Jim Fainter

That's because only a handful of the players have actual signed contracts for this year.

Speaking of Magglio, am I wrong, but hasn't he improved every year? I think he is due to hit in the .340-.345 rang this year.

Flash Gordon is better than any of thse guys previously mentioned. Those other bums are overpriced and over the hill--except for Wilson, but the FLashman will be a terrific pitcher this year. Don't know what he would cost, however.

I realize that on any kind of a realistic scale, Mike Sirotka doesn't rank in the top 500, but I still wonder what the deal is here. He became a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the Cubs with no guarantee, but why wouldn't he and the Sox at least look at each other. What does he have to be pissed off at? Just that we traded him for Wells? He was treated fairly by the Sox, given the necessary opportunities, etc. Why couldn't we offer him the same deal that the Cubs did? Did Marti Contrary f*** up his arm?

KW: How Aaron Rowand's rehab going? Why did you give cash on every trade you made last year if we have such a payroll crisis? Do you have a ranking of our minor league prospects that can be published? How close did we come to getting Vasquez, and what would he have cost?

Finley didn't win much for Cleveland. Leave him alone.

Does anyone know what happened to Jeff Abbott? I know that after we released him, he signed with the Marlins, and played a few games with them in 2001. Then he disappeared. Did he go to Japan? At one time I thought he would be a solid player. It's not that he didn't have a chance, however.

Here's what I remember about Sandberg. When he was close to setting a fielding record (consecutive errorless games), he would start the game and then be removed before a pitch was thrown. This went on for a week or two. Naturally, he set the record. Then, it was impossible for him to make an error at home. I remember one game in which he took a relay in short right and threw toward home. He overthrew, and the ball went into the seats, baserunners advancing according to the rule. Still no error on el Ryno. His fielding stats are meaningless. He cheated the game. End of story. Cub fans, of course, didn't know the difference.

I just don't get it. Agents are always outsmarting the GM's. Latest example: I just read in today's paper that Kansas City signed Albie Lopez for $1.5...........MILLION. Why? This guy has been in the bigs for ten years and has one good year to show for it (1999/Tampa Bay/7-4/2.60/79 innings). Last year he was awful with the Braves. Why would a small market team give 1.5 large to this slug? What was the GM smoking?

TO: Cerbaho-WG. Tks for the info. However, I could not find anything on either Schnurstein or Haigwood. What do you know about them? Also, we have two Reed's: one is a pitcher who did well with Bristol and the other is a non-pitcher - Jeremy, who hit .319 with Kannapolis. Which one are you hot on? I know Andy Gonsalez hit .280 with good stats. What else do you know about him? Thanks again.

This kid Anthony Webster came out of nowhere. I know he hit .352 at Bristol last year; obviously a speed guy with 16 steals out of 16, no homers. Now he is rated in the top 150 in all of the minors. Is he trade bait for the Expos? Speaking of Bristol, that whole team hit the cover off the ball last year. Both Lopez and Brice hit well over .300. What's the story down there? Conversely, at our AAA team in Charlotte, no one hit really well, except for Crede, and that is supposed to be a hitter's park.

I bet Buehrle is no longer on the "untouchable" list. This year he will still be underpaid; next year he makes a bundle through arbitration. Does anyone know what Mark is like in the clubhouse? Is he going to be an "attitude" or still be a team guy like he has been iin the past?

You're right. The only time they covered the Sox was when Mike Cameron hit 4 homers off Parque Butter last spring. Then they did it ad nauseum.

Peter Gammons of ESPN reported today (1-6) that the White Sox are in the running for Vasquez first, Colon second. Don't be surprised.

The value of the Dodgers would go up if they would just make a few more trades with KW.

I just heard that the Sox have signed Miles to a minor league contract and he will be with them in Spring Training. Ticketed for Charlotte where he may or may not start.

Does anyone know the Sox plans for pitcher Jason Strum? I know we drafted him # 1 out of high school a few years ago and that he had arm surgery. He had decent stats last year in Class A as a reliever (22 games, 2.25 ERA, 40 innings, 45 K's), got hit really hard in one inning in an exhibition game against the Rockies last summer, but I have not heard anything from the Sox in over a year about this kid. He will probably be exposed to a minor league draft after this season if he is not moved up.

Flash Gordon would help us big time.

Yes, my earlier comments about Rowand were partly my hopes and dreams. I like the kid. But from what I hear, the brass wants to know just what kind of a ballplayer they have in AR, and the only way they can find out is to play him a lot. With Borchord in the wings (hopefully) for 2004, they need to know what they can expect from Rowand.

Does anyone remember KW's fiasco when he traded Baldwin to the Dodgers for a pitching prospect named Barry and instead go a journeyman outfielder named Berry because he couldn't spell the name (like me)? I wonder whatever happened to that young pitcher we were supposed to get.

When Miles declared his free agency, there was room on the 40 man roster for him. In fact, there still is. And there are a few slugs on it who have little chance of being productive major leaguers. What's the guy supposed to do -- hit .450 with 50 homers. I know nothing about his defense, speed, attitude, etc. but he was a 27-28 year old who could hit.

Prior to the date when Miles declared his free agency, there was room on the 40 man roster for him, and there still is. Plus, there are a couple of slugs on the roster who have no chance of ever making it in the bigs. What else was Miles supposed to do, hit .450? Now, I have never seen him play, don't know anything about his defense, speed, or attitude. But I think his offensive numbers warranted a shot in 2003. There is nothing wrong with being 27 if you can hit.

Is this kid overrated? I just don't see the stats to back up his press. Too many strikeouts, etc. You know the drill. Compare him to Crede, who hit every year and showed improvement that any Sox executive could see......If he played in the bigs in 2003, I don't think he would hit .200.

The rumor I hear is that the Sox will keep Aaron Rowand, he will heal, and then have a solid season, both offensively and defensively. Last season, after he took over in center, he improved tremendously on defense. He made some very tough plays look very easy and routine. His arm is fine. On offense, his stats showed significant upside. He'll hit .280 or so with reasonable power, good baserunning, lots of rbi's, and most of all, he is cheap for at least one year. He will get 500 ab's and then the Sox will know what they have.

Biddle will pitch his way into the minors or some other form of oblivion.