Dick Allen

Konerko gets an extra $500,000 a year each of the next 2 years if he is traded. Nobody is going to take him.

If you say something was a done deal, and it isn't you are wrong. He could of said the Sox and Giants were close to a deal, but he didn't. Look at his archives at espn.com. You will be appalled at how often he is wrong.

He also said Russ Ortiz to the Sox last winter was a done deal. Don't believe anything he says. It is my understanding that Russ Ortiz to the Sox was basically a done deal until the Braves came in and offered Damian Moss at the last minute. If a guy is fed information and reports it, it is not his fault if something changes at the last minute. Gammons is extremely well connected with the baseball community and is very well respected by those who work in it. That said, I am sure at times he is also fed some misinformation as well. Lastly, just because the guy says something on TV and it doesn't happen doesn't make him a dumbass. Part of his job is to come up with content that not everyone else has. Sometimes that will require him to play a hunch when reporting something or even report that something may happen before he has all of the information he wants or needs. Most of the time, he says things like "It looks as if this will happen" or "If the Marlins do this, then the Cubs will likely do that". You have to listen to what he says and how he says it. If you take everything as 100% literal or as a rock-solid prediction, sure you will think he is wrong all the time. I don't think it is that hard to listen to what he says and understand that he is well connected if you do so with an open mind. Clear your head of your own biases and you will find that he is very informative. He jumped the gun. He said it was a done deal, it obviously wasn't. Gammons has some decent information, you just have to take what he writes with a grain of salt most of the time.

Leyland and Alou laid back? What are you looking at?

I don't think they mind. He's not getting the job.

He also said Russ Ortiz to the Sox last winter was a done deal. Don't believe anything he says.

Peter Gammons is the worst prognosticater in the history of baseball. He said Brett Boone would win the HR hitting contest at the ASG. Boone hit 0 out and whiffed a pitch. He said the AL would never be able to score on the NL's bullpen. Hello Hank Blaylock. If he predicts good things for the White Sox, it probably means trouble.

In Gammons column on espn.com, he said Colon reportedly turned down a 3 year $35 million offer from the Sox. He also said Boston won't be going after him. Bart's going to the Yankees.

It sounds like something even an 8 year old would be too smart to come up with. A fading .260 hitter who is average at best in CF, for 2 of the game's better hitters. That, and the fact Houston is looking to cut payroll.

Didn't Dick get arrested a couple years back, for umm, exposing himself?

Buddy Bell

I think the definate guy to hire is Ozzie Guillen. I hope the Sox brass feels the same way. I think he'd make a huge difference in the clubhouse and with this team. Great article, also the trib had a nice piece too with a little different quotes. A huge impact... like we need another moron in the clubhouse. Ozzie.. "They want me cause my team beat the Cubs".. what an idiot. He's a friggin 3rd base coach.. if he was ready for a managerial job Florida would have looked at him when they were managerless don't ya think? Finally, a voice of reason.

They did say they would be improving the amenities of the upper deck. Maybe that will satisfy the people who buy upperdeck tickets and are pissed off they have to sit there.

I think Torre may be consulting JM. He had Weaver pitching in a tie game yesterday, and has Giambi and Soriano out of the line-up today.

Hawk loved Ozzie, he even cried when the team stayed in the dugout and Ozzie went out to short his last home game. Its not only Hawk's judgement I am considering. It doesn't take much skill to see someone is jaking it down the line. The White Sox are loaded with these players. Scouts are quoted as saying they can't get good times for the Sox players because they don't bust their ass down the line. Ozzie did the same thing. So much so, that Hawk even mentioned it on a broadcast.

I think they should build it with the same dimensions as the upper deck at old Comiskey.

If Ozzie hit a grounder in the infield, he would jog to first base. Hawk even criticized him for it once. You remember one game, Ozzie played over 1000 for the Sox. He hustled when he was on base, but might have been on base more had he hustled all the time. He has no patience, hence his walk total. I don't think that is a good trait for a manager to have, although JM had too much patience. Ozzie even popped off about the fans saying the team didn't need them. Shall we assume that Ozzie isn't your favorite candidate for the job? That would be a safe assumption, although if they hired him, I do believe we would be better of than we were with JM. He would bring energy to the team, I just don't think he's as perfect a candidate as some, and think if Frank is still on the team, there could be a lot of trouble. Regardless of what they say, Ozzie and Frank weren't and aren't exactly close. Ozzie used to try to embarrass him, and this was back when Frank was MVP- like every season.

If Ozzie hit a grounder in the infield, he would jog to first base. Hawk even criticized him for it once. You remember one game, Ozzie played over 1000 for the Sox. He hustled when he was on base, but might have been on base more had he hustled all the time. He has no patience, hence his walk total. I don't think that is a good trait for a manager to have, although JM had too much patience. Ozzie even popped off about the fans saying the team didn't need them.

When Ozzie played, he didn't run balls out. He never walked. He got hurt everytime he would slide, or at least act hurt. Frank played with him and knows this. He knows how hypocritical it would be if Ozzie got into someone's face for not running the bases. He's definitely a chatter box, and I think he could bring some energy to the team, I just see trouble at the first sight of anything going wrong.

FWIW, Teddy Greenstein said a scout told him Cito made JM look like Sam Kinison. I agree with the above post though, it was not JM being laid back that cost the Sox, it was his decision making.

I don't think Frank's ever fired an agent. His first one was killed in a plane crash. Of course.. I don't keep up with that stuff, so I could be wrong. His agents, one being Scott Sanderson, fired him.

There are rumors that he will quit, win or lose.

Torre is used to making $5 million a year. I don't know how effective he would be managing a team with a quarter of the payroll he is used to. IMO, if he isn't managing the Yankees next season, I don't think he will be managing.

He managed in KC, OAK, and SD before he got to Cincinatti. Had one decent season in KC, one in SD. If Buddy Bell is considered a retread, then Jack McKeon is indeed a retread.

I really doubt Cito would go for the Chairman's guy, the heir apparent, coaching 3rd base. I really doubt Ozzie will be coaching 3rd for the Sox no matter who they bring in. Unlike Chisoxfn, I wouldn't mind seeing Buddy Bell make out the line up. He is a no s*** guy. It would be nice to see players held accountable for their laziness, and mistakes. My first choice would be Backman, but with that story that came out last week, even if it isn't true, he'd never live that down, so its best the Sox and Wally part ways. I think the big thing I dislike about Buddy is he's a retread manager thats never won anything. I know he never had talent, but I see some guys, like Garner who just went around a few times and seemed to always land a gig and never suceed. I'd prefer a new face like Yount/Guillen to Bell. I don't mind Gaston cause he's got the rings and that in itself commands respect. Joe Torre was a retread. Jack McKeon a retread. Bell just had horrible talent in Detroit. The talent was a little better, but not much in Colorado, and you really can't call what they play there baseball. Bell is highly respected around the league. Is it deserved, I don't know, but the White Sox were heartbroken when he left the organization in the mid 90's. The thing that concerns me about Cito is why he never got another managing job after Toronto. Those Blue Jay teams he had, were loaded with professionals, something that can't be said about our guys. Cito is laid back like JM, Buddy is a bit more disciplined. What it all comes down to for me is who would handle the pitching staff better. To me , thats the most important part of being a manager. Ozzie would be interesting. You know he would have a blow up with Frank.