103 mph screwball

Tavares and Furcal would be a sweet 1-2 punch and give Ozzie his speed. I don't think Furcal is aiming too high if Dye is traded. Maybe having a Spanish speaking manager, a fun clubhouse, and still being on a contender would entice Furcal into 3 years with a vesting option for the 4th with a buyout. I think I will stop saying how much sense this makes so KW can stay under the radar.

I'm really excited. I really am ethnically impaired and need help with the proper pronunciation of Dayan Viciedo. Nice Move KW! Have a cigar. Then how about this plan? This is not a far fetched pipe dream. Money saved from trading Dye buys Furcal. Talent received from Dye trade helps acquire Taveras. Alexei is flexible enough to find another position when Beckham is ready. I love KW offseason. Taveras LF Furcal SS TCQ RF Thome DH Konerko 1B Alexei 2B AJ C Fields/Benemit platoon 3B Anderson CF (I don't care if he hits 220 as long as he plays great D) Bench Wise or Player yet to be acquired Getz or Nix Armstrong Benemit/Fields More Speed and D and the money should work. Potential 100 SB combined from 1-2 and 110 HR from 3-4-5 would be a dynamic and explosive offense. Danks AA Viciedo AA Beckham AA

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 05:57 PM) You'd put Alexei in CF, Beckham at 2B and Viciedo at 3B. Furcal is pretty much what the doctor ordered for our lineup, we need a player like him. I agree 100% that Furcal makes the most sense. Viciedo could end up in RF as well with Dye possibly being traded to free up some money for Furcal. I can not see the Sox not getting faster somehow. They must be able to manufacture some runs when it's cold, on the road, and when the big sticks are slumping. Furcal is not even a type A due to his injuries the last couple of years. No permanent harm though. He ripped the cover off of the ball when he came back towards the end of last year. We don't even know how well Alexei will play at short. Alexei could play 2nd, CF, and why not LF or 3rd. KW will sign Furcal and trade for an a cheaper faster outfielder to replace Dye.

QUOTE (flavum @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 02:08 PM) Sounds like the Sox have some plans with those last three spots on the 40-man. Maybe Viciedo gets a spot. Any day now... Couldn't the Sox just sign Viciedo after the rule 5 draft? Could that be why he hasn't signed yet?

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 01:54 PM) What were Whisler's final numbers down in Charlotte again? Clevelan Santeliz would be a surprise I would have thought. Whisler was 12-10 with 3.81 era, 1.41 whip, 71 k's and 45 walks. Whisler Stats

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Nov 19, 2008 -> 11:02 PM) I was being sarcastic. Thank goodness. I'm glad I didn't respond then. Faith in Kenny Hates Prospects has been restored!

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 16, 2008 -> 12:28 PM) Thats badass. That is awesome. I wonder what it would be like if a player from the Sox posted here. I remember we had one Sox prospect that used to post. He was a nice guy, but I can't remember his name right now. It will happen someday as more of the younger internet savvy players make the big leagues. I'm glad I stumbled upon this tread. It should be stickied for the Soxtalk reference alone. I'm rooting for Danks, Armstrong, and Beckham even more. I didn't realize Armstrong was with the Braves organization before. Great stuff.

Does anybody know if he can handle the bat well enough to bat 2nd? Can he bunt or hit to the right side. Those skills might help him get to the majors quicker.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Nov 18, 2008 -> 04:05 PM) I'll be damned if I won't worship every player on that team I agree. Even Timo.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Nov 18, 2008 -> 03:28 PM) Everett hits 23 homers in 490 bats, while scoring 58 runs, while posting a poor OPB. He was a contributor not a world beater. But i don't think we can ignore what he brought to the table. A feared middle of the order bat (in a pre-Thome World), and some hysterical soundbites about Dinosaurs. Yea but that guy we traded for Thome did most of the CF roaming. Crazy Carl had some big hits when nobody else would. You are right about him not being a world beater number 3 hitter that year. It just seems like Pods would get on somehow and steal. Iguchi would get him over somehow and Everett would get him home somehow and the Sox would end up winning one to nothing. So Everett's contribution was small statistically, but important. Supposedly he was an important part of club house chemistry that year as well. Of course, I can't confirm that.

Never have news the day after a Bears game. If we still hear nothing by Thursday, that is a bad sign to me.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 16, 2008 -> 10:49 AM) I will be shocked if Chris Getz is starting for us on Opening Day at 3B. Probably right. Then the Sox need a lead off and someone to bat second. Much more KW sculpting will be done this winter. I think Furcal will be the lead off hitter. I can't see the Sox not having a speedy lead off man and a bat handler batting second again this year. They need to be able to manufacture some runs in the cold weather and when the big boppers are slumping. They need to recapture a little bit of what Pods and Iguchi were able to do in 2005 somehow. Dempster? He has an Ozzie connection from Florida and is supposed to be a great clubhouse guy. I feel like KW has the Christmas gifts under the tree and I have to sit and look at them guessing what is in the packages. I just hope they aren't empty.

Furcal is the guy I think KW will go after because he can fill the lead off void from an infield position. Roberts will cost too much via trade. Alexei can stay at second where we know he can play well. KW will worry about making a spot for Beckham next off season after he recovers from another Grant Park Championship Ceremony. Furcal SS Getz 3B TCQ LF Big Jim DH Konerko 1b Dye RF Alexei 2b AJ C Anderson CF Still not enough speed. I think JD will be traded and the Sox will have a younger faster RF with less power.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Nov 6, 2008 -> 11:25 AM) There are going to be a ton of disappointed people here this off-season. Maybe, but I love off season with Mr. Aggressive Kenny Williams. He thinks big and is persistent. Something will happen.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Nov 6, 2008 -> 11:42 AM) just a catch-all, thats all I ask. Nothing too complicated..... I personally don't like the catch all type threads. If I only have a minute at work, it is nice to just be able to scan the thread titles for something that interests me. To me, the catch alls become to large and cumbersome. I like the thought of Kelly Johnson playing 2B.

I'll have to remember to take the trade deadline as a day off work next year. I'm hitting refresh to see what KW will pull off next.

If this trade happens, I think Swisher is going to be traded. Thome and Konerko both can block trades. KW might be a bit disappointed in Swisher's performance. I'm curious to find out what KW is up to. It doesn't make sense on the surface, but KW is a step ahead of us.

I think I've bought into the Sox "Family" idea. DJ has done nothing but improve and does not deserve to go. Ideally, DJ would move to radio until Hawk retires. DJ would do the play by play on the radio with Farmer going back to color. If DJ was booted, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth like the Rooney move did. Promise DJ a long term deal for TV when Hawk retires.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 3, 2008 -> 08:27 AM) I'd rather see Hawk retire, and have Stone and DJ in the TV booth. Me too. Stone and Hawk are both color guys at this point. DJ does a significant amount of the play by play right now. Although I'm sure that Stone could do that, he's outstanding as the color guy and would be misused as play by play. Can you imagine Stone doing an inning or two of talking to himself while Hawk disappears? DJ is a fine play by play man on the fox broadcasts when he is free from his job as Hawk's sidekick. I love Hawk, but losing DJ would be a mistake. Stone would make Hawk better, but he would make DJ better as well. Find a way to keep all three until Hawk chooses to retire. Even when he retires, I hope he visits frequently. I still have childhood memories of bouncing a rubber ball off of a tree in the back yard and making spectacular diving plays as I listened to Harry and Jimmy make the Sox thrilling on the radio. The entire rest of my Sox memory has been described by Hawk.

I'll be there tonight for my first game of the year and my daughter's first game of her life. I hope she gets to see a lot of fireworks.

It might not be a good idea to bring Fields up. If he doesn't hit well, it will lessen his trade value at the deadline when Crede signs his extension. (gut feeling). I see no reason why Anderson should not play more.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 10, 2008 -> 06:20 AM) Awesome, just awesome. I luv this team! Yep. Makes me more proud to be a Sox fan.

QUOTE (quickman @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 07:44 PM) Thats why popular told me not to post, but I thought it was a good segway. For full disclosure Popular has this information but we do not know if the sources are reliable. I am not starting anything, I just thought it was a good segway. Nothing to believe, unless of course it is true! I don't have any inside info, but I can see Crede staying. 1. The Sox can afford his raise by letting Cabrera and Uribe walk and having the young infield of Ramirez at short and Richar at 2nd. 2. Fields, Ramirez, Richar would be pretty young with at least 2 question marks. 3. Crede has demonstrated health, will still have some prime years, and is extremely unlikely to be a product of performance enhancement. 4. Defense has value to an organization that values pitching. 5. Crede seems to be a good clubhouse guy from what I've heard and read. 6. He's hitting pretty well. Good health may cut down on those epic slumps of the past. 7. Crede has said that he wants to stay and certainly knows the Boras controversy. 8. He's clutch. Freakishly clutch. 9. Sox should have continued payroll stability if attendance continues to improve with better weather and a team 6.5 games in first. 10. The fans like him and it would be a nice PR move similar to the Pauly and Mark signings. 11. Hopefully the Sox will have the 2008 Championship to defend. 12. Fields would have nice trade value to fill another need and his talk of quitting due to the clubhouse is not a huge issue but is noteworthy. 13. Sox drafted a 3b in the 3rd round of this years draft. 14. They have said that there will be no negotiations during the year. Just like Mark and JD. I'm sure KW would listen especially if Boras was out of the picture. 15. The Danks Family fired him for a reason. Joe and John are bound to talk a little. 16. I have a gut feeling. I'm sure the Sox will pay Jordan Danks better than 7th round money but he will not pull Reinsdorf's gold fillings with pliers the way Boras would have. I'm sure the Sox had an idea what it would take before he was drafted and it would be a good idea to threat John's little brother fairly. Jordan is a nice prospect, but John Danks has proven himself and less than 2 years ago he was in AA. We have not even seen his full potential.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 04:01 PM) Sign the younger one now. Extend the elder one now. I'm not joking on the latter part. Yep agreed! Great news. Work out an extension with John where he gets some money up front and security in exchange for an extra year before free agency. Whatever works as a win win. This has to be an indication that Jordan is at least interested in signing. How about Crede next!

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 09:15 AM) The criticism of him letting the farm system go to crap is valid. That said, his record on trades and FA signings has been overwhelmingly outstanding. As somebody else in this thread mentioned, he's easily a Top 10 GM. I think part of the reason that the farm system looks so bare is because KW has made some impressive trades to get young major league talent on the roster. Our system has produced guys Young, Gio, Sweeney, McCarthy, and more. KW did not want to wait to put a playoff caliber team on the field so he traded those players for more developed players and pitching. We have had a farm. We traded them for Quentin, Vasquez, Thome, Floyd, and Danks. I think he gets too much criticism of the farm at times. Could it be better? Yes. I hope some of the recent changes help. I agree he is top ten and deserved executive of the year in 2005. Hopefully he will win it this year.