SoxFan1

Side Notes: We have the last ranked SP, Robert Person. Miguel Olivo is ranked higher than all the Cubs catchers. Darin Erstad is listed as a 1B, tied with Paul Konerko in the Rankings. Carlos Lee is ranked above the following: Jim Edmonds Lance Berkman Chipper Jones Luis Gonzalez Shawn Green Richard Hidalgo Hideki Matsui Torii Hunter Mark Prior is ranked #1 SP, Loaiza, who had a better record, is ranked below Greg Maddux. Willie Harris is tied with Mark Grudzialanek, while D'Angelo Jimenez is ranked 14th, above both. Juan Uribe is ranked ahead of Barry Larkin while Jose Valentin is the 14th ranked SS. Joe Crede and Joe Randa have the same ranking. Billy Koch is ranked ahead of LaTroy Hwkins while Damaso Marte, Cliff Pollitte, and Francisco Rodriguez are raked the same, below Billy Koch. And in the snub of the day, Shingo Taatsu doesnt make the Relievers list.

Probable picks for the Lions: Sean Taylor--S--Miami (Fla) Roy Williams--WR--Texas Chris Gamble--CB--Ohio State Steven Jackson--RB--Oregon State P.S.- I voted Winslow Jr. for the Skins.

How about a SoxTalk Logo on the front and customize User names on the back. Example, SoxFan1, or SuperSteve, or CubsSuck1 on the back. Personalized T-Shirts Rock!

Id do that deal in a 1/4 of a heartbeat. Imagine an outfield of Lee, Winn, and Reed. Oh yeah. Plus, we get a pretty good #3 pitcher in Garcia and we have Garland and Soriano be #4 and #5 respectively. That sures up our Starting Rotation and the Outfield. Please do the trade! P.S.- I love Maggs but we cant pass this deal up!

I said 86-90 and I predict a 88 win season.

The handle of his bat looks like a baseball itself!!!!!!!!!

I agree with you HSC's biggest fan. John Shuerholtz (sp) has done a great job with the Braves. I vote Shuerholtz.

I agree with you HSC's biggest fan. John Shuerholtz (sp) has done a great job with the Braves. I vote Shuerholtz.

I love this trade but only if we get rid of Koch and make Takatsu the closer and Marte the Set-up man. Erstad in Cf is fine with me. Our outfield would be better defensively and Erstad is able to bat leadoff JIC. Washburn would be a great 3rd starter making it lefty, right, lefty, right, lefty (Buehrle, Loaiza, Washburn, Garland, Shoeneweis if necessary) I like this trade. But there is still 1 problem, Uribe is not ready to start at SS.

Im saying Person just because Loaiza was successful.

Sorry, I didnt see the other threads. Wow, how boring is this offseason when, just like you said, we are getting excited about Robert Person. But hey, its better that not touching the team at all. I think he could have a pretty big impact on this team. He could be the 4th or 5th starter. Besides, I wanted us to sign him last year but Loaiza signed instead and I am sure as hell happy about that!

The Chicago White Sox are bringing another veteran pitcher to camp, agreeing to a minor league contract with Robert Person. Person has pitched in only seven games since July 2002, when he had season-ending shoulder surgery. But he won 15 games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2001, and the White Sox are looking to add another veteran to their rotation after losing Bartolo Colon to free agency. Person would be guaranteed $750,000 if he is added to the 40-man roster. The deal was confirmed by his agent, Jeff Moorad. Person would get a $500,000 salary in 2004, and the right-hander would get performance bonuses that pay him up to $500,000 more based on a points system for starts and appearances. The White Sox would get an option for 2005 at $2.5 million plus 150 percent of performance bonuses earned in 2004, and would have to pay a $250,000 buyout if they decline the option. He is 51-42 in parts of nine seasons with Boston, the New York Mets, Toronto and Philadelphia. He was 0-0 with a 7.71 ERA in seven relief outings for the Red Sox last season before going on the disabled list June 11 with an inflamed right hip. Person pitched with shoulder problems in 2000 and 2001, but he still was 15-7 with a 4.19 ERA with the Phillies in 2001. He went 4-5 with a 5.44 ERA in 16 starts for Philadelphia in 2002 before operations on his shoulder and elbow.

Armando Benitez agreed to a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Florida Marlins late Saturday night, a move which prompted the team not to offer a deal to former closer Braden Looper. Benitez had 21 saves last season for the New York Mets before being traded to the Yankees in July. The Yankees dealt him to Seattle three weeks later. The signing is contingent on Benitez passing a physical, Marlins spokesman Steve Copses said. ``We think this guy has a great arm,'' Florida general manager Larry Beinfest said. ``We think Looper has a great arm, too. But Armando is an established closer, and we think he can flourish with our club.'' The right-hander was the Mets' closer since 1999, saving 160 games in 185 chances and representing them on this year's All-Star team. He blew six of his 10 postseason save chances while with the Mets, a major league record.

The Seattle Mariners agreed to a $6,875,000, one-year contract with right-hander Freddy Garcia on Saturday night, retaining the services of the workhorse of one of baseball's best rotations. Garcia has been the subject of trade talks going back into the season. ``As of today, he'd be in the rotation and an important part of the rotation, but I'm not afraid to move anybody to improve the club,'' general manager Bill Bavasi said. ``By our signing, this signals that this guy is pretty darn important.'' The team faced a Saturday 9 p.m. deadline for offering the 27-year-old Garcia a contract. If Seattle didn't offer a contract, he would have become a free agent, and if he remained on the roster as an unsigned player, the two-time All-Star would have been eligible for salary arbitration. Garcia also made $6,875,000 this year after winning in arbitration.

The Milwaukee Brewers on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with outfielder Ben Grieve, the 1998 American League Rookie of the Year. Financial terms were not disclosed. Grieve, 27, spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was limited to 55 games last season due to a blood clot in his arm and batted .230 with four homers and 17 RBI. Grieve batted .279 with 27 homers and 104 RBI in 2000, but his numbers have steadily declined since. He has not driven in more than 72 runs since 2000. Grieve was the 1998 Al Rookie of the Year with the Oakland Athletics, hitting .288 with 18 homers and 89 RBI.

He completes the trade for Barrett and goes to the A's. Essentially, now, all hey have at Catcher is Bako since Barrett was non-tendered.

NEW ORLEANS BOWL New Orleans Dec. 16, 7 p.m. (ESPN2) North Texas vs. Memphis (Already Played) GMAC BOWL Mobile, Ala. Dec. 18, 8 p.m. (ESPN2) Miami (Ohio) vs. Louisville (Already played) TANGERINE BOWL Orlando Dec. 22, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN) North Carolina State vs. Kansas My pick: NC State FORT WORTH BOWL Fort Worth, Texas Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Boise State vs. Texas Christian My Pick: TCU LAS VEGAS BOWL Las Vegas Dec. 24, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) New Mexico vs. Oregon State My Pick: OSU HAWAII BOWL Honolulu Dec. 25, 8 p.m. (ESPN) Hawaii vs. Houston My Pick: Hawaii MOTOR CITY BOWL Detroit, Mich. Dec. 26, 5 p.m. (ESPN) Bowling Green vs. Northwestern My Pick: Bowling Green INSIGHT BOWL Phoenix Dec. 26, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) Virginia Tech vs. California My Pick: Va. Tech CONTINENTAL TIRE BOWL Charlotte, N.C. Dec. 27, 11 a.m. (ESPN) Virginia vs. Pittsburgh My Pick: Pitt ALAMO BOWL San Antonio Dec. 29, 9 p.m. (ESPN) Michigan State vs. Nebraska My Pick: MSU HOUSTON BOWL Houston Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN) Texas Tech vs. Navy Mi Pick: Navy SILICON VALLEY CLASSIC San Jose, Calif. Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Fresno State vs. UCLA My Pick: UCLA HOLIDAY BOWL San Diego Dec. 30, 8 p.m. (ESPN) Washington State vs. Texas My Pick: Texas MUSIC CITY BOWL Nashville, Tenn. Dec. 31, Noon (ESPN) Auburn vs. Wisconsin My Pick: Auburn SUN BOWL El Paso, Texas Dec. 31, 2 p.m. (CBS) Oregon vs. Minnesota My Pickl: Oregon LIBERTY BOWL Memphis Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) Southern Mississippi vs. Utah My Pick: SMU INDEPENDENCE BOWL Shreveport, La. Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Arkansas vs. Missouri My Pick: Arkansas SAN FRANCISCO BOWL San Francisco Dec. 31, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Colorado State vs. Boston College My Pick: BCU OUTBACK BOWL Tampa, Fla. Jan. 1, 11 a.m. (ESPN) Iowa vs. Florida My Pick: Iowa GATOR BOWL Jacksonville, Fla. Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. (NBC) Maryland vs. West Virginia My Pick: WVU CAPITAL ONE BOWL Orlando, Fla. Jan. 1, 2003, 1 p.m. (ABC) Georgia vs. Purdue My Pick: Georgia ROSE BOWL Pasadena, Calif. Jan. 1, 5 p.m. (ABC) Southern California vs. Michigan My Pick: USC ORANGE BOWL Miami Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. (ABC) Florida State vs. Miami (Fla.) My Pick: FSU COTTON BOWL Dallas Jan. 2, 2 p.m. (FOX) Oklahoma State vs. Mississippi My Pick: Ole Miss PEACH BOWL Atlanta Jan. 2, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN) Clemson vs. Tennessee My Pick: Tennessee FIESTA BOWL Tempe, Ariz. Jan. 2, 8 p.m. (ABC) Kansas State vs. Ohio State My Pick: KSU HUMANITARIAN BOWL Boise Jan. 3, 2 p.m. (ESPN) Tulsa vs. Georgia Tech My Pick: GTU SUGAR BOWL New Orleans Jan. 4, 8 p.m. (ABC) Oklahoma vs. Louisiana State My Pick: OU

He's not the only one! On my web site: Da Sox Site I have a link to here and I've been telling a bunch of my Sox Friends about it.

Gee, thanx for nominating me for something Im NOT qualified for? I have well over 2,000 posts if ya havent noticed and Ive been here for almost a year! Cmon man, show some respect.

My favorite part of the article: "The Dodgers, once thought to be a likely trade destination for Garciaparra, apparently are no longer in the picture."

Vizquel Staying with Indians Vizquel staying with Indians By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer December 17, 2003 CLEVELAND (AP) -- The one team Omar Vizquel was willing to go to didn't want him. So, the proposed shortstop swap sending Vizquel back to the Seattle Mariners for Carlos Guillen is off. ``I expect him to be our opening day shortstop,'' Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said Wednesday. Vizquel had waived his no-trade clause and only needed to pass a routine physical exam to complete the deal. However, after putting Vizquel through some agility drills and a medical checkup at Safeco Field on Tuesday, the Mariners apparently were concerned about the condition of Vizquel's surgically repaired right knee and called off the deal. ``There were a lot of complicated issues,'' Seattle assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas said. ``That's as far as we can go with it. The player was never our property. To go into any greater details would be inappropriate.'' Vizquel, with more than 10 years of big league experience and at least five straight in Cleveland, could have vetoed the trade but was excited about the chance to go back to the team he started his career with. The nine-time Gold Glove winner played for Seattle from 1989-93 and still has a home in Issaquah, Wash. He told Shapiro the Mariners were the only other team -- other than the Indians -- that he would play for. After being informed Tuesday night by the Mariners that the deal had fallen apart, Shapiro spoke with Vizquel for 15 minutes. ``He's fine mentally,'' Shapiro said. ``He wasn't looking to leave, and we were not looking to get rid of him. He is an important part of this team.'' Vizquel, 36, had two operations on his knee last season. ``Based on the medical information I have, I'm not concerned at all,'' Shapiro said. ``He's 80 percent right now. Our staff says he'll be 100 percent by opening day.'' Trading Vizquel, who will make $6 million next season, for Guillen, who makes $2.5 million, would have given the Indians money necessary to complete their pitching staff and sign a second baseman. The club withdrew its $2.4 million, one-year offer for free agent second baseman Todd Walker on Tuesday. The Indians have made proposals to two other second basemen, but would still be willing to explore a deal for Walker. Notes RHP Bobby Howry agreed to a minor league contract. Howry, 30, had elbow surgery last summer. ``If he's healthy, I expect him to take a spot in ourbullpen,'' Shapiro said.

I can answer that question! In my best Bostonian accent: "Cuz he's a wicked good playa!"

In a few minutes, Peter Gammons will join Kornheiser(sp) and Wilbon in 5 Good Minutes and is gonna update us on everything!

Read? Watch TV? Play Video-Games? Post here? C'mon, which is it?

thanx thomsonmi and welcome to the boards!!!!!!!