EXTRA: Will family tie be the key to White Sox success with Machado?

The Chicago White Sox had their face-to-face meeting Monday with Manny Machado, the all-star infielder who's trying to get the big-money contract that will make him potentially the highest-paid ballplayer ever.

Is Yainee Machado key to if her husband plays for Sox?

Reports are indicating that the White Sox aren't enthused about having to spend that much money (potentially some $300 million). There's also the fact that his meeting with the White Sox came first -- the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are scheduled to have their one-on-ones Wednesday and Thursday.

The newest White Sox

MEANING THE WHITE Sox are unlikely to get in the last word and chance to top anybody else's financial offer. Which really means that any serious chance of Machado coming to Chicago is going to be in the hands of Yainee.

As in Machado's wife -- who also is the sister of Yonder Alonso, who happens to be a professional ballplayer in his own right. In fact, he's a first baseman who was acquired by the White Sox from the Cleveland Indians.

Freddy Garcia once had to call 'skip' … 

Would Machado want to be on a ball club with his brother-in-law? Would Yainee be inclined to think that having her brother and husband so close be a benefit (the two actually live a couple of blocks from each other in Miami during the winter months)? Or will they decide that a little bit of space during the summer would be beneficial to maintaining family unity?

I don't actually know the answers to any of those questions. But it would be an intriguing story line if the White Sox' ability to acquire a star shortstop like Machado depends on who their reserve first baseman is.

… the man who was sort-of a father-in-law

IT COULD TURN out to be as interesting as back when the White Sox' pitching rotation included Freddy Garcia -- who was married to the niece of manager Ozzie Guillen.

For a few years, including that World Series'-winning season of 2005, White Sox baseball was truly a family affair. In fact, when the Sox later traded Garcia away to Philadelphia, one of the people most upset was Guillen's wife, Ibis, who blamed her husband for not stopping the trade from occurring.

Machado would have Hall of Famer Aparicio as goal, if he becomes a Sox

Could the saga to rebuild the White Sox into a team that doesn't think avoiding 100 losses a season is a significant accomplishment develop its own potential for a family-type soap opera angle?

And could Machado wind up following in the path of star shortstops from Latin America who established their athletic credentials while wearing the old-English script logo of the White Sox.

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