Punch and Judy Garland

Whoever we get, we need a guy not afraid of the ball in a big game (i.e. a big game in that horrid dome). I think Radke and Morris are thosee guys. I think Lowe and Pavano may in fact be that way too with varying degrees of certainty. Pavano pitched well in the playoffs a year ago and Lowe showed in Game 4 this week that he's not a total headcase. I'd like any of those guys. Watch, Matt Morris is in for a big bounceback. Also, he hates the Cubs and has thrown more big games in the past 4 years than our entire staff combined and then some.

A trade with Pitt would hav eus pay about half of that Kendall money. Morris is an enigma. He has gotten some of that velocity back, but his homers are way up this year. that said, he's a #1 when his shoulder is healthy, a 20 game winner, and a guy you'd love to throw in game 7 of a playoff series.

He won't come out of the pen. Someone will pay him to start hoping to catch lightning in a bottle (Giants, Orioles, Atlanta)

Yeah but all of our arbitration guys get increases plus the increases for Buehlre, Contreras, etc. Just remember, in baseball nobody makes less money than the year before on the same team.

I call him Judy because he acts like a 12 year old girl sometimes (ripping Paulie in the clubhouse after an error, his bizarre tirades through the media against white sox fans who booed him) but I can separate that with his ability. I'm not willing to give up Judy any time soon.

ust one thing: Rodriguez's option was picked up by the Phillies along with Billy Wagner's.

Which guy? Lowe? He teeds to exhibit about the worst on the mound body language this side of Jeff Weaver. He lets hitters know that he's rattled. Plus, if you listen to Red Sox fans/media (not always the best source I admit) they say he's a bit cooky. My other concern is how he goes into such long funks when his stuff is much better than his performance (hence the Contreras comparison). Lowe looked really good tonight though.

I agree, I don't want to give up on Jon garland. I think he'd be an excellent #5 starter for now, and you just hope he becomes an 18-game winner sooner than later. Getting rid of him (unless you get excellent quality in return) would be shortsighted.

I think he has some mental toughness issues. I;m not sure having 3 guys in the rotation (including garland and Contreras) like that is a great idea. That said, I'd take him at the right price. But I anticipate Detroit over-bidding for him so I think its a moot point.

Giambi can't play 1st. I think he'll play as many games at first in 05 as Big Frank. Giambi's legs really look like they are giving out on him. I think that's a big part of why he was so mediocre a year ago.

Bellhorn is good for about 180 K's so I don't see him hitting higher than 7th in a balanced lineup. He hits two for the bosox but I don't think it's a very good idea. He's got good pop but probably doesn't really fit with our molding identity.

I don't think a Konerko-Green deal works because I believe Green makes a sick amount of money. I think he makes 16 or more. His power numbers will surely go up here but he's been rather enigmatic the last two years. I'm concerned with his shoulder still

Between Kendall, Metheny, and Lo Duca-I'd take Kendall. You can hit him first or second and he never k's. I beliee he has three or four years left at 10 per, but it's widely reported that the Pirates might have to eat half to make any trade amenable. I don't think we'd have to give up a whole lot for him as Pittsburgh is desperate to purge much of that salary.

Beltran didn't put that many asses in the seats in KC. Most players aren't draws. The poster who said the Sox fans wait and see is right. Albert Belle was a much bigger star than Beltran and had significant national awareness. Those who don't see that are using revisionist history. When Belle came to the Sox he was two years removed from a World Series appearance and was the second most feared hitter in the game (we had #1 too). Belle hit .311-48-148-124-11 the year before he got here. And, I don't buy the character argument as far as Belle not drawing. Let me ask you a question, have you ever seen a Carlos Beltran jersey in real life?

I know but we have brought in big guys before (Belle, Wells, colon) and I wouldn't say there was any increase early in the year. HOWEVER, adding a guy in the middle (remembering Alomar/Everett 2k3 and Garcia 04) of the year will lead to a big walkup increase. I think Hendry will make some moves, and it wouldn't really matter if he didn't.

You can't convince me that signing Radke and Beltran would have much impact on attendance at all. Losing Maggs and replacing him with Beltran won't get the town super excited. The only way we will draw is if we win, or if there was a much bigger star than Beltran coming in (not meaning ability but star wattage). We'll draw fine if we get off to a good start.

I'd say yes but that's with a qualifier that we wouldn't have to give up someone else simply to keep Maggs. I wouldn't offer arbitration as I think he'd get 14-16 million. There's no way they'd turn that down. I believe that players never get less money via arbitration. Sometimes players agree to not accept arbitration in a handshake deal, and then the player allows the team to get the pick (happens with Oakland all the time).

I;mn tired of the Sox offering these sham contracts where money is deferred without interest. They did it with Colon and did it with Maggs. They are just trying to save face.

Let's get one thing straight, Pedro gets beaten by the Yankees but it also has to do with his run support. Take last night as a prime example. 6 innings, 3 runs. That is a solid performance. Boston's batas struggle mightily against the Yankee's starting pitching in the postseason. When Jon Friggin' Lieber is acing you ( guy with a .300 opponent ba), it shows that a large part of the onus belongs on Pedro's offensive support. We already have a very good offense and Pedro would do well with our run support (ask Freddy Garcia). It seems that Pedro is currently only getting rocked by divisional opponents that have seen him an exorbinant amount of time over the last few years. I bet if he came to the AL Central where teams are mildly less familiar with him, he'd have an era under 3 for the year. Also, let's not say that PEdro can't beat the Yanks, he has plenty of times. Just not the last few really.

I think he'd enjoy the change in media as the Chicago media is a lot easier than the vultures in Boston. He'd be an instant fan favorite hence, he'd draw big crowds.

It has been said that Furcal has the best arm of any SS in baseball, and I tned to agree. I think the Braves will have a definite need for a power bat if Drew leaves. BTW, someone mentioned that Drew loves it there and yada, yada but Boras is his agent so he'll love it most where they pay the most. Though, I seriously have no idea who that might be (cubs?)

Here's a link so you can say hello to his little friend. Can you picture Pedro, his friend, and Timo Perez walking into a Chicago nightclub together? http://bremsportfolk.blogspot.com/2004/09/pedros-friend.html

I think signing Pedro would negate the need to fill some of those holes. If you take his non-Yankee starts, he's even better than his numbers. Plus, he's a legit #1. I saw extra-giddyup on his fastball in Anaheim. I think tonight's a huge test for him , and I expect him to pass it with flying colors.

File this next to the Beltran talk in the wishiful thinking file. But, wouldn't it be great if we went after Pedro. The White Sox only offer 3 year delas to pitchers, and nobody else is goign to probably offer more than 2. I'd love to see the Sox throw 3 yrs/45-51 mil his way. Can you imagine a rotation of Pedro-Buehrle-Garcia-Garland-Contreras? You cannot convince me that we can't afford him, but you don't need to convince me that we won't make an offer to him.

I think with Drew moving on, Lee makes more sense for the Braves. I'd love to do a Lee for Furcal straight up. Juan Cruz was pretty good this year and I doubt they'd be thrilled with moving him. I don't like the idea of dealing Garland as then we'd need 2 starters.