SoxFan562004

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:55 PM) Cowley $speculates that Jermaine Dye, Octavio Dotel and even Bobby Jenks could be traded by the deadline. Also, speculated by Joe Cowley? That Nick Swisher and Orlando Cabrera suck, and AJ can't throw. Sorry, to drop that bombshell on everyone. the Sox have done a good job of identifying veteran pen arms and getting a good season or two out of them, the "power arm" year aside, which was a debacle, so that helps when putting together a team. I think those guys would have the most value, so makes sense

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:55 PM) Danks? I meant Jenks, my brain isn't working today

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:43 PM) Still looks like we have too many 1B/ DH types unless we see big improvements from guys like Viciedo and Flowers with the gloves. Right now Viciedo's D is atrocious . But if he learns to be more selective at the dish he will be a monster. don't forget, it's trader kenny we're talking about too, I know bats have less value, but add a bat to a good pitching prospect and that's an attractive package to a lower payroll team who wants to add a little pop to their offense. I'm not talking about Dayan specifically, but the others they have

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:42 PM) High ranking members of the Sox front office have used the word rebuilding. You won't hear it from Kenny, but I just don't think it's in his vocabulary. which as a GM of a top payroll team he shouldn't. This division likely won't get magically that much better next year, so with a young guy or two playing well and adding a few solid vets and Danks, Floyd and MB having good years the Sox are in a good place next year

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:44 PM) I know a lot of people are worried about how the fans react to the Sox unloading players (to start the rebuilding). However, if we lose today, I think it goes a long way to erasing any concerns about the reaction fans have. The only who fans will struggle with getting traded is Jenks. I agree. The reaction to Beckham helped any fears I had about a mass fanbase revolt. There will be some murmurs if PK, Danks and Dye go, but people will get over it quickly. Also, KW will mix young players with vets next year with the payroll flex... hell I could see him doing it at the deadline this year, ie getting a younger player off a bad team who's locked up for a few years.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:38 PM) To be honest, I do not know how I feel about them promoting their biggest trading chip to the majors to be evaluated by everyone. yeah, but he's still young enough that even if he struggles he can impress scouts

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:37 PM) It just backs up the rebuilding plan without saying they are rebuilding. They replaced a broken down Colon with their top prospect. With guys like Glavine and Pedro still on the market, the Sox aren't going to get anything for Colon on the market come July, so why not? I think KW is actually throwing the word "transition" around lately, which is a fancy word for rebuild

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 12:32 PM) If Danks and Floyd prove themselves, than with Buehlre there the Sox are in a pretty good position to still compete while retooling the offense. And if Richard or Poreda look like solid starters than it means the Sox are in a great spot. My guess is we see one of richard/Poreda slide to the pen (or traded) and the Sox bring in one more really good starter and than we'll have a sick rotation and can deal with some of the growing pains on the offensive side of the ball. don't forget if it works out like that for the rotation they will have $$ to add or keep a veteran bat or two to ease any growing pains

do the Sox start protecting the innings for Floyd and Danks at some point this year?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 11, 2009 -> 11:19 AM) BTW, regarding Viciedo and for that matter Ramirez, according to Rick Hahn, the White Sox still hold the 6 year rights to these guys, its not a situation like some Japanese players where arbitration is agreed to be waived, so the clock on Viciedo isn't running quite as fast as maybe we thought. that's excellent, thanks for the info

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:48 PM) I don't consider someone that streaky, with a career average of .244 and guaranteed for 130+ K's good, I'm sorry. Unless he's hitting 35+ homers with 100+ runs driven in every year, no thanks. The only thing that might have been stupider than trading for him was trading him for crap. his OBP alone makes this lineup better. Maybe if this team was riddled with guys who would take pitches and work a count so a starter doesn't last 7 innings and we run smack into the setup man and the closer, then I might tend to agree. He would make this lineup better.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:48 PM) Here's something for KW to ponder: does he go ahead with the idea of Quentin as our franchise DH starting next year and fill in LF and RF if Dye/Thome leave? That could open up a spot for a leadoff hitter. I was just thinking along the same lines, but next year you have to have a good insurance policy on your team or in your system for him no matter what he comes back as. Again, if Thome leaves they need a LH power bat, my dream, trade for Dunn and then sign him to an extension, but they do need to address a LH bat if he leaves

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:48 PM) Following that logic, Thome should've just stayed for the league minimum for a veteran, right? It's not like he didn't already have millions in the bank. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. When players have market values in the $90 million range, you're talking about generational money. I can't fault a guy for taking an extra $30 million, because I sure as hell would've... for my children and grandchildren's sake. But I'm sure that Thome got the hint that he was no longer wanted in Cleveland when he was offered $20-30 million below his market value. Commitment is a two-way street, and Mark Shapiro's bulls*** offer clearly shows that he wasn't committed to Thome. Good point. I think it's great when guys go for hometown discounts, like MB not even hitting FA and just resigning with the Sox, but the team has to give a little too. These numbers look insane to us, well me at least, but these guys are one in more than a million talent and they are the players that people come to see, they shouldn't have to take a ridiculous low ball offer just because it's millions

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:46 PM) Why does this surprise anyone? Ozzie has always been Mr. Conservative when it comes to injuries. It doesn't surprise me at all that he said this as he probably doesn't want the club thinking about Q right now since he's not playing currently. could be, that's been his MO in the past, which I actually tend to agree with to a certain point. If a guy is injured he's injured, he'll come back when he comes back.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:29 PM) $60 million over 5 years for a guy coming off of 49 and 52 HR seasons, who served as a cornerstone for a franchise that won two pennants, and was still in his prime was well below market value back then. (Manny made $20 million in 2003, and Sosa made $16 million.) I wouldn't call it a slap in the face, but it seems obvious to me that the Indians intentionally low-balled him to get him off the books (and to insult him slightly, so that he would definitely not re-sign)... but offered him just enough to make him look like the bad guy when another team inevitably swept in with a better offer. yeah, they probably figured they were rebuilding with younger guys again and wouldn't of mind if he stuck around, but they could point to their fans and say "we tried", like Milwaukee's offer to CC last year.

he'll go in as an Indian unless the Sox have a miracle turnaround and win the WS this year or he sticks around next year and they win it next year... then he may still go in as an Indian, but then the Sox enter the conversation

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:36 PM) Admitting Quentin will be out for months if not the whole year takes away a lot of leverage if Kenny actually tries to make a deal to improve the team. ok, good point

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:31 PM) I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but that much of an increase in walks and the fact his K's haven't gone down could seem kind of like a fluke. I'm not saying he hasn't made improvements, but I question how much of an improvement. And Jason, you said a lot of his K's came from taking too many pitches, that's scary. I call that Nick Swisher syndrome. Hopefully we can get that out of him. We love walks, but don't be overly patient up there. If you see a good pitch, hit it! I also hope he really improves his swing. There isn't much weight shift going on, he's not really striding at all, and he's basically all arms in his swing. No doubt there's a lot of potential though, and he'll be quite a project. My biggest fear is can our team develop him? This is where we'll see how much of an impact Buddy Bell has. yeah, outside of his one year with the Sox, he's been a very good player and if the Sox had him this year they would be better, even with his 92 OPS+ of last year

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:33 PM) I would. If they need a DH, they'd be more likely to move Paulie to that spot (everyone in the organization loves him), or give a one- or two-year deal to Thome because they want a left-handed bat. Plus, Dye is the only one of the three without a severely-restricting NTC, so he'd be the only one that they'd be able to deal. I love me some JD, but he's most likely the odd man out. Well, Thome's contract is done after this year I believe, please someone correct me if I'm wrong and PK has one year. If Thome goes, they do need to get another LH, and I'm not even a huge Lefty/Righty lineup guy, but at least one LH in the middle forces a manager who follows "the book" to make moves.

QUOTE (tommy @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:17 PM) Smoke screen. not being sarcastic, actually want to know, but what would the point of it be? Man, this is another red flat that points that KW and Ozzie are butting heads

QUOTE (chisox2334 @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 05:27 PM) Ken Williams not ready to tear down White Sox - yet By Mark Gonzales Despite losing seven of their past nine games, general manager Ken Williams remains patient with his White Sox team that is currently 5 1/2 games out of first place and five games under .500. "Hard decisions always have to be made," said Williams, responding to an inquiry on whether he would break up the team if the losing trend continued. "But very clearly, we are in a transitional phase, and if this team shows me at some point they don't pick it up at some point, yeah, I'm going to have do some things that maybe aren't going to be the most popular but in the best interests of the club. "But those things are a little ways away and we still got time to right the ship and start to play a little better. But if we don't, it is what it is. You got to produce in this game and we got expectations of winning." good to hear, if this continues he'll get max value at the deadline, also he doesn't want to come out and say to other GMs it's Krazy Kenny's Fire Sale. He'll also have leverage because if he stands pat he's going to get 40m off the books and after arb, somewhere around 30m in payroll flexability

QUOTE (onedude @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 03:48 PM) 1. Albert Pujols 2. Evan Longoria 3. Hanley Ramirez 4. Matt Kemp 5. Justin Upton I'll go with your top 4, put a healthy Sizemore in for Upton

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 09:24 AM) Chemistry is very important for a team to have, especially in such a long season as we have. A player-player or player-manager feud can really drain a team's energy or focus. Thus, a good manager can help the team stay focused, loose, yet aggresive while putting the right player in the right position, basically giving the team hte best chance to succeed. It is then up to the players to perform in those positions. A bad manager can lose his team's faith or focus, and instead of devoting their time to scouting or film the players may be spending their time arguing with who should be playing or some fued between the manager and player. The team can get tense, lackadaisical, etc. and really hurt the team's ability to win. Ozzie was great in 2005 because the player's performed in the positions given (atleast most of them, especially the starters and the bullpen). When the team got unfocused towards the end Ozzie was able to get them back on the right track and not have them combust like they were looking too. Ozzie now is setting himself up for failure by playing his favorites who are not performing and thus making his decisions look bad not only to fans, but to management and players alike. His team isnt just worried about winning now, they are worried about who is going to be in the lineup, who is going to get called down, who is coming up, who is losing playing time, what the other players are doing. chemistry works in different ways, the NYY in the 70's weren't too fond of Reggie and the Oakland A's in the 70's got into fistfights... talent and winning overcomes a lot of chemistry issues

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Jun 10, 2009 -> 10:17 AM) If the allegations are true, he would have been fired anyway. Smart move for him. Even though he's a jackass. oh I agree, the way the system is set up he may as well done what he did, I'm just saying that the media will completely ignore that when he left UMass and UM there were major questions about the program

the countdown show for 99 was very good, this has a chance to be an extremely entertaining card