Chisoxfn

Ya I can see it now. Sox refuse to sign Konerko because they are paying El Duque who may never pitch again 4 million a year. This is after Konerko has another .275-.285 35 HR, 100 RBI season. I'll just hope to hell he helps them get the series this year cause I don't like giving him anything guaranteed next year. Maybe have the 2nd year of the contract kick in if he pitches 100 innings this year. Either way too much guaranteed money if this whitesox.com article is correct.

Put it this way, I hope to hell Bmac is ready cause the Sox are going to need him at some point this year when El Duque craps out due to injury. I hope he's ready by then. On another sidenote, can anyone remember an offseason in which the Sox made so many moves. Cause I'm pretty sure they still have one more move to make minimum, which will be Cora or Eckstein. And then still the potential of adding Vazquez.

I hope I'm wrong, but this is too much money. I'll still root for him and am glad that the Sox now have a 5th starter thats not named Jason Grilli. On a sidenote, what about the Sox introducing all the new players at Soxfest. That could be a kind of cool way for them to do it.

Problem is the Sox have no one like Schilling and Pedro. Although you could make a case that Buehrle or Garcia could come close to putting up Pedro's numbers.

4 mill base is too much for a guy who rarely makes 20 starts the past couple years. Just way too much of a guaranteed portion, especially when you consider your giving him 4 mill this year and next. For a team thats tight on payroll its not wise. I so hope they aren't giving that much guaranteed. If it was a 1yr deal for 4 mill worth as much as 6 mill fine, but not 2 years 8 mill worth as much as 12 mill.

Not much though.

Interesting that this article makes you think that the base of the contract is 4 mill a year and he can earn as much as 6 mill a year. If thats the case I don't like this deal one bit. If its 2 mill base with being able to make as much as 4 fine, otherwise I think the Sox may be handcuffing themselves, especially since he's so prone to injuries. Geeze, right when I was thinking I liked this deal. In fact I really like it at 2 mill base with 4 mill possible.

I'll get it up in like 20 minutes. Once I'm at work.

Drew is a very good player...but Beltre >>>> Drew, imo.

Ok that was exactly the case. Heard it on both of the LA radio stations now. The Dodgers found out Vazquez wouldn't come to LA. They then contacted Ken Williams and tried to swing the 4th team but were unable to reach an agreement. Makes sense too. Considering what the Dodgers were giving up I'm sure there demands were quite high. However, I think with the Dodgers now out of it, the odds of the Sox getting Vazquez are quite high.

I figured it was spin but was going to post it and see if it was said anywhere else. Now you've told me Yas, haha. I still say Sox could get involved. I just hope the price tag has dropped now that both teams may get a little more antsy to get a deal done.

Would you guys leadoff Eck and have Pod in the 2 slot or the opposite. Eckstein played pretty well in the 2nd half for the Angels. I remember booing his ass the entire first month of the season at the Angel games, back when his OBP was under .300. Then he got his crap together. He's a hustle player and very good defensively, in fact he may be a gold glove defensive 2nd baseman. Plays his ass off as we all know. If he can hit 2.75-.280 or so I'd be pleased, but he's going to have to improve on drawing walks. It kind of worries me cause it may give the Sox a pretty low OBP at the top of the lineup.

Now that I think about it, maybe Depodesta knowing he could keep Vazquez tried and tried to get the Sox involved and they couldn't work out a deal. Thats probably more likely.

Well the LA radio stations are playing it a little different. At least Xtra sports 690 is. I woke up this morning and they were talking about the trade breaking up and said it broke off because Vazquez was unwilling to go to the White Sox, the 4th team of the deal. Of course that woke my ass up and I turned in ESPN and other places and never heard this mentioned anywhere else.

Just read through this whole thread and I don't really know if this is that great of a move. Obviously he's better then Grilli, but depending on the incentives I Think the Sox would be flat out stupid to give El Duque 4 mill next season. Now if its like a 2 mill base that be a little different. Still, I think I'd rather offer and incentive laden deal to Wade Miller, who is younger and also has healthy concerns. I've always been an El Duque fan and I just guess we'll have to hope he stays healthy. By the way, for anyone suggesting our 5th starter spot makes only 20 starts...screw that. If we got 5 stick with it, especially considering the way Ozzie is hard on his pitchers. The big guys could use the extra day rest every once in a while. Thats my worry, he isn't going to make 30 starts and then you'll be running Grilli out there again, then again Bmac may just be ready (like Cheat noted). I think there are better options. But if he's heatlhy he's a good pitcher and I guess we can only hope he is. But I fear he could just get hurt in spring and never pitch in the season for the Sox. He seems so fragile. By the way, I don't necessarily think this means this is the Sox set rotation, it could just open the potential for Kenny to move Garland and not worry about finding a 5th starter after he adds another one.

If he has left the US and came back, then we'd know his real age, but I don't think he's done that. Its a wild and crazy guess, now we don't know how old two of the Sox starters are, lol.

Eckstein won't care if he's playing second or short as long as he's starting. In fact, I doubt he has any preference to it. He'll go to the team that tells him he'll start and one that he most wants to play for. I don't even think it would come down to money for him. Plus he doesn't even spend his money, he gives it to the rest of his family because his mom, dad and I think sister all have this rare disease.

Iowa beat the crap out of Texas Tech today. Haluska with another big game.

For anyone wanting a little preview, you can check on my progress here http://www.futuresox.com/phpnuke/index.php I have a sample story or two up. Still have some work to go and I'd love feedback all the time and things you'd like to see added. Right now i'm simply working on the color scheme. The yellow you see in that one spot won't stay, i'm searching through code looking for it. Once done, I think that will be the color combination. Then its just me adding links and customizing out the header portion of the site. And of course adding all the old stories and such.

I just began undergoing a overhaul of it. Its not going to be majorly different, mainly changing the color scheme.

I made a post a couple days ago saying how Depodesta said he hasn't talked to kenny since the winter meetings. Ken Williams vehemently denied that as well. That deal was pure bogus.

When you get non-tendered, you can still negotiate with your current club correct? So the Sox can still negotiate with Scho as well if they want correct?

I agree. I also don't think I give Wade Miller 6 mill a yaer if thats what he wants. I haven't read the whole thread but I saw that number mentioned a couple times. If Odalis Perez signs for 7 mill a year and Miller for 6, i'd much rather have Perez soley because you can be much more assured of Perez's health. I'd give Miller 4 mill a year with incentives, thats it though.

My dad said most of the papers and radio stations out here are saying its basically contingent on JD Drew signing a deal with the Dodgers.

Ya, thats similar to Blanco's deal, iirc. I hope Pyrz is on the way but I still have my doubts. I think the Dodgers could be interested in him and I don't know whats going on with Boston and Varitek. I'm not up to date on what happened over the weekend. I do know Pyrz, one of Cora/Eckstein and a starter sounds good to me. But I would not give Wade Miller 6 mill a year. Unless were talking heavy incentives. The guy would look great in the rotation, but you can't look past all his injuries. I'd go something like 3yr 12 mill with incentives that could push it into the 15-18 mill range.