WHITESOXRANDY

Was he in the California Penal League ?

Does anyone have a picture of this guy ? I'd like to see what he looks like since I know I'll never see him on the Southside.

Seems like a Nick Masset type.

Anyone have a link ?

Yeah, I'd carry Dye on my back all the way down Halsted.

well..we know that draft picks are useless to the Sox so I would hope to just get one young player with real good upside like Matt Murton. But, it all depends on the diraction the team is going. If Kenny is really trying to contend next year, they might as well re-sign Dye.

It looks like they'll package this prospect along with the return from Boston for Dye and add Contreras to the Marlins for Cabrera. I think I heard Levine say this. Not sure ....I wasn't listening that closely.

I'm hearing that we got a catching prospect named Roach. Supposedly, he gets along real well with our Phillies acquisition....Doobie.

Apparently, there's no other team in on Dye so if he doesn't get traded to Boston then he's back with the Sox next year. Because they only get draft picks for him if they offer him arbitration and he turns it down. They won't and he won't so they would probably work out an extension. It looks like the Sox will take what Boston will give them.

It's very unlikely that there will be many deals to truly change the face of this team. Kenny is just too hamstrung by so many circumstances. 1. The farm system has so little of value in it for either trading or for replacing players at the M.L. level. The so-called talented pitchers are really not ready yet. The so-called talented outfielders should have been ready but aren't. 2. The only 2 real good hitters on the team are slow and older and expensive. 3. The two pieces that they most want to trade and where they could have gotten good value are, right now, untradeable - Crede and Contreras. 4. The uncertainty of the bullpen and the young pitchers picked up last year makes it hard to decide what they have in guys like Sisco, Masset, Aardsma, Floyd....even Thornton and MacDougal ? 5. The only thing that other teams want from them is their only strength and the one thing they need to keep in order to compete next year - the starting rotation. I'm afraid that Kenny will be pretty much forced to sit tight except for some small moves until he sees some more development from younger players or he gives it up and moves a couple of big pieces like Garland, Vazquez, Thome or Konerko.

This is what I would do since there is no good offer for Dye even though he is hitting well again and appears to be healthier. And, no, Wily Mediocrity Pena and Mediocrity Delcarmen is not a good offer. Dye's willing to give the Sox a discount. Give him a 2 year deal with an option for a 3rd. 2 years for $ 15 mil. In 2008 play Dye in LF. Sign Rowand (who will also give the Sox a discount) and keep Sweeney/Anderson/Owens to play with them. That's an adequate, possibly very good, outfield at a reasonable price. They don't need to make any deals there. Since they are clearly not going to rebuild, keep the rotation except Contreras. Turn Contreras, Mackowiack and Crede into a young SS with potential and a veteran bullpen arm. That's it. The Sox should be able to contend because Jenks, Thornton, MacDougal, Logan and Aardsma should be better next year along with another veteran. Plus, the guys down in Charlotte will have more experience. Hold onto Haeger and let some other guys develop. This team would have an outside shot at a playoff spot. It doesn't sound real exciting but if Richar and Fields step up it could get exciting.

It'll be interesting to see what Castillo brings. Can he be considered much better than Iguchi ? He's more expensive and has no power and can't run like he used to. You think they can get more than a Doobee ?

Your 2008 CWS outfield: Owens Pena Sweeney Rowand

If Masterson is not included then this trade stinks. We get an average relief pitcher and a below average outfielder. Oh wait....they're both cheap. That's the ticket. We couldn't get ONE top tier prospect ?

So, is the menage dead ?

He only has much value if he's able to pitch frequently against the White Sox. Another guy that the rest of baseball beat like a punching bag but the Sox couldn't touch him.

You guys are way off. I happen to know that the new manager will be Albert Belle.

Let's face it. When it comes to Free Agency the White Sox will not be outbidding the other teams for the services of a good player. They will sign free agents under basically one of two scenarios: 1. The player is coming off of injuries, has perceived attitude problems or some other issue that makes him undesirable to most teams and therefore the Sox can get him cheap and hope for the best. Examples; Dye and Pierzynski. This is why I think Kenny will sign Omar because he's coveted him for years and now his demand is so low that he can get him cheap. 2. The player for some reason is willing to sign with the Sox for less money than other teams are offering. Examples; Konerko and Buehrle. This is why they will sign Rowand and quite possibly re-sign Dye. Sox fans can be quite certain that the Sox will not sign Byrnes, Hunter, Jones or other sought after free agents. The best that we can expect is Rowand and maybe Kenny can get lucky again with some lower echelon free agents. Otherwise, there's the trade route but they'd have to give up a big piece or two to get anything significant back.

I don't know exactly what his actual height is. I was assuming that he was his listed 5'11". If he's 5" 6" ...well....that's different. Tom Gordon is listed at 5'9". I'm just saying that's not the biggest issue. Even if he can never handle a 230 inning workload and he needs to be limited to 190 - that's ok as long as it's a very effective 190.

Honestly, I'd rather hope for a still young Uribe figuring something out and getting his OBP above .300 while still hitting 20 homers than pay a 33 y.o., slowed down, injury prone Eckstein the same money for shoddier defense but more grinderlike performance. The reward isn't that great. His best days are behind him. I'd rather find a young guy with a good glove and lots of speed to try out even if his OBP is .270. Maybe he could steal bases and develop into a decent hitter. Is there anyone like that we could acquire ?

I'm not advocating that the Sox sign Omar for next year. I'm just predicting that they will. A one year deal with an option. I think Kenny will try to patch together a respectable team without spending any big money on free agents- Rowand will cost enough. And, really what else can you do if you refuse to rebuild ? If there are no implosions and things go well they could win 83 games and finish in 4th and say they were only 12 games back.

That's known as a bust.

To me it's looking like the Sox hold onto Dye, Jose and Iguchi. Therefore, my predictions for 2008 are: OUTFIELD: Dye, Rowand, Owens/Sweeney/Anderson SHORTSTOP: Vizquel SECOND BASE: Richar FIRST BASE: Konerko DH: Thome THIRD BASE: Fields CATCHER: A.J. GONE: Iguchi (FA), Erstad, Pods, Uribe, Crede Rotation: Mark, Javy, Garland, Danks and Floyd/Haeger/Broadway/Egbert/Gio Gone: Contreras Bullpen: ? Atleast 2 proven experienced pitchers added Payroll: a little less than this year but probably around $ 100 mil. That's the way I see it now. I think that Dye wants to stay enough to offer the Sox another sweetheart deal. Dye can probably still hit if healthy. Maybe he moves to left field. Iguchi may stay and re-sign but only if Richar doesn't impress in September. It's hard to say with Crede. I'd still be interested in keeping him if he fired his agent. Otherwise, I'd dump him. I can't see Kenny keeping Contreras and after the deadline they should rest him a bit and see if he can finish strong and trade him over the winter. I can't see how it would make any sense to trade another starter unless Kenny got an awesome package and he was willing to sign a veteran stop gap type like a Paul Byrd or someone. The bullpen obviously will be different. I would expect them to keep Jenks, Thornton and Logan. We'll obviously know more in about 5 days !

The size issue doesn't concern me but the command issue does. I don't think Pedro, Santana, Oswalt and some others are too big but command is a necessity.

Jerry Owens upside is Juan Pierre. If that does it for you then great. To me the only way that he starts is if: 1. He can play an adequate CF. 2. He has an OBP of atleast .370. 3. He steals atleast 50 bases with an 85 % success rate. Otherwise, it's not worth the bat you lose if he has to play LF. He has NO power so he MUST get on base a lot. He is showing himself to be a pretty good base stealer already so if he can get even better and hit .300 while drawing walks and takes care of Center ...well ....then you have Pierre but cheaper. If not, he's a 4th OF er.