Rex Hudler

Why would Pavano want to come to the Sox? Let's say the Sox offer him $14 million over 2 years. Let's also say so do the Yankees, Red Sox, Marlins, Dodgers and another team or two. All the offers are in the same range if not exactly the same. Why would he choose the Sox? What can the Sox offer him the other teams cannot? What would make Pavano feel better about coming to play on the South Side than staying in Miami where he has been successful and won a World Series? What would make him want to come to Chicago rather than go back to the northeast where he was born? Or to enjoy the laid back, movie star lifestyle of southern California? On any of those teams he would be a featured starter, although not necessarily a #1 or #2. Many other teams would give him a better shot at another World Series. This is something the Sox need to really consider as do fans, especially ones that just assume tossing money at a guy will get him to Chicago. Is there something the Sox can do differently or a way they can be better? So I ask everyone here......... why pick the White Sox over another team? Think unbiased and be open-minded. Consider the strengths of the other teams as well. I look forward to well thought out answers, class.

I'll vote on neitehr Guillen nor Everett, but that doesn't seem to be an option. I don't know how to explain it to you other than the fact that if you have never been in a clubhouse or been part of a team, you can't understand it. Good players who are negative influences can and often do have a negative impact on their own teams, DESPITE their own success on the field. It is hard to grasp because it is not quantifiable and many things that happen in a clubhouse are never known by fans. The concept is legit whether it is easy for fans to grasp or not.

You're right on........ Kenny Lofton was another such player. He got off to a hot start for the Sox but when the Sox struggled, his play/effort dropped off. Funny how it got better when he got traded to a team in the playoff hunt. If players only gave full effort to teams in the playoff hunt, no new team could ever get in, because all of their players would be tanking it. That is unprofessional and not acceptable, yet unfortunately, not too uncommon.

The point is Super Steve, it is easy to play hard when on a "contender" or when things are going well. A true professional playes hard and gives a good effort ALL the time, not just when it is convenient for him. When you get these types of players, you run the risk that if all does not go well, you will have a dog on your hands. The Sox need to get away from this kind of player, not gamble that they will be good enough or be able to keep the player happy enough to give an effort worthy of earning his paycheck.

Basically Dusty said that blacks could handle the heat better than white players. He alluded to their African heritage. There was nothing said about handling the cold. It was pretty stupid comment.

My question is why in the hell would you trade for a guy in that bad of shape? Regardless of how pissed off you were at Rauch, why in the hell would you give up two players for an out-of-shape, moody player who only has one good season out of every three........ and he just had it!! Re-acquiring Carl Everett was just STUPID and totally reactionary by KW.

Nightmare scenario? Not sure it classifies as a nightmare because it is realistic, but here goes. Sox increase payroll to $85 million, announcing a commitment to the future. Sox still finish second, 6 games behind the Twins. Pick your excuse, someone gets hurt, someone disappoints, or whatever you want....... there will be one.

Great, Carl's back!!! Fathom, the problem with your original idea of not having Frank back is that the Sox are in the exact same boat with him. He has the control over whether he comes back. The Sox do not. And he knows now one else will give him the $8 million he will be getting from the Sox.

Cheat, not sure what your point is with that last post, but numbers do not tell the whole story. Those that believe clubhouse chemistry doesn't matter, have never been in one. There are negative influences in every clubhouse..... how they are dealt with can make a huge difference oh how a team does over the course of a season.

Jason, Guillen is not the player the Sox want or need. Don't underestimate the impact a guy can have on a clubhouse. 1999 Pittsburgh 1999 Tampa Bay 2000 Tampa Bay 2001 Tampa Bay 2002 Arizona 2002 Cincinnati 2003 Cincinnati 2003 Oakland 2004 Anaheim There is a reason he has played for six teams in six years!

Thanks........ things like that are nice to know.

I know of a local production company here that has 9 trucks. In the fall, they are not only doing college football all over the place, but various other college sports that get televised on local stations. During the SEC Baseball Tournament, the games on Wed-Fri are broadcast on CSS which is a Comcast channel also picked up in the Southeast by Charter. Teh games on Saturday and Sunday are broadcast by Fox SportsSouth. The trucks and production people are the same regardless of who is actually doing the broadcast.

And how much have the Sox won with Frank over the years?? Perhaps you have answered your own question?

Could be the production companies are spread thin and are working other events. The companies that do the camera work, do the stats, provide the TV trucks, etc. are generally outside production companies. I have seen Fox SportsSouth do many games down here and never did they have their own trucks. Ditto for ESPN. They'll combine the two productions and get camera feeds from the other broadcast. What's the big deal?

And this came from where??

Big difference between Nevin and Borchard...... Nevin immediately went to AAA after being drafted and succeeded there. He stumbled a bit before reaching the Majors full time, but a lot of that is because he was an asshole and didn't work real hard. He was also given many chances at the Majors, more than Borchard has or will be given. I am not saying that Borchard won't ever become a decent MLB player, but I don't see his and Nevin's situations as real similar.

He would have been in Birmingham all year. No way he would have smelled Chicago. The opportunity wasn't there.

One word.................. no

Why in the hell would the Sox actively seek a problem child? The Sox need to get away from that kind of player. The Sox will never go after Beltran. The Angels will give the 1B job to Kotchman, so they don't have a need for Konerko.

That's because 90% of pitchers throw 90 mph or less, especially out of HS and college. Don't be duped by all the scouting reports.

moved to 8:30 eastern time as of now........... DRays and BJays canceled for tomorrow. Having gone through a hurricane last week, I have a new found respect for those things. And I am 4 hours inland!

Playing both sides of the fence...... I do recall reading that Valentin rated high in the newest such research on how to rate defensive players. I don't see him play everyday, so I can't make a personal judgement. It's just too damned bad the guy can be so bad at the plate.

Just tossing in a random pic, having nothing at all to do with the current topic.......

How do you differentiate between outfielders who play behind pitchers that are predominantly fly ball pitchers? If a guy plays CF behind a staff that has three ground ball pitcher's does that mean he is not as good of a CF because he has less chances? There are a million possible scenarios like that. Pardon me for not being up on the details of zone rating and range factor.

I don't understand the ins and outs of range factor and zone rating either. I know that the new "moneyball" has Billy Beane, Theo Epstein and others trying to find a way to quantify and measure a player's defensive ability. The old school baseball guy in me still sees way too many variables to really tell how good a player is defensively. In all honesty, seeing a game a week isn't enough either. To really see the effect a player can have you have to see them day in, day out. It is impossible to see every player in the Majors every day, which is why they are trying to find ways to compare players defensively. I am just not sure how it can be done when things such as positioning and something as simple as how often a pitcher hits his spots can affect how many balls a defender can get to.