DBAHO

Well Hot Dog, we hav a Weiner!

Nice to hav u back aboz, I'm sure Buerhle resignin was da best news u could hav gotten while u were away.

Good that'll mean Orlando should be favs for tonight since da Bulls r without Curry.

It's goin to be a very close race, that's for sure. All of you guys deserve to win it.

Wouldn't u luv to hav one of those ride on mowers.

Sum days I wake up depressed wonderin why do I bother sumtimes when things don't go ur way, and sum days I wake up full of energy. But I think Pastime said it best when "Every day I wake up not being a Cubs fan is a better day than the one before."

1B/OF Ross Gload ranks among the leaders in batting average, home runs and RBIs in the Mexican winter league. He could take departed 1B/OF Brian Daubach's reserve role or move into a more significant position if a higher-salaried player is traded. BEST PITCHING IQ LHP Mark Buehrle simply knows how to pitch. Like RHP Greg Maddux, Buehrle works both sides of the plate and consistently is around the strike zone without getting too much of the fat part, keeping hitters uncomfortable. Buehrle pitches to his strengths; he sets up at-bats with great movement and takes advantage of the fielders, getting hitters to put the ball in play.

NY Post ArticleHere it is, Other pitchers who are available are Montreal's Livan Hernandez (due $6 million in 2004) and Cincinnati's Paul Wilson ($3.5M). The Mets could try to get creative, too, and attempt to lure Seattle into parting with one of its young starters, Joel Pineiro or Gil Meche. While both are talented pitchers, both, along with Freddy Garcia, are also eligible for arbitration. The Mariners may have to trade one to keep the other two.

An automatic spellchecker would come in handy on SoxTalk wouldn't it.

U know how much Ozzie luvs his grinders. And the O's wouldn't want Valentin now afta they signed Miggy so u can forget bout that deal.

Apparently he may not be able to buy the team now cos all of his money that he is usin to but the team is comin from loans. Think that was in a LA Times article a few days ago.

Mets are very hot on Urbina. If they don't end up signin him for their closer position, expect them to make a deal for Koch givin up Weathers.

Here it is, MLB Page Seattle's Freddy Garcia is another possible option on Chicago's radar screen with speculation that Garcia and Carlos Guillen could go to the Windy City in exchange for Jose Valentin and another player making the rounds this weekend.

Plus I think he will be pitchin in a Padres or Cards uniform come 2004.

Cha-Ching! Here comes da money! Nuff said.

But u are still 1 point behind me for this week Heather.

Yes! Looks like I win for this week with 18 points, and that's a new record for the season!

I gotta get in some more questions for ya as well Yahtzee.

My guess is that Winn ends up goin to the Dodgers plus another player for Paul LoDuca.

Also this article from Mike Downey of da Trib, On a scale of 10—a 10 being the capture of Saddam Hussein and a 5 being the arrest of Michael Jackson—the magnitude of a White Sox trade would rate as a ... what? As a 1, tops. An 0.75. But as baseball's trade winds blow in and out of Chicago and change direction, the South Side's two top players—the only bona fide Sox superstars—continue to be batted back and forth like a couple of badminton birdies: Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez. We are not talking about a pair of money-motivated free agents out searching for a better offer. We are talking about this team's most valuable assets, two dyed-in-the-wool White Sox who rank among the organization's greatest players ever, being packaged and sent on their way like a box of Christmas apples and pears from Harry and David. Sox fans have come to expect—or dread—word at any hour that Thomas or Ordonez is leaving town for good. Last week rumors were rampant that Thomas, at 35 the elder of the two by six years, would go to Los Angeles as part of a three-way deal. It presumably would result in pitcher Kevin Brown going to New York, as ultimately he did, and the Yankees sending a package of some kind to the Sox. Bull's-eye or bull, that was the buzz. This week it is Ordonez's name surfacing with greater frequency. Same destination: L.A. Supposedly what the Dodgers still require is a strong right-handed bat. And what the Sox need in return is a starting pitcher, a reliever and perhaps a hot young prospect or two. The popular guesswork is that Ordonez might not be money-driven now, but that he already makes a steep $14 million a year and can become a free agent beyond 2004. The Sox would hate to lose him and get nothing in return. High-profile players already have been abandoning the Sox. Pitchers Bartolo Colon and Tom Gordon sought greener pastures. Relatively inexpensive infielder Tony Graffanino just joined one of the club's rivals, the Kansas City Royals, while extremely expensive outfielder Carl Everett is becoming a Montreal Expo. (You know your team's bankroll has shrunk when the Expos can outbid you.) Much of the enthusiasm generated by the return of Ozzie Guillen to the fold is dissipating at this exodus of A-list talent and at the prospect of having a neighborhood favorite like Thomas or Ordonez return to town—either side—in another team's cap. It might not be Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards get-up, but it still makes you wince. A fan's first instinct is to blame the team. In some cases, what fans should do is vent their anger at a Colon or even a Jordan, who turns his back on the team, rather than on the men who "let him get away." But in a Thomas or Ordonez divorce, the Sox would be in no position to seek pity as the deserted party. They would be the ones instigating the star's departure. They would be the ones endeavoring to explain why, in management's humble opinion, Chicago would be better off without him. Good luck. Any players the Sox get in return had better be braced to deal with the fallout. When a pitcher flops, as Todd Ritchie and David Wells definitely did and as Colon marginally did, it makes the Sox look unwise or unlucky. But if he's a flop as a pitcher who cost the team Thomas or Ordonez, it is going to make the Sox look and feel like fools. Odalis Perez has been mentioned as a possibility in a proposed Sox-Dodgers deal. Perez is a very good left-handed pitcher who came to L.A. in a deal that cost the team superstar Gary Sheffield, but Perez did not have to face the wrath of fans because the obnoxious Sheffield's popularity had eroded. A hitch in these trade talks reportedly has been L.A.'s reluctance to part with Guillermo Mota, a middle reliever. Mota throws hard. He has thrown several directly at Mike Piazza and once threw his glove at Piazza when the batter charged the mound. Mota ran from a fight so far and so fast, one teammate behind his back called him "El Pollo"—the chicken—and Mets manager Art Howe said, "He backpedaled faster than I can run forward." Anytime you acquire a player, you take a gamble. But if you are willing to part with one of your town's most popular and valuable properties, you do much, much more than simply roll the dice. You are making a decision that you had better be prepared to live with for the rest of your days in this town.

Interestin article as they all are, NEW ORLEANS -- As baseball executives departed the New Orleans Marriott on Monday, Alex Rodriguez was still a member of the Texas Rangers. That could change soon. A weekend of intense efforts by agent Scott Boras and the front offices of the Boston Red Sox and Rangers was not enough to unravel all the details of the complex deal centered around Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, the two highest-paid players. The inclusion of a third team, possibly the White Sox, could be the key to closing a deal. According to major-league sources, White Sox general manager Ken Williams was trying to get right-hander Scott Williamson from Boston for a starting pitcher—possibly Dan Wright or Jon Rauch—who would be sent to Texas along with Ramirez. Florida also was involved in negotiations with Boston for Williamson, whom some teams view as a closer, with 14-game winner Mark Redman in the mix. Citing family plans, Boras headed back to his California offices Monday afternoon. He said he didn't know if the Rodriguez trade would be completed. "I'm not Mr. Goodwrench," Boras told reporters. "I don't have diagnostics. It's impossible for me to say." Williams would not confirm that the White Sox had been brought in on the periphery of the Rodriguez-Ramirez deal but acknowledged that trade discussions had reached the serious stage on a few fronts. "There's a lot going on," Williams said. "We've got a lot of balls in the air." One of those includes the rumored Magglio Ordonez deal with Los Angeles. The Dodgers have been unwilling to include reliever Guillermo Mota along with lefty Odalis Perez and prospects, but might reconsider after leaving the meetings without the offensive help they've been seeking for two years. The Dodgers also are pursuing Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who becomes expendable if Rodriguez moves to Fenway Park. It's possible they could be involved in a three- or four-way deal. While the talented Mota is the bone of contention in talks between Williams and Dodgers GM Dan Evans, the Texas-Boston deal stalled because of finances. The Rangers, who still owe Rodriguez $179 million over seven years, are insisting that Boston include "cash considerations" in any deal for Ramirez. The Red Sox have refused. Rodriguez appears eager to escape Texas, where his teams have finished in last place for three consecutive seasons, but he has not been willing to consider restructuring his record contract. "You want your clients to be happy," Boras said. "You want them to achieve their goals. One of Alex's is to win." By pushing for a trade, the multitalented Rodriguez has alienated his bosses in Texas. There were reports over the weekend that manager Buck Showalter and GM John Hart had asked owner Tom Hicks to make the deal without cash considerations. Hart had hoped to use the flexibility gained through the "cash considerations"—said to be as much as $5 million a year—to obtain some much-needed pitching. He might be able to accomplish that by bringing a third team into the deal. Williamson became expendable when Boston signed Keith Foulke to a three-year, $24 million contract. The Red Sox do not having a surplus of starters, however, which forces them to involve other teams in the Rodriguez negotiations. While a veteran starter like Redman would immediately become the Rangers' top pitcher, the 25-year-old Rauch (7-1 with a 4.11 ERA for Triple-A Charlotte) or 26-year-old Wright would fit into Texas' ongoing rebuilding plan. The White Sox would have to get more in return than Williamson if they were to include any of their top pitching prospects (right-hander Kris Honel or left-handers Neal Cotts and Ryan Wing) in the deal. The White Sox added one player to their roster Monday, paying $50,000 to select right-hander Jason Grilli from Florida's roster in the Rule 5 draft. Grilli, 27, was the fourth player taken in the 1997 draft and reached the big leagues in 2000 with the Marlins. His career was sidetracked, however, by reconstructive elbow surgery. He recovered to make 19 starts in 2003, getting his feet wet in the Florida State League before jumping to Triple-A Albuquerque. He was 6-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 12 starts for the Isotopes. "When he was at Seton Hall, he could really throw the ball," White Sox scouting director Duane Shaffer said. "The key for us is he pitched this year healthy. We know he's healthy. That's why we took a chance on him." While Grilli has almost always started, the White Sox will look at him first as a reliever. They are thin from the right side in the bullpen after the departure of free agents Tom Gordon and Scott Sullivan. The Cubs lost right-hander Jason Szuminski in the Rule 5 draft. He was selected by Kansas City and then traded to San Diego for outfielder Rich Thompson. Last-minute shopping: Normally, we don't offer gift suggestions, but if you're looking for a last-minute idea, why not consider a specially made bat that features highlights of the Cubs' 2003 season emblazoned on the barrel? Only 2003 of the bats were made and about 500 remain. They sell for $129.95 apiece (plus $15 for shipping), with proceeds benefiting the Boys and Girls Club. Orders or further information can be made with a call to 1-866-243-2287 or at www.hampsterdirect.com. Another way to help is through the Tribune's Holiday Campaign. It takes only a few seconds to fill out the accompanying coupon.

Also this from him as well, The Dodgers have been "all over" the Red Sox in recent weeks, one GM says, and are poised to trade for shortstop Nomar Garciaparra if the Sox complete their swap of Manny Ramirez for Alex Rodriguez. The Dodgers expect to re-sign left-hander Wilson Alvarez, a move that would give them the depth to trade pitching either in a deal for Garciaparra or another hitter. The Dodgers continue to talk to the White Sox about right fielder Magglio Ordonez and also are exploring other options. Alvarez could end up in either the Dodgers' rotation or bullpen.

Here's his latest Inside Dish, Inside Dish The Royals overpaid for free-agent RHP Scott Sullivan, awarding him a two-year, $5 million contract with an option. Still, one A.L. G.M. says, "They've got the best bullpen in the division by far, and maybe one of the best in the league." The Royals were last in the A.L. last season with a 5.55 bullpen ERA.

White Sox move Though it had not been made official by Sunday evening, it appeared that the Chicago White Sox had signed starter Sidney Ponson to a three-year, $18 million deal. Ponson was 14-6 with a 3.77 ERA for the Orioles last season before being dealt to San Francisco Giants, where he was 3-6 with a 3.71 ERA.

Oops guess I didn't look hard enough.