fathom

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Dec 7, 2007 -> 01:33 AM) Tragic! Enjoy Griese and his dump off passes.

Freaking offensive line. That's probably the last we'll ever see of Rex on the Bears.

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 05:04 PM) I think this is a very good post iamshack but also feel most on this site don't want to hear about it. So I see both sides. First, I think KW's comments to the media were unnecessary. He knows how the media works by now, it's part of the territory, things will leak out. It's the nature of baseball. He needs to get over that stuff and work around it. Further I believe he is extremely frustrated on many levels. He's frustrated his core players had lousy years last year. He's frustrated it took him so long to get rid of Duane Shaffer. He's frustrated he has to manage to a certain budget number and he can't blow guys away with offers (Hunter, LAA). He's frustrated with other organizations doling out what he believes to be insane contracts. Well, it's ok to be frustrated but he will have to work around it, which is what he's said he plans to do. I am convinced he's working hard and trying to make stuff happen. But the reality is these winter meetings were a big disappointment to everyone. Getting Carlos Quentin was a decent move but they need much more. He likes to move quickly and get things done ... that didn't happen and it makes him even more frustrated. White Sox fans do not play well to their highly paid GM to be frustrated. They don't want to hear it. While some of the name calling and keyboard lynching of Williams on this site today is more than a bit much, it is what it is. We are the fans and he is the GM, he is held to a higher standard than fans are. The bottom line is he will have to get stuff done. So far he hasn't. I don't hold the brave front against him, he is simply not going to come out to the media and say "woe is us, we are bad, we will continue to be bad". For people expecting that, get a clue. It doesn't work that way. But Williams will have to get more done than he has thus far. Trying is great, but trying doesn't get the job done. If other GM's are jerking him around as he intimates, go elsewhere, there are 29 other teams and it's his job to seal the deal. Great stuff here...like you said, it was just unnecessary for him to act this way with the media.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 04:50 PM) I honestly respect your input, but you continue to have a bit of Mariotti in your comments. I don't want to start this whole crapstorm again, but honestly, at some point players have to get the job done. Ours went from getting it done in stellar fashion (the first half of 06', and everything looked as if it were going exactly to plan), to absolute garbage in the blink of an eye (from about the Boston series right before the 06' ASB until the end of the season). Because of the WS in 05', Kenny had to give the team a bit of a chance to redeem themselves and pay credence to the theory that the run in 05' had negatively affected the team down the stretch in 06'. Therefore, he kept the same core of players around, made some tweaks to the pitching staff and bullpen, but all in all, gave the guys another run at it in 07'. What happened this season was absolutely mystifying on all accounts. Certainly the bullpen failed us, but even had it not, the offense was near the last in the AL. No one could have predicted that after the breakout year the offense had in 06'. And I don't think anyone can predict with ANY certainty what the offense will next year. The volatile swings in production from 05' to 06' to 07' are anyone's guess. And there will be those that say it is age, but I wouldn't be shocked to see the offense produce far more runs this season after growing a year older. Jim Thome was our best offensive player this season, and he is also the oldest non-pitcher on the team. So I don't buy the age card for Pauly and JD. Did you watch one game after the ASB in 2006? It was rather easy to see that the offensive players were beginning to see their bat speed decrease.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 04:04 PM) If it helps the Sox play with a chip on their shoulders...then, who cares? The Sox don't need a chip....they need talent.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 03:42 PM) He did seem to lack focus out there, didn't he? I could never quite put my finger on it, though. No killer instinct. No drive to challenge the hitters. And his mechanics on his follow-thru were just pathetic. It started in June or so, when he couldn't get past the 5th inning without throwing 100 pitches.

QUOTE(BaseballNick @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 03:15 PM) KC was in on Fukudome too. We're being outspent by the Kansas City Royals. Yes, those Royals. And they're going to sign Silva.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 02:39 PM) Agreed. But it isn't, and he knows that. He was sent down because he was struggling, he was tired, and the club wanted to see Floyd in action. And more than anything, they were upset that he wasn't competing.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 07:04 AM) THE SOX ARE NOT A CONTENDING TEAM. PLAY YOUR YOUTH. PLEASE, SOXTALK, F'ING UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT, PLEASE Favorite post of the day!

QUOTE(DonnyDevito @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 06:54 AM) now it is rowand or bust! or atleast a career year from owens or bust! Josh Hamilton or bust!

QUOTE(frankie5angels @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 06:51 AM) 2years/36 million for Jones. You mean to tell me KW couldn't offer Jones better than that. What a joke. I am so sick of KW!!!! What part of "he's a Boras client" don't people understand? There really wouldn't be much benefit to only bringing him here for 2 years, so I'm happy he's not here. We might be hearing a lot more about Andruw in the next few weeks.

QUOTE(chisox2334 @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 06:50 AM) What did you expect kenny say about his team every offseason going into spring training? You think hes going literally tell you that this team has no chance and should tell Konerko, Buerhle, Thome, Dye, Vasquez, and AJ dont bother showing up and stay home. Kenny has tried this offseason get players he wanted but came up short... s*** happeneds..... When you look back at 2005 everyone going into season looked alot brighter what has happened last 2 years... I look main difference now Kenny said back then " Were looking win championship" to now " were looking to contend" Kenny depleted the farm systems by trading for players twice like Carl Everett, Roberto Alomar, and Sandy Alomar. Kenny relationship with Boras means jack crap. Hahn talks to boras instead of Kenny complaining how he got screwed over Arod in 2000. Also, go look at the fact that Reinsdorf is man writting the checks and handing out the money. The same guy told Micheal Jordan when he signed him 30 mil dollar deal that he was going to regret it. The whole media thing is Kenny seeing all publish reports around here telling him how much he failed to deliver to w sox fans. Also, defends the call dye made and saying how he was pisst off at Kenny Willams. No offense the big part I see w sox not contending now bc we dont have a centerfielder or left fielder... But only having two starters you can really count on. I remember way back ozzie said I only ask you get me 5 horses. How quickly that has changed and now worried about the offense that struggled. Kenny looks like a man with his head cut off trying to fix one thing when theirs many other holes. How many you think danks and floyd will last whole season in rotation? Do you really expect the bullpen be so much better with getting limebrink? Kenny tries help this city go back to winner. Thing is he dosent have the money and Reinsdorf refuses to give more money to free agents. It always ends up the trade route rather free agency.. So whose fault is it that w sox have so many holes? Kenny? Reinsdorf? Ozzie? you make the call but remember Kenny can only do so much with so littler power of checkbook. There's so much wrong with the checkbook argument, I'm just going to say: I disagree.

Jones to the Dodgers http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...7&fext=.jsp

QUOTE(TitoMB345 @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 06:28 AM) It's called confidence. He truely believes this team has what it takes to contend. And really, is he so wrong? How many people thought the '05 Sox would win it all? We weren't contenders at the beginning of the season, but the guys started playing well, and they gained more confidence. And look where it got us? A dominant World Series victory. So I understand we might not agree, but he could be right. Well, it's another sign that him and Ozzie aren't on the same page, as even Ozzie said yesterday that the current roster needs upgrading.

Please add - why did you trade Jon Garland for a 33 year old SS in his last year of free agency who doesn't want to sign a contract extension?

Oh KW, you never let me down. Blaming the "loose lips" of other people is just freaking pathetic. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines

If the Cubs can get Roberts without giving up Hill or Pie, it's a great move for them.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 01:41 AM) If the Sox are smart about it then this signing could work. Specifically, you have to think about him in the Royals mode. You do a 1 year deal, minimal dollars, and you expect that at some point during the year, due to injury, out of the 20 teams in the pennant race, 1 or 2 will emerge who lose an OF to injury who could use a veteran at those positions or as a DH/Platoon player or something. Exactly what the Rangers did with Kenny Lofton last year. Even if all you get is a mediocre prospect, the more depth in the minors you have the better off you are. But, with right now, Owens and Quentin, followed by Anderson and Sweeney as still potential OF candidates, you can't give him 50 at bats a month unless someone is hurt. Because as young guys, Owens and Quentin, or Anderson or Sweeney could push their value much, much higher with a good/lucky season. Not for one second would I trust Ozzie to use Luis properly.

QUOTE(bschmaranz @ Dec 6, 2007 -> 01:19 AM) Last resort... if we don't get anyone and I mean DeJesus, Lofton, etc., bring him in. To play where?

Sounds like Cubs have a great chance of getting Roberts. He's a damn good player, and would really be an upgrade over anything they would have had at 2b. Getting him and Fukudome would be devastating to the rest of the NL Central.

QUOTE(ptatc @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 11:07 PM) the only reason Boras is an issue is that he overvalues his clients and lies to other teams about what his client has been offered. The man lies and cheats to get his client the best offer. Some people don't mind it, others prefer to deal with others. I would prefer to deal with others. I'd prefer to deal with the best players. Sometimes it seems like we're a college team that can only recruit players that aren't just academically qualified, put also would be accepted into the school if they were a normal student (like Stanford used to be).

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 10:42 PM) No way does Hamilton get a top prospect. No way. Not with his problems. A lefty hitting leadoff CF for Broadway....where do I sign up?

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 10:40 PM) You bring up Hamilton, when in all likelihood it would similarly take Gio + others to land Hamilton. I don't buy for a second that the Reds were asking for Sean Marshall. BS -- I'm reasonably comfortable saying they were either asking for Marshall plus another quality player (Marmol? Gallagher?) or for just Rich Hill. No kidding, the same Marshall who was pulled from Cubs rotation when his fastball wasn't reaching 85 mph. I was stunned to see that report, and it figured to be bogus.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 10:40 PM) You bring up Hamilton, when in all likelihood it would similarly take Gio + others to land Hamilton. I don't buy for a second that the Reds were asking for Sean Marshall. BS -- I'm reasonably comfortable saying they were either asking for Marshall plus another quality player (Marmol? Gallagher?) or for just Rich Hill. I'd give up Gio and any prospect not named DLS (I don't consider the rest of the AAAA pitchers as prospects) for Hamilton.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 5, 2007 -> 10:33 PM) Well, all these people are jumping off a ledge because we don't have proven veterans at every position and so we can't compete for the next 4 years, so if they're demanding it then that's an option. I think it'd be stupid, but I think a lot of these desperation find a CF moves are pretty dumb as well. I just think DeJesus is nothing special and likely won't improve from the level he's been at over last few years. That's why I'd be just thrilled with Josh Hamilton. It's a huge risk, but also the reward is possibly incredible at all. For him, I'd have no problem finding a platoon partner if necessary.