Rex Hudler

I've seen some of the opinions on here of what White Sox fans think about their own team. Red Sox fans are ten times worse. I don't have to read that link to know what it says. That doesn't mean it is credible. Those fans were probably calling for him to bench Damon and Bellhorn too and look how that turned out. Hell, they were chanting Pokey the other night when Bellhorn didn't make a play in Game 3, I believe. I am not saying that Francona or other managers never make bad decisions. They are human. Everyone makes mistakes. But it is a lot easier for fans to "evaluate" a manager in hindsight. Sometimes managers make wrong decisions. Sometimes they make right decisisons and things still turn out wrong. I'll admit, I questioned for a minute bringing in Pedro last night before I really thought about the situation. I thought he should have sat Bellhorn and possibly even Damon. Looks like my initial thoughts were wrong on all three!

Some thoughts on Omar....... -- He is interested in the Sox. To what degree, I am not sure, but I know he has interest. -- He would still like to stay in Cleveland if possible. He knew his option would not be picked up. If Cleveland would give him a halfway decent deal, he would stay in a heartbeat. -- Staying in Cleveland isn't likely because Omar would like at least a two year deal. They will likely only offer him one year. -- Omar and Ozzie both being Venezuelan will help the Sox, but Ozzie is not the only reason he would come here. He likes the city of Chicago. -- All players care about the money, but Omar is not "all about the money" like many others. -- He hates batting leadoff, so the Sox plans could have an impact on their ability to sign him. -- Health is not an issue. He had a shoulder problem early in the season, but that has healed and he is in the best shape he has ever been. -- He is still very productive and one of the best defensive SS in the game. -- Omar never was, nor never will be the type of hitter that Nomar, ARod, are. Don't expect it.

You need to get a clue....... Omar is not Robbie. Guilt by association is often incorrect.

Obviously Francona felt more comfortable putting the best pitcher he had in that situation. He has been with that team every daysince February. I'm not questioning that. He did what he felt he had to do and won. Why does everyone have to feel like they are smarter than the guy in the dugout who deals with his team every day?

Manny Ramirez OF BOS Signed Dec 2000 - 8 years/$160M 2001: $13.0M (+$16.0M signing bonus paid over 5 years) 2002: $15.5M 2003: $18.0M 2004: $20.5M 2005: $20.0M 2006: $19.0M 2007: $18.0M 2008: $20.0M 2009: Team option $20.0M 2010: Team option $20.0M -Deferred salary: $3M from 2001, $4M from 2002-2008 -Receives $1M bonus if traded -Numurous bonuses for MVP awards, All Star appearances, Silver Slugger Alex Rodriguez SS TEX Signed Dec 2000 - 10 years/$252M 2001: $21.0M^ (+$10.0M signing bonus paid between 2001-5) 2002: $21.0M* 2003: $21.0M~ 2004: $21.0M~ 2005: $25.0M* 2006: $25.0M* 2007: $27.0M* 2008: $27.0M~ 2009: $27.0M~ 2010: $27.0M~ -Deferred salary: ^$5M *$4M ~$3M deferred at 3% to 2011-2020 -Can void deal after 2007, 8 or 9. Guaranteed salary increase for 2009&10 -Numurous bonuses for MVP awards, All Star appearances, Gold Glove etc. Keep in mind that Texas is paying a big chunk of ARod's $$$.

Why not put Pedro in? The Sox bullpen was thin. They had used Arroyo two nights in a row, Foulke had thrown way too much including three innings the night before. Embree had not been all that effective. They needed to get three innings out of their bullpen. It was Pedro's day to throw (on the side). He is one of your best two pitchers. Why would you not think you could get an inning or two out of him to help get you closer to the end of the game?? Besides, after Pedro gave up the three hits, he settled down quite nicely and looked pretty damned good. Francona managed like he said he would, using all available resources. And he won. Let it rest......

I didn't watch Willie play on a daily basis, but .263 with an OBP of .343 isn't that damned bad for a guy in his first full season in the Majors. Considering he was never a .300 hitter anyway, I don't see any reason why he can't improve on those numbers next year. He will have to be more consistent if given the chance, but his numbers don't indicate that he was as bad as everyone says.

Absolutely you can learn to steal bases. Stealing bases is less about speed than it is learning how to read pitchers and their moves. Knowing when you can get a jump. and when not to run. Yes you need speed to be a great base-stealer, but not all guys with speed are that.

Unfortunately there isn't much time to teach in the Minor Leagues either. Their spring training is much shorter than MLB Spring Training. They play 140 games in 152 or 153 days, so there isn't a lot of time to work on things. They do fundamental drills before BP sometimes, but you can't wear guys out when they are playing every day. A note about spring training..... The Sox have their 40-man roster in camp as well as non-roster invitees, totalling usually around 55-60 players. When Minor League camp starts, many of them are still up with the big club in camp. Even after they are sent down to minor league camp, they are often pulled back up a few times a week to fill in with the big club. This presents a problem for several reasons. Because so many guys are in big league camp, minor leaguers are correspondingly moved up a level. So many of the guys playing in the AAA games will be in AA for the season and so on. What happens is that when all of it shakes out, often, Minor League teams have a week or less with their full team to work on things before they break camp to begin their own season. Not all instruction is individually oriented, so this makes it harder and gives teams less instruction time overall. Also, when players are in big league camp or when they are pulled up to the big club for a day, the training regimen is much different. Minor League camp is very organized and is a long day. Players come in early to get individual work, then they do team drills, play a game and then do their conditioning work. Once the MLB teams are playing games, most of that instruction stops. So if a Brian Anderson gets called to play with the big club twice a week, that is two days of instruction and drills he is missing, because all he has to do is report for BP and the game with the big club.

Vizquel would not sign to play alongside Alomar. They aren't the best of friends..

What does Raines doing Coke in the 80's (when apparently half the Major Leagues were doing it) have anything to do with his ability to be a Major League coach in 2005? Why would Rickey Henderson be any better? Just so you know, I could give a s*** either way, but I would like to hear your arguments.

What is the problem with Raines? In all honesty, I don't see the 1B coach as a particularly important hire in the first place, but unless I am reading too much into your words I am sensing you have a problem with him. Fess up!

I know the White Sox like to get all their proverbial ducks in a row before announcing coaching staffs. At least they do on the Minor League level. It is possibly that Raffy will be reassigned to the Minor Leagues, possibly as a roving instructor again. If that is the case, they may be waiting until they have made decisions on all the coaches before they make an announcement. Or at least the MLB coaches, and Minor League Instructors.

Raines himself told a buddy of mine at a charity golf tournament over the weekend.

Steff, or anyone close to the Sox, is there any truth to this rumor? Did I miss an announcement? Is this old news?

I understand the comment and the point he was trying to make. It wasn't that far off. A solo HR makes the game 4-3. A walk puts the tying run at the plate. Either way, the second batter has to score as well as the first, regardless of how it happens. As someone pointed out on another board, the only difference is that with a walk, a ground ball could net you two outs rather than one if the bases are empty. The comment sounded goofy, but the point he was trying to make is valid.

Where would you spend the money, Past?? How would you run the club if it were your money?

Like I don't know already?

Just means he will talk to Boras about what Scott wants to do. If he wants to be a starter, the Sox will likely let him go so he can pursue that with another club. The player has a right to express his desires to the club.

Steff, is ELo smiling in that picture because you are touching his chest or because of the position of your OTHER hand? ;-)

Carl Everett revisited??

I find it funny that they lead with this line, yet Davis missed out on the two biggest prizes in Indiana in Josh McRoberts and the Zeller kid from Washington. Also, no word on the possibility of getting the Odon kid who is possibly considered the best junior in the country this year. Looks like he can get the guards, but not the big men.

For all of you mods out there...... The latest JimH/Israel4ever fight has given me an idea. These two are not the only ones that do battle here on occasion (including me), so this is not meant to specifically point them out. When a thread is overtaken with an argument, how hard would it be for a moderator or administrtor to grab all of the argumentative posts only and drop them into a new thread, in essence giving the arguing parties their own thread to say whatever the hell they want to, while allowing others to continue with the topic? Does that make sense?

I'm not saying you are wrong, but a few scouts I talked to during the season think he will end up being a corner OF. I think that is where Josh is coming from. I didn't really see him play enough while healthy to say one way or the other. He certainly isn't a burner, but he is a good athlete.

I wasn't there when it happened, so I won't assume it is bulls***. It probably is, but think about it this way. Balls that are hit into the stands or that go into the stands on an errant throw are not in anyone's control. Balls thrown into the stands by an outfielder are. I have noticed this often over the last couple of years. Players think they are doing a good thing by tossing or throwing balls into the stands. However, it is a matter of time before all of this comes to an end. At some point, when an outfielder catches the third out of an inning, turns and heaves the ball 50-100 feet into the crowd, someone is going to get popped the wrong way. More than just a bump. Whether it is a direct hit, a deflection off of someone or someone gets hurt because 8 people are all fighting over it, it will happen. I don't know how many times I have see a player in a Minor League game toss a ball seemingly harmlessly into a small crowd from just a short distance away. Sometimes 4 or 5 kids go after it. Sometimes there are adults and kids together. Most of the time, nothing ever happens. But it will only take one ball to hit someone the wrong way and affect their eyesight, or to break someone's nose, to go along with a lawyer and a judge that will end all of this. Teams will tell their players to stop doing it. Whether this is that situation or whether this situation has merit or not, I have no clue. But watch and see, it will happen eventually.