S720

I just really don't know. With the assumption of the Sox having ~ $10 mil to spend, why is it so hard to acquire Matt Clement or Odalis Perez? Why is it that it's so easy for other teams to get their SP? With the money the Sox have left, get Polanco and Odalis Perez, then we'll all set for next year!

As much as I want RJ to be with the Sox, if KW somehow can make a deal with the A's by giving Garland, Marte and Anderson for Tim Hudson, I would take it in a heartbeat. Hudson is MUCH younger than RJ. With Hudson aboard, we can even put Schoenweis in as the 5th starter. Somehow, I have a feelings that Schoe would rebound from last year's terrible performance. Given what I've stated, KW has to LOCK UP Hudson at least 3 years after the trade to make this work. Guess what? This means we can have enough money left to go after Pierzynski AND Polanco, since Hudson will only make $6 mil this year. Go for it KW.

I was stunned myself after I heard it. Well, I think that whenever you are negotiating anything, you have to set it at a highest or lowest level, then work yourself up or down from there. AZ knows that its ask is just too ridiculous. So now, I hope with my fingers crossed, it has come down on its asking. Please let my naive intuition come true!!!

Why all of the sudden we got so many EXCITING news about our beloved Chicago White Sox? I feel like suffocating... breathe.breathe.breathe.

In addition, the SCORE did also report that the Sox is now having interest in AJ Pierzynski.

Just heard on the SCORE, the White Sox is still trying to trade for RJ. AZ is now asking for: Garland, Marte, Sweeney and a prospect After hearing this, there's no doubt in my mind that KW is only interested in getting Johnson. The Clement rumor is being used as leverage. Should Anderson being switched with Sweeney, would we want to make the trade? Man, it's so difficult to let go of Sweeney, my Mickey Mantle.

For all the "Nay" sayers, what would you do at this point? I don't believe anyone here on this forum thinks that Clement worths $10 mil, when MB and Garcia are making much less than that! However, given the current situation where #3 Starting Pitcher market is just going off the roof, the Sox can not stand still and allow other teams to overpay. If anyone thinks that O. Perez will get less than $8 mil from any team, you will definitely see the future will prove you wrong. O. Perez will get bet. $8 and $10 mil a year. Let's just say of the sake of argument that the Sox let go of Clement and push after O. Perez. What happens if all of the sudden other teams jump into the bidding to drive up his salary to over $8 mil, what would you do? And if we lose out of both of these two remaining quality starting pitchers, where are we heading then? Back to the cartwheel of having ulcer and frustration on our 5th starter! IMHO, if the paying is bet. $8 and $10 mils, it's much safer to go with Clement. For ages, we Sox fans have complained how cheap the Sox has been. Now that JR is willing to open up his wallet to acquire a very good #3 starter, we still b**** and moan. KW is willing to trade for RJ, but then we say it's too costly and would tear our team apart. What is wrong and happening to us? The perfect scenario is after acquiring Clement, JR, once again, is opening his wallet and sign Pierzynski and/or Polanco! Man, that would make this offseason the best ever! Look at our lineup: Starting Pitchers (in rotation order): 1) Buehrle 18 wins 2) Garcia 18 wins 3) Clement 15 wins 4) Contreras 14 wins 5) Garland 12 wins Starting Batters (in batting order): 1) Podsednik CF 2) Rowand LF 3) Thomas or Everett DH 4) Konerko 1B 5) Dye RF 6) Uribe SS 7) Crede 3B 8) Davis/Burke C 9) Harris 2B Bullpen (SOLID)

How long has it been since we've won anything? How many of our great minor leaguers have helped us win our weak division? I am sick and tired of hyping how good or great our minor leaguers are. When we have a chance to land one of the best pitchers if not the best in the game, we should go forward and do it! My best offer for RJ: Garland, Marte, Everett, Anderson and Chris Young However, if AZ asks for Sweeney, then NO DEAL. IMHO, Sweeney is untouchable. He's my Mickey Mantle. It's much easier to replace the Garland, Marte, Everett, Anderson and Chris Young than to acquire a gem in Johnson.

Final offer: Garland, Marte, Everett, Anderson and Chris Young Many years all of us have suffered through so much mental pain with our beloved Sox. Should AZ accept the above offer, the Sox might then have a team that will excite every one of us. Envision the lineup: Starting Pitchers (in rotation order): 1) Johnson 2) Buehrle 3) Garcia 4) Contreras 5) Wilson Alvarez or one of the lower-tier 5th starter Starting Batters (in batting order): 1) Podsednik CF 2) Rowand LF 3) Thomas DH 4) Konerko 1B 5) Dye RF 6) Uribe SS 7) Crede 3B 8) Burke/Davis/Pierzynski (Should we have enough money left) C 9) Harris 2B Bullpen: Even without Marte, we still have a very solid bullpen Man, I can die to have that kind of lineup. One special note: By doing this trade, we are definitely NOT tearing our team apart. It's much easier to replace the Garland, Everett, Marte, Anderson and Chris Young than to acquire a gem in Johnson.

If Arizona wants Garland, Everett, Marte and a minor leaguer (NOT Sweeney, Anderson, Honel or BMAC), I'll go for it. Like someone previously mentioned, after this trade, get Wilson Alvarez to be the 5th starter. If Arizona wants to replace Everett with Rowand, Dye or Podsedski, NO DEAL. Do you think this is the REASON why KW has not signed Clement or O. Perez? I wish KW knows what he's doing. If he has the intention to sign Clement or Perez, go for it. Don't try to go both ways. He might end it up empty handed. Let's talk about money wise: Let's assume we have 6 millions left from the Carlos Lee trade: 6 mil + 3.5 mil (Garland) + 4.5 (Everett) + 1.5 (Marte) = 15.5 mil How much RJ wants?

With the amount of money left, I guess my point is between acquiring: 1) AJ Pierzynski, Polanco and using a cheap pitcher (Loaiza or even Schoenweis) as 5th starter 2) Clement OR Oladis Perez without the acquisitions of AJ and Polanco I would feel much better to have AJ and Polanco on our team. And this would make our team faster, "grindier" and stronger. Let's see. Buehrle and Garcia would pull in 35 wins. Contreras probably pulls in 15 to 18 wins. Garland and the 5th starter perhaps 20 wins. Our solid bullpen can get us 20 to 25 wins. This would make our team winning bet. 90 and 98 games, and that's a division title, I hope. Am I high on my so optimistic prediction?

Long time lurker and first time poster As a long suffering Sox fan, I have to give kudo to KW for the trade that he just made that has lead the Sox to have the financial flexibility to add more important players and concurrently solves our leading hitter problem and strengthens our bullpen tremendously with the arrival of Vizcaino and Hermanson, both of whom are throwing in the mid 90s. With the advent of AJ being waived by San Fran, my wish list for finishing up the offseason is of following: Loaiza - 5th starting pitcher (Loaiza was stunningly throwing in the low 90s during the playoff. Garland being 4th and Loaiza 5th would round out our starting pitching staff pretty well, IMO) Polanco - 2nd (With Willie Harris backing up) AJ - Catcher (Burke rotating) If KW could pull this off, I truly feel that we would become the best team in our division. Hitting Starters (in batting order) 1) Podsednik - CF 2) Rowand - LF 3) Thomas or Everett - DH 4) Konerko - 1B 5) Polanco - 2B 6) Uribe - SS 7) Dye - RF 8) AJ - C 9) Crede - 3B Starting Pitchers (in rotation order) 1) Buehrle 2) Garcia 3) Contreras 4) Garland 5) Loaiza Regarding our bullpen, it's solid with the acquisitions of Hermanson and Vizcaino. It would be a solid and fun year should our team roster is as above.