SSH2005

We shall see. I won't be too surprised if we manage to re-sign Konerko and Frank is gone.

Ed Farmer said that he has known Thome for 14 years and that he talked to him the other day. He said that Thome was working out like crazy in Florida and that his elbow is 100% healthy now after his surgery. He also said that Thome's back problems are exaggerated. Farmer thinks Thome will be perfectly healthy to start next season.

Your opinion is of the group that has too much of an emotional tie to Sox players. You guys never want to see any fan favorites leave the team. We needed a lefty power bat and a #3 hitter. Now we have both. If Thome is healthy, this trade has immediately improved our offense. And I doubt the Sox would trade for Thome without knowing that he would be 100% healthy to start next season. All Brian Anderson has to do is play good defense and put up around a .736 OPS and we will not miss Rowand, the player. We will all miss Rowand, the fan favorite though.

We shall see. I think even Ozzie will realize that Thome is the best hitter in our lineup, even if we do re-sign Konerko. I am putting my money on the lineup in my last post.

I would sooner start Chris Young in center field next season and I would be shocked if he wasn't much better than Patterson offensively.

Where in the order did Konerko hit almost all of last season? Where was he moved to in the order where he failed miserably? Where in the order has Thome batted quite a bit in his career and excelled there? What didn't we have last season? It's just so obvious who our #3 hitter will be. And aren't the righties split up at the top of this batting order? Podsednik (lefty) Iguchi (righty) Thome (lefty) Konerko (righty) Dye (righty) Pierzynski (lefty) Crede (righty) Anderson (righty) Uribe (righty) Konerko hits righties better than lefties anyways. He has always had trouble with tough lefties. Dye has always hit lefties better than righties. So worrying about the righty-lefty order is a bit overrated.

Thome: 963 career AB's batting third Konerko: 69 career AB's batting third Dye: 25 career AB's batting third I'm taking a real flier here -- Thome will be batting third. Did everyone miss when we had no true #3 hitter last season?

You make it sound much easier than it is. Konerko will not cost only $10 million plus. He will likely receive $13 million a year for 4-5 years. That's a guaranteed $52-$65 million dollars. Thome, when healthy, is a better hitter than Konerko. I think people are forgetting this fact. Thome for 3 years, $24 million >>>>> Konerko for 4-5 years, $52-$65 million If we are able to re-sign Konerko, we are even better.

Do you remember when we had Pierzynski in the 3-hole? We needed a lefty power stick that could hit third. If Thome is healthy, the trade is great. All Anderson has to do is play good defense. It won't be too hard to replace Rowand's .736 OPS.

Okay, if Ozzie wants to split them up he could go with the following lineup: Podsednik (lefty) Iguchi (righty) Thome (lefty) Konerko (righty) Pierzynski (lefty) Dye (righty) Crede (righty) Anderson (righty) Uribe (righty) I just think Dye would be a much better #5 hitter than Pierzynski. But Thome will be our #3 hitter regardless of what the rest of the lineup looks like. You bat your best hitter third and that would be Thome. Konerko is a cleanup hitter and Dye is most definately not a #3 hitter.

I don't understand why people think that either Dye or Konerko (if we re-sign him) should or will be our #3 hitter. You guys realize that a healthy Thome will instantly be our best hitter, right? Thome has actually hit well in the 3-hole in his career. Konerko has barely done it and has been brutal there when he has. The lineup would look more like this. Podsednik Iguchi Thome Konerko Dye Pierzynski Crede Anderson Uribe Afterall, are you not going to put the guy with a .970 career OPS in the 3-hole?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051125/ap_on_en_mo/obit_morita Mr. Miyagi

I read somewhere that Owens was somewhat shaky in center field with a mediocre arm. I would like some more input on his defense in CF as well.

I'm sure he will be given the chance but I doubt he wins the job. It will be a three-way competition in Spring Training I'm sure -- Anderson, Owens, and Young.

Exactly. The problem with Gathright is that he strikes out too much and doesn't walk enough. He wouldn't be a very good #2 hitter other than his speed and bunting ability. Like DBAH0 said, you may as well try Jerry Owens then.

It's true.

Why would Boston trade Mota? Their bullpen was brutal last season. They are keeping him.

You want to know how stupid those numbers look? I think they just took an average of his 2004 numbers along with his 2005 numbers. AVG .274 + .207 = .481 .481 / 2 = .2405 (round up and you get .241) OBP .396 + .360 = .756 .756 / 2 = .378 If that's how they actually came up with his 2006 projected numbers, it's pretty lame if you ask me. I agree with you. I expect a .270 AVG, a good OPS, and great power numbers if he's 100% healthy.

Haha, I love this quote: He's positive about the Indians re-signing Millwood but then says that the White Sox will likely be without Konerko. Yeah, that's not too biased. :rolly

Yes, it is. Gathright has a ton of speed and can bunt but he has no power to speak of. He's basically a cheap version of Juan Pierre. Huff seems to be declining (steroids?).

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/11/24/Rays/Mil...Friedman_.shtml

I agree with you on the players but your lineup is wrong. Podsednik Iguchi Thome Konerko Dye Pierzynski Crede Anderson Uribe

In your list, we only drafted and developed Buehrle and Wells and Wells is hardly anything special. We got all the other guys on your list through trades.

Yeah, because Marte didn't do the exact same thing last season right? I'm not saying that I would trade Marte for King but did you miss Marte pitching in 2005?

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view...rticleid=113896 Deal down to the wire: Sox pore over Beckett med reports