It is now being widely reported that the Chicago White Sox have reached an agreement with 19-year-old third baseman and Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo.   Up to 14 teams had been interested in Viciedo.

Viciedo reportedly will receive a major-league contract worth about $11 million.

Viciedo, known for his girth as well as his thundering bat is hereby dubbed by this website as "The Cuban Sandwich" or "The Sandwich."

The signing of Viciedo to a major league contract puts him on the Sox forty man roster.  The Cheat is far smarter than I am at explaining all this so I'll let him do it.

Here's what it means:

• Kenny Williams has plucked another potential all-star off the discount rack.  The Sox had success with Alexi Ramirez last year and given Viciedo's potential, he's got a chance to be one as well.  The best thing is $11 million is not overpaying if this kid is what he is advertised to be.
• Josh Fields has a potential battle on his hands.  He may win the job in spring training, but it appears his long term future may not be with the Sox.  The glut of infielders the Sox have may indicate that Fields will not be in a Sox uniform on opening day. Wilson Betemit could play third while Viciedo gets some seasoning at AAA early in the season.
• Rumor has it Viciedo may be groomed for either left or right field or first base.  If he is as big a boy right now as some of the reports have indicated, if he does play outfield, he could be the second coming of Ivan Calderon (Noooooooooooooo!)
• The Sox will take a good, hard  look at Viciedo in spring training.  Nobody expected Alexi Ramirez to come north last year, but he did and eventually became a starter and a key cog in the Sox playoff push.  While few expect that of Viciedo, stranger things have happened.  If he's ready and move to his left even slightly better than Fields, he may be in a Sox uniform on opening day.

My ample gut tells me that Josh Fields' plane is boarding.  You get the impression that the Sox brass have decided that he is not the answer to succeed Joe Crede at third and that he's got more value as a trading chip (for some bullpen help or perhaps packaged for a center fielder) than he does as an everyday third baseman.

I could be completely wrong on this, but I am sensing that this signing may be the tip of Kenny's big remodeling iceberg.