greg775

I know NOTHING about this case. But if Uribe is involved in a murder, uh I don't want him on the team. Get rid of the bum if that is the case. That said ... I have no idea of the facts of the case. But involved in a murder?? If true, Cmon. Get rid of him.

And how in the world do you deduce that? Here's Rogers' take. Good stuff. By Phil Rogers Chicago Tribune chicagosports.com CHICAGO — Hey, Brandon McCarthy. Danks for the memories. Sorry. That’s the office-party eggnog talking. Or maybe it’s just a case of being punch-drunk from White Sox general manager Ken Williams’ ultra-aggressive, shop-till-you-drop (even if you don’t need anything) trades. Say this for the man: He’s certainly swinging for the fences this winter, trading known quantities for pitchers with big upsides but no guarantees. The five-player swap that sent McCarthy to Texas for left-hander John Danks and right-hander Nick Masset carries huge risk. But Williams concluded that the potential reward in adding two power arms for one polished workhorse was worth a roll of the dice. Good luck on that. Texas GM Jon Daniels expressed the situation well. “I don’t have any doubts about John’s ability,” Daniels said of the highly regarded Danks. “But until you do it in the major leagues, there is always some uncertainty.” It’s surprising the Sox would trade a 23-year-old with the potential to win 15 to 18 games every year. It’s not shocking, however, with veterans Jose Contreras, Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez still in the rotation. But it would have seemed more logical to use McCarthy as a chip that would bring back a significant outfielder, like Tampa Bay’s Rocco Baldelli or Toronto’s Alex Rios. To trade your one young starter after you’ve just seemed to have opened a spot in the rotation for him, and to get back only unproven players, well, that takes chutzpah. Williams still could use the surplus of pitching prospects he has created to pull off a trade that brings immediate improvement to one of three positions: left field, center field or shortstop. But the reality is he has now made four trades since November without addressing his most glaring needs. On the surface, the McCarthy deal is another part of the Williams/Jerry Reinsdorf plan to replace, rather than re-sign, Buehrle, Garland and Vazquez (along with the recently departed Freddy Garcia) before the 2009 season. This is a despicable plan, not just because it puts economics ahead of competitiveness but because it guarantees that guys who brought a World Series parade to Chicago are going to be leaving town too soon, maybe still in their primes. When this organizational strategy was revealed this month, I used the word “arrogant” to describe it. Williams, however, believes he is merely being “prudent” and “forward-thinking” to get ahead of a pitching market that is throwing big four- and five-year contracts at No. 3 and No. 4 starters. It’s going to be fascinating to see if Williams and Ozzie Guillen can get the Sox back to the playoffs while substantially changing a rotation that has led the majors in innings pitched the last two years. If they can, Williams will be worth his weight in World Series rings to Reinsdorf. All we can say now is that he is rounding up talent. Danks, a 21-year-old Texan who was the ninth pick in the 2003 draft, is the fifth first-round pitcher the Sox have traded for since last March. He follows Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal, David Aardsma and Gavin Floyd. Left-handers Gio Gonzalez (a compensation pick after the first round) and Andrew Sisco (a second-rounder) just miss this list. And even 20-year-old right-hander Jacob Rasner, seemingly just a body in the McCarthy trade, is a project with a high ceiling. Danks, Masset, Floyd, Gonzalez and Sisco arrive at a time when the farm system is short on power pitchers. They join knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, Heath Phillips (a bargain-basement Buehrle) and low-90s right-hander Lance Broadway to give Guillen and Williams an array of possibilities.Danks is generally considered to have the highest ceiling in this group. The Sox will sell him as a future ace, and no one doubts he can be a No. 2 or 3 starter. In his 26 starts between Double A and Triple A last season, Danks showed a plus curveball and a fastball that was generally 90 to 92 m.p.h. but could spike to 94. He’s only 6 feet 1 inch, but some scouts believe he has room to add strength and gain a little velocity. Masset is an even harder thrower. His fastball was generally 95 to 96 last season as a starter and reliever while skipping between Double A, Triple A and Texas, but reports have had him at 97 to 98 in Mexico this winter. His most impressive numbers there were 22 strikeouts and only two walks, as he’s sometimes had trouble finding the strike zone. Of the eight pitchers the Sox have added this winter, Masset and Aardsma have the best chance to contribute in 2007. They join Bobby Jenks, MacDougal and Thornton in a potentially eye-popping bullpen. McCarthy, as candid as he was consistent in a quick rise through the farm system, will be missed. The Rangers paid heavily to get him because Daniels felt he could safely project him into the third spot in the rotation, or fourth if he signs Barry Zito. Few professional athletes are as open, honest and friendly as McCarthy, and that might have scared Williams a little. He is a guy who will say what is on his mind, and that made him something of a square peg for the Reinsdorfian round hole. It’s true that he was inconsistent and sometimes confused in his 2006 stint as a bullpen guy and a starter-in-waiting. But don’t forget McCarthy went 7-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 16 starts between Triple A and the big leagues in the second half of 2005, including wins at Texas and Boston that helped keep the Sox’s wheels on the tracks. During that stretch, there wasn’t a pitcher in baseball as consistently good. He’ll be a star for the Rangers if he pitches half that well. The Sox continue to amass quantity, but only time will tell about the quality.

Mariotti is a moron, but I have to admit I thought that column was right-on, probably only because I agreed with him for once. He's always too over the top, but he is right about the fact Kenny was working too hard over the holidays. He should have waited a few days before pulling the plug on that bad trade.

Of course I'm serious Tony and instead of wasting time saying that why don't you ask me what's wrong with that post? Or ask a follow up? Tony are you saying you don't see an obvious change in philosophy regarding the Sox wanting to let the high priced pitchers walk? You don't see the Royals trot prospects out there every year and the prospects suck? And that the Yankees go with veterans over prospects every year? Sorry in your world everybody doesn't agree with tony.

Maybe an proven big league outfielder plus a middle reliever. Just some proven major leaguers. Maybe package Brandon and another guy or 2 for the Rangers' ss Ozzie likes so much. I know, he's untouchable, but maybe not. Maybe we could have had a blockbuster to get Young. Or a blockbuster to get the A-Rod everybody seems to want so much. Hopefully those prospects we got will do well, and maybe Brandon is overrated, but couldn't we have gotten Young from Texas with Brandon and maybe one or two of our top prospects as well as Cintron? This new change in philosophy might work. Keep a high priced everyday lineup and talented lineup, let our expensive pitchers walk, and hopefully these young guys we're acquiring will be the next Buehrle's, etc. If they flop, however, we will suck because pitching is the name of the game.

It's apparent our front office panicked that our team is growing old and soon to lose all the veteran pitchers to free agency. So it appears we are going to keep our expensive everyday players and try to develop the next Buehrle's, Contrerases through the stockpiling of young pitchers, figuring some will pan out. Interesting philosophy but the Royals have been trotting out young pitchers for years and all it gets them is 100 losses. Even though their lineup of course isn't as good as the Sox. And the Yankees dont worry about prospects and they seem to make the playoffs most of the time. I'm just surprised the front office immediately changed philosophy.

Merry Christmas to all. I was going to start a new thread but figured I wouldn't. Does it anger you when people say Merry Christmas over Happy Holiday? I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and if it's your relgion Happy Hannukah as well!

Our division. ... Tigers are tops unless the tired factor hits them as it supposedly hit us. They are tired for playing 2 weeks longer than we did. Cleveland is still a threat. The Tribe may be back. Arguably the Tribe has as good a team on paper as our Sox do. Minnesota is always up there. You'd think the loss of Johann would cost 'em though. KC is still KC though it's not good that the Royals play us about even every year. Unless Kenny Rogers starts to suck I think Det wins the division and you know how tough it is to get the wildcard in the tough A.L. We're hosed.

With all the prospects we have, I would make the knuckleballer our fifth starter. And if I was Boone Logan, I'd be working on correspondence courses to get my college degree, assuming he has none. Cause I hope to never see that guy pitch in Cell Field ever again.

I think anybody with a brain thinks we coulda got more for BMac. I appreciate the logic but wouldn't yu all agree with me on that? That makes this a bad trade.

I just couldn't read all the posts, but enjoyed the first five pages. Wow. My take is obviously the Sox think BMac and Anderson are pussies. Look for Anderson to be the next to be replaced. I wouldn't completely blame Ozzie, but he obviously doesn't like either player. I sure wish we'd get immediate help for somebody like BMac instead of the dreaded young unknown prospects. It's obvious Anderson won't be our cf this year either. The Sox hate BMac and Anderson. We will win 90 games tops probably more like 10 over .500 max. Oh well...

For that cheap a salary we should have signed the tub of goo. He'll be motivated now that just about everybod in baseball has given up on fatboy.

Like every year, it's impossible to tell. -- Will Thome stay "healthy" as he did most of last year? -- Will Crede's back be as durable as it was last year or will he start to miss Mike Sweeney-like amounts of games because of his disk woes? -- Can Mark B. return to form? Was it just a tired arm causing all those meatball homers? -- Is BMac going to rule or pitch as badly as he did in middle relief? -- Can Pods rebound and Brian start to hit or will we have two automatic outs in our of? -- Can Dye remain the healthy Dye we've grown to love in Chicago? -- Will Paulie remain Paulie? He's been incredibly productive. -- Is our middle relief really good? -- Can Bobby remain dominant as our closer? My answers ... yes, yes the back will be OK; no, Mark may be on the decline; BMac won't pitch well; automatic outs, yes Dye will be fine; Paulie will remain great; middle relief is overrated; Bobby should remain very good. I think we'll win about as many games as we did last season which isn't half bad.

Thanks Balta, I guess I missed reading much about Pods' injuries. The writers sure didn't make many excuses for Pods in that regard unless I missed it. It seems Pods was a pretty big fan whipping boy. But if he was hurt, maybe like you said his body will relax this offseason and he could be OK. Like you said however no way we'll know what we're getting with Pods til it actually happens. I'd rather have him than Roberts.

Do you all think Pods is capable of a strong comeback year, or is he finished? I think his 40 stolen bases and 19 caught stealing would indicate his days as an ultra productive leadoff man are over. His .261 batting average, 45 RBIs are pathetic numbers. He did, however, score 86 runs which isn't half bad. Do you agree with me the 86 runs scored is acceptable? My other question is ... the signs are we are getting an aging, slower Pods for this season. If he does suck, who do you think will replace him in lf? Our team is pathetically slow on the bases and Pods getting caught 19 times shows he may be another plodder this season.

Good move as anybody is better than 70-year-old Alomar. I don't know why everybody's so fired up about the Gload deal, however. The guy we got is a project, nothing else.

As much as I like Ross, you are right. He's not going to play in KC, except against us and you are right he's gonna pound out pitching. Royals obviously like trading with us. I wonder if we want to make another deal with em. Cause there's no room at the inn for Ross.

We were never, ever gonna let Gload play. I hope he can get in the Royals lineup but that might be difficult even as bad as KC is. Not to be a Scrooge, but the Royals pretty much gave up on Sisco. These tall pitchers are tough to develop. He should go spend one month with Randy Johnson and learn how to pitch right now.

What about Mark for Ichiro? I would do that.

How many wins will Gil Meche have for KC this season? Is he any better than Redman in the big scheme of things? p.s. It's not fair to give the answer: "Who gives a bleep." Or "Take this to another message board."

I'd rather have Runelvys for a minimum salary contract than that clown we got from the Phillies. What's so wrong about demanding he lose 50 pounds and if he does he can come to spring training? If Fat Boy slims down he could maybe be an effective starter or middle reliever.

How bout Ralph Garr or did somebody already mention him? I'm sure somebody did but I will never forget the big bunt hit yes bunt hit he got to beat the Twins in the first game of a doubleheader many moons ago.

That's a great question. I only have worn sox hats throughout the years. I would personally feel uncomfortable wearing the hat of any other team.

I forgot about Dave Stieb. He didn't last long did he? Tom Seaver was pretty decent for a while in a Sox uniform. I remember when he finally lost it. He pitched near perfect ball for five innings and in the sixth had nothing and totally got lit up for about 8 hits in a row. If I'm not mistaken he retired during the season shortly after that game. I could be wrong but I thought that was the case. Cleon Jones? Wow.

Mark better realize when he does pitch for the Cardinals he better produce. Too many gopher balls and he'll be booed while playing for his favorite team. They'll boo his ass like anybody else if he stinks. He has a little leeway in Chicago considering he's been total class and a great great pitcher, arguably one of the best in team history.