elrockinMT

I am not happy about any move the Sox make until it comes up a winner. That's the bottom line, we want to win and I like Ozzie's enthusiasm. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, we haven't won with who we had before and it doesn't look like Al Lopez is available anymore.

I think Rowand deserves the chance in CF. He is a team player, hustles and can handle CF defensively. He has also showed improvement at the plate. I liked Carl Everett, but I think Carl was more suited defensively for one of the corner spots and not CF. Since it is unlikely Everett will be back I think Rowand in CF and Borchard as the OF relief could be interesting. I think either Rowand or Borchard could do the job at any OF spot and if Maggs or Lee goes, which I hope doesn't happen the situation could be very interesting. That kind of scenario throws Reed into the mix.

I think this article is right on target. Just look over the list of free agents that is posted by MLB and other sources. There are tons of players out there wanting to see what the highest bidder will offer. Figures of $12M, $15M and $25M most likely will never happen again, at least I hope they don't. I think it is also becoming apparent that spending the huge dollars that certain FA's seem to think is their due is not making a winning team. Case in point being Texas and even the Yankees.

I agree also. I think that Weaver is an overated and overpaid pitcher. Whether, as some have suggested, a change of scenery would be good, I am not sold on the idea of that change being a Sox uniform. Maybe for a contract like Loaiza signed last year, but Loaiza is a hardworker and did what needed to be done to be a winner. I am not certain Weaver has figured it out.

I would like to see Jon Rausch with the Sox next year. I think it might have made a difference in September if he had been brought up rather than Jose Panaigua.

I think they should move the spring training headquarters to Montana. It would toughen them up for that April schedule when the Sox are playing in cold weather so often. We need to get off to a good start in the beginning of the season and that would really help I think. Comments?

I am right there with ya on that thought, Yahtzee. I think that Jose time has served its duration. I'd love to see us make a run for Matsui, and trade Maggs for Soriano...thats a damn fine infield IMO. I don't think you will ever see that from the Sox. These imports from Japan and the defectors from Cuba are all expecting money like Steinbrenner dishes out. He has ruined baseball economics and what's worse the guy doesn't care. He can't because he just keeps dishing it out.

Jose Valentin is a productive player and always gives it his all. Offensively, BA aside, he is a very good power man. He has also improved with the glove. I agree $5M may be too high, but I think Jose will take less and I hope he is back with the Sox. When things were going badly last year you never saw Jose giving up and he kept pushing the other players.

I wonder if I can claim collusion by my employer and that way make more money. Heck I might even make enough to get from pay period to pay period without worrying about bouncing a check. I can't imagine making an salary of $2.5M a year and not being happy about it. My fear is these characters will strike again and ruin the game. Economics 101 apparently isn't their strong point.

I am glad Frank Thomas is staying also. He is still good enough to be ranked in the top ten offensively and I think he might improve that average next year, if Walt Hriniak has anything to say about it. No one can doubt Frank's desire to win it all and maybe hopefully that can light a fire under the others too.

I think that Bartolo and his agent are going to find out that teasm are reluctant to get in a bidding war now. I think the Sox offer may well be the tops he is going to see unless the Yankees and Braves only go for one more player and that might be Colon.

I am not sure the Sox or many teams have the kind of money the Manny will demand. I don't see him with the Chisox.

Teddy Greenstein at the Chicago Tribune issued a one line release saying the "Big Hurt" has decided to stay in Chitown. Details to come later.

I can answer the second part for you. No, and no. I don't want to believe it, Steff. Your probably right, but I say a little prayer to the twinkle, twinkle little star for that magic to return to the Sox in the form of #72 Carlton Fisk. Am I crazy?

Beastly, Ask him for the low down on what really is or was happening in the Sox clubhouse in "03. I read the comments of Valentin and he sounds as if there was no real unity and no direction given by Manuel. Will Cito Gaston be another Manuel in that regard? Is Ozzie Guillen a better choice to charge people up? I would also like to know if there was any consideration on contacting Carlton Fisk for the job, or if Fisk is being considered for any role in the organization? Thanks!

Money is today's motivator in sports. Colon may find someone willing to pay up to $15M or more a year, who knows. Maybe not and that's why I don't really think KW is turning the page on Colon and moving to plan B or C or D. I just hope whatever happens we don't end up with an F and everyone eligible for fee agency moving on. Colon is good and we need him, but on the other hand I have never agreed with the kind of money that gets thrown around. I blame Steinbrenner and that contract for Texas Alex Rodriguez for the out of control FA stuff. I guess it's easy for us fans, who make minimum wage to say things like, "when you make $8.5M a year what's the need for an extra $M?" Must be a heck of a lifestyle that these players have to hold out and suck more and more. I don't know if I have ever heard many players acknowledge the fans, who in the end will pay for those salaries. Come to think of it when did you hear that from owners either? Most certainly not from an agent.

I am afraid that what we are seeing is that we will have to accept whoever is left out there. I don't see everyone's fascination with Weaver or even Ponson. The numbers just aren't there to justify spending big bucks on them. I just hope the Sox management doesn't feel the need to rush out and sign someone just to get a warm body. Weaver most certainly hasn't earned the money the Yankees gave him and let's hope we don't fall into that kind of spending trap. Ponson has been erratic in my opinion and even though his record is better then Weaver he carries a high ERA. I won't count out Colon no matter what KW says about "turning the page," and I hope he doesn't either.

I think Rex is right in thefact that a player files for FA consideration doesn't mean he won't be back with his same team. It is more just a prudent move on the prt of the player and his agent to keep all the optios open. Many of them will see the fiscal realities of today's game soon.

I also think Ordonez should stay. He is a player you build around and not trade away. I read a reporter's column on one of the Chicago papers website about how Ordonez failed to perform in Minnesota when going after a ball in the gap, which should have been caught and the inference is that the Sox lost their chance to win a title because of that. I thought at the time the article was ridiculous because no one player in once situation in one game can be held responsible for a team losing the pennant considering rhe season is 162 games long. If the reasoning is correct then the Bosox should dump Pedro Martinez right now today. Te Yankees should get rid of Pettite, Soriano and Jeter, et al, right now today becasue of their losing the WS. I want to keep Ordonez and others like Colon and Gordon, etc, but the refusal of Sox ownership to at least put out enough money to keep what we have may lead to trades of our stars like Ordonez, Lee, etc. One baseball columnist said that KW would be reluctant to trade Lee or Ordonez, but note that it didn't say he wouldn't and that's scary to me.

Colon was not a huge disappointment at all in my opinion. I think we all would have liked to see him repeat 20 wins and I think if he is with us next year you will see him win 20 games. A staff with Loaiza, Buerhle and Colon at their best would rank right up there with any teams staff. Add in Garland, who sure looks to be ready to be a steady 15 game winner and it's even better. Finding number 5 will be the chore and it might be right within our own organization. I see where Schoenenweis is said to be looked at as a potential starter. You also have Cotts, Rausch, Adkins, et al. I hope we continue after Colon, but $12M a year is a lot of money and if he really turned that figure down I can't see many others wanting to pay out the huge dollars like they once did. What does he think he can get? My guess is in the $12M-$15M a year range, but economic reality has got to start sinking in with teams. The Yankees would most certainly love to see Bartolo in their mix, but will Bart want to go there? If he really wants to be happy I think the Sox still are in the hunt.

Glad to see you here on soxtalk. I have mixed feelings about Nick Johnson , but I am not real keen on the idea of him being here either. I am hoping that Konerko can rebound from a horrendous year. I think the only thing Johnson brings to the Sox is his lefthanded bat. Plus I am not sure many teams would take Konerko's salary. Thomas can play firstbase also when needed and I am glad he isreported to be staying. If you want to win the pennant you don't tear up the present team. Build up the pitching and keep as many of the current players as possible.

Jose Valentin and Roberto Alomar. CF will probably be Rowand.

The Sox need to keep Rausch in the mix. I think it has been said before that a pitcher needs at least 2 years to recover from an arm injury. Jon started to really come around in the 2nd half at Charlotte. Maybe '04 will be his year. Cotts probably at AAA is my guess and Adkins is a candidate for a spot in the rotation. I just wonder where Danny Wright ends up considering '03 was basically a lost year for him.

Wait till next year!

There is no reason to believe sources like this who claim to know the inside dealings of a contract offer when people are still be interviewed. The figures may well be what the Sox are willing to offer any new manager and not Gaston specifically. I have nothing against Gaston other than the fact it would be a similar clubhouse. I think what this team needs is an aggressive and outgoing personality that would fire some players up or fire them, whichever is needed.