heirdog

QUOTE(Reddy @ Dec 8, 2005 -> 03:23 PM) compared to what we've gotten back i'd say he's done a helluva job Agree completely. I was mostly trying to point out that we gave up a lot of supposed "Can't Miss" prospects (Wells, Liefer, Rauch, etc.) and they have not necessarily torched the league as expected. Many are serviceable but perhaps the best of the bunch (Cameron) netted us Kong so I think KW has done it right.

In the KW as GM era, what is the all-time traded Sox "prospect/young player" team? My thoughts (not sure if some are in KW era) C: Miguel Olivo 1B: Jeff Liefer 2B: Aaron Miles SS: Michael Morse 3B: Tim Hummel RF: Jeremy Reed CF: Mike Cameron LF: Craig Wilson DH: Greg Norton SP: Kip Wells SP: Josh Fogg SP: John Rauch SP: Gio Gonzalez SP: Daniel Haigwood RP: Gary Majewski RP: Matt Ginter RP: Frankie Francisco RP: ?? RP: ?? CL: Royce Ring That team does not look too formidable.

I believe Luis Vizcaino, like Bret Saberhagen and Eric Moulds, is good every other year so he's due for a good year. When he's good, he's lights out against lefties so maybe he's our missing "lefty specialist" next year. If we carry 11 pitchers, then we have an extra spot to stowe away Borchard. He did come on strong last year during the second half at Triple A and he was solid in his minimal at-bats with the big club in August and September. Maybe he has finally turned the corner (after getting cut from the Mexican "Little" League, which had to be the lowest point of his career)...I wouldn't mind finding out in Spring Training.

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Dec 8, 2005 -> 12:21 PM) He will not be a Royal all year, I can guarentee that. I will have my AAP back. He will likely be traded to another team so your first statement is probably true. Hopefully he doesn't stick cause he has some good stuff albeit with a frail frame.

QUOTE(Jenks Heat @ Dec 8, 2005 -> 11:06 AM) Like the Brewers did to them last year for Kolb. And now they got Kolb back for basically nothing...Wes Obermueller. So I think its Bob Melvin and the Brewers doing more of the raping. Turnbow and pre-2005 Kolb is a pretty good start in the bullpen.

This probably affects the Crawford discussion...if Fields was actually going to be a principle piece in that deal. Is Burroughs the young 3B that Tampa was looking for? I don't mind going to battle with Owens or Anderson but the thought of Crawford batting lead-off and Pods batting second makes me drool.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 7, 2005 -> 01:58 PM) Thats why I put all those laughing smilies. I am very surprised by some of the responses. I am really excited for Brandon, and cant wait to see what he can do in a full season. However, Dontrelle won 22 games last season, and posted an ERA under 2.70. Those pitchers dont grow on trees. If Brandon ever gets to that point, then wow, we got a Cy young pitcher on our hand, but when asking me if I would trade away a 23 year old that has had 2 months in the majors, compared to a 24 year old that just finished the year 2nd in CY young voting, give me D-Train. Agree completely. Anyone that wouldn't trade BMac straight up for Willis is 1) related to BMac; 2) has a personal vendetta against Willis; 3) sippin' too much White Sox Kool-Aid. Give me Willis in this rotation and get the champagne chilled for another celebration in '06. Also, don't worry about restocking our lefties in the minors as we have great young lefties already at the majors with Buerhle, Willis, and Cotts. Just let Broadway develop and eventually take over for Contreras.

QUOTE(bighurt574 @ Dec 6, 2005 -> 06:17 PM) It's going to take a lot more than a few mid-tier prospects to get Crawford. The Sox had to give up Carlos Lee to get Podsednik, and Crawford, IMO, is a step above Podsednik. I'm sure the Yankees or Cubs would bid pretty high to get him in CF. Still, if KW somehow pulls it off, this would be the move of a very impressive offseason. His contract at $5-$6 million per for a player of his calibre entering his prime is a steal. That was an addition by subtraction. To everyone in the outside world, at the time of the trade, the Sox got fleeced by giving up way too much and getting only Pods and Viz in return. What they didn't take into account was the clubhouse cancer that was Carlos Lee with his my-stats-first attitude and the money it freed up to sign other valuable pieces. Now, Lee for Crawford would have been fair but TB probably wants to dump some payroll so they will look for a boatload of prospects, including a 3B and that is why we are in the discussions.

I wonder if he made those comments in a "goofy" Groucho Marx disguise. That dude was a moron with the Mets, got banished to Japan and won a frickin' title and he thinks that he is Bobby Cox as opposed to Bobby Valentine, garbage manager. Bobby, the best players from Japan are playing in the US and we have one of them. This isn't Little League baseball where the Japanese could compete...this is the Majors and you're Mr. Baseball team has no chance. Drop it, you loser.

Prior, while he has spent time on the DL, is not injury prone in my opinion. He was dominant as a 23-year-old so the Cubs have been especially careful with him...putting him on the DL when he has the slightest injury. Its time to let him play and with his fluid motion, he should be a solid pitcher for 10 more years. So Prior at 25 with his cheap contract >> Abreu at 31 with his mega-bucks

Crawford's comment that "What Chicago did was bush league" is pretty much the thought of everyone outside the white sox circle. To those that don't really care, they got a chuckle out of the campaigning but to the die-hards, it was seen as a "tacky" or "bush league" move. I could care less as a white sox fan and i am glad that pods got on with the campaign. We didn't get a lot of pub ever so we had to stir it up ourselves. Now, we are champs and hopefully won't have to do it again. So I don't think you can say that Crawford has a bad attitude based off his comment. In fact, judging by his reaction, he seems like a guy that would barrel someone over at 2nd base just to get back at the outfielder that knocked our catcher out of a game. These are the kind of guys we want. He is a warrior and a competitor. I say give them Fields, Owens/Sweeney/Anderson and Tracey for Crawford. He costs big bucks but he is a bonafide superstar in the making with speed, power and competitive drive and he is 23 or 24.

Borchard. To get something for him even though he has a shot to make the club in spring training.

QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ Dec 2, 2005 -> 01:46 PM) While I don't completely disagree with some of the things he said in this column, I think Morrissey seriously underestimates the way Sox fans feel about Frank, and I also didn't see the point in rehashing some mistakes Frank made years ago. Its going to be tough for most Sox fans to see him go. I was 9 years old when he came into the league and he's been my favorite player ever since. While I think he hasn't always handled the media well, and has sometimes been a little oversensative to criticism, in the end, the fans never turned on him...and he always seemed to appreciate the fans. So, in Morrissey's perspective, I guess I can see why him and other members won't be shedding many tears over Frank's departure. There were times where Frank was treated unfairly by the media, and there were times where Frank brought it on himself. But for the Sox and their fans, he was and will continue to be a favorite and there is nothing but admiration. And he'll know that during his first at-bat at the Cell (unfortunately as an opposing player) in '06. Well put. While you may have a personal bias supporting Frank, you gave an objective opinion.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 01:47 PM) I think Garland thinks he can repeat his 2005 season and get a crazy contract next offseason. And why shouldn't he? He was a can't-miss prospect that finally put it together for a big season with a manager that emphasizes pitching and defense and has the utmost faith in his starters and we just upgraded our offense. So instead of 18 wins, he probably thinks and he should that he will get 20 wins...especially as the #4 starter going up against other teams' bottom of the rotation guys. Its worth the gamble if you're Jon Garland. He was almost traded 2 or 3 times (I remember the Erstad and Johnson deals off the top of my head) so there is no loyalty factor. Some team will offer him ridiculous money and years next off-season to lock up a 26-year-old ace in the making but I don't think it will be the White Sox. In my opinion, he will always be at best a #2 or #3 pitcher so we best enjoy another solid season and then go after someone else in 2007 instead of getting in a bidding war for JG.

Frank, please come back! If you're healthy, we will find a place for you in our line-up during days off, etc. and still get you 150 ABs... which means you can get about 20 more HRs this year at your current "post-injury" home run rate...do that for 3 years and you have the 500 in a Sox uniform. Seriously though, I hope when his playing career is over, he comes back to the Sox family in some form or another...Big Hurt Enterprises can run the show and take over for Brooks Boyer.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 03:22 PM) If Thome helps get PK back... If he can guarantee that 5th year at $13 mill per, he could really help get PK back but alas, it will fall to KW and Jerry. Prediction: Thome will be batting clean-up and protecting Dye

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Nov 26, 2005 -> 06:35 PM) Wow if the Cubs do this they will be really good. I bet if he is on a team that is good Soriano will put forth a solid effort and that infield would be awesome with Barrett, Dlee, Soriano, Furcal, and Ramirez. Not exactly sure of their OF Murton in LF, Mench in RF, but who plays CF? Since Patterson is not involved in any deals....that's their CF...hitting 7th or 8th. I don't see the Rangers going for that deal unless P Rich Hill is involved. Why would you downgrade from Soriano to Walker (his defense is not that great either) and give up Mench for a bunch of crap? However you cut it, 30-30 or possibly even 40-40 guys like Soriano are very rare. Cubs pitching: Two top of the rotation guys in Prior and Zambrano, an adequate 3 and 4 with Maddux and Rusch and its that dreaded 5th spot. Don't count on Wood being healthy so its off to the FA pool to find a cheap, Loiza-type to fill out the rotation.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Nov 28, 2005 -> 02:45 PM) Except for the two he made. You can't make errors if you can't get to the ball. The reason Ryne Sandberg had that stellar fielding percentage and errorless streak. I loved watching the games with my best friend growing up, who was a Cub fan, and taunting him everytime, Ryne half-stepped toward the hole to cut off a ball and jussssssttttt missed getting to it. While he would never admit it, I think even the Cub fan in him couldn't defend the fact that Sandberg's Gold Gloves were a load of crap. Great power for a 2B in that era...absolutely...but Gold Glove 2B...no friggin way!

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 15, 2005 -> 06:43 PM) below that is some great ratings on our prospects. Where are broadway and valido in his top 20? I think broadway would be ahead of lumsden on down and valido would be ahead of lopez. I like that antoin gray cracked the top 20 though.

QUOTE(mwolfson @ Nov 15, 2005 -> 12:36 PM) Hey man, I am a college student at Indiana University and was born and raised in New York and my dad (who grew up in Chicago, the main reason I'm a white sox fan) take me and friends to the game every year at Yankee stadium. If you see six guys in the first six seats right behind the White Sox duggout wearing mainly white sox stuff that is us. If you've never been to yankee stadium i suggest you maybe see if you can take a tour around monument park, it's amazing... nothing beats the bronx, lol I remember you. You're the guy that looks like Jon Garland and there was a TV shot of you cheering that you posted on this site a few months ago. I was raised in Chicago but have lived in NY the past 7 years so its always good to see Sox fans at the Yankee game. I usually go with some seats I get comped from vendors (about 10 rows up to the right of the Yankee dugout). This year will be crazy since we are the champs and New Yorkers have a huge hard-on for Aaron Rowand so I'm sure it will be packed.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 05:19 PM) A lot of teams could use a guy like Arow--LAD, Phil, Balt. Tex, the Cubs. Hit the cubs up for some guys who can start the year pitching in AAA [ala Reynel Pinto, Ricky Nolasco] I can't take this anymore. Trade ARow for what prospects? Give up on a future gold glover and one of the key members of a world series champion so that a prospect can take over and then have more prospects in line to take over for a stud pitching staff? Why, why are we so masochistic? Why do we want to take so many leaps backward after winning the world series? I know the counterpoint that our deepest position of prospects is OF. To me that means trade prospects not the established players. When Young comes a knockin' on the cell door in '07, well then decide if ARow is worth it or not...not this year. If Young is that good, we will forget about ARow, Anderson and even the great Rudy Law.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 03:26 PM) ... and wouldnt talk to me or sign anything for me, and I wasnt even bothering him. Isn't that an oxymoron? You were trying to talk to someone that didn't want to be talked to by a stranger and asking him to sign something for you...yet you weren't bothering him!?!

QUOTE(Randar68 @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 03:06 PM) Brandon almost certainly pitched too much for BA to list him this year. Okay. Thanks. I am never really sure because even when guys seem like they have played and become somewhat regulars in the majors, we see their names in these lists. Over the past few years, the examples I can think of are Austin Kearns, Dallas McPherson, Scott Kazmir.

Met the following when I hung out with them at the end of a 3-game set in St. Louis about 8+ years ago: Frank Thomas: Real nice guy and personable. Huge hands that enveloped mine (I'm 6'2") when I shook his hand. Likes Miller Lite. Davey Martinez: Also a very nice guy. Most of the Sox let me hang out with them that night, later revealed to me by James Baldwin that they thought I was Davey's brother. James Baldwin: Smoked Camel "Special" Lights in the gold package Magglio Ordonez: A rookie and looked like a deer in headlights when anyone talked to him. Lyle Mouton: Came equipped with his own posse of LSU guys that all sat around telling him how good he was and that he should get to play more. Roberto Machado: Looks a lot like a lighter version of Juan Uribe Ozzie Guillen: Pretty much as expected...off-the-cuff and confrontational with anyone he doesn't know. I didn't care much for him...I guess all can be forgiven now that he helped bring a title here. Ron Karkovice: Personable guy that went out of his way to shake hands with people. Ron Schueler: Gave him a vote of support acknowledging that he is trying to help us win a WS, even though he pulled the white flag trade and he smiled back. Another time I was in a Chicago Bar in '96 or '97 (The Drink, I believe) and ran into Sammy Sosa and Raul Mondesi. Sosa was friends with Mondesi and trying to convince him to come to Chicago as a FA...instead I think he went to Toronto. Sosa was pretty small in a math-teacher type half-sleeve shirt and Mondesi was a pretty big guy. I called Mondesi "Cannon" and he promptly lifted up his right sleeve and revealed his cannon tattoo on his shoulder and bicep and then bought me and my friends shots. Sosa kept saying the same thing in garbled english, "I love this country...God bless america."

My prediction on BA top 10: 1) McCarthy 2) Anderson 3) Young 4) Gonzalez 5) Valido 6) Owens 7) Broadway 8) Sweeney 9) Liotta 10) Fields Honorable mention: Rogowski, Getz, Haigwood