winninguglyin83

I'm not in favor of trading Konerko. His value is down so you won't get that much, probably another team's bad contract. He's young enough to bounce back, and I predict he will because he was embarrassed by his play last season.

i'm all for Willie getting a legit chance. The guy was a terror for the first month in the International League. His OBP when he was promoted was better than .440. So what happened to him in Chicago. He got jerked around. Never got consistent PT. The best thing the Sox could do with Willie is make an honest evaluation of his skills. Make a determination. Is he a second baseman or center fielder? Then stick him at that spot and tell him You're Our Guy and you're getting this chance to prove it. Be nice if they could plug him in the same spot in the batting order every day, too. Second makes the most sense for now. Too much pressure hitting leadoff. But hitting second, he should be more fastballs with Frank, Maggs and Caballo coming up behind him. Give Willie a chance. and forget Roger Cedeno.

Not only is Cedeno awful and overpaid, he would cause another problem by blocking Rowand/Harris/Reed from getting the job. Much rather see the Sox give Rowand or Willie a legitimate chance to play CF than to watch some bum from a bad Mets' team. Keep Koch and let the Mets dump Cedeno elsewhere.

aren't they going on now in Las Vegas? surprised to see almost nothing on the Sox in the Chicago papers. Wondering if anybody is leaking info about which free agents they have targeted, especially pitchers? What is the plan to reshape the everyday lineup? Who's coming, who's going and which guys in the farm system do they REALLY like? Did Frank and Ozzie sit down and talk? Need a baseball fix. Anybody got any Sox news?

As far as I can tell, ain't nuthin changed since 1959. we're still wishin, hopin, prayin.

You have to believe Torre will leave after next season. Mel will do one more, tops. That's why you have to seriously question whether Pettitte will resign with that much Bronx uncertainty.

most of the speculation has Everett and Tino Martinez headed to TAmpa. not sure where Tampa will use him, though. Crawford, Baldelli and Huff is a decent young outfield. Maybe Carl moves to DH. Don't think Tino has much left in the tank, though.

Like the return of Royce Ring, maybe. they can keep Almonte and the second baseman

An emphatic NO on Roger Cedeno. rather take a chance on Koch bouncing back. We have guys who deserve a chance in CF. Cedeno ain't one of them. NO TO THAT MOVE, KW.

i don't think there is that much mystery. KW is fearful of being able to find another shortstop, There's nobody in the system even close. The guys who are better will be A) much more expensive and B) disinterested the White Sox. The scrappers aren't worth the trouble. Jose was the best option -- although I agree the price was too steep. As for CF, the Sox have alternatives -- Rowand, Harris and Reed. The're obviously not as good as Everett, but the Sox want to find out wha the first two can do.

no, that's not enough. The one loss needs to cost the Cubs a post-season spot.

The Best moves we will make is to sit back and watch LaTroy Hawkins and Shannon Stewart leave the Twinkies. If we get really lucky, a few more of the Minnesota guys will flee, too.

The 100 mph heater won't be back. Koch never complained about being injured last year -- even after the fact. He's been worked like a mule for three or four years on a elbow that was fixed early in his career. If you can dump him, dump him. He'd get about three batters before Sox fans started booing him again. Might be quicker if he blew a game or two to start the year in KC again. Rather see them let Marte close. If you can keep Flash for a reasonable number, OK. If not, keep looking: Marte, Sullivan, Wright, Ginter, Munoz, Wunsch and maybe a bargain free agent signing. As for Foulke, he ain't coming back to the South Side. KW don't want him. And he doesn't want to be in Chicago. All he did was A) blow key games; B) tell JM to pull him as a starter because he had lost his confidence and C) keep inquiring about becoming a starter. See ya, Foulkie.

.Actually, I think they should deal Olivo and Miles for Posada.

just a sad commentary on how barren our farm system is at shortstop. nuttin at Triple A nuttin at Double A. nuttin at single a -- unless Gonzalez and Morse turn it on. it's Valido or bust -- and he is 3 or 4 years away. That's why Jose is a White Sox lifer.

John Franco? He's older thatn Ozzie isn't he? rather they go after Jerry Koosman or Tom Seaver than Franco.

actually I think Cooper is a good pitching coach. Santana seemed to do go work with the infielders. the younger players like Walker. Kusyner and Nossek are old hands. It might not be a bad staff.

you have to know how to type and operate a computer. that makes it tough for them.

The three things I learned from reading the four local papers this morning: *Daily Southtown reported the Sox are going to make a big pitch for Sidney Ponson to fill Bartolo's spot. *Daily Southtown also reported that when word of Ozzie's opening volley got back to Frank that Frank was irate. I'm starting to believe that management might be invoking that strategy to drive Frank out. He accepted the $6 million contract option. KW and JR don't have to say a word. Ozzie takes the heat. Frank gets so perturbed that he calls Arn Tellem and says GET ME OUTTA THERE, I don't care what it takes. Just a thought. *Ozzie likes Willie Harris. Sez he's going to use spring training to teach him how to improve his bunting. Hmmmm. Get one of the fastest left-handed hitters in the league to become a top bunter. Wonder if the former manager ever considered that? Doubtful. That would have made it more difficult to have the guys behind him roll into all those double plays.

Sox don't have proven depth in the outfield -- or anywhere. But with the current budget, I wonder if we can carry Maggs for $14 million in right and Caballo for $7-8 million in left. Not to mention Konerko and Frank. need to spend more of the money on pitching.

Reed was ranked the second best hitting prospect in the Southern League. the only guy he trailed was Miguel Cabrera. Ozzie saw him rake. He'll give the kid a long look in Tucson.

Just trying to get more props for Jeremy, not promising he'll make the team. But now that I've got your attention, here is what Mr. Reed did in his last game for Team USA. 2 At bats 2 runs 2 singles. A SACRIFICE BUNT A STOLEN BASE. I know it's just an exhibition game. I know it's not the big league. I know he's probably a year a way. But that's the kind of guy Guillen is looking for. And for all the complaining about the new manager that I've read on this board, my only comment is: I've got a lot more gripes with guys making millions of dollars a year who can't bunt, can't go from first to third on a single to right field, throw to the wrong base and refuse to hit to right field. I think it's pretty clear that with this hire, JR and KW are sending the message that they won't be afraid to play a younger lineup and back-up the bus with this group has has now underachieved in back to back seasons. Good for them. I wouldn't be surprised to see two of these four guys starting in the outfield -- Rowand, Harris, Reed, Borchard. And if Frank gets ticked off, he can agree to a trade, too. I, for one, am ready to see some of the younger hungrier players get a chance. And if Reed is one, so be it.

he was hurt. he pressed. Hardly anybody else hit, so he was considered one of the guys who could be shuffled out of the lineup. he went to the minors, never complained and got straightened out. came up and did well prior to the Everett trade. give him a chance.

It's obvious JR wasn't pleased by some of the stuff the players got away with during the final two years of the Manuel Era. Spring training was supposed to be more focused last year. It wasn't -- and this team came out and rolled over in April. If Ozzie promised more attention to fundamentals, he'll have to deliver. All season everybody on this board b****ed because this team was terrible at bunting, terrible at advancing runners, terrible at hitting in double plays and terrible at throwing to the wrong bases. I believe people called it Corpse Ball -- a dead-ass approach we suffered through for the first 2 1/2 months of the season. Now Ozzie arrives, promising to work on those things and convince everybody to play with enthusiasm and a ton of people are b****ing. NOT ME!!!! There are no guarantees Ozzie will work out. But the changes he is talking about implementing are changes that need to be made. Think back to the baseball we saw last April and May before you complain!!!!!!!!!

I'd give Rowand first crack. He's hard-nosed. He's got solid power. He can definitely play the position and throw. And he's hungry. What Rowand has to improve on is his plate discipline. He needs to draw more walks. That said, I think Ozzie will also look at Willie. Remember he's leaving a team with Pierre and Castillo at the top of the lineup. Willie can but, run and go from first to third just that quick. He, too, needs to improve his ability to draw walks. He's not the outfielder Rowand is. But I think we could win with either guy in CF. What we need is another stud pitcher.