Chisoxfn

Vodka...vodka and more vodka.

Thats a good move. I expect Huff to play a lot better outside of Tampa. I'd have been a big fan of getting him, especially if we dealt another pitcher (because I want to load up on offense if we decide to load up on pitching prospects).

The Yanks aren't in any trouble. Along with Kenny it appears the Yanks actually get things in this market and have probably had the best off-season in the majors (although the BoSox did get a lot better despite giving out some ridiculous ass contracts). Still I really really like what the Yankees have done and I like what the White Sox have done (albeit the White Sox plan is incredibly risky, but I like the logic of it).

Welcome aboard Billa. Personally speaking I'm one of the few Weaver fans on this board. However, with Boras as his agent there is a belief by many posters (and probably an accurate belief) that Weaver will not be a member of the Sox. However, Ken Williams has long been a fan of Weaver and we know when Kenny targets a guy his interest usually lasts for a long period of time. My thinking is if the Mets (or some other team) blow the Sox away in an offer for Buehrle (who I'd assume is as good as gone at the end of the season) than we need to make that deal, sign Weaver, find a way to grab another big bat (to make the offense so good that it can help buy time for the young pitching to come around) and hope we can develop the guys we acquired (knowing we'd have stockpiled an absolute assload of arms).

f***. Iowa could have and probably should have won that football game. Than again I could have said that about a few games this season. s***ty way to go down in what was a very disappointing and injury riddled season. At least they went out fighting.

Eric Young is the Ex-Cub/Brewer you are thinking of. Last I knew he was on the Padres last year (for at least part of the year).

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 01:57 PM) Keith and I will be at the game tonight, and we're dragging Justin and Steve with us, booya. There are some rumors that Prospal could be a Blackhawk. No mention on who we'd give up but I'd imagine Cullimore cause the salaries are a wash and Cullimore has had success with Tampa before.

When it comes to our bullpen I think its easily to tell this years pen is more talented than last years. However, we have to aslo remember that in 05, the beginning portion of the 06 bullpen (for the most part) was downright amazing (Politte & Cotts specifically). Whether that talent pans out, who knows. MacDougall has had an injury riddled past, but no one can doubt he's a dominant reliever when healthy (and boy did he ever show that with the Sox last season) while Thornton made great strides last year but now has to put up back to back quality seasons (I think he will). Jenks is very good when healthy and could very well be on par to have a better season (if he remains healthy). Than we have Aardsma (great stuff and looked good with the Cubs last year, but very unproven), Sisco (great stuff but was god awful last year with the Royals), Massett (rocketship of an arm, but again, has yet to show he can do it at the major league level. Right now I consider our bullpen a talented question-mark. I expect a couple of our guys to pan out, but one or two may not. The good thing is that if these guys pan out our pen will be intact for a number of years on the cheap. I am also glad that are three key guys (Jenks, Mac, & Thornton) have put up good to great numbers at the major league level (all I am really concerned about with them is that they stay healthy).

Chicago has assigned Troy Brouwer to the Ads. The guy has been a pretty good goal scorer in the minors but really got little minutes in the couple games he was up. Do you guys think he has much potential for this year or is he the type of guy that may make it on a latter line a year from now. I should also point out that Toews and Skille have both looked very good in the World Junior Championships. Toews looks like one of the best prospects in all of hockey and Skille has flashed off his ability and ridiculous ass shot (a real rocket for a shot as far as I'm concerned). Also, I hear you can watch hockey games on yahoo....how do you do this? Is it free?

I should add, I wouldn't be shocked if the deal turned out to be something like: Pelfrey, Perez, Milledge. Kenny gets another very good arm that hasn't had success lately in the majors (Perez) and than two very toolsy highly touted guys. Thats if we are even interested in making another deal and I really have no idea if Kenny is (unless of course someone knocks his Sox off). As such if we made any deal I think we'd have to sign one of these pitchers on teh market to an expensive 1 year deal just to have them in there to eat innings (the Weaver type) or of course find a way to acquire Earvin Santana to plug into our rotation (obviously that means Crede goes and would open up a void in our lineup). It would be crazy to imagine us making that many changes in one year, but given Kenny's history I wouldn't be shocked.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 11:47 AM) There is history between the Sox and Jeff Weaver, even beyond the fact he is a complete A-hole. Go back and read up on when the Sox drafted him, and Weaver starting the brawl in 2000 against the Sox. Hell, Weaver has had his own teammates try and kick his ass for being such a prick. I'll say it again, and I would put money on it. Jeff.Weaver.Will.NEVER.Pitch.For.The.Chicago.White.Sox. Ever. The Sox have had heavy interest in Weaver numerous times. They are fans of the kid. Yes they were mad when he was on the Tigers and that brawl happened but Weaver is not at all known as a prick. He's been liked in every clubhouse he's been and the only place he's ever really stunk were in Anaheim and New York (both AL teams) but he was also very good with the Tigers. And the Angel players never had anything but positives to say about Weaver. I think if we decided to move Buehrle, you should jump all over Weaver for one year (if its possible). He'd give us innings and some ocassional really good starts and he has a very positive attitude and is a throwback type of player (hard-nosed).

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 11:25 AM) If we can sign Mike Pelfrey, I say, Do it. Just to point something out, but Pelfrey does not have to be signed. He is a rookie who has just one year of minor league experience (having been drafted in 05).

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 11:17 AM) Jason Schmidt's contract only lasts 3 years. Schmidts deal is one of the steals of this off-season (if you could call many deals a steal). In addition, Adam Kennedy's signing was a tremendous move as well. Heck, I could make a case for the BoSox signing of Matsuzaka being one of the better signings this off-season as well (considering he has ace stuff and with any success will make Boston millions over-seas in addition to opening themselves up to being able to get other players from Japan). Of course you got to judge that based on this off-season, which in general I'd call one of the worse off-seasons in the history of baseball (from a generic baseball perspective).

Check out this new article by Kevin Morris as Soxtalk.com's front page makes its return as Soxtalk.com continues to do its best to remain the most informative White Sox & all around baseball site on the web. Three Reasons Why the White Sox Will Contend in 07 By Kevin Morris Are you growing sick of the doom spellers, the skeptics, and the doubters who scoff at every move Kenny Williams and the White Sox front office makes? Here are three reasons the South Siders will contend for a pennant and their second world series trophy in three years...MORE

Happy Bday to the minor leaguer that came before all of em....DA BULL. Also I hope 3E8, and CHwRock both have fantastic bdays as do the other members on that list.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 09:34 AM) How close is Pelfrey, I was under the impression the guy was almost ready to make the jump. He'd start on a whole heck of a lot of teams today and did get some time in that terrible Mets rotation late last season. Is he ready to dominate, maybe not, but the guy is ready to pitch in the majors (more time wouldn't be horrible). In fact, while he wasn't great in his debut with the Mets, I like the fact that he got to see what the majors were like, talk to Rick Peterson (Mets pitching coach and a darn good pitching coach) and get a feel for what he needed to work on to be ready for the majors next year. Basically put, he can definitely start now (for a lot of organizations). That doesn't mean I guarantee success now, but I think its very likely that he will have long term success. And he would be stlil very raw as he has only pitched one season in the minors (making 4 starts in A, 12 starts in AA, 2 in AAA, & 4 at the major league level. As such considering he hasn't really seen a ton of innings it would be wise to be very careful with him and kind of plan on easing him into the rotation (than give him a break period where you piggy back him with someone else for a bit to ease his workload and make sure he gradually sees his innings increase). If I was running things I think it would probably be best to let him get more time in AAA, monitor his workload carefully (its easier to do it at the ml level where while you are trying to win, you still are looking out first and foremost for your prospects) and than eventually bring him up at some point this year (if a guy goes down) or next year. Basically put if you trade for Pelfrey (and I'm the Sox) I'd trade so knowing that Haeger & Floyd are both far more major league ready. In addition I'd say that Danks is probably a bit more ready as well (based more on his progression as I feel Pelfrey is the more complete pitcher and a bit better prospect (albeit both are great prospects), its just a matter of getting him his innings somewhere and being careful with how we handle him).

There are a lot of names on that list that intrigue me.

I actually think the writer was pretty dead on (even though he didn't make much of a conclusion) but at least he was smart enough to realize this market is ridiculous and if you don't plan on getting yourself fully engulged and giving guys ridiculous contracts you better decide to load up on stud arms (ie loading up) and plan on going to battle with those guys and see which guys turn into heroe's (ie viable pitchers).

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 10:14 AM) I always wondered why Brian Giles wasn't included in that trade. I remember everyone kept waiting for his name. It seemed like we had two deals on the table and than just decided oh well, just get Ritchie (when we could have had him for a lot less). Oh well, it was a past blunder and I'd like to think Kenny has learned from it.

If Anderson is involved fine, but I wouldn't want Floyd, Danks, or Gio involved. If its Haeger, Broadway or Fields or anyone like that in addition to BA fine. Oh and I wouldn't be a big fan of dealing Massett. And if its just Gio/BA for Baldelli than I'd be fine. That said I don't really want to move Floyd or Haeger since I expect both to be competing. Maybe we deal BA, one of our pitching prospects (not our very best one's like Dank), Broadway, and a guy like Russell or Egbert or someone like that who is a lower level guy (or not quite as highly touted, but still a guy that could make a potential impact). Maybe I'm under-valuing Baldelli but with his checkered past with injuries I'm skeptical when it comes to dealing our best pitching prospects for a CF (when we are including a pretty good CF prospect as it is).

QUOTE(EvilJester99 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 07:49 PM) The part I found funny about TSN's report on this is they had the teams sending the guys to the wrong teams...someone needed to double check their facts... The Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks have completed a minor league deal with Chicago sending right wing Pierre Parenteau and defenceman Bruno St. Jacques to Anaheim in exchange for goaltender Sebastien Caron and forwards Matt Keith and Chris Durno. Ya, even my dumb self picked up on the fact that they had the players listed as being traded to their own teams.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 10:36 PM) Jason, if Ferentz leaves for the Steelers this offseason, which I doubt, you still ain't getting Stoops. I bet we'd have a chance. Stoops loves Iowa. That said the timing may not be right for him to come back. But please please don't even mention the thought of Ferentz leaving.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 07:33 AM) So if we send Anderson, Floyd or Danks, and another arm, does that change people's opinions of either the Garcia or McCarthy deals depending on which guy gets dealt? I wouldn't want to make that deal.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 04:55 PM) hmm, career stats say... no I would be hard pressed to say that Zito is better than Buehrle. The only reason anyone would say Zito is because he's actually coming off a quality season while Buehrle was absolutely god awful.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 05:32 AM) With the immenent departure of Jermaine Dye after this year, I would like to see a deal done with Pelfry and Milledge, or no deal at all. At the very minimum we would need that. In fact, I really think we may have to very well try and force the issue and get a more veteran guy like Heilman in addition to the package (because if we move another starter, we than would be bringing in two new arm's to our rotation and I'd like one of them to be a guy thats pitched at the major league level before, plus it would give us a plan b sort of speak and Heilman is exactly that sort of guy). The problem is there is absolutely no way I see the Mets giving us all three of those things unless we include something else (and I don't know if that would be a non pitching minor leaguer or a lesser pitching prospect or maybe a bench player or something). I really don't know but KW has to know he can't really trade one of our starters now unless he gets major value in return (knock your socks off type deal). Or unless he has a plan B and will be acquiring a proven pitcher at the same time in some sort of three way deal (ie, us finding a way to get Dontrell or Peavy).