TLAK

It doesn't say Riensdorf, it says the owner. Maybe Man Soo Lee told him he was the owner?

Don't get excited about these guys based on numbers. Remember Tuffy Rhodes? The guy who couldn't stick with the Royals and the Grubs? He hit .287 with 45 HR in that league. These deals are strictly for the scouts, just like the draft. BTW, here's Tuffy's picture from JapaneseBaseball.com I'm not kidding

Fishing for carp?

I'll attest he was a terrible bunter last year. I was a game last year with my brother and he almost took it in the teeth on his first try. On the second I said "I hope he doesn't hurt himself", my brother said "I hope he does". He got on on catchers interference.

Greg Couch wrote a column in the Sun-Times Thursday lambasting the White Sox ownership for not spending more on the team. He ended with: Full Couch Column Lee Stern replied in a letter to the editor, this is in today's Inbox page in the sports section. I couldn't find a link so bear with my transcription. Mr. Stern's comments are consistent with many 'insider' posts on how the team is run. I'd just like to add that many companies do not pay dividends or distribute profits regularly, investor's reward is in the form of appreciation of the value of the investment. Although the Sox are not mailing out monthly checks, ownership is doing just fine. The Riensdorf group paid $20 million for the team in 1981. Forbes valued the team at $213 in 2001. This rate of return is about 95%, considerably better than I did on my 401K. Many growth companies plow some of this paper profit back into the business, either through borrowing or selling additional shares. Mr. Stern did not discuss this aspect.

Email the Sox? They know them and maybe they can connect you.

I think they're gonna need three if only because of the two you have will need to be pinch for in tight games.

This is in a story from today's Sun-Times about a burned out family and how the community banded together to provide a Christmas for them. White Sox delivered caps, T-shirts Schools and businesses took up collections of everything from clothing to cash. Toys for Tots gave two bags brimming with presents. A White Sox representative delivered baseball caps and T-shirts for each of the boys and invited the family to be the team's guest next month at Sox Fest 2005. A friend donated a Christmas tree to replace the one that melted in the fire. Full Story

Any help from inside the organizatin? Ryan Hankins, .296 BA .366 OBP .468 SLG at Charlotte? I know he is a 6 year FA but haven't seen him signed anywhere. He also plays the IF corners. I've never seen him in the flesh, but his resume looks like a nice 25th man for Oz to play with in the late innings. With both Burke and him capable of backing up 3B, the middle IF slot could be filled with a SS-2B specialist. Can anyone tell us about him, is he a realistic option? Other MLs: Charlotte: Jonathan Aceves .285 .363 .490 (a lot of Ks, also a 6 year FA) Birmingham: Carlos Maldonado .265 .353 .441 (6 year FA) Birmingham: Chris Stewart .231 .299 .300 All these guys are RH.

If camp opened today, it would be between Valdez and Dransfeldt.

I just listened to the press conference and KW did say the PTBNL would be a minor league organizational type guy. When the trade went down there were pages and pages on this board about who the PTBNL would be, I must have gotten it into my head then and it never got out. Thanks for the correction.

Them Dodgers are starting to look a lot like the '02-'04 White Sox.

I think KW said the PTBNL will be a major leaguer at the time of the trade, that's what got me looking the the Brewer's roster. Everybody was hoping for Ginter.

I'm just throwing this out there for comment. The White Sox are still owed a player to be named in the Carlos Lee deal. One name I have not heard rumored is Junior Spivey. He is a RH hitting middle infielder who had 'loads' of potential but never really panned out, mostly due to injury. He's coming off shoulder surgery now and is supposed to be OK. His '05 salary will be $2.375 million Sounds high except: 2.4 (Spivey) + 0.55 (Podsednik) + 1.5 (Vizcaino) + 3.5 (Hernandez) = 7.95. Lee's 2005 salary will be $8.0 million. Impossible?

Here is how the cost per start would work out with El Duque as #5, its higher than I thought the White Sox would go:

Just to pull all these threads together. MLB Com Non Tender List

Rex' analysis is outstanding. I think, however, Oz will give him opprotunity to further his 'education' in ST. If Rex is right, and he's seen quite a lot of him, BMac will get singed in ST and it will reinforce to him what he needs to improve on. But never say never on any club run by Ozzie. He seems a very short term guy, and I think he will keep who he thinks can win now and screw the nurturing. There was a long debate on these boards last year on whether Cotts should have started out with the big club or needed some more seasoning. With Wunsch going down, Cotts was the best situational lefty on the roster so he stuck. This may or may not have helped his development. If Brandon does well while the usual suspects get hit, it is not impossible for him to break camp for Chicago. I didn't say probable, just not impossible.

I think he has a chance of sticking with the big team. To paraphrase the great Roland Hemond, the good ones come fast. If BMac out pitches Grilli and the other suspects in ST the Sox will keep him. Oz showed he is not afraid to go with performance over reputation by keeping Gload and Burke on the roster when camp broke last year. Ozzie is not a 'development' guy, it all comes down to getting guys out.

Cool question, gave me something to do waiting for it not to be early to go the the bar. If the schedule ran perfectly, no rain outs, injuries, tired arms or guys going ineffective; if Ozzie never juggles the rotation to get match ups, then the 1 starter would get 36 starts, 2-4 would get 35 each and the 5 guy would get 21. No baseball acumen here, I just lined up the schedule and if the 5 number came up with an off day during the last turn made it the 1 number. Kind of makes you hesitate to pay some guy $3-4 million for 21 starts. The season never runs perfectly, however, if it did the 5 starts would be sporatic but all over the season, even early. Here are the ones I figure on clean, pristine paper:

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I'll miss Jose and appreciate what a good job he did for the team at SS. You guys want Caruso back? As for 3B Not going by stats on this, just from watching him play I knew there were at least 2 people who didn't want him to play 3B -him and me.

Yep, I think it kind of got lost in all the talk about a SP, another real need, how bad this team also needs a middle infielder. How would you like Mark Grudzielanek?

I know. I'm not even sure he'll make the team. Dransfeldt? Somebody other than Willie has to be able to play 2b. Can you and I agree we've found a need here?

He's hit .181 life time against LH. Unless he breaks out in ST Oz'll never play him against Sabathia. It would be like feeding fish to a bear.

April is 4 months away, lots can change. The Sox open against Cleveland, so likely will get Mr. Sabathia 1. LF Podsednik 2. CF Rowand 3. DH If Thomas not in (Select Player from DL) then Thomas else Everett end 4. RF Dye 5. 1B Konerko 6. 2B Uribe 7. 3B Crede 8. C_ Burke 9. SS Valdez