SSH2005

That's exactly what I was getting at. We will need to try hard to re-sign Buehrle in 2008 so he doesn't go to the Cardinals. Cutting salary from our outfield will be the best place to free up money since we have good outfield prospects.

I think Jerry Owens is going to basically be Podsednik and fill our leadoff role for years once Pods is gone. I also think that Chris Young will be a better player than Rowand. I know Rowand isn't making much money but I'd rather trade the older player that is making a few million than the younger prospect who has more potential and will make next to nothing for years. With more veteran players (especially our rotation) getting raises every year, we will have to subtract payroll in some areas. Since we have some of the best outfield prospects in baseball, the outfield would be the ideal area to dump payroll. And how did Rowand's offensive decline from 2004 to 2005 make you believe that he is going to get better? He barely walked at all and struck out a ton.

The Sox have a $6 million option on Dye for 2007, not that I'm sure they would pick that up at this point. Our outfield could look very different in 2007 anyways with guys like Brian Anderson, Chris Young, Jerry Owens, and Ryan Sweeney all ready to contribute.

I don't see anything wrong with Anderson, Frank, and Gload filling the three roster spots. Ozuna was bad at third base when he first started playing there but did anyone notice how much better he got at it when Crede was on the DL with his broken finger? I wouldn't mind Blum back because of his versatility but I'm not sure he will be.

Okay, so make it Rowand and Marte for Chad Tracy. I would think that Tracy, who has the potential to be a legit #3 power-hitter, is worth more than Rowand and Marte especially to us since a #3 hitter is the main hole in our lineup. The Diamondbacks would definately be interested in Marte since they had the worst bullpen in baseball this year. Luis Terrero stinks so Rowand could replace him in center field. The Diamondbacks could then trade either Luis Gonzalez or Shawn Green to make room for Carlos Quentin in the outfield. Brian Anderson has to play sooner or later and he would replace Rowand in center field. A guy like Mike Myers could replace Marte in our bullpen. All in all, it sounds like a great trade to me.

Once the White Sox give Frank his $3.5 million buyout within the next few days (which they will), they will have until the December 7th arbitration deadline to re-sign him.

Big name player? Matt Lawton? How lame.

I agree with you then. No thanks on that trade either. Dunn draws a lot of walks but he also strikes out a ton. Watching him fail to hit a sac fly over and over again would make me sick. There's no reason to break up a starting staff like Contreras, Buehrle, Garland, Garcia, and McCarthy that should be the best in baseball.

I think everyone agreed that it was a bad idea. Then people started saying that we should trade Marte, possibly Rowand, and prospects for a lefty #3 hitter like Chad Tracy or Lyle Overbay. We could sign a lefty reliever like Mike Myers to replace Marte and Brian Anderson could replace Rowand if we decided to trade him.

Putting Furcal at second base is such a waste of his defensive talent, especially his arm.

Of course it is. Throwing people out at home is defensive play, isn't it?

This is pretty much what I saw all season long. Rowand caught almost everything hit in center field but his arm was terribly weak and inaccurate. His throws home were pretty bad. Not sure how anyone saw anything different.

I think that would definately be the ideal option. Especially for Tracy.

The Gold Glove is already a pointless award. As someone else already said, they just give it to "big name" players and factor in offensive numbers when handing out a defensive award. It's really stupid.

Walker isn't horrible at second base. He just lacks range and he's horrible at turning double plays.

Eh, if you compare Jeter's and Uribe's fielding stats it looks like Jeter was a bit better. Gold gloves are a sham anyways. The guy with the better offensive stats or the bigger name will almost always win. If Cabrera hadn't put up such garbage offensive numbers, he would have won it. Uribe was definately one of the best defensive shortstops in the A.L. though. That's good to know.

Yeah, I just thought it over. If we traded for Ichiro, Iguchi would likely have to be our #3 hitter and Dye would be our DH. We would lose a lot of power and we would still not have a very good #3 hitter.

Ichiro wants out of Seattle? http://www.insidebayarea.com/davedelgrande/ci_3164136 "DATELINE: In front of Bonds. The baseball off-season has gotten off to a very quiet start in Seattle. Too quiet. Rumor has it Ichiro has grown tired of the Mariners' losing ways and wants out, but Seattle-area reporters aren't publicizing it because they like dealing with the Japanese hitting star on a daily basis. They're hoping the All-Star changes his mind before his request for a trade becomes a demand. Believe it: The Mariners are accepting offers right now for the standout leadoff hitter, and the price is only going to go up if/when Ichiro's true feelings about wanting out become public, prompting more teams to get Bill Bavasi on the phone." If this is true would you give up Garland and Rowand for Ichiro? Then, you could have an outfield of Podsednik in left, Anderson in center, and Ichiro in right with Dye as the DH. It would be a light-hitting outfield but they would have good OBP and speed. Iguchi would have to be the #3 hitter then though. Eh, maybe it isn't a very good idea.

I want two lefties in the pen but I think Haigwood needs to work on his control a bit more before he's ready for the majors.

I really think Konerko wants to stay. He wouldn't have made such a big deal about giving the last out ball to Reinsdorf and saying that they should win it all again next season if he didn't want to stay. But he will still want the big bucks from the Sox.

I think the Twins will pounce on Carl to be their DH.

If we don't trade El Duque, he would solve the extra-inning game problem. Eyre would obviously be a better choice than Myers but he would cost more because he can get lefties and righties out. We could sign Myers to a one year deal while Eyre will probably get a two or three year deal for quite a bit more money.

Sure, righties destroy Myers but who cares? We managed to get by with a terrible Marte who couldn't get lefties or righties out and Cotts, whom Ozzie oftentimes used just for lefties. Myers would be cheap and would allow Cotts to become a 1 or 2 inning guy. And if we keep El Duque in the pen, it would solve the problem you are worried about anyways. Myers would be a cheap addition that would allow us package up Marte in a trade for offense. A guy like Eyre, who can also get righties out, would cost a lot more than Myers.

What? Myers is good against lefties and he is perfect for Ozzie. Myers sucks against righties so let Ozzie use Myers just for a lefty or two and save Cotts for lefties and righties.

This part is a joke. Rooney is right. It does matter to Sox fans who is doing the games.