MLB Trade Speculation: 5 Chicago White Sox That Could Be Dealt

Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams not making a trade is like squirrels not collecting nuts.

When you talk hot-stove deals, the question isn't whether Williams will swap players on his roster, but which players and when. This winter figures to be no different.

With payroll an issue heading into the offseason, you have to think at least one big salary will move out of town via a Williams blockbuster. Here are five players who could be in different uniforms in the coming months.

Carlos Quentin

Quentin has generated some interest from other teams in the past and has enough power to entice a rival GM to enter a deal with Trader Kenny.

Quentin is a stint on the DL waiting to happen and missed most of the last month of last season. Still, he was an All-Star and will be a free agent after the 2012 season.

The White Sox have Dayan Viciedo to find a spot in the outfield for. Moving Quentin cuts down salary and opens a spot for the young Cuban slugger.

John Danks

Danks doesn't seem destined to sign a long-term extension with Williams and will probably get $7-8 million in arbitration in his last year before becoming a free agent.

Losing a lefty after Mark Buehrle signs with another team will hurt, but Williams may choose to get something from a player he can't keep in the fold over the next few seasons.

Chris Sale is going to get a shot in the rotation, which could soften the blow.

Gavin Floyd

Floyd is probably also on the trade block if they can find a suitor.

The White Sox are into Floyd for $7 million in 2012, after which he's a free agent. Like with Danks, Floyd is a property they will want to get some value for.

I would say right now that either Danks or Floyd leave as the result of a trade, but probably not both. Of course, Williams has surprised me before.

Matt Thornton

Thornton struggled as the closer early in the 2011 season, but was a serviceable piece of the bullpen last season.

The trouble is that he signed a pretty lucrative extension last spring and will be making $11 million over the next two seasons. For a guy Chicago will use in the seventh or eighth innings, that may prove to be too much.

Thornton is a steady, hard-throwing lefty that should not be difficult to move if Williams so chooses.

Gordon Beckham

Beckham is quite a different story from the other players from this list.

His salary is not an issue and doesn't need to be moved for financial reasons.

Williams may just be ready to deal an underperforming player.

That thinking is definitely a stretch. Beckham has shown to possess a reliable glove and at one time was projected as a guy who could hit 15 to 20 homers in the second spot in the order. He hasn't lived up to that billing as of yet.

Remember when people talked about dealing Beckham to the Padres for Adrian Gonzales? Seems like a lifetime ago.

Beckham has lost a bit of that luster. Still, I'd be surprised to see Williams ship Beckham for at least another season.

With Williams, however, anything is possible. Hold on for the winter meetings.