103 mph screwball

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Dec 5, 2006 -> 10:27 PM) Just heard on CBS that the Sox have been talking to the Yankees about sending them a starting pitcher and receiving bullpen help in return. That has to be a cover story to hide AROD negotiations. I can't see KW trading a starter for bullpen help. Maybe if there were some prospects involved or Melky? I think it's B.S.

Ozuna avoids arbitration and signs a 1 year 800,000 contract per the Score 670

Love it. You can get 10 of these guys for the cost of one David Riske. Some could end up with the on the major league roster some day. Others could be traded to acquire major league talent mid season in the future. Also, perhaps the Sox sell some jerseys in Taiwan.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Dec 4, 2006 -> 11:39 PM) Yeah, he might. But not from his beloved Cardinals, that's for sure. And not if he struggles again this year. And not if the market reacts harshly to this spending spree going on right now. It's very easy to say he might get this and he might get that, but in all reality, would YOU turn down a chance at $55 million in guaranteed money and a chance to stay with the only organization you have ever been with (and recently won a World Championship with), to gamble at 5/75? I mean, I realize that is an extra 20 million there, but in all practical terms, what could he do with $15 million a year that he couldn't do with $11 million annually? No I'd take it. A pitcher on a 1 year deal could blow out an arm and get nothing in 08. I hope that doesn't happen, but it's something to consider as a player. Mark has also been offered an extension before and turned it down a few years ago (I can't remember when but someone else will remember too). He then pitched poorly for a while and was kidded that he should have taken the extension when he had the chance.

Miller's 2007 Salary I here he is good with a pitching staff

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 3, 2006 -> 09:44 PM) And a team with an unlimited budget. Yep, I'm sure Crede would just hate to go there. I would.

What a great way to get Crede to sign that extension. Leak a rumor that the Sox want to trade the small town Missouri kid to the evil empire and their vampire media.

Translation: Dear team X, your offer still is not good enough. You will have to overpay. Sorry, I don't have to give you any of my 6 starters. Start acting desperate. You will give me the extra prospect and do a little dance for me.

QUOTE(chitownsportsfan @ Dec 1, 2006 -> 01:13 PM) I don't buy that line of arguing. The position is not "covered". This isn't football where you need "x" amount at every position. Anyone on the roster could currently fill in for Scott Podsednik and do a better job: Gload, Mackowiak, etc. This is a wasted 3 million dollars, there is no other way to look at it. So when KW is dealing with Tampa or the Angels to trade for Crawford or Figgins or any potential upgrade to lead off for the Sox, now KW has a bit more leverage in negotiations because he could always keep Pods. Some team will want Pods for 2.9 million. Pierre is making 9 million a year for goodness sake. The Sox have several players who can play left field. They do not have any speedy lead off men to replace Pods and other teams know just as well as we do that Ozzie wants one. Please don't say Owens or Iguchi.

QUOTE(Melissa1334 @ Dec 1, 2006 -> 11:25 AM) i'll take my chance with pods for 1 year, 2.9 than with roberts for 3-5 mil for 3 yrs. Me too. Sox may still make a move in LF but at 2.9, they should be able to move him somewhere if need be. It reminds me of when the Sox had to choose what to do with Ben Davis. They ended up upgrading to AJ, but at the time they had to make sure the position was covered first. Now, KW can just tell teams he is dealing with that he will just stick with Pods unless the offer is to his liking.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Nov 30, 2006 -> 05:58 PM) Would you rather give $60 million to Manny Ramirez, or $30-50 million for trash like Gary Matthews Jr., Pierre, Eaton, and Meche etc ? No. I'd rather have Manny. But I'd rather give Dye $50 million and use the other $10 million on the bullpen or Crede. Dye can play defense and is a good clubhouse guy. Now if the Sox plan on keeping both Dye and Ramirez...damn. There would be some interesting Manny vs Ozzie confrontations. Perhaps Manny could pay for himself with a White Sox reality TV show. I'm sure that wouldn't be a distraction.

QUOTE(Melissa1334 @ Nov 30, 2006 -> 06:24 PM) jeez, we waited forever for crede to turn out to be the player he is now, and were gunna move him the year after he finally breaksthrough.... I feel the same way, but would you pay Joe 16 million a year? Aramis supposedly took a discount to stay on the northside for 5 years 75 million. Boras will start higher than 5 years 80 million for Crede. I don't think KW wants to trade him but he doesn't want to lose him for nothing and he just isn't worth that kind of money. KW will give Joe a chance to be very very rich and stay with the Sox. If he declines to extend, I trust KW to do what he thinks is best to keep the Sox World Series contenders. As long as the Sox have a payroll >100 million, I refuse to call that a cheap move.

Yes, but I think it is in the middle of the HUGE Angel rumor thread. Anyone who may not have had the time to read all of that thread might have missed it. I want Ichiro. I wonder what it would take? KW has inquired about him before.

Translation: Angels, your offer is not good enough and KW is not going to give in because he does not need to. You have to make him want to.

QUOTE(Hatchetman @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 08:25 AM) i don't see pods being much worse than figgins. phil rogers suggested figgins in CF and pods in LF. how stupid is that? and he's the local baseball "expert." Stupid? Maybe. Better than Pods/Anderson? Overall, I think so.

I can understand the desire for an upgrade and the frustration with 2006. It boggles my mind if anyone doesn't give him his props for his big role with the Championship team. His contribution went beyond stats. He was the spark in the 1st half.

3rd base in 2007 if this went down? Figgins? I hope not. Put him in left or center. Mackowiak? Mackowiak/Fields platoon? Cintron? Fields and accept that he may struggle? Uribe to 3rd and Cintron at Short? Free agent like Aurillia or Lugo? Trade for Ensburg? Blaylock? Vizquel, MCAB!! Why not, the Sox would have cash? You know those fantasy things that the Sox do like reading the lineup and going out on the field for batting practice stuff. I would pay to see KW's 3 year board right now. I'd sign a non disclosure agreement first of course.

Figgins leading off was my first thought. I wonder how Crawford would like putting down the sac bunt? Maybe Crawford should lead off and smack a double, steal 3rd, then Figgins squeezes him home and beats it out for a single. Ozzie loves speed. Well I wonder which side will give in and add a piece to the puzzle. I usually would put my money on KW, but I think he will be more patient trading a pitcher he worked so hard to get. If this deal is holding up future plans, he may cave in to set his master plan in motion. The more I think about it, with borass, tricky back, and huge cash contract (even for a fair home town discount it would be big bucks), suck um up Joe is being shopped. If the Angels were willing to pay more than the cubs for Aramis, I'm sure they would love Crede who actually would try every game. I'd almost rather see Joe go this way if he has to go. I don't want to see an Ordonez situation where it becomes a pissing match in negotiations.

Curious. Could the Sox ask for a player to be named later that is contingent upon if Freddie signs an extension or resigns with the Angels next off season? Might a deal be worked out with Freddie renegotiating his contract before the trade? Freddie would be far more valuable to the Angels if they knew he was going be with them for more than one year. KW was willing to give up quite a bit for Freddie because he had a hunch that he would stick around. Also, if hypothetically rumors do come true, who would be the better CF Figgins or Crawford and who would lead off? Anyone know how to make a hot stove smile?

KW's comments aside, I'm still happy to have a new rumor to think about. There would have to be a prospect coming to the Sox in a Crede Garcia for Santana and Figgins. All of the talk about how the Sox will not be able to afford Crede shows how valuable he would be to the Angels. I too would be kind of sad to lose guys from 2005, but if no extension is possible and KW feels he can improve the team then I'd accept it. What has me very intrigued is the money the Sox would be saving in this rumored trade. KW would have another 10 million to spend and I do think he will be allowed to spend it. He may wait until the trade deadline, but that hasn't been his style. He could use it for pieces like Bradford or Zaun, or he could be wheeling and dealing for Manny or AROD. You have to consider the cash in a deal like this. Getting Santana, Figgins, and a prospect for Crede and Freddie may or may not excite you. But if the Sox use the cash and end up with Santana, Figgins, Bradford, Zaun, prospect, and cash left over for scouting, that makes the Sox much improved in my opinion. That is the type of deal (Lee for Pods/Viz/Iguchi/AJ/part of El Duque) that can solidify a championship team. How would you spend the 10 million? Ahhh! Hot stove keeps me warm in the winter.

Batting 2nd ... Left Fielder.... ROSS GLOAD!!!

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Nov 25, 2006 -> 02:10 AM) Also, your statement is a bit contradictoral(maybe not the exact word I'm looking for, but it will work). If "fixing CF" (which will not happen, BTW, unless it is a huge upgrade - meaning I see no way in hell it's a leadoff hitter) solves our leadoff problems, then why in the hell would Podsednik be on the team? Speed. Ozzie wants speed. Pods can hit 280 batting 9th with 40 stolen bases easily if healthy. Crisp, Crawford, Figgins or Patterson is what I mean by fixing center with someone who can lead off. If Pods can not perform well enough to lead off, move him to 9th.

QUOTE(fathom @ Nov 24, 2006 -> 02:47 PM) I guess people forget that Pods can't hit, steal, throw, or catch. Besides that, he's a pretty toolsy player. I hate the injury excuse for Pods also. If anything, he seems like a player struggling to get his body back to the level it used to be. I remember he was able to do those well enough to play left for a World Series Champion. He's worth the risk for the money. We would be able to trade him it the Sox come up with a better option.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Nov 24, 2006 -> 02:32 PM) Just saying this to get it out there...if the trade market winds up being as overblown as the Free Agent market currently is...then there may never be as good of a time for a rebuilding season as this year. Talent wise, I'll agree with you 100%. Rebuilding now, after such a successful season ticket renewal and with another title realistically possible would be a marketing disaster for the Sox. It would stink of cheap, white flag trade, and small market team. Move Crede and Garland and whoever and rebuild in 2008 if 2007 is a failure. I'd be CRUSHED if they "rebuilt" by trading more than one starter for prospects. The free agent market is just NUTS. I don't think it can continue like this for many offseasons without ruining the game.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Nov 24, 2006 -> 01:43 PM) People WANT this guy back? What the... Do any of these people who want him back remember how detrimental he was to the offense in the second half? I don't think they do. Yep. I do. I also remember how detrimental it was for Ozzie to sub Mack in center everytime the kid would get on a roll. I remember how detrimental Macks D was in center. Ozzie wouldn't take JV out of the game even though all of us knew he was just about to blow it in the 6th inning. I remember how detrimental Freddie's 86 mph fastball was. MB causeing air traffic contollers to reroute traffic away from the stadium as the opposition hit bombs in the first inning. I remember how detrimental it was for KW to count on Boone Logan when he had not even learned how to cover first. Cotts, Polite, and. Hermanson were ineffective. I remember Uribe / Anderson automatic out duo. I remember Iguchi not being as productive or as good of a situational hitter as he was in 2005. I remember JC's injuries and Cora sending runners home with no chance. I remember blaming Wiger for the pitching staff's problems and Ozzie's general stubborness/cockyness not to make ajustments that needed to be made and making others that did not need to be made. I could go on and on. I refuse to blame Pods for 2006. If I have to blame one person, that would be Ozzie. No, I don't want to run him out of town either. Fix centerfield with someone who can lead off. Let Pods earn his job. I want him back because I feel he is worth the risk.