NYSox35

I don't know if this has been posted already. If so, my bad... It's an awesome read. I never get tired of this guy. Way to go Kenny! "Man with a plan John Donovan, SI.com In a dugout in his workout clothes, spitting sunflower seeds and joking with passers-by, Kenny Williams doesn't cut the accustomed profile of a successful general manager. But no GM in baseball, from the old-timers to the cadre of young up-and-comers, is looking better as the 2006 season begins. Williams, entering his sixth year as vice president and GM, is coming off a season in which he guided the White Sox to their first World Series win in 88 years and a winter in which he fine-tuned those Sox, making them a favorite of many to repeat. It hasn't been a particularly quiet offseason for Williams, who turns 42 later this week. What he thought was an ulcer was actually a painful kidney ailment, and the subsequent surgeries laid him out for much of the past few months. A spat with former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas thrust him unwittingly into the headlines. Still, Williams was loose and in good humor as he sat and talked with SI.com's John Donovan about the Series and its aftermath, his ideas on building the Sox and what lies ahead for Chicago's new favorite team. Here are some excerpts: SI.com: It's been about five months since the White Sox won the World Series. How's the time gone? KW: It doesn't seem that long. I guess it would have been nice to see what it would have been like had I been healthy, to win it then to jump right into the normal -- well, I guess it wouldn't have been a normal -- offseason. But it wasn't until Jan. 3 that I had some downtime. Really, my offseason amounted to six weeks. Somebody asked me, "If you could be assured of winning it again and going through the same thing with the kidney stones and the catheter and the surgeries ... would you go through it again?" And I said "Hell, no. That'd be the year we just had to lose." I don't ever want to go through that again. SI.com: Still, you managed to get plenty done this offseason. The trades for Jim Thome and Javier Vazquez. The re-signing of Paul Konerko. You said in the Sports Illustrated baseball preview, "I didn't think the team we had in 2005 could win in 2006." Why not? That was a pretty good team. KW: We had a lot of things go our way. Offensively, although we had our power and we had the ability to manufacture runs, I felt like in order to kick it up a notch we were going to have to improve the offense. The defense was going to remain intact. We lose Aaron Rowand [in the trade for Thome], but [new center fielder] Brian Anderson will show people that he's certainly a guy that controls the area out there for you, in a big way. But the other way to get better -- and I think this is key to provide insurance against the extended season last year -- was to get the pitching better, too. That's why I went out and got Javy. Our pitchers had 230-something innings last year, each. I wanted [manager] Ozzie [Guillen] and the individual pitchers, both for the team's sake and their career's sakes, to have the assurance that, should they not quite be ready at the start of the season, or at some point they needed a break, that they wouldn't feel like they were hurting the team. If they need a break, the way we're currently constructed, fine. One of them comes out, Brandon [McCarthy] goes in for a spot start, you effectively can give one of them 10 days off until their next start. SI.com: How'd you decide on that plan of action? KW: It's just studying past teams that have gone deep into the playoffs and what happens to them the year after. Where they've been tripped up is the starting staff not being able to carry the same load that they carried before. Also, there's always been a mindset of mine is to work young players into the rotation and bullpen. This kind of affords us the opportunity to do both. SI.com: The White Sox were known, for much of last year, as a team that played "smart ball," as if you weren't a power team. But you smacked 200 home runs. And now you have Thome? KW: You look back on that, the day we made the trade for Carlos [Lee] and we got [scott] Podsednik and all those guys we got in Carlos' salary spot -- and that's really the way we looked at that deal [in December of 2004] -- if you look at that, I tried to tell people at the time that we're going to hit 200 and some odd home runs. It's just going to come from a variety of people. We're going to be better as a whole instead of being better in certain isolated areas. Nobody would listen. Somebody came up with "small ball" or whatever you want to call it ... OK, whatever. SI.com: Can a team be both a power team and play "small ball" or "smart ball?" KW: Yes. SI.com: Can this team, in 2006? KW: Yes. That's where we strived to be last year. We play in a ballpark that's conducive to the longball. We had no desire to take that aspect away from our offense. But over the past few years, we were one-dimensional. Power will come and go, but the other aspects of the game, situational hitting, running ... that has to be a constant. SI.com: Do you find it funny how people -- and I guess that means the media, mostly -- try to characterize your team? KW: There were so many things said about us -- how stupid we were -- we just stopped paying attention. I like to say I'm not too busy to listen to all the things that are being said on the peripheral, but I'm certainly too busy to pay attention to it. People have their opinion. That's OK. And you know what? An injury or here or there more, and their opinion could have been right on the money. We've had good teams before in the last five years that we thought, on paper, had an outstanding chance. It didn't materialize for whatever it's worth, and you become the village idiot. That's part of the gig, man. SI.com: You mention a lot of things going right for you last year. How much of winning the World Series was luck? KW: We had some injuries. Frank [Thomas]. Podsednik. [Jermaine] Dye with a bad groin. Duque [pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez] went down. We had our share. SI.com: So no luck, then? KW: Sure, we were lucky sometimes. So what? SI.com: Tell me what happened last September when you almost lost your huge lead to the Indians. KW: We didn't almost lose it. Cleveland almost won it. There is a difference. People were calling us chokers, and we're like "Whoa, we're winning two out of three. Three out of five." SI.com: You did have one stretch ... KW: We had one week. We had a bad week. That's when I thought I had the ulcer. They just played out of their minds. And hats off to them. But we always felt that, if it got close, we did pretty well against them. SI.com: I've heard stories that, on the bus ride out of Minute Maid Park in Houston after you completed the sweep of the Astros in the Series, you already were instructing your staff to think about next season. True? KW: The bus wasn't even out of the stadium. We had just taken off. We were still in the tunnel. I had to get 'em quick ... they'd have been drunk in another 10 or 15 minutes. SI.com: Your guys must've loved you spoiling the party. KW: I've been together with these guys 20-something odd years. They know me. I know them. There are no airs or spin put on around here. They were probably wondering what the hell took me so long. They knew it was coming. SI.com: But that soon? KW: It was important for them to understand that, yes, we won and yes, I'm happy. But this isn't the goal. It's part of the goal. We want to put ourselves in position on a consistent basis, like [Atlanta's] Bobby Cox and John Schuerholz have done, to give our city a sense of pride about their baseball team -- one of their teams -- give them a sense of expectation. A one-trick pony, I'm not interested in. That message needed to be sent, right then and right there. SI.com: How far do you think the White Sox have come in sending that message to Chicago? Has this changed how people think about the Sox in Chicago? KW: We had a million tickets sold on Opening Day last year. We got 2.2 million sold this year. As far as the general pulse ... I don't know. I have to ask someone that's a little bit more objective than me. Someone that pays a little more attention than I do. I can't get caught up in that sentimentality. That's why I didn't watch any of the World Series DVDs until we completed constructing this team going into spring training. Had I watched them, I don't know that we'd have done all the things that we needed to do. The drama, you can get caught up in it ... I'll forever love them for it, and be appreciative of it. But that was last year. That was that moment in time. SI.com: So what was the most extravagant thing you did to celebrate? KW: [Pause] I got sick pretty quickly. SI.com: Afterward, no champagne, no cigar, no dinner out? KW: [Pause] Me and my wife went to dinner -- we didn't pop open any champagne. Then we went to see a movie or something. SI.com: Wow. That's quite a celebration. KW: What the heck are you supposed to do? Listen, you were hired to do a job. Do the ------- job you were hired to do. And if you didn't do the job ... mostly you're going to get fired. SI.com: Nobody's going to call you a sentimental fool. KW: We did the Oprah show, and then we did the parade ... then the marketing people had all this stuff lined up. I went to my house in Scottsdale. "See you guys later." And I watched it on TV. I watched Ozzie on TV go to Venezuela. And I watched CSI or whatever. Then the NFL season ... I don't know what you're supposed to do. It wasn't elation. It wasn't a great sense of joy, I'll tell you that right now. SI.com: Sounds like relief, maybe? KW: More than anything, John, yeah ... You know why? 'Cause I've been in Chicago since ... 1983, '86 as a player. I've been there 22 years. I have felt the frustration. I literally have felt the tension in my neck and my back every game, every season, every pitch to where people don't even really want to sit with me to watch the game. That's the weight I got to carry around. So, I couldn't go from that state to joy or elation. I went from that state more to ... [exhale] whewww. One of the proudest moments I've ever had ... the guy comes out to sing the National Anthem in Game 1. The crowd starts to swell. Look at that ... [Here, Williams points to his thigh, where a healthy set of goosebumps has popped up as he talks.] The tremendous amount of pride that came over me. I looked and went "Wow, I had a hand in helping these people, generations of people, enjoy this thing that they've never had an opportunity to enjoy." Mind you, that only lasted until the first pitch. SI.com: Sounds like that was better than the actual winning of the thing. KW: Well ... after [the World Series clincher], there was that sigh ... but I just watched [owner] Jerry Reinsdorf every step of the way. In my mind, it was like I was just a bystander. It's been a lifetime dream of his. That's where my enjoyment came from, that's where my sense of accomplishment came from -- watching him. He was like a little kid. Then, when we got on the field, and Jerry's holding the trophy, and the players are chanting his name. And he starts to cry. It's moments like that, more than any professional feeling ... it's personal. That's the best way to put it. It's never been about a job. It's personal. SI.com: You've built this team with an eye toward getting a certain type of player in here, which brings up the old question of whether chemistry on a team is a byproduct of winning ... KW: I don't know. SI.com: ... or a necessary ingredient to winning. KW: You know how long I've been trying to figure that ---- out? I don't know. You gotta have some talented players at this level. Yes, we've looked at makeup first and foremost. But ... we don't have any great theories about this thing that we can go out and write a book about it. We want the grinder type guys, and as many guys that care about a "W," more than what they're hitting, as we can get. That unselfishness that these guys have ... a number of guys structured things in a way in their contracts so we wouldn't lessen their chance to win. But we can't take credit for that type of character. That's their mommas and daddies. That'd be awfully arrogant of us. SI.com: You're an ex-player and an ex-player development guy who seems to lean more toward old-school than new-school sabermetrics and statistical analysis. Accurate or not? KW: You know the funny thing is, because I come out and say, "The first question I ask is to my scouts and player development, and the last question is to my scouts and player development" ... that's true. But the reason I ask them is because [director of baseball operations systems] Dan Fabian and his group have deciphered all the numbers. Sometimes it starts with them. Sometimes it starts with the scouts. We're a blend. SI.com: OK, so here's a trick question. VORP? KW: What? SI.com: VORP? KW: What the ---- is that? SI.com: Win shares? KW: I know what that is. SI.com: Do you know how it's calculated? KW: I know the form that I get it in. The form that Dan puts it in that I understand is fine for me. If I had to go home tonight and calculate all of that stuff, there's no telling what I'd come up with. SI.com: Ever hear of PECOTA? KW: Yep. The only reason I know it is because those guys tell me. Some things, I'll be honest with you, it's too complicated for me. You have to be both. Then there are times, like Esteban Loaiaza [signed by the Sox before the 2003 season], where nobody ... The record says no, the walk-to-strikeout ratio has been declining. Here's what is says about pitchers who are nearing their 30s and blah blah blah and the scouts say no ... But you know what? That's why we have four TVs in my box up there. Because once we have identified these targets, we're watching. And Esteban Loaiza developed a cutter at the end of the year. If you're so locked into those theories, you don't create an atmosphere to where you can change or you allow a guy to develop and change. SI.com: You had that rather public, and fairly obscene, offseason spat with Thomas. We all heard about it. You told me that your grandmother got on you for that? KW: She didn't want to hear me cursing. She said [Here, Williams goes into his best grandmother impression] "Baby? I saw you on tee vee today. You know you were raised better than that, right?" "Yeah, I know Grandma." "Well, I still love you. You seemed kinda mad. I hope you get that evil out of you. We're gonna go to church on Sunday, I'm gonna gather the congregation, and we gonna pray for you." "Thanks, Grandma. Thanks." "We're not gonna have to see you cursing on that," ... what'd she say? ... "That E-S-P anymore. Right?" SI.com: I love the fact that the GM from the World Series champs can get put in his place by his grandma. KW: Man, when I got home after the World Series, I tried to tell my wife. She told me to do something, take out the trash or something. My kids forgot to take the trash out to the curb. So she said, "You need to gather the trash and take the trash out." So I said "Do you understand that you are talking to the general manager of the World Series champion?" She says, "Oh, excuse me. Why don't you take your championship ass out there and put the garbage on the curb. Mr. Champion." So I gathered the garbage and took it out."

QUOTE(Steff @ Mar 22, 2006 -> 03:43 PM) Smart move. Save that bulls*** for the other Sox sites that get hard on's for it. It's stupid bulls***. Take 5 minutes to look over the site and you'll see that it's business from March to October around here. Thanks for the tip...I've been around here a while, though I don't post often. Post police is part of the reason why I don't. At least the season is nearly here.

QUOTE(Steff @ Mar 22, 2006 -> 03:14 PM) Did ya post it here..? Yep.. you're a spreader. Ok, I'm not getting into a ridiculous, childish game with you. Yes, I spread a picture of Bobby having a good time. Guilty As Charged! Arrest me Soxtalk Police!

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Mar 22, 2006 -> 09:33 AM) Yeah I sure need to lighten up. Since I am the moral compass of soxtalk. :rolly I fail to see what is so funny about a baseball player taking a picture with an attractive woman. If you're so excited by it maybe you should go out in the backyard with a mitt and ball, practice really really hard, and if your lucky in a few years maybe that can be you in that pic. I got a kick out of the picture because I've never seen Bobby in anything other than a Sox uniform, or around anyone other than Sox players and coaches. For those of you that have, I apologize. I just don't like the way people tell people what they can and can't post on here (assuming it is within reason, and I think this particular picture is). Thanks for the thought, but I'm 25 and Baseball is not even one of my two best sports...

QUOTE(Steff @ Mar 22, 2006 -> 09:27 AM) Funny to spread bulls*** rumors and inuendo.. Stellar sense of humor ya got there. What is the rumor or inuendo of my picture... here is what it says on the site, "The original caption? "jamie, bobby jenks & me....reserve. thanx for the drinks all night bobby you lush."" I fail to see what bulls*** I spread. It's a picture of Bobby and two girls. Enlighten me please...

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 11:58 PM) How about not...they have been on here so many freaking times its ridiculous. Plus the story has been told, by people who were there that night. The pictures are da da dumb and really we have no good reason to be posting pictures of these guys over and over on this site. Thanks for the lecture... I posted the pic b/c I thought it was funny and so did some other soxtalk members based on replies to my posting. Lighten up

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 02:54 PM) lol if he wasn't an athlete no way would he get girls like that. My thoughts exactly! Way to milk the success, Bobby!!!

Saw this on... itsasecretsohush.blogspot.com and thought you'd all enjoy.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Feb 20, 2006 -> 09:50 PM) Well.... If not Contreras, then who? I doubt that we'd have even made the playoffs if not for what he did after the All Star Break. 11-2 1.14 WHIP 2.96 ERA He won 8 consecutive starts to close out the season, and then he went 3-1 in the playoffs. Hmm...yeah he was definitely the man... I'm not saying you're wrong, I just mean I think it could've been Paulie, Mark, or even JG.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Feb 20, 2006 -> 05:43 PM) 1. Contreras 2. Buehrle 3. Garcia 4. Garland 5. Vazquez I will go with last year's team MVP, Jose Contreras. And if the search function still worked, people could make me look really bad, because I used to talk all kinds of s*** about Contreras. Team MVP...interesting. I think that is not necessarily true. Buehrle, Contreras, Garcia, Garland, Vazquez for me

Welcome ChiSox James...Awesome post! I remember going to about a game or two a year as a kid growing up. One of my first memories is Catching an Ellis Burks HR in the outfield...and not having any Sox fans telling me to throw it back! I also remember going to games with my best friend from grammar school...he'd always do a running commentary of the games, loved Carlton Fisk, and I remember we'd always pick the winner of the CTA Bus Race Contest...that was before there was some type of game between every inning! I remember the summer of 2000 very well...I turned 20 in June, but worked in an office during summer break and went to 5 games with older coworkers and used to get bombed for free...I went 5-0 that summer during an awesome sox season. I was in NYC during most of the Sox 2005 run, but I was lucky enough to get to Game 2 of the World Series and soak up some of the magic...I will never forget it and doubt I will ever see a better game live. Welcome aboard and go Sox!

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 10, 2006 -> 10:46 AM) good looking out. On a side note, Rock, who is the girl in your Avatar? I have a weakness for blondes...just curious

QUOTE(JimH @ Jan 2, 2006 -> 02:42 PM) I will go further, one of the 20 best all around SS of all time. I'm only 25, but from what I've seen out of him, I would have to agree with you. I saw about 15-20 yankee games last year, and he's really something special.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jan 2, 2006 -> 02:38 PM) Intangibles maybe, or a history of making tough plays? Jeter has been doing it a lot longer and Juan really just came into his own this year. I agree...Juan is a nice SS for us, especially at his price, but you really can't compare him to Derek. Would you guys really turn your nose up at him being our #2 hitter? I love Juan and think he's a great fit for us, but Derek is one of the best that there is.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Dec 19, 2005 -> 10:29 AM) I can admit it. I had this funny notion about continuity and what it means to an NFL offense. I thought to myself "Kyyle23, Grossman really has only had 6 games of experience. What is it about him that makes everyone say 'pull the plug on Orton while this season is still going good!'?"(yes, I really refer to myself as Kyyle23 in the real world. It makes me feel like a double agent ) I didnt know. I fought it. I defended Orton a few times on game threads, but I thought moreso because the team was winning, and to that point he hadnt been hurting the team with his play. Then he steadily started regressing, and you could tell the defensive side of the team, while fantastically adept and strong, could not shoulder the load of the offense too. In Ortons defense, the past 5 games he has faced some very good defenses, in fact most of them top 10 units. But this was a season that couldnt be spoiled by a rookie hitting his wall(and bouncing off of it, hard), when the first choice as a starter was (supposedly)healthy on the bench. Orton was given the shot at keeping his job. I thought this was the correct move, and I think it will go a long way in keeping Orton progressing. Last night my wife asked me if Grossman was coming in at the beginning of the game. I thought that was very odd, she doesnt really like sports at all and she brought it up out of the blue. I said "if Orton does bad, then I think Grossman will come in." After the first series. it was just obvious to me that Grossman was coming in. And I embraced it. This is right. You dont lose your job to injury(unless you are Drew Bledsoe). And I f***ing love Lovie Smith. The guy is not afraid to make a change if something isnt working. And what happens when Grossman comes in? A f***ing 22 yard laserbeam to Muhammed. Hey White Sox Josh, I know you saw that. Now that was a Dan Marino type throw. Grossman eclipsed Ortons entire yard total of the first half, in one throw. So now I will say it. I apologize for defending Ortons right to stay at first string quarterback, I was misguided and didnt know what I was talking about. Grossman is obviously the better product. How about the intercception? Kyle didn't turn the ball over...

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 16, 2005 -> 12:15 PM) ^^^ Can this be put in giant bold letters atop Soxtalk? So it never has to be explained again. Allow me to suggest not clicking on the thread. It is a valid question.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 05:31 PM) I should buy you a shovel to help you dig the "i know nothing about baseball, but im trying to argue anyway" hole that you have made for yourself today. Between this ignorant argument, your suspicious man-love of Crede, and your lack of knowledge about the game of baseball, I think you have solidified the worst poster of the year award on this board. I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul. F'ing hilarious man...just hilarious

QUOTE(Soxpranos @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 05:13 PM) This trade sucks. Kenny messed up big time. Why do you say that?

QUOTE(AddisonStSox @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 11:30 AM) He lost me, TQ. I'm just awestruck. Clearly, there is another move in the wings, here, and I have no idea what direction Kenny is heading. Is he perfectly clear on what direction he is heading? I was always the first to salute Kenny and give him the benefit of the doubt--the man brought a World Championship to this city after 88 years--but, he truly lost an ardent supporter today. He flat-out cut off his nose to spite his face. -You lose bullpen depth in Luis Vizcaino. Remember bullpen depth? You know...one of the key components to that World Series Roster -You completely f***-up McCarthy's situation. That kid was absolutely ready for that fifth-starter's role this year and I can say that without a shaddow of a doubt. What the hell is going to happen there? Are you telling me you are going to stick Brandon in the bullpen for 2006, waiting for an injury? -It appears Jon Garland, a guy who would probably leave after this season, whom CAN BE REPLACED IN 2006 FREE AGENCT, is on his way out along with Chris Young, the Golden Boy and CF of the future. He lost me. He's going to have to earn this supporter--and his money, devotion, and time at the ballpark--back. Dude, Chill the F out man...have a beer or something. First of all, our pitching is even better than last year with Vaz as a #5. We've got brandon in the pen taking Viz's spot...the only person we're missing is Marte. If we get 1 serviceable pen arm, we are fine. Do you want to see this team good for the next few years? I do... and by good, I mean a threat to win it all. Do you realize that is what Kenny is doing here? There is a great chance Jon walks after this season, so now we've got a comparable pitcher in our control for 3 more seasons. Along with Mark and Freddy, that is a nice front 3. Figure we bring back Jose C and B Mac will be ready for next year. As far as young, we are loaded with OF talent. You seriously need to get back from the ledge. Saying you're done supporting this team now if f'ing assinine.

QUOTE(Felix @ Dec 10, 2005 -> 11:31 AM) Frank and Rowand without a doubt in my mind. You are either sentimental about Frank's run here and Rowand's part in the championship, or you think Frank will be healthy for a full year (very unlikely). Before you point to Thome's injury last year, look at his career #'s - he is not injury prone like Frank. I'll take our new thunder in the middle of the lineup without much of a loss in CF. Thome & Anderson!

QUOTE(JDsDirtySox @ Dec 8, 2005 -> 02:40 PM) I am one of the people who voted for NO. Sure I like Rob Mackowiak as a utility player... but not at the price of Damaso Marte. I agree Damaso fell on rough times this year, but I don't think that trend will continue. Marte is a quality left handed reliever. I cringe at the thought of having Mike Myers on this team. Mike Myers blows. I would have much rather gone into this season with Marte and a guy like Jose Vizcaino or even Jose "manos" Valentin. My feelings could be soothed on this trade depending on who gets added to the pen... but I don't see this move as making our team better. Agreed...for being such an outcast on here, in a down year, his #'s weren't bad... i'm not much of a fan of the move

I voted no... I'm not fuming, but I like Marte and I think he could've bounced back this year. Are we forgetting what a good job he did in Game 3 of the World Series? He's an inexpensive, proven LH Reliever...more of a rarity than what Rob brings to the table. I trust Kenny though at this point...I'd be crazy not to. Thanks Damaso for your time!