Jim Fainter

Robbie has to be gone. Willie Harris will be fine at second. Shortstop is a more more difficult question to answer.

Derek Lee to the White Sox? What are you guys eating or drinking or smoking? No move like that can happen when we are saddled with Konerko and Thomas.

We have to give Jeremy Reed every chance to start. Getting Singleton won't help. If Reed isn't ready, he can go to Charlotte, but my guess is that he can play now. Who would you rather have, Reed Or Singleton? I don't know about some of you guys. Yesterday it was Cruz, today Singleton.

Talk aabout your average overpaid ballplayer. This clown is the classic underachiever. If he plays in Chicago, I hope it's with the Cubs. You guys who think that we should get Jose Cruz don't know s***.

Koch can't get anybody out. A $12 MM mistake. Stupid is as stupid does.

Two thoughts: 1. Big Frank sold his house, so he might be more inclined to move to the West Coast; 2. Why would we want to re-sign Robbie Alomar? He will be more useless and more expensive next year than last year.

That pickoff play by Pudge was a classic.

61382: How did Schoeneweis do against right handed hitters? Pretty poorly, as I recall. If he starts, the other team will load up, and he'll get creamed. The only stats I have on him for 2003 are his season long stats, not the splits between the Sox and Angels. But I remember him coming in relief with the game on the line and not getting anybody out. Twice. Of course ex-manager JM left him in too long, but that's another story. I think the Angel's dumped him for a reason. It wasn't to get Glover, who has since been released or reassigned. The only way he sticks for the season is if he is used exclusively in lefty vs lefty situations. Sort of a young and not so homely Jesse Orosco. I still say that his acquisition was a mistake. He is overpaid and we lost a super minor league pitching prospect in Bittner.

Willie Harris will supply that speed next year, if given the chance. And next year, we need a manager who will get the team ready to compete at the opening bell. Manuel did not. And we need a manager who will not stand for half the players on the team going for home runs all the time. I think Robin Yount is that guy.

Before Payton came to the Rockettes, he was beset with shoulder problems -- two major surgeries. That's why his arm is lacking and why the Mets gave up on him, but he covers a hell of a lot of ground in a big ball park. Payton also hit very well on the road, so you can't credit Coors Field for his stats. Before he got hurt, he was the best offensive prospect in the Mets system, by far. Big minor league numbers. He also had a tremendous college career at Georgia Tech -- big numbers. The guy can hit, run, steal, field, everything except throw. Compared to Carlos, he is much better defensively, not even close. I've probably seen him play over 100 games in the last year and a half. The Rockettes are under a lot of financial pressure, and they have made it known they don't want to go to arbitration with him. They expect him to get $3-3.5 MM. Regarding their young players, I was talking about guys like outfielder Rene Reyes, who hit .350 at AAA, and third baseman Garrett Atkins, who lhit .320 with power at AAA. They are cheap, and the Rockettes will give them every chance to start next year, making Payton available for a trade. If we offered a couple of pitchers like Ginter and Malone, they would jump on them like a tall dog. We gave up more than that for Robbie Alomar. Payton's best years are right in front of him. All contingent on our not signing Lee, as I said earlier.

I always thought that if we did not acquire Robbie, Willie would have been fine at second. He still learned a lot this year. Unless we pick up some expensive second sacker in the off season, Willie should win the job in ST and hold it for many years. As Hawk said, You can't bunt .400 at AAA.

1. Why is Jason leaving? 2. Is he still the future Sox GM? 3. Please don't suspend Rex.

Kip: Schoenweis and Sanders are "possibilities" for the same reason: they can't get anybody out. I'll reserve judgment on Sanders, because he can do okay at AAA, but Schoenweis was a mistake.

Thanks for the 40 man roster, Rex. It looks to me as if there are several shoe-ins to be removed one way or the other: Alomar Alomar Daubach Everett Other possibilities are Schoenweis and Sanders.

Denver ran him out of town.

Gordon still has awfully good stuff -- I hope we keep him. Of course, I have no idea how much he thinks he is worth. Getting rid of either Konerko or Big Frank is virtually impossible, unless the Dodgers step up. Back to Jay Payton; his game is solid, except for a glass arm, but he can hide it pretty well in left. He can throw to second okay. Someone will swindle the Rockies out of him. Might as well be us.

1. Seek a trade with the Rockies. Not only do they have a bunch of good young talent, they have the absolute dumbest general manager in the bigs. They could write a sit-com around this guy. They are always crying for pitching, even if they can't get anyone out. Plus they are trying to decrease payroll. Case in point is Jay Payton, a terrific left fielder who they fear will command about $3 MM at the arbitration table. They would probably go for someone like Ginter, Malone, etc. Of course this is dependent on whether or not we sign Carlos et al. A possible drawback to trading with the Rockies is that if they outsmart us like everyone else does, there won't be a big enough rock to hide under.

They should interview Robin Yount for manager. He can manage as well as anyone, plus he might be able to pound some sense into our hitters. The guy is a winner.

I can't find the 40 man roster. The closest thing to it is a list of 30 players.

I remember when Zimmer got hurt via beaning, and he was in a coma for a couple of weeks or so. No batting helmets in those days. I think his beaning had a lot to do with the acceptance of them. Some old timers never would wear them, most notably Ted Williams. He said it was like giving in to the pitcher. But there is no doubt that in Zimmer's day and before, hitters were intimidated regularly by pitchers who threw high and inside. Hitters were bailing out all the time. Now, of course, it is a different story. Back in the 40's and 50's, and maybe even the 60's, pitchers had a huge advantage because of no helmets and horrible hitting backgrounds.

Is Corey Patterson expected back at full strength?

Is Willie randolph out of the equation? I haven't heard his name lately.

His last managing stint was in Colorado, and he wasn't very effective, but he walked away with a LOT of money on the table when he decided he did not want to manage any more, so you can't say enough about his integrity.

How much does his head weigh?

In the last week or two, whenever I hear a person says they are pulling for the Cubs, I just ask "Why?" Then they give some stupid answer, and it's obvious they don't know s*** about the game, and before too long they will admit it. Then I point out thay they have been manipulated by the media to feel this way, and they try to fight back, but can't because they are too stupid. Sadly, this scenario plays out all over the country. I wish the media would just shut up and report the news instead of trying to shape the minds of the citizenry. Today's media is more effective at that than their counterparts in World War ll.