players already under contract, but that didn’t include the $15 million that Danks and Quentin would combine to make as arbitration-eligible players.

Marginal savings will come from the expiring contracts of Juan Pierre, Omar Vizquel and Ramon Castro.

Ventura said the decision to trade players will be made by Williams, of course, but he isn’t just an observer in the process.

“There is a business side of the game that isn’t always fun when a season like last year happens,” Ventura said. “That’s part of the game. Guys being wanted by other teams, that will come up. You look at it two ways. For me in my situation it’s nice that people are calling asking about players. That means you have good players.

“I realize who we have and hope we have a lot of them back. But if there is a time in Dallas when we talk about certain players and it’s worth making that move, I will definitely voice an opinion.”

CHICAGO -- If the Chicago White Sox consider John Danks a big part of their future, they aren't in a hurry to get the left-hander locked in beyond the 2012 season.

A source with knowledge of club's contract negotiations said the White Sox have made no overtures to Danks' agent regarding a long-term contract.

Danks is eligible for salary arbitration for one more season and will then be eligible for free agency in 2013. Danks could make somewhere between $7 million and $8 million next season in arbitration.

There have been rumors that the White Sox would consider trading Danks, but if Mark Buehrle leaves via free agency that would leave the rotation without two key starters.

The White Sox could also be willing to retain Danks on another one-year contract and work on a long-term deal during spring training. The club typically doesn't negotiate deals during the season, so if Danks isn't locked in by Opening Day, he could end up hitting the open market in 2013.

The key to the whole scenario could be the Carlos Quentin situation. While the White Sox could still have some hesitation about trading Danks, they are rumored to be more willing to deal Quentin since Dayan Viciedo is prepared to take over in right field.

If a Quentin deal could return a young starter who has plenty of upside and is ready to make an impact on a major-league rotation quickly, it could lead the White Sox to trading a pitcher such as Gavin Floyd or even Danks.

Between Danks and Floyd, it is Danks who figures to get the most talent in return. But Danks leaves them with at least one veteran lefty if Buehrle leaves.

As of early last week, general manager Kenny Williams said player personnel activity was slow but he expected that to pick up after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Williams has said his players are popular among teams willing to make a trade this offseason, but apparently there hasn't been an offer that has moved the White Sox toward making a deal.

With the winter meetings in Dallas just one week away and teams about to get serious about their rosters for next season, the White Sox will see if those trade offers get any more enticing.

MILWAUKEE -- Meeting with his peers and talking deals is what excites White Sox general manager Kenny Williams and in that sense the general managers’ meetings have not been a disappointment.

On the second day of the meetings in downtown Milwaukee, Williams was asked if some new trade options have emerged since he arrived in town Monday night. A smile crept across his face.

“It was productive,” Williams said of his night out Monday with a number of long-time general managers. “We had a good time. We got caught up and had a lot of laughs. We talked a little baseball, too.”

No sooner was Williams saying that when new Red Sox general manager Ben Cherrington confirmed from the other side of the room that Josh Reddick, his likely candidate to play right field, will have wrist surgery. The White Sox are willing to move right fielder Carlos Quentin, and the teams could end up being trade partners.

In moving guys like Quentin and possibly a pitcher like John Danks or Gavin Floyd, Williams will try to walk that fine line of starting a mini rebuilding mode while also trying to win at the same time. By not committing to either he runs the risk of neither happening.

“It’s what other clubs are willing to do, that’s the bottom line,” Williams said about potential trades. “Whether they’re willing to give a veteran major-league talent or is it minor-league talent? Is it something that will allow us to grow and grow very quickly, or is it going to take a longer time to manifest itself? That’s where we are.”

But while not saying he is shopping his players, Williams certainly sounds like he’s ready and willing to deal and get some affordable talent in return.

“We’re more open to making potential moves that take us a little younger, take us a step back and live to fight another day if we can [get] what we’ve identified the type targets you want in such a deal,” Williams said. “Whether you can get those targets or not remains to be seen. So yeah, we’re more open [to trading established talent].”

“For the last 12 years, we’ve been grinding it out, trying to put forth an effort to win a championship. It’s difficult to do that for such a long period of time – rebuild at the same time as you’re trying to compete. Fortunately we’ve had some teams that have done better than others, and there have been teams that didn’t meet our expectations."

Finding a leadoff hitter who can play left field figured to be one of Williams’ desires on the trade market, but if that doesn’t emerge he sounded more than willing to having Alejandro De Aza hit from the No. 1 hole.

“Alejandro De Aza played his tail off as far as I’m concerned. Did you watch him? He’s pretty good,” Williams said. “I don’t make the lineup out. If I was making the lineup out [De Aza] would be my leadoff hitter. But Robin Ventura makes the lineup out and I have to respect that. He will be given a suggestion though as to the Opening Day lineup.”

He wasn’t so willing to hand out roles to anybody else, though, saying all but Paul Konerko will have to earn his job. He amended that to say that a few others might be safe as well.

The point, though, is that veterans like Alex Rios in center field and even A.J. Pierzynski at catcher won’t just get their old jobs back because they showed up at spring training. Young players like De Aza, Dayan Viciedo, and Tyler Flowers will get their fair chance to earn a job.

“We are very encouraged by some of the young players and pitchers that we have as well,” Williams said. “Things aren’t as bleak as some people make them out to be.”

MILWAUKEE -- As baseball’s general managers gather for the next two days at the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee, it will be interesting to see the company that Kenny Williams keeps.

The White Sox’s GM is likely to make some moves this winter in the form of trading established talent. The most obvious guy to be playing elsewhere in 2012 seems to be right fielder Carlos Quentin.

Since Quentin could make as much as $8 million in arbitration next season, and will be a free agent in 2013, a team that would be interested in him is expected to be one with some cash to spend.

As it turns out, the four teams that had the worst run production from their right fielders last season are known to spend a little money. The Chicago Cubs had just 47 RBIs from their right fielders, the lowest total in baseball. Just above them were the Seattle Mariners (51), the Boston Red Sox (58) and the Atlanta Braves (61).

We can probably eliminate the Cubs from this list. If Dayan Viciedo struggles to find a foothold in the major leagues in 2012 and Quentin is crushing the ball for the cross-town team, that would simply be a bad business move for the White Sox.

The Mariners have Ichiro Suzuki in right field for one more season, but they are so starved for offense that they might be interested in Quentin anyway for the designated hitter role or perhaps to play a little left field.

The Red Sox are an interesting option. They are set in left and center field with Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, respectively, but are looking at the unproven Josh Reddick in right.

The Braves also present an interesting option because if Quentin went to Atlanta, he would be paired with hitting coach Greg Walker once again. Walker, who resigned his post with the White Sox at the end of the season, was named the Braves hitting coach in October.

But the Braves have a hugely talented right fielder in Jason Heyward, who did go through a sophomore slump in 2011, but is still considered to have an extremely high ceiling.

Williams isn’t expected to move a guy like Quentin at the GM meetings, but the next few days could help lay more groundwork for a deal leading up to next month’s winter meetings in Dallas.

MILWAUKEE -- The White Sox could move closer this week to trading players like Carlos Quentin, John Danks and Gavin Floyd.

The general manager meetings begin Monday in Milwaukee, giving Kenny Williams the chance to work face to face with his colleagues.

Williams has been saying as far back as September that the club’s payroll won’t be what it was in 2011 when the White Sox spent morev than $127 million on player salaries. That would likely mean some established players will be moved.

Quentin and Danks will be arbitration eligible for the final time and could combine to make $15 million for the upcoming season. Floyd is set to make $7 million in the final year of his four-year, $15.5 million contract, although he has an option for 2013.

The GM meetings provide an opportunity to lay some groundwork for deals that could come later in the offseason. Most of the offseason business around baseball is conducted during and around winter meetings, which take place Dec. 5-8 in Dallas.

Williams said that if trades established players it won’t be to replenish the farm system. Williams wants to come away with major-league ready talent that could help in the 2012 season.

CHICAGO -- General manager Kenny Williams’ latest comment about the immediate future of the Chicago White Sox was a head scratcher to many, but it may have been revealing to at least one of the team’s All-Stars.

Peter Gammons of the MLB Network and MLB.com quoted seven words from Williams via Twitter that might have signaled the end of Carlos Quentin's time on the South Side.

“We’re going to let the kids play,” is how Gammons quoted Williams on Monday.

No, there isn't some unknown reserve of talent about to be unleashed on the South Side. Williams' comment doesn’t indicate anything more than the White Sox plan to continue their end-of-season plan that saw Alejandro De Aza, Dayan Viciedo and Tyler Flowers getting more playing time.

Chris Sale is expected to be moved into the starting rotation if Mark Buehrle isn’t re-signed and Addison Reed has a shot at starting the season in the bullpen. Brent Morel will continue to play third base.

With Viciedo needing a place to play, that would mean Quentin is likely on the trading block. Indications are that the Philadelphia Phillies made a huge push for Quentin at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but Williams turned them down.

Williams’ brief comment could also be taken as an indication that the White Sox do not plan to make a big splash on the free-agent market this winter. Instead, they figure to add key pieces with a Quentin trade and possibly by moving John Danks or Gavin Floyd.

It remains to be seen how Flowers and A.J. Pierzynski will split time next season behind the plate. It’s still possible Pierzynski get most of the playing time, but his streak of 1,000 innings caught in each of the last 10 seasons would seem to be in jeopardy in 2012. It is the longest such active streak in the major leagues.

Pierzynski, who will make $6 million next season, has the right to veto any trade.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The speculation that the Chicago White Sox have claimed Jim Thome off trade waivers only intensified Wednesday, a day after manager Ozzie Guillen said he would fully support the slugger’s possible acquisition.

Rumors are also rampant that the White Sox have possibly claimed Thome’s Minnesota Twins teammate Jason Kubel.

“I’d love to add Jim Thome back to be honest with you,” Guillen said Tuesday. “A lot of people think I don’t want Jimmy.”

Guillen was referring to the decision before the 2010 season to not sign Thome and go with a team quicker on the base paths that struck out less.

The possible claim on Thome and Kubel makes sense because the White Sox could use some run production from the left side of the plate in the wake of Adam Dunn’s disappointing season. Thome and Kubel are left-handed hitters.

But what also plays into the move for the White Sox is that a claim on both would also block the Cleveland Indians from claiming either one of them. The division-rival Indians are in search of a left-handed run producer in the wake of the foot strain that put Travis Hafner on the disabled list.

If multiple teams from the same league make a claim on a player, the team that wins the claim is the one with the worst record.

The White Sox and Twins would now have 48 hours to work out a possible deal, if news of the waiver claims is true. The Twins also have the option of pulling one or both players off waivers and keeping them on their roster if they don’t see a good trade fit.

Just because a player is placed on trade waivers doesn’t mean their current team is intent on dealing them. For example, CBSSports.com is reporting the White Sox put John Danks, Paul Konerko, Matt Thornton and Gavin Floyd all on trade waivers Wednesday.

It's just all part of the madness of trade waiver season that leads up until the last day of August, which is the day teams need to submit a roster of players eligible to play in the postseason.

So far, there is no confirmation from the White Sox that they have claimed either Thome or Kubel.

If the White Sox end up with one or both players, the question becomes who they would replace on the roster. Major league rosters are currently at 25 players, but can be expanded up to 40 players on Sept. 1.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The rumors are out there, and the possibility reportedly exists that the Chicago White Sox could add Jim Thome for the stretch drive.

Thome has apparently been put on trade waivers by the Minnesota Twins. And the deal that had Delmon Young going from the Twins to the Detroit Tigers earlier this month shows that Minnesota has no issue dealing with teams in the division.

If Thome isn't added to the White Sox, don't blame manager Ozzie Guillen this time.

"I'd love to add Jim Thome back to be honest with you," Guillen said. "A lot of people think I don't want Jimmy."

That line of thinking comes from the decision to not sign Thome before the 2010 season as Guillen wanted to go with a quicker lineup not as prone to the strikeout. Thome ended up signing with the Twins.

The question remains, though: How do the White Sox fit in a one-dimensional player in Thome before rosters expand on Sept. 1?

"That's up to [GM] Kenny [Williams], but I don't know if we're going to have five DHs," Guillen said with a laugh. "I don't expect him to be here, but if they want to bring him here, if you ask anybody wearing this uniform if they want Jim Thome back everybody here would say yes. But that's not our department."