kevin57

I agree there will be a signing for 2-3 years. It will be "reasonable" given the strastopheric salaries going to starters this year. I really do hope JG or his agent say SOMETHING. I would love to have him signed for 3-4 years, but I'm not optimistic.

QUOTE(SoIL @ Dec 17, 2005 -> 03:54 PM) Yeah, that's probably a poor choice of words and that did cross my mind after I posted. What I meant was the Sox didn't dominate in the sense that we rarely blew the other team out. We played a lot of tight games. We seemed to sqeak by game after game and we came real close to losing first place. 99 wins, first place every day of the season and 11-1 in the post season certainly is domination. It just didn't feel like it, at least the second half of the season. The first half I was completely amazed how the Sox just kept winning. It was truly a great season. Even a magical one. My point is we can't expect that to happen again, so changes for improvement are necessary. Identify where the team is weak and address that. On that we agree 100%. I don't think there were more than a handful of games in that whole schedule where I didn't need Tums, Junk Food, or Booze...or all three!

The Trib today reports that Contreras is anxious to sign an extension with the Sox. He's saying that everything about the team is perfect, from the groove he's gotten into to the fans. What it doesn't mention is that he's been reading about the Vazquez trade and how KW, who has intimated that it's time for Garland and Contreras to "get serious," will likely trade (IMO) the guy who doesn't sign an extension.

QUOTE(SoIL @ Dec 16, 2005 -> 03:23 PM) Our luck is almost guarenteed not to be as good. We got a lot of breaks last year. I highly doubt we win as many one run games in 06 as in 05. We certainly weren't dominate during the regular season. I'll definitely miss Rowand, and I would've liked to see El Duque go to the bullpen, but that ain't gonna happen. I think it would've been stupid not to try and improve the team (or any team for that matter). And I think we probably have. The talent on paper does look better. I am a little concerned about the team "chemistry". I wonder how much Everett, El Duque and especially Rowand brought to the table as far as drive and desire to win. If the team still has the "us against them" mentality and the hunger we should do very well. Hopefully Kenny has done his homework on this, and I think he probably has. While I agree with most of your post, 99 wins sure looks dominant to me.

QUOTE(vandy125 @ Dec 16, 2005 -> 12:23 PM) Fixed: 2005 - (Jim Thome + Javy Vasquez) = Championship in 2005 A bit redundant, but I doubt we would win again with the same team. You shouldn't throw this "higher math" at us. I have a hard enough time figuring out basic addition.

After being frustrated by Crede's offense all regular season long, he did turn it on in the post-season. I get a feeling that he may have finally found his groove. I would like to keep him, but there's this BorASS in the way, which will make things difficult.

I would like to believe this is a White Sox town, but certainly not yet, I'd say. The Sox made some blunders in their marketing so that many, many 30-40 year olds (yes, that key demographic) barely relate to the Sox as a Chicago team, let alone cheer for them. As has been said, this used to be a Sox town. It can again be one. But it will take time to rebuild it as so. What is not noted in this article is if the Trib dumps the Cubs because of their financial problems (anyone see how the Braves are being dumped by their conglomerate?), how much that will change the "Cub town" dynamic.

Given that Kenny called Garland (and maybe Contreras?) out the other day, saying it was time "to get serious," I'm seeing, "First one to sign an extension gets to stay with a Championship Team. The other guy can get used to, oh, Tampa Bay." Some have argued that having six starters going into next year wouldn't be a bad idea, given the idea that having lots of solid starting pitchers is never a bad thing. Plus, with the WCS, the possibility of injuries, that pitching "insurance" is desirable. I would not like to see BMac in the pen. I think he's a starter and I think he'll do well next year in that role.

QUOTE(lightthematch @ Dec 15, 2005 -> 12:20 PM) "I am getting so sick of it, I could puke geysers of blood out of my eyes. You might want to see a doctor. Could be serious.

While I disagree with the thread, I do empathize with it. Yes, baseball is a business and yes, the Sox are preparing for the long-haul, but this thread does harken back to when players and fans "bonded," so it was loyalty that would be given to the guys who brought your city the trophy. I admire that sentiment. It is also--sadly perhaps--out of date. Free agency was the first nail in that coffin. I don't begrudge players getting what they can, but that certainly lessened that "lifetime" relationship between fans and players. Remnants of that philosophy still abide. For instance, Ozzie shocked much of the managerial world when he did not hesitate to sit a guy when he was slumping. Look at the manager on the North Side. He's of the ol' school. However, badly 'your' guy is doing, keep him in there. He's your guy!

Given that guy's track record, his praise of KW and the Sox is worrisome. Also, you have to note his digs at Sox fans. Wouldn't be a Mariotti Sox column without "dissing" us.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 11:21 AM) If we get $4M+ back from ARZ (to effectively make Vazquez' salary 8.5M), then I'm good with it. If no money comes through, then I'm not happy. I can't provide a source, but I heard we'll be getting $5M in the deal.

QUOTE(SoxRock05 @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 10:16 AM) Cool It.....Theres nothin else going on with our Pitching Staff.....Garland's not going anywhere this year.... I don't know how you can say that, unless you are going to have a six man rotation. MB, FG, JG, Contreras, BMac, and Vasquez? At the very least someone goes to the pen...and even that is news.

I suspect it's not B-Mac that needs to be worrying. It's Garland.

It's been pointed out that El Duque helped keep Contreras' head out of his nether regions. Do you think he/we will miss him in that role?

Are the Sox stronger and better for acquiring Vazquez at the price of El Duque, Viz, and Young, or did we just get sold a bill of goods?

QUOTE(WSoxMatt @ Dec 10, 2005 -> 08:57 PM) Security guards are right outside the pictures!! And those guys better have AK47's lest some mad Cub fan ...

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 11, 2005 -> 02:16 PM) I would appreciate it if noone would bring up Jaque Jones' name for the remainder of the offseason. His name has come up quite a few times by people and it's unwarranted. Jaque Jones is not a good ballplayer. We have no use for an overpaid, cocky, .750 OPS OF. Which will mean that the Cubs will be salivating for him.

I'm glad to hear AJ saying this. I've heard that the Sox are also thinking in the $4M range. That should bode well for something getting done.

A good number of us Sox fans seem real nervous, IMO, overly nervous about CF next year. We toss around one option after another...it seems like anyone BUT Anderson. The organization is saying clearly, and I agree with them, it's time to develop our own talent, and I think BA will do surprisingly well next year, defensively and offensively.

I voted based on current knowledge rather than everyone "healthy." That's the real world in which these scenarios will be played out. In that case, got to go with Thome/Anderson.

Granted, pitching is always a concern in that only the superstars can be counted on to be consistently good year after year after year. I mean, one could fret that: 1) MB will be worn out after being a work horse all these years; 2) FG will sweat himself into exhaustion (plus playing for Venezuela); 3) Contreras will look like his first half self all next year; 4) Garland will return to being Garland; 5) Plus, all the other "frets" re: the bullpen. HOWEVER, there isn't a team in baseball that wouldn't trade their entire pitching staff for ours. We are stronger, nay, far stronger than nearly every staff in MLB. I'm pretty comfortable with where we're at, barring some injury.

Hey, DBAHO, your avatar looks like he's being electrocuted. Turn him off. Makes me nervous.

Frank Thomas, You were there for us through some highs and more than a few lows. You leave on the highest note of all, with a World Championship Ring. May that excitement never leave your heart. May Sox fans never place you out of ours.

It would be cool having Tommy John, a Sox legend, in the booth. Because he would be the analyst, I'd be more interested in how well he analyzes the game, rather than whether he's spastically energized during games.