scenario

Maybe if OC and Garland both accept arbitration... we could swap them again. Sounds funny, but this year WE need the pitcher and they need a shortstop. The exact opposite of last year.

One thing that KW said in the teleconference that is sticking with me... He said, "the infield is set... now I'm going to focus on the outfield". What I take out of that is that somebody is going to get acquired, very likely this week. And I don't think it's improbable at all that Dye is moved... both for salary and quality trade chip purposes. So... IMO... we're looking at one new outfielder (>75% likely) and possibly two (25% likely).

I just listened to the KW teleconference again and it seems pretty obvious that Fields is going to get a shot to play 3rd this year. So I suspect people better get used to that idea. In other words, if Bobby or Dye end up getting moved it's probably not going to be for a 3B.

Jason Childers signed with the Rays today. The Rays agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Jason Childers on a Minor League contract. Childers, 33, was an International League midseason All-Star in 2008 for the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights, going 4-2 with a 1.22 ERA while converting all 17 save chances. In addition, he held opponents to a .167 average. His only Major League experience came with the Rays in 2006, when he made five relief appearances after making the club out of Spring Training.

Cabrera fans coming out in full force... So far, 4X as many voters hope Uribe kills and eats him as hope he plays on the southside next year. LOL.

QUOTE (wsgdf_2 @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 04:01 PM) Over my dead body. LOL... Thanks for weighing in Tweezer. Yes. You are Cabrera's #1 fan, aren't you?

If he accepts arbitration and is on the team, he will start.

Link to the Dash website. Pictures of the stadium, etc.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 12:44 PM) You have made my point that offering the arbitration if you really don't want him, is way too risky for a couple of draft picks. I think for every post you've made criticizing KW for offering arbitration... there would be 5 posts criticizing him if we didn't and missed out on the picks.

I'm sure that Dash sounded like a good idea to the wine and cheese crowd of committee members who selected it... But as sports teams go, IMO it's a stupid name. I think if you want to pick a good sports team name you should ask kids, not wine sipping elitists who probably won't attend the games anyway.

Keep in mind with Flowers' defensive deficiencies that 2008 was his first full minor league season as a catcher. Chances are pretty good he'll look better after two full seasons as a catcher.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 12:16 PM) He can't be traded until June 15 without his consent. The teams looking at Adam Everett aren't looking to add the salary figure Cabrera will net from arbitration. So he will go to a place where he wants, the White Sox will get no draft picks, and will have to eat salary assuming of course, he isn't as good as Chris Getz, Brent Lillibridge and (gulp) Jayson Nix, as KW claims. OK.... help me out here. Is your solution to this problem? a.) we shouldn't have offered Cabrera arbitration at all b.) KW should have just kept his mouth shut and not said he'd ride the bench c.) other (describe)

QUOTE (letsgoarow @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 10:53 AM) according to rotoworld it says he will NOT be a hitter. He said he will refuse to try that option. Prob. because that awesome 9 era he has sported in his career lol Well... then I hope he likes Sushi.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 10:50 AM) Why would that make any sense for the Sox? If we wanted Johnson, then acquiring all these 2nd basemen would have been pointless. Because I still think that if we can't find a CF who can hit, that Alexei could end up out there. And then the question would be whether we go with 2 rookies up the middle or land a vet with a decent offensive track record. Just thinking out loud... not proposing that we make that move.

The rumor mill is still churning on Kelly Johnson being dangled for an outfielder. Any possibility that Atlanta becomes JD's new team next week?

My guess is that Corky Miller is the new Paul Phillips... not the new Toby Hall.

Man... if the Mariners non-tender Bedard, that trade will make a few "worst ever" lists, won't it? Brutal.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 09:29 AM) The signing of Corky Miller by the White Sox was actually announced a few weeks ago, there's a thread for it in PHT. I missed that one. Just found this note about it on the web. Looks like it happened mid-November. Corky Miller is getting another chance to play professional baseball. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that miller has signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox. This comes as good news for Miller, who was released by the Braves after the season. He had one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, batting just .083 with a home run and five RBI. He had just four hits in 60 at-bats with Atlanta. Miller was signed by the Sox due to his defense. He's one of the best defensive catchers in the big leagues. Although he will begin the year in the minors, Miller will likely get called-up at some point to serve as an emergency back-up. The former Wolf Pack player has a .176 batting average during his seven year MLB career.

Cantu is a guaranteed low OBP guy. He was low OBP in the minors. He's low OBP in the majors. If it looks like a duck... and quacks like a duck... it's a duck. In Fields last two healthy minor league seasons, he put up stud numbers. Not average numbers... stud numbers. I say we're stupid if we don't give him a chance.

Just saw this possible rumor killing note in a story about Cantu.... "After making $500,000 this past season, Cantu is primed for a big pay raise in arbitration." Think the Sox are looking to add players about to get significantly MORE money? Beeeeeeeeeep.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 07:46 PM) Telling a guy you offered arbitration to just so you can pick up 2 higher draft choices, so you are risking an 8 figure 2009 salary on, now is being told he's not good enough to play for the White Sox anymore because of Chris Getz, Jayson Nix and Brent Lillibridge., yet he was their primary leadoff hitter for the central champs of 2008. OK, his comments weren't made out of spite, just solid baseball decisions. Just like calling Frank Thomas an idiot was a well thought-out comment. Please. I think you're reading waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much into it.

Saw this in recent minor league transactions... Former Sox minor league pitcher Joe Torres signed with Texas for 2009. The 10th overall pick by the Angels in 2000, Torres had perhaps his finest pro season this year with the Birmingham Barons, going 3-1, 2.68 with 59 strikeouts, 31 walks and two home runs allowed in 50 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old made 59 appearances out of the Barons bullpen. Torres pitched in the White Sox system in both 2007 and 2008.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 07:27 PM) As a White Sox fan, if OC accepted arbitration and the White Sox just plopped him on the bench and played guys like Getz and Nix instead, wouldn't you have a problem with that? The difference between the way you and I are looking at this is I don't believe it will ever go that far... So the question of whether they would actually bench Cabrera is purely hypothetical.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 06:28 PM) If KW sits an $11-12 million player on the bench next year out of spite because he accepted what was offered to him just for a couple of draft picks, he should be fired if he doesn't resign. Its been reported over and over how players like Cabrera are going to be the players hurt most by the economy. If KW missed it, shame on him. KWs comment was only intended to communicate to OC and his agent, loud and clear, that he should not accept arbitration. It's not any more complicated than that.

Link PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The Arizona Fall League announces its 2008 Top Prospects Team. Selected by Fall League managers, coaches, and administrators, the Top Prospects Team identifies the players who distinguished themselves throughout the league's seven-week 2008 schedule against other top prospects from every organization in Major League Baseball. Voters were asked to consider Fall League performance and Major League projectability. Gordon Beckham (CWS) -- Peoria Saguaros Hit .394 to rank sixth (t-Rhyne Hughes) in the league ... posted the league's top single-game offensive performance with a five-for-five day that included seven RBIs ... he scored after all five hits, making him responsible for 12 runs. Tyler Flowers (CWS) -- Mesa Solar Sox Fall League home-run leader (12) ... also led the league in slugging percentage (.973) and OPS (1.433) ... hit .387 to rank eighth ... week three Player-of-the Week ... three-homer, seven-RBI game ... 73 total bases ranked third.