CanOfCorn

Biggio has a team option next year, IIRC. and there is talk that the astros won't pick it up. BUT, Beltran said he WILL NOT sign with the Astros, unless they resign their free agents, ie Berkman. Granted, it's all talk, but, until bad things happen, I'll take him at his word. PS. My girlfriend went to Rice with Berkman and he played 1st base. Just a thought...

He's not going to stay in Toronto...he'll get more from someone else. probably closer to $10 mil/yr. I would guess LA with his best buddy Shawn Green. Maybe we can get a package deal...we can send CLee and Kong for Green, Delgado and Edwin Jackson...and the aforementioned six pack and a bag of beans.

This is a good problem to have. Two excellent ballplayers that can get you some talent in return. I'd hate to see either go, but it's going to depend on what we get back. As said before, CLee probably fits with what the team wants, but Kong is better for Coors East. If we get a great package for both, then, well, that's the way it goes...

Speaking of small ball...does anyone know if Chone Figgins will be a free agent? He is exactly the kind of guy I want on the Sox. NOt only can he play all the infield positions, but he can also play CF. He has 15 triples and 32 stolen bases and I don't think he was starting full time until Glaus went down. He's also batting .289, I believe. Maybe Crede for Figgins? That is IF the Angels give up on their hot 3B prospect (Dallas McPherson?). Or maybe a Kong for Figgins and Kotchman deal.

Scott Eyre actually turned into a pretty decent middle reliever with the Giants.

How about all the young arms in the White Sox farm system in the mid 90's? Scott Ruffcorn rings a bell....

Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20. I mean, I wanted them to figure out a way to sign Maggs where both parties would be happy. But, then he got injured. If we would have signed him to the big contract than we would all be up in arms over how we are wasting all of this money with a player that may never play again. Even if Maggs isn't here, we still have Lee, Timo, Borchard, Rowand, Everett and if they are as good as it seems, Anderson and Sweeney. Plus Beltran, of course.

Why can't he sign with us as a super utility guy and win a World Series?

If, and that's a BIG if, we re-sign Maggs, that'll leave us with an outfield of: CLee Rowand Timo Borchard Maggs Everett Someone, or two, have to go. Maybe we can trade King Jurassic and Borch for a bag o' balls and $3.68 in cash. Unless, we trade CLee.......

Don't know whether or not Ross Gload is the answer at first, but by these numbers...I'd have to say not bad. And, I think he hits lefties pretty well. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...layer_id=340393 Quick Splits: vs. Left: .476 vs. Right: .284 Home: .305 Road: .305 Day: .296 Night: .311 Grass: .331 Turf: .125 Except for turf...not too shabby.

Just to defend Ozzie...he may have been trying to keep the team from making excuses. Can't base your season on one play, cheap or not. Although, he should still have plunked Hunter next time up.

Are the Cubs coming next year?

You never know...sometimes subtraction is better than addition. Maybe a lineup like this would work: Harris Rowand Thomas C Lee Konerko Everett Uribe Crede Davis/Burke If Willie, Uribe and Crede work hard over the winter, this isn't a bad lineup. I know that is all based on potential, but look at the players that took a few years to get it going...Beltre, Pavano, Jose Guillen, etc. At some point we are going to have to give up on players not pulling their weight, but, next year the Sox won't be looked at as a contender anyway because of getting b****slapped by the Twinkees for the last three years. With less pressure, maybe some of the underachievers can relax and just play baseball. Dammit.

Let's wait and see if he dumps Borass first. If he does, maybe he would take the deferred salary, with interest? That would definitely help. KW and Ozzie need to do one hell of a sell job on Beltran for him to come here. And Beltran would go right to the top of the star chart in Chicago...Urlacher, Beltran, everyone else.

How about Konerko and a prospect for Cesar Izturis and Edwin Jackson or one of their other good pitching prospects?

Recently, ARow...past, Mike Squires. Played 1B in late 70's early 80's...also played 3b, C and I think some outfield. What made him so underrated? He was a lefty and played primarily righty positions at 3B and C. And was pretty good, IIRC.

As much as I would like this to happen...I just don't see it. It only solves one problem and handcuffs KW to do much more, i.e. another SP, closer, SS, etc. NOw, if the BoSox wanted him, we could trade for unfrozen caveman center fielder Johnny Damon and maybe a Kevin Youkilis or Bill Mueller...one never knows.

Plus, our right handed hitters can't hit lefties. That's supposed to be the one matchup that right handed hitters can take advantage of and our team, for years, has had rotten records against lefty pitchers...and those just called up. Drives me nuts. :banghead

The Red Sox first order of business is going to resign Varitek. Dealing Nomar helped that. Varitek is the heart of that franchise. He IS Boston...like Trot Nixon and Kevin Millar. Pedro is too volatile and Manny will always be a Yankee. We aren't getting Varitek. If we do, I'll eat this thread... :puke Don't want Guzman, but I like the idea of Furcal. I'll take Koskie, but only if he doesn't get hurt. So work on that Corey.

You guys are all assuming we are going to go after a free agent. What about trades? We have some tradable pieces...Kong, Caballo, Crede, Willie Harris, possibly Borchard...there may be starting pitching coming with that. We could even sign Maggs to a one-year and trade him. While it's great to argue about free agents, if you really want to do this, we should use trades too. Like possibly Oliver Perez from the Pirates...

And there was talk of trading B-mac, Anderson and Sweeney...all KW selections, too. He's getting it from all sides...JR wants to win before he dies, but on his own terms. Can't have it both ways, but he is making KW do that, which is handcuffing him. Develop our system, but if we're close, do whatever you can to win. talk about a rock and a hard place.

He'll probably end up with a small market team somewhere as a part-time SS, 3B, DH...someplace like Montreal or Tampa Bay. I'm guessing minor league contract or something like 2 yrs/$3.5 mil...with LOTS of performance clauses.

Sure, Koch could come back if he gives the Sox $500,000...what?...oh...I see...we would pay him $500,000... Yeeeeeaaaaah, no.

I would guess, barring a trade, that it would be Cabrera. He is the best of the 2nd tier FA. Maybe this Jose Valentin guy...he hits 25 hr's a year...

I would take Cabrera or Pokey Reese. Reese can bunt, he can run, he can even play 2B. Sounds like an upgrade from Willie AND Uribe.