White Sox Team Leader Jose Abreu to Accept Qualifying Offer and Stay in Chicago

It's encouraging for the Chicago White Sox that Jose Abreu thinks highly enough of their clubhouse camaraderie to be staying put, but the method he used to do so is a frightening sign for baseball.

Abreu joined Jake Odorizzi of the Twins in accepting the one-year qualifying offer worth just $17.8 million to stay with their respective teams, indicating they didn't believe they could nab long-term security with draft pick compensation attached to them in this current climate.

Abreu has accepted the qualifying offer, remains a White Sox. Sides will keep discussing longer deal.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 14, 2019

Abreu will continue discussing long-term options with the ChiSox, but determined this to be his safest course of action, for the moment. Extension talks don't have quite the same ticking clock, after all.

Then, of course, there's the other part of this equation: if do-it-all players like Manny Machado had a lot of trouble getting paid, then how will a guy like Jose Abreu get what he deserves?

Jose Abreu also accepted the qualifying offer. Still fine hitter but fr agt market does not like corner, limited defense, older (33 in Jan) players. So Abreu takes $17.8M rather than risk mark. #WhiteSox
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 14, 2019

The 33-year-old's teammates spoke incredibly highly of his impact this past year during the late stages of their rebuild, including Eloy Jimenez, who told MLB.com, "He’s a really good player and a really good teammate. I think [the White Sox] need to bring him back...You can see how good he is. Every time he stands up at home plate, you expect he’s going to do something."

Jimenez and the other young Sox have gotten their wish, but I bet they'd rather their mentor get paid what he's worth.