elrockinMT

If Juan signs with KC it just makes you wonder how this small market team can keep spending money and the Sox ownership fiddle.

Ken Berry and Tommie Agee covering the OF in 1966-67. I don't think we needed a third OF'er with those 2 guys in the field. Smokey Burgess coming off the bench to pinch hit and coming through. Joel Horlen outdueling Jim Lonborg and posting a better record, but Lonborg getting the Cy Young. Ron Hansen at SS. Dick Allen Jorge Orta could hit a ton Bill Melton at 3B Walt (No-Neck) Williams Scott Fletcher at 2B. Here was a grinder that would have made Ozzie proud.

I am with you on this one. It's time to start the Karma mechanism... HUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

Yes, I would love to have Greg Maddux in a Sox uniform, but my bet is he ends up in St. Louis.

I read this babbling rumor over at WSI and responded to it: A rumor is like the passing wind, or passing of wind: It stinks. If it is true, and I think not, it would not be good for the Sox.

I have to believe that we would have won the AL Central and competed for a pennant with Keith Foulke as our closer backed up by Marte and Gordon. However, I do think that Billy Koch is a competitor and hopefully will rebound in '04. The problem here is the fact he will probably be a real plus this year and the Sox will let him go to free agency because Reinsdorf is to cheap to sign our better players.

Don't remember who he hit it off or when, but I remember the ESPN Sportscenter highlights and the lead title was "Rockin Robin and his band of merry men (sox) do it again. Robin Ventura hit a walk off grand slam to win it and the scene was Robin being mobbed at home plate. Big Hurt picked him up over his shoulder and carried him around. Those were the good old days.

I like Aaron Rowand too and always have been a supporter. I think this is his year to show us what he has as a CF'er. Jose Valentin will be right up there too.

Don't worry about Jose valentin. He will be ready come opening day. I wonder why Jose even plays winter ball. I would rather a 35 year old veryday shortstop took a break during the off season. Jose may have just wanted to work on some aspect of the game and hitting wasn't it.

Always good to keep the optimism flowing. If we have some break out years from some players we can do it that's for sure.

What I am worried about with the Sox and their evaluation of available 2B/SS talent is the fact they seem to go bonkers in their quest. Jimenez was touted as a great pick up and the next star and then reports come out about a bad attitude, not a team player, lazy, etc. We saw that displayed in Chicago and he was gone. Now we have Uribe and everyone touts him as the Ozzie Smith model, but maybe weaker with the bat. Now we hear reports of a Jimenez like clone coming to town. I am very confused.

Monday morning. I have been searching different sites and can't find anything yet on Ponson. I did see the contradictory stories in the Sun-Times and Tribune on Schonenweis, or however you spell his name. One says he was non-tendered and the other says he was offered arbitration?

I have always been a Valentin supporter. We need more of his hustle and enthusiasm for the game from our other star players. Maybe it will give them that extra step to first and avoid the GIDP plague. I also have to say that Jose has made some great defensive plays so his ranking by "the diamond" doesn't surprise me. I hope we keep him in a Sox uniform.

I think there will be a deal too. I hope we get more than Perez and a prospect for Maggs. Mota, Perez and 2 propects would be the best scenario. Correction: really the best scenerio in my opinion is we keep Ordonez.

I would rather see the Sox keep both Lee and Ordonez. Don't underestimate what Carlos Lee can do. Maggs is one of the best and Lee can be too. Reinsdorf needs to understand that his economic survival is dependant on the success of the team he puts on the field. Trading away marquee players for potential does not translate into a competitive and winning ballclub. It means rebuilding and fans don't deserve that nor do the players. The Sox can win and that will mean fans at the ballpark which means money in Jerry's coffers. I don't see a long term plan here at all and eventually all our star players will be gone as well as our young talent as we try to patch the old tube every year with mid season trades in order to stay competitive only to see those players leave in the off season.

It really is a stunning turn of events isn't it? LA has dominated that market for so long and now Anaheim is right up there with them thanks to 2002. I suppose it is possible that the Dodgers might just go directly to the Red Sox to get Garciaparra and we get left out. Maybe?

Then we don't have a difference of opinion here. I just didn't explain my statement well enough. You are right that they both have to look after what's best for their team and act professionally. I meant that Evas is not to keen on giving Kenny anything and everything he wants without helping himself too. Now if that means they can fleece the other in a trade I think they would both do that if it helped their team and that is simply business.

I don't know Rex. Reports out of LA have Evans on the hot seat. The Dodgers have a weak hitting team and need to get some offense. Realizing that anything can happen with the remaining free agents, like Guerrero for instance, I think we may be in a better position to get those propects for Magglio as the real season draws near and the Bums don't have the hitter they need.

I think Palmeiro might even be a better addition at 1B than having Koerko. He is a better fielder and is a lefty bat we need for balance. I like Paulie though and if he is with the Sox next year I think he will rebound.

They both sound intriguing, but are we the only team that gives up prospects to acquire a one year rent-a-player? Love to have them on the Sox, but it seems Evans is not to high on dealing with Kenny. Maybe in the final days of the off season the Dodgers may be forced to give up those prospects for a hitter. My guess, if they do it will be for Magglio.

Hernandez didn't pitch at all last year for Montreal and Bart won 15 games for us. Bart moves on for big bucks and we get Hernandez for real this time. Seems like the right scenario for the Sox.

I would rather have Maddux on the Sox than Ponson. Maddux is a pro and knows how to pitch and win. He could do a lot to help people like Buerhle and Garland improve and maybe even show Loaiza a new pitch to make him that much better. I would think it might be possible to sign Maddux at a reasonable price too.

I would have liked to have Wilson Alvarez back on our team. I always remember his no-hitter and the win over Toronto in the '93 playoffs. He was a dominant leftie in his healthy prime and I saw him eturning to a form last year that would have made him a good pick for the 5th starter in our rotation along with long relief duty. His price isn't out of the ball park either, but the LA team offered him arbitration I believe so they wanted to hang onto him.

I am sorry I forgot Garland. I am a fan of Big Jon and I am hoping this is his year to shine also. We may also have a diamond or two in the waiting with our youngsters so who knows. I will also be optimistic about our chances.

I like Jon Garland too. The only problem that I see is his consistency. He is very up and down the first part of the season and sometimes fails to deliver the big pitch when needed, but it seems he comes around in the second half and really comes through. I would like to see Jon remain with the Sox also and hope that Don Cooper, et al, can continue his development.