White Sox expected to make strong push for Curtis Granderson

The Chicago White Sox are expected to make a strong push for free agent outfielder Curtis Granderson this offseason, according to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. While some people throughout the game speculate that the White Sox will not be able to give Granderson the lucrative multi-year deal that he will ask for, Van Schouwen notes that the team "appears to have more than a passing interest" in signing the 32-year old.

Granderson, an Illinois native who played in college at the University of Illinois-Chicago, will likely consider his hometown team as one of his most serious suitors this winter. He also recently funded a new baseball facility at the school's campus, which is located roughly three miles from U.S. Cellular Field.

Granderson's agent, Matt Brown, recently told the New York Post's Dan Martin that the slugger "absolutely wants to stay" with the Yankees and that the Bombers are his "first choice". The Bronx Bombers are likely to extend a qualifying offer to Granderson that would be the equivalent of a one-year, $14 million deal, but he will probably seek a multi-year deal on an open market that contains plenty of solid outfield options. In addition to Granderson, outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, Nelson Cruz and Carlos Beltran will all be free agents this winter.

In 61 games in his injury-shortened 2013 season, Granderson hit only .229 with 7 HR and 15 RBI, likely lowering his free agent stock a bit. After two consecutive All-Star seasons in which he posted stellar lines of .262/41 HR/119 RBI and .232/43 HR/106 RBI, he is still in position to receive a hefty payday in his first stint as a free agent.