Chicago -- The historic deal that would send reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez to Boston for Manny Ramirez picked up a Chicago angle Tuesday night.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the White Sox have entered the discussions and are mulling offers for Magglio Ordonez in what would become a three- or four-team deal.
The proposed deal would send Ramirez to Texas, Rodriguez to Boston and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to Los Angeles. The Dodgers then would ship a package of pitchers to Chicago and the White Sox would send Ordonez to Boston.
The Tribune reported the Sox were asking for three pitchers from the Dodgers -- lefty Odalis Perez, ace reliever Guillermo Mota and top-notch prospect Greg Miller. It's also possible Boston would send reliever Scott Williamson to Chicago in the deal.
Sox general manager Ken Williams, while declining to directly address the proposed trade, said: "Throughout the winter meetings, a lot of ideas are exchanged. Some take on more of a life than they deserve and some of them are deserved."
Williams has maintained all along that he would need to be overwhelmed to trade Ordonez, a four-time All-Star.
"I think there's a perception that we are shopping our players," Williams said Sunday. "I'm not shopping any of these guys. I'm listening to overtures. And there is a distinct difference.
In a sign that the key component of the deal is close to fruition, Rodriguez, agent Scott Boras and Boston general manager Theo Epstein met with union official Gene Orza on Tuesday in New York to discuss the possible restructuring of the remainder of Rodriguez's 10-year, $252 million contract.
"For there to be a restructuring," Orza told the Boston Globe, "there has to be some added [monetary] value to the player."
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