WHITESOXRANDY

That's a great lineup right there. If we can get him w/o giving up Danks, Floyd or Gio or M.L. bullpen help then I would love it. Bay could do some DHing too. I wouldn't be so quick to trade Dye. I would think about him for first base.

I'm curious how many people think the Sox tarde Mac. I'm sure they would part with him if need be but I still think they like his potential and will have him work his way back to the late innigs is what they would really like.

I have seen several sources now suggesting that the Sox have relief pitchers available to trade particularly to Pittsburgh for Bay. Anyway, I'm thinking the biggest hole on this team is the bullpen so how is it that the Sox have bullpen help to spare ? To whom are these people referring to ? Sisco ? Masset ? Haeger ? Phillips, Aardsma or Broadway ? What relief pitchers can the Sox afford to move ? I'm still thinking they need a real good set-up man. Any thoughts on this ?

I think that this is a really good thread. It will be intersting to see how it turns out. The Riske is as good as Linebrink crowd vs. the Linebrink is better because he has pitched in more crucial innings. Let's see how the two do this year and compare their deals later in the season. There clearly have been some once-great relievers available this winter that are being signed for considerably less money than Linebrink"s $ 19 mil. I am skeptical but I hope he's an 8th inning lights out guy for the Sox. That would be huge.

Yes, Linebrink is awesome in the "stressful innings" department. He's blown 26 out of 30 save opps. in his career. Riske could never compete with that.

I hear what you're saying but I think Fields would be the key to the deal for the Twins. They need a 3B and the other teams don't have one to offer and he would be great in that lineup. Gio is currently ranked as one of the top 3 LHP prospects and no , I don't think he's as good as Hughes and maybe the Red Sox will top that offer but the Sox could pull it off and maybe...just maybe it would be worth it.

2 things that I would like to add: 1. The Sox going after Santana makes a lot of sense. 2. Gio's height should not be an issue. He's listed at 5'11". This guy has had scouts examining him so closely for years now that they know what the stains on his jockey shorts look like. If he were actually 5' 8" tall it would have been widely reported by now. My feeling is that due to his slight build that he appears smaller to some watching a game but I seriously doubt that he is shorter than 5'10".

Listen, there are 5 things that we pretty much know for certain: 1. KW is going to acquire atleast one good outfielder. 2. KW is very likely to add another bullpen arm. 3. Crede and Fields will not both be on the team in April. 4. The Sox will not pay Uribe that kind of money to sit on the bench where he'd likely be even less consistent when he does play. 5 Plus, a number of the young pitchers are out of options. A couple of them will be moved. So, there's still going to be lots of action happening. I would be shocked if we don't hear about a couple of moves in the next 10 days.

Not only that, but whenever Bonds, would compare himself to The Babe, I wanted to tell Bonds to tell me about it after he pitches some World Series shutouts and wins 20 games a year on the hill. Ruth could have made the HOF if he was exclusively a pitcher. Tell me any player that was even close to Ruth in greatness.

Sorry, it did belong in trade winds. I believe the best offer so far is Hughes, Cabrera and a low pitching prospect. I think that Gio, Fields and Sweeney is a better offer. I'm just suggesting that if Kenny wants to "give the Sox the best chance to win this year" that getting Santana would do it- certainly more than trading for Miggy would or getting Hunter would. And, I do believe that the Twins would take the best offer from whomever and why not trade Santana to the Sox ? He'd probably only stay one year. The Sox would have to watch their 3 prospects play there for possibly 10 years.

I didn't know that. He has one for the length of the contract ? That's outrageous. I would rather have given Riske that contract instead anyway. I'd also rather the Sox have given Dotel 2 years for $ 12 mil.

Offer the Twins Fields, Gio and Sweeney for Santana. I think this offer might beat anything else the Twins are offered. Would you do it ? Would you also offer Santana a 6/$120 contract ?

The Twins are reportedly completing a trade to Tampa of Garza, Bartlett and Rincon for Delmon Young, Jason Pirdie and Brendan Harris. I'm sorry to say this but I just have a bad feeling that the Twins will quickly reload by trading Santana and Nathan thus adding even more elite young talent. This is what I wanted the Sox to do last year but instead KW's going for it all. Could the Twins actually add enough young talent this year to finish ahead of the big payroll, veteran laden, going for it all White Sox ? With K.C. willing to overspend on FA's and KW having such a difficult time filling all the holes, I'm worried that the Sox and their fans could truly regret not going the rebuilding route. Someone please tell me that I'm wrong.

Did I say trade anybody to the Red Sox ? No. That's whay I said "turn them into". I realize that it might take 3 or 4 trades to do it. But, those 3 definitely have trade value.

I think it sounds better than "he s*** his pants in 26 out of 30 opportunities to do so".

Assuming the Sox sign Hunter, I would still like to turn Crede, Uribe and Brian Anderson into Crisp(definitely will be moved)and a good reliever. This seems reasonable. Then, Owens can be a 4th OFer. But, the Sox need a backup SS and 2 more bench players. I would like to see them trade for Freel - it shouldn't cost much. Then, sign Loretta. So, I'm saying the bench would look like this: Owens: LF, CF, speed, LH Freel: LF, CF, RF, 2b, 3b, speed ,RH Loretta: SS, 2B, 3B, solid hitter, vet, RH Then, sign one more reliever from Japan and take your best shot.

Thanks. I just haven't seen that anywhere and would like to confirm that.

Scott Boras. End of story.

with who ?

I was kind of thinking/hoping that it would go like this: Joe Crede and Brian Anderson to Philly Coco Crisp to the White Sox and to the Red Sox....hmm...Carlos Carrasco ?

Kenny better concentrate on adding some serious pitching. I read in the Sox mailbag where Merkin writes that the 2008 bullpen might be very similar to last year's. Forget the season then especially with this starting staff.

I liked watching Garland pitch and I think he's underrated by most outside of Sox fans but he was also overpaid. I do thinnk that he's young enough and he can get better which is why I wanted to see him extended but it would've cost too much. Good luck Garland. I'll be rooting for you.

Look what he turned down for him last year. And, 4 months ago he turned down Renteria AND a pitching prospect.

You can't get the other one now. It would be too confusing.

I think after they trade Crede, they'll sign Ron Cey to play third base. Fields needs to go to Charlotte for more seasoning. Then, they'll sign Manny Mota for LF and bring back Julio Franco for second base. You don't want too much youth on your team. It messes up your scorecard with all these young guys circling the bases.