SSH2005

WSCR 670 is back to reporting that both the Sox and the Cubs are still interested in trading for Pierre.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws In your scenario, the Sox would only pay a total of $18.6 million for Thome. The Sox are also paying for $2 million of Thome's signing bonus due in 2006 and they would also have to pick up his $3 million buyout in 2009. Otherwise, Thome has a $13 million team option for 2009. That brings the total to $24.1 million paid by the Sox. Here are Thome's contract details:

He's also obese.

We will never know. Don't be surprised if Marte is traded for someone else, possibly Pierre.

Yes, but the Cubs are more likely to overpay for Pierre. They desperately need a leadoff hitter and any center fielder not named Corey Patterson. We have a viable option in Brian Anderson so Kenny wouldn't overpay for Pierre just to match the Cubs' offer.

Did you stop and think that perhaps the Phillies didn't want Marte and/or Borchard or that they could be moving in another deal? :banghead

I would suggest you be more descriptive in your posts then. In all of your posts, you inferred that Thome used steroids. You neglected to mention that Thome's poor production in 2005 could have been due to his elbow injury. Hard to swing a bat when your elbow hurts, isn't it? :banghead Most sluggers strike out a lot. Thome strikes out a lot but he also walks a lot. If he's 100% healthy, he will likely put up the best OPS on our team. But then again, he may suck because of baseless accusations that he was on steroids. :rolly

Kenny Williams is not going to trade for Pierre because some dumb fan raved about him on a radio show. No GM would do something like that. However, your second statement is correct. He would probably try to trade for Pierre if he's what Ozzie wants.

No, but I heard it. That guy was pretty funny. Kind of stupid too though. He said that the Sox would get Pierre just to stick it to the Cubs.

Their bullpen was one of the big reasons they sucked so bad last year. Eyre and Howry will improve their bullpen but If I were Jim Hendry, I would have spent the combined $23 million they are paying those two guys on a stud closer and moved Dempster to setup man. I don't buy Dempster as a legitimate closer. He gave up way too many baserunners last season.

I don't think Pierre would be worth Brian Anderson considering he is a free agent after 2006. I wouldn't give up much more than Marte for Pierre.

Adam Dunn strikes out a ton as well. Does striking out a lot always mean you use steroids? :banghead Striking out 153 times doesn't mean too much when you still put up a .970 OPS and hit 40+ homeruns.

I've read that Jerry Owens isn't very good defensively in center field. If that scenario actually happens and Owens earns a starting spot in the outfield, I wonder if he would play left field with Podsednik playing center. :puke

Why do people seem to think that Konerko is more of a #3 hitter than Thome? Thome has 963 career AB's batting third while Konerko only has 69 career AB's in the third spot. While it's a small sample size, Konerko has been awful while batting third. On the other hand, Thome has put up a .991 OPS while batting third in his career. Thome is a better OBP guy and a better slugger than Konerko. That's why he would bat third over Konerko. Konerko would bat cleanup. Dye would likely bat fifth. You don't strictly make a lineup based on a lefty-righty order. You put your best OPS guys and RBI producers in the middle of the lineup. If we also acquired Pierre, the lineup would look something like this: Podsednik LF Pierre CF Thome DH Konerko 1B Dye RF Iguchi 2B Pierzynski C Crede 3B Uribe SS

Keep in mind that Levine has flip-flopped on his Pierre report about ten times since his first one that he was headed to the Cubs.

Where are people getting this bulls*** that Thome got smaller? Check out some videos of him from this past season: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASAp...layer_id=123272 He's still a huge, pudgy dude just like Konerko. He's the same damn size. :rolly Where are people coming up with this crap? :banghead

David Schuster, a reporter on WSCR 670, is saying this morning that he still thinks that Juan Pierre is coming to the Sox, not the Cubs.

The rumor was reported in USATODAY on 11/16/2005. SoxTalk had a massive thread on it that was started a week ago.

Is stealing 16 bases really that big of a deal? Anderson has decent speed and that's really not a ton of stolen bases. Hell, Dye is slow and managed to steal 11 bases.

Rowand's .736 OPS really shouldn't be too hard to replace at the bottom of the order. I wouldn't be totally shocked if Brian Anderson puts up a .736 OPS starting full-time in center field.

To quote Hawk, "where would he play?" We already have Iguchi at second base and Thome will likely be our DH. Unless you think Konerko won't re-sign, Thome will be our first baseman, and you want Castillo to play second base with Iguchi at DH.

Exactly.

All I personally remember about those guys was hoping that one of them could be a decent fifth starter. The days of Danny Wright and Scott Schoeneweis probably lowered everyone's expectations but none of those pitchers were expected to be anything better than fifth starters.

Either Konerko or Mueller.

Is Thome good enough for you? Thome is only 4 months older than Giles and he's also a great OBP guy. Giles' career stats: .299 .413 .542 .955 Thome's career stats: .281 .408 .562 .970 Thome won't hit for as high of an average as Giles but he definately has more power.