South Side Fireworks Man

If Paulie isn't so sure he would sign with the Sox even if they offered him more money than another team, which is what he said, why would he consider playing for the Cubs, unless the Cubs absolutely blew every other offer out of the water with some ridiculous contract? If Paulie winds up signing with the Cubs for anything close to what the DBacks, Angels, White Sox, Red Sox etc. would likely be willing to pay him, I'll lose all respect for the man.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Nov 26, 2010 -> 06:36 PM) Sign Orlando Hudson to play 2B, he consistently posts a line of about .280/.350/.420 and averages about 60 RBI from the top of the order. Let him play 2B and use Beckham either in a trade for Rasmus or move him back to 3rd. He would cost about $5M, and you can still afford to resign Konerko and/or go after Dunn. Pierre Hudson Rios Konerko/Dunn Rasmus CQ Alexi Catro/AJ Morel/Vizquel Not bad.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Nov 26, 2010 -> 05:36 PM) Now if you talk about a FA signing that would help us let's talk about Uribe. Sign Uribe to play 2B, then include Beckham in a trade with the Cardinals that includes Colby Rasmus.

QUOTE (spiderman @ Nov 25, 2010 -> 10:23 AM) I'm not sure that they are any better, probably about the same. Dunn is always good for his 30+ HR's (maybe 40 again) so I like that as a DH, Lee is coming off a subpar season, but that could be who he is now at this point of his career. I really think they need to add a veteran catcher, if it isn't AJ. Your scenario isn't bad, I just don't know if the team is any better. I don't see that team contending with no catcher and Quentin in RF. If they brought in Dunn to DH, Lee to play 1B and brought back AJ, maybe they'd have a shot. If the money isn't there, I'd rather they go with Viciedo at 1B over Lee and re-sign AJ instead of sacrificing AJ for Derrick Lee.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 23, 2010 -> 04:18 PM) What options do we have when someone else offers AJ $7/year. That's why I would have liked the Sox to offer him arbitration. But since the Sox brass thought otherwise, they better be able to either re-sign him or get someone better to take his place. Tyler Flowers is not an acceptable option. The Sox won't get anyone as good as AJ for any cheaper what AJ would cost them anyway. The Sox made their decision, now the onus is on them to get a good catcher. I hope it's AJ.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 23, 2010 -> 04:06 PM) Sounds about right to me. I want no part of AJ at around $7 million. I would be interested at around half of that. As long as we don't go into the season with Flowers or Castro as the starting catcher. AJ at $5M per year for a couple of years would be fine by me. Or maybe more like $4.5M per year for two years with a team option for a third year with a $1M buy out.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 17, 2010 -> 06:00 PM) There is no reason Dunn couldn't play 1st decently enough. I respectfully disagree. Dunn is not very good at 1B at all from what I've seen.

QUOTE (balfanman @ Nov 4, 2010 -> 03:15 PM) I would only want V Mart on this team as a primary dh, part time 1st baseman, and 3rd string, emergency catcher only. That would be great. I'd love to see the Sox sign Martinez to be the starting DH and re-sign AJ to be the starting Catcher with Castro as the primary backup. Having Martinez as a third string catcher gives the Sox a lot of real versatility with being able to pinch hit and/or pinch run for the catcher more freely. I wouldn't want to see the Sox even consider bringing Martinez in to be the starting catcher however. And I hope Flowers is not on the 25 man roster when they break camp.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Oct 30, 2010 -> 05:22 PM) Look in your crystal ball and predict Tank's future, especially next year. I personally think he's KW's boy and will be our backup 1B and half a DH combo. I think his bat is ready but where do you fall in all of this? More seasoning in AAA? I see it the same way you do.

Uribe was probably all around the best SS, the best 2B and best 3B the Sox have had in a very long time. At least up until the last four months of 2010 when Alexei really stepped it up at SS anyway.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 28, 2010 -> 04:20 PM) I'll be honest, I root for Uribe to succeed more than I did for Thome when they went elsewhere. Same here.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 26, 2010 -> 04:02 PM) I like all of these moves. It's obvious to bring Thornton back and makes a lot of sense to retain Castro. Very glad to see Torres leave, as he's a talentless hack with no marbles. Yes to all your points.

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ Oct 26, 2010 -> 05:35 PM) If he leaves how about joe mcewing takin the spot I'd like to see Carl Everett brought back as a coach.

QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Oct 5, 2010 -> 03:52 PM) I always thought Hahn was more of a legal/financial type. Is there any indication he knows what he's doing with personnel decisions? "Everyone thought we got him as an insurance policy for Joe Crede at third base," assistant general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday. "But you know what? This guy can really play some center field." Hahn on acquiring Mackowiak Does that answer your question?

QUOTE (joeynach @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 07:43 PM) The question is do the white sox offer arbitration to AJ and PK with the hopes of either getting them to comback on 1 year deals or rejecting them and allowing us to acquire the draft picks. The sox have a real opportunity to get younger and stockpile some picks here. Remember AJ, PK, Putz, Vizquel, Jones, Kotsay are all free agents. If they all leave we clear salary for sure, but may also get the opportunity to acquire compensatory picks and bring so much needed youth and turnover to the 25 man roster. The only reason I say this is because if you bring back everyone mentioned and do field the same team with $120M payroll Im still not sure its a 95 win team that can even get past the Twins....again. I think the Sox will offer Konerko arbitration for sure. As for AJ, I would think they'll try to work out a contract to avoid arbitration. Something like two years at 4 to 5M per year plus an option year with a 1M buyout.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 02:27 PM) Really, you expect none of Crawford, Werth, and Dunn will wind up being a bad deal 2-3 years into it if they're signed for market value? Forget it. Let's just go with what we have. I can't wait to see Flowers handle the staff while batting .220 and striking out 200 times and Teahen and Quentin butchering plays in RF and alternating as sub-par DH's. Pierre's good enough in LF, I guess. Bring on the Twins!

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 02:02 PM) You're actually looking at more of a Cubs way, without the consistent attendance figures to support such a team. Nope. Cubs give ridiculous contracts to lousy players. They also tend to bid against themselves. I don't think signing Crawford, Werth and Dunn along with Konerko and AJ to market-value contracts is the same as signing losers like Soraino, Bradley, etc. to exhorbitant contracts that no other team is even coming close to offering. Again, in case anyone couldn't tell, my suggestion is more tongue in cheek than anything but still the point is I wish the Sox would go out and get what they need instead of intentionally going into the season with a glaring hole hoping to fill it cheaper at the trade deadline. And also I'm sick of hearing how the Twins are such a great organization when they are just as bad as the Cubs when it comes to post season play. In fact if it weren't for the Sox rolling over for them they would never even make the playoffs. The Yankees go out and get whatever they need. Maybe if the Sox operated that way they wouldn't have as big a problem with their attendence. And I wonder what the Yankees attendence would be if they went into seasons with guys like Kotsay as their DH or Dewayne Wise as their starting CF and leadoff man.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 01:53 PM) Bullpen (you're missing a closer and atleast one setup man and middle reliever), possibly starting rotation if Peavy doesn't come back near 100%. You trade Pierre and Quentin for some bullpen help. Peavy should come back, but if not Jackson has proven to be an adequate replacement. Sale or Garcia can be the fifth starter if needed. Of course this is just a pipe dream anyway, but the point was to stop slobbering all over the perennial loser Twins and their "way." I prefer the Yankee way.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 01:39 PM) With alot of holes to fill still. What holes?

Do it right for once. Re-sign AJ and Paulie. Sign Crawford for LF. Sign Werth for RF. Sign Dunn for DH. Don't sit there mumblin', talking trash - If you wanna have a ball you gotta spend some cash! C'mon JR, KW and Ozzie. Stop slobbering all over the Twins way and start doing it the Yankee way!

QUOTE (elgonzo4sox @ Oct 9, 2010 -> 09:01 PM) All too familiar. The Twins played dirty against us, and Ozzie and the umps let them get away with it. However, the umps treat it a little differently when you're throwing at A-rod or Texiera rather than Quentin or Beckham. Ozzie is no Joe Girardi. Gardenhire respects/fears Girardi. Nobody respects Ozzie nor fears throwing at the Sox since he's been the manager. And the umpires have it in for Ozzie as well because of him shooting off his mouth publicly all the time. Anyway, the Twins are hot garbage and have shown once again that they are no different than the Cubs when it comes to post season play. So much for the Twins "Doing it the right way." The Yankees showed the Twins once again what the "right way" is. If the Sox didn't fold like a house of cards whenever they play the Twins, the Twins would never even make the playoffs. Let's hope Ozzie and the Sox finally take note and stop mentally defeating themselves by slobbering all over them every time they play Minnesota and just go out and kick their asses next year and from now on.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Oct 5, 2010 -> 06:14 PM) I long for the day that the Sox look past the fact that Boras is a vermin and work with him. Its a fact of business that sometimes you need to deal with scum. Grin and bear it. Boras normally doesn't allow his players to sign an extension with the team they currently play for. Also, he likes to drag free agency out as long as possible making it difficult for the player's current team to plan their roster. He tries to get a team to bid against themselves in hopes of settling the contract in a timely fashion. It's easier to deal with Boras if the client is not currently on your team and you have the money to spare. It's much more difficult when the player is already on your team and you're trying not to lose him and you need to know if you have to replace that player before it's too late.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 8, 2010 -> 06:52 AM) I thought Rios was fine, but apparently Ozzie projects him more as a RF. Ozzie.....ugh!

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Oct 7, 2010 -> 09:53 PM) Why would you not believe he's their #1 target? He should be. Sox need a RFer, Crawford plays LF. Unless the Sox are going to unload Pierre, I can't see them getting into a bidding war with the Yankees and others for Crawford with the intent of playing him out of position. I don't believe the report because like someone else mentioned, the Sox would have to be very careful about revealing that their number one target is a guy who is currently still playing in the post season - that would be tampering. I wouldn't put too much stock in anything that is reported on WSCR anyway. If anything, KW or someone on the Sox is feeding some sap on the SCORE some misinformation to keep under the radar on whom their real top target may be. Personally, out of all the free agents out there I'd like to see them persue Jayson Werth.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Oct 7, 2010 -> 06:21 PM) I don't think he would be a good clubhouse guy and no I have no evidence but even watching him tonight, his team losing and his behavior in the dugout... He probably would be an upgrade over CQ in RF, but way too early for this, IMHO. I don't believe the report that Crawford is the Sox' number one target anyway and I doubt that they will sign him. But regardless, I hope the Sox wouldn't pay the guy a ton of money and then plan to play him out of position. If the Sox sign Crawford he better be their starting Left Fielder.