SadChiSoxFanOptimist

Jerry Reinsdorf. He can spend tens of millions of dollars to correct the many design errors he made in the new stadium, but has not invested in sustaining the competitiveness of the team and meeting the contemporary contractual requirements to acquire/retain starting pitching. To enable this philosophy, the Sox would need to be best in class in selecting and developing talent progressively, but we are among the worst at that. This is a telling example of our lack of management and philosophical alignment in the business operations of this team.

/sports/columnists/cs-070624rogers,1,4693547.column?coll=cs-home-headlines All the wrong moves Phil Rogers On Baseball June 25, 2007 "Win fast, White Sox." That's what I wrote on the day the White Sox traded Freddy Garcia to the Philadelphia Phillies, receiving two players who didn't seem likely to help what ailed Ozzie Guillen's team so soon after the World Series parade. In that column, I also referred to Williams' thinking as "arrogant," specifically how he thought he could rebuild another championship rotation rather than persuading Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to hold onto Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland for the long haul. When I saw the fellows the next day, it's fair to say they weren't exactly congratulating me for my insight. It reminded me of the reaction I got from the Cubs a year earlier. That time I pointed out how it was crazy to send three young pitchers to the Florida Marlins for a one-year rental on the overrated Juan Pierre, as well as how Jim Hendry did Jacque Jones a favor by giving him a three-year contract -- a move that also cost the organization a high pick in the 2006 draft. So here the Cubs are, less than a year and a half into the Jones debacle, on the verge of releasing him (he appeared for one half-inning in the weekend sweep, pinch-running for the designated hitter in the ninth on Friday) while Williams shops Buehrle for a punch-in-the-gut trade. I'll admit I wish I had been wrong when I wrote those things. Back in 2004 and '05, the Cubs and White Sox were both over .500 for three of the four renewals of the City Series. This year's blahfests at U.S. Cellular and Wrigley Field make those years seem a long time ago. When even China doll Scott Podsednik is pointing out the lack of "intensity" and "energy" at U.S. Cellular Field, something has gone dreadfully wrong. There are no easy answers in sight for either of Chicago's teams, as the soft portion of both their schedules ended Sunday. They no longer get to face each other. The success of major-league teams, or lack thereof, depends more on the general manager and the front office than the guy making the decisions in the dugout. Ozzie Guillen and Lou Piniella shouldn't be held accountable for these disappointing seasons. The responsibility lies with Williams and Hendry, even if it's only Hendry who is in danger of losing his job. Williams, like a dice shooter on a hot roll, made a flurry of moves, big and small, that resulted in that 11-1 run through the 2005 playoffs. He works for a loyal boss, whom he declines to challenge on matters like the Buehrle and Garland contracts, so he doesn't have to worry about security. Jerry Krause ran the Bulls into the ground for five years after the last of the six titles. But his failings in a variety of areas have contributed to the Sox now having fallen 22 games under .500 since July 7, 2006, as long a run of bad baseball as this franchise has had since 1989. For instance: Trading Garcia (for pitchers Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez) and 23-year-old Brandon McCarthy (for pitchers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner) without addressing the three spots in the lineup that left them out of the running in 2006. That's left field, center field and shortstop. Those spots have under-produced again this season, and the 3-4-5 hitters are no longer the best middle of the order in baseball. The simultaneous occurrence of these events has created a run-scoring drought. You can't quantify this one, but by signing the two most easily signed starters, Jose Contreras and "Hang With 'Em" Javier Vazquez, the White Sox might have become the first team in history to build around the back end of their starting rotation. Despite 52 sellouts and record broadcast ratings a year ago, they made only token efforts to lock up Buehrle and Jermaine Dye, without whom they would not have won the '05 Series. Sox players seldom publicly criticize Reinsdorf or Williams, but the callous handling of Buehrle has taken a toll. Not having the guts to offer Magglio Ordonez salary arbitration when they were feuding with him over the severity of his knee injury. Somebody was going to sign Ordonez, who didn't want to stick with an organization that had been smearing him, but the White Sox didn't vest themselves for two compensation picks in the draft. Among the prospects selected in either the compensation round or the second round in 2005: Oakland outfielder Travis Buck, Atlanta infielder Yunel Escobar, Minnesota right-hander Kevin Slowey and right-hander Mike Bowden, who has climbed into Double A at age 20 for Boston and is now coveted by the White Sox in Buehrle trade talks. Failing to trade Joe Crede to the Angels, Phillies or someone else last winter, when he and the talented Josh Fields gave the organization a third-base surplus. Given Crede's recent back surgery, the guess here is that Williams will non-tender him next season, not exactly the way a World Series hero should go out. Taking a flier on Andrew Sisco. The guy had a 7.10 ERA in 65 games for Kansas City, and Williams thought he could help a good team? While keeping such fringe players on his 40-man roster (not to mention the redoubtable Eduardo Sierra and Paulino Reynoso), he has lost homegrown left-handers Jay Marshall and Fabio Castro in the Rule 5 draft the last two seasons. Creating a disconnect with the amateur and pro scouts who had worked well with his predecessor, Ron Schueler, in building the strong farm system that Williams once oversaw. Follow Williams around the winter meetings and he is never far from assistant GM Rick Hahn and his stats guy, Dan Fabian; somehow I'd feel better if he was spending time with the guys who have gristle, like Dave Yoakum and Doug Laumann. The sacking of Duane Shaffer was a long time coming as he felt Williams tuned him out, seeking players he could take credit for getting. Taking a bite of Vazquez's apple. When Arizona offered Williams a chance to get rid of two signed veterans he wanted to move (Orlando Hernandez and Luis Vizcaino) while getting a starter with upside in return, the White Sox couldn't say no. But if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Williams knew he was giving up a solid prospect in center fielder Chris Young; he didn't know his three other young outfielders (Brian Anderson, Ryan Sweeney and Jerry Owens) would pale in comparison. Copyright © 2007, The Chicago Tribune var st_v=1.0; var st_pg=""; var st_ci="703"; var st_di="d006"; var st_dd="st.sageanalyst.net"; var st_tai="v:1.2.1"; var st_ai="11052476"; if (st_v==1.0) { var st_uj; var st_dn = (new Date()).getTime(); var st_rf = escape(document.referrer); st_uj = "//"+st_dd+"/"+st_dn+"/JS?ci="+st_ci+"&di="+st_di+ "&pg="+st_pg+"&rf="+st_rf+"&jv="+st_v+"&tai="+st_tai+"&ai="+st_ai; var iXz = new Image(); iXz.src = st_uj; }

I, too, am ready for a fresh start in both the radio and TV booths. Farmer, whom I think is probably a great guy and a supporter of my family's favority charity (Polycystic Kidney Disease, aka PKD), is just a BAD radio guy -- in either role. He's droll and glib. He must be the worst announcer in MLB. It's time to move on withe Hawk and DJ...get some fresh talent and a new start. I could not believe that the Sox allowed Rooney, the only real annoncing pro they had, leave w/o an effort to retain him. Inexcusable. Do you think Farmio's got some confidential info about Jerry?

Replacing Schaeffer should be step 1 in a remaking the entire talent selection and development efforts of the Chicago White Sox. The problems run much deeper than Schaeffer...and extend thru talent selection and player development organizations and philosophies. This team needs to reexamine and determine its team philosophies -- speed/defense/grinder ball or "power ball" -- then build their organizations to realize the selected philosophies. That may mean selecting new scouts/checkers, minor league coaches and instructors and, yes, major league manager/coaching staff members. Every aspect of the team must be aligned and optimized. So yes, Schaeffer is gone. There still much to be done for our Sox to catch up to the scouting and talent development capabilities of Detroit, Minnesota and Arizona. This should have started years ago.

QUOTE(JohnCangelosi @ Jun 5, 2007 -> 09:26 PM) Yes, it was 1988 that Walker had a seizure. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...75BC0A96E948260 Did he recover?

We're hear to serve you (up).

This is why he was disposable by the flubs?

Didn't I hear that Jenks was coming this year in the best shape of his life -- like 25 pounds lighter, having moved from backwoods Oregon to the Chicago area -- or was that just another of my flashbacks from the 70's?

Agree 100%. My family and I were at Tucson Electric watching the Sox be thoroughly outplayed by the Rangers -- really outplayed -- when I say Hall go to first and I though, Oh no -- what's up with this??? He made an ok move to his right to pick up an easy grounder and fumbled it a bit, then rolled over on the ground like a beeched whale. 3 mins later, he gone. BTW, Pods make a helluva catch in that game, then late missed a cutoff man. Anderson played some in right. The high point for us was my daughter getting a signature on my World Series hat from Garland, who groused, but signed and Razor Shines who messed around alot with us on the third base line.

My life-long Sox committment began in the early 1960's when, on summer days, I'd run to meet my dad on LaGrange Rd walking home from the train, hoping he'd be bringing home unused Sox tickets from work. He was employed by the Harris Bank which owned primo box seats right behind Mayor Daley's box, just 6 rows behind the Sox dugout. I'll never forget the look on his face when he'd pull those tickets out of his brief case. He'd take me to 4 - 6 games a year to see Luis Aparicio, Floyd Robinson, Nellie Fox and rest of the the 60's Sox players. My favorite was Joe Cunningham, and I wore his #5 throughout my career as a first baseman. I vividly remember how I was stunned I was by my very first view of that Comiskey playing field --- how vast, green and beautiful it was! I applied annually to the Chicago Daily News contest to be the White Sox bat boy, without success. After graduation from college, my fist resume was sent to Bill Veeck, with hopes for a career -- any career -- working for the team I loved. Sadly, I received a regret letter within 5 days of sending my resume!! In 2005 my sisters and I were called to a Florida hospital Intensive Care unit to be with my 92 year old father for his last hours. Although he was barely conscious, my last words to him after telling him I loved him were THIS IS THE YEAR DAD....THE SOX ARE GOING TO WIN IT ALL! He died minutes later and, as we know, they did....and will again!!

QUOTE(shawnhillegas @ Dec 19, 2006 -> 05:31 PM) whats a misile? Misilie Toie

QUOTE(RME JICO @ Dec 3, 2006 -> 11:17 AM) I would actually flip Santana to Tampa Bay instead of trading McCarthy if the Garcia/Crede deal went thru. Conventional wisdom on this site is that Tampa Bay has already rejected him as a key element in a Crawford trade.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 05:00 PM) Once again, trying to make valid points, and going off the deep end. Did we miss something? Have you been appointed to the lead judge of postings quality control?

Uplifting topic, thanks very much for this. It temporarily lifted me out of my depression remembering these moments. What about the shellacking we gave the Cardinals?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 21, 2006 -> 12:05 PM) So a quick question...and it can be answered by anyone who has knowledge... Is there actually evidence that people voting who aren't actually U.S. citizens is a real problem? Is it such a severe problem that it is worth disenfranchising actual U.S. voters who don't get the message about needing a photo ID or how to get one free? It is not as rampant as organized, systematic voter repression activities initiated by the RNC specifically targeting demographic groups that traditionally vote Democratic. Republicans are very good at that.

QUOTE(Punch and Judy Garland @ Sep 1, 2006 -> 06:16 AM) so you only want people who agree with you or find your post intelligent to respond? No, that's not it. But to label any poster's good faith effort a the worst anything ever is a bit extreme. Debate the content, but respect the poster. Respect is a good thing..wouldn't you agree?

QUOTE(Cerbaho-WG @ Sep 1, 2006 -> 01:26 AM) Quite possibly the worst thread ever at SoxTalk, and that's saying a lot from all the crap we've seen. Stop posting until your brain starts functioning. If you don't like the content of the post, I recommend that you withhold your judgments and move on to the next thread.

This is an interesting topic... Maybe the issue isn't just accepting the historical phenomenon of failing to repeat, but instead, determining why some teams DO repeat and others fail to. What are the causes? General manager's philosophy? Financial resources of owner/team? Drafting/ philosophyplayer acquisition/minor league strength? Incumbent manager's style/philosophy? Other?

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Aug 27, 2006 -> 08:56 AM) The unfortunate thing about letting him go was replacing him with someone who sucks just as much, if not more. Without debating Alomar's present catching skills, Sandy's real value may come next year when he's a Sox coach. I believe that's in the plans. I endorse that, as I think the capability of our coaching staff is below par...my god -- who's our bench coach, Rock Raines? Althought this has nothing to do with Alomar, should Ozzie survive, I'm hoping for a coaching purge to include the addition of a seasoned bench coach (crusty former mgr-type) who can teach, bring new strategy and improve the exection of this team for next year.

QUOTE(Chet Lemon @ Aug 26, 2006 -> 09:40 AM) Is it possible to option him to AAA until he shows he can get guys out? Let's option him back to Illinois State!

Razor Shines?

SWEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 12, 2006 -> 02:58 PM) Other than the clutch hit by Anderson, we didn't do much of anything to deserve a win today. BUT I'LL TAKE IT, now finish the damn sweep tomorrow for once and we'll be at 70 wins and be back in this race (somehow). Don't forget that clutch hit by Uribe past 3rd base.

How bout that Maggs b****in and bouncy hair doo? Is for Elvis day?

AJ DINGER -- Whoa boy!!! 5 -0