Chicago White Sox: After Signing Melky Cabrera, Are the South Siders Winning This MLB Hot-Stove Offseason?

The Chicago White Sox haven't made the playoffs since 2008. In that time, the American League Central Division has been mostly dominated by the Detroit Tigers, who built a divisional empire on the backs of Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. A few months ago, the White Sox had two sellable assets: dynamic ace Chris Sale and AL Rookie of the Year Jose Abreau. Now, as Christmas approaches, they may be the Majors's most improved team.

The White Sox continued their offseason assault this weekend by signing Melky Cabrera to a three-year deal worth $42 million, according to ESPN. The signing enhances one of last year's least-productive outfields and adds to a long list of quality players added since the World Series ended.

In November, Chicago added power-hitting first baseman Adam LaRoche — who will probably DH — in a low-key, two-year deal. They them made a splash by snatching former New York Yankees closer David Robertson to a four-year, $46-million contract. The White Sox then traded for coveted Oakland Athletics starter and notorious mustache enthusiast Jeff Samardzija, giving Chicago a legitimate No. 2 starter behind Sale. The team also acquired reliever Zach Duke to help the bullpen and now has added to its outfield.

Cabrera was an All-Star in 2012, the same year he was suspended for elevated testosterone levels.

He has hit more than .300 in three of the last four seasons after a mediocre start to his career with the Yankees and Atlanta Braves. Cabrera hit .301 with 16 home runs and 73 RBI last season for the Toronto Blue Jays when he posted a .351 on-base percentage and .458 slugging.

The slew of White Sox moves can be matched only, in numbers, by those made by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept the Winter Meetings with transactions. But it's not entirely clear Los Angeles's moves — trading Matt Kemp, basically swapping Dee Gordon for Howie Kendrick, and signing Jimmy Rollins after letting Hanley Ramirez go into free agency, among others — improved the Dodgers to the level the White Sox's moves have improved the White Sox.

After all, the Dodgers basically overhauled a roster that won the National League West Division last season. For more analysis of all those head-spinning deals, go here.

After six straight seasons of missing October, there was really nowhere for the White Sox to go but up. These moves definitely see them trending in the right direction.