An excerpt from a Jack McDowell interview on Chicagosports.com:

 

 

(Mark) McGwire was a done deal in '92 or '93, whenever he was a free agent the first time. He called me and asked me about the team. It was done. He was coming. The Sox called Frank and asked if he'd give up first base to go to DH. He said no. We'd have killed people with that lineup.

 

 

 

I wonder if Reinsdork still would have pushed for the work stoppage in '94 if McGwire had been in the Sox lineup and a strong playoff appearance was nearly guaranteed.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines

Not that I agree with Frank's selfishness, but why couldn't McGwire have dh'ed?

Why in the hell would Frank want to DH at that point in his career..? Sorry.. but Frank was the star of this team and I agree with him not wanting to move at that point.

I think the sadder rumor is the whole:

 

Frank picking Belle over Bonds.

 

Every time I see a packed SF Giants game, I think:

 

Imagine if Bonds was hitting those on the South Side,

 

Sammy who!?

 

SB

I think the sadder rumor is the whole:

 

Frank picking Belle over Bonds.

 

Every time I see a packed SF Giants game, I think:

 

Imagine if Bonds was hitting those on the South Side,

 

Sammy who!?

 

SB

That's not a rumor.

 

And FWIW.. at that point there was no indication that Albert was not going to tear it up like Barry has (not to mention he did do very well while here).

 

Also.. if Barry had come here.. he'd be long gone by now so there's no need to look at PacBell today and think that crowd would be here..

Wow, now Frank is catching s*** because of guys that might have come here but didn't. What is next, do they blame him for approving the plans to the new park over one that was more retro? Maybe they will also find a new Zapruder film showing him on the grassy knoll.

Well its a rumor to me until I see Frank, Barry, and White Sox management say that it was a done deal outside of Frank asking for Belle.

 

The long gone is just speculation, as much as anything, because you never know what could or would of happened.

 

Ah well, I personally think Bonds would of been sweeter, but big Mac would of been fun too.

 

And of course hindsight is 20/20, at the time no one could of really predicted Belle would be in the twilight of his career, where as Bonds was just going to get better.

 

Sb

Well its a rumor to me until I see Frank, Barry, and White Sox management say that it was a done deal outside of Frank asking for Belle.

Jerry said it at the PC announcing Belle. Right out of his mouth.. can't get much more clear than that.

Well I never saw it

 

Thats why I always took it as rumor, but thats good enough for me.

 

SB

Well I never saw it

 

Thats why I always took it as rumor, but thats good enough for me.

 

SB

It was a strong 20 seconds of laughter.. followed by a strange 10 seconds of silence.

 

Still really don't understand why Jerry even mentioned it.

McGwire hit 9 homers in 1993 and another 9 in 1994. Both years were injury plagued.

here is another one of those rumors that has some crditibility to it.

 

a young randy johnson was coming to the sox for 5 talented young pitcher the sox had at the time in the minors.

 

baldwin, bere, ruffin and 2 others that i can't think of at the time. they were suppose to be the future of the sox pitching and eddie eihorn said no to the deal. i with a hand full of fans was saying yes to the trade. randy was coming into his own at the time.

 

and that is a fact

here is another one of those rumors that has some crditibility to it.

 

a young randy johnson was coming to the sox for 5 talented young pitcher the sox had at the time in the minors.

 

baldwin, bere, ruffin and 2 others that i can't think of at the time. they were suppose to be the future of the sox pitching and eddie eihorn said no to the deal. i with a hand full of fans was saying yes to the trade. randy was coming into his own at the time.

 

and that is a fact

That is definitely a fact. Another fact was they had a jersey with his name on it in their clubhouse, but the deal was nixed at the last minute.

here is another one of those rumors that has some crditibility to it.

 

a young randy johnson was coming to the sox for 5 talented young pitcher the sox had at the time in the minors.

 

baldwin, bere, ruffin and 2 others that i can't think of at the time. they were suppose to be the future of the sox pitching and eddie eihorn said no to the deal. i with a hand full of fans was saying yes to the trade. randy was coming into his own at the time.

 

and that is a fact

That was one of those head scratchers... I admit I didn't know enough about RJ to have a strong opinion either way.. but alas.. it bit us in the arse.. Same old, same old.

That is definitely a fact. Another fact was they had a jersey with his name on it in their clubhouse, but the deal was nixed at the last minute.

Supposedly Robin Ventura gave it to Randy. No one would ever answer the question as fact though..

here is another one of those rumors that has some crditibility to it.

 

a young randy johnson was coming to the sox for 5 talented young pitcher the sox had at the time in the minors.

 

baldwin, bere, ruffin and 2 others that i can't think of at the time. they were suppose to be the future of the sox pitching and eddie eihorn said no to the deal. i with a hand full of fans was saying yes to the trade. randy was coming into his own at the time.

 

and that is a fact

That makes me cry

Maybe we can get Randy Johnson and Barry Bonds this year in trades to make up for what could of been.

 

LOL

 

I can dream cant I.

 

SB

Well its a rumor to me until I see Frank, Barry, and White Sox management say that it was a done deal outside of Frank asking for Belle.

 

The long gone is just speculation, as much as anything, because you never know what could or would of happened.

 

Ah well, I personally think Bonds would of been sweeter, but big Mac would of been fun too.

 

And of course hindsight is 20/20, at the time no one could of really predicted Belle would be in the twilight of his career, where as Bonds was just going to get better.

 

Sb

(i didn't read ahead in the thread, fyi)

 

BIG MAC V SAMMEEE "battle for chitown" would have been HUGE for us.

 

 

I think something could have worked out...man that would have been huge.

And this franchise could have been the St Pete or Denver White Sox... speculation is just that.

With McGwire hurt most of 93 and 94 the history of this team with respect to the strike may have been way different. The Sox probably wouldn't have picked up Julio Franco in 94, who was on fire all season. They probably would have not had a 1 game lead on Cleve at the time of the strike, and wouldn't have been thought of as probable WS Champions. JR probably wouldn't be as villified.

Wasn't Clemens supposed to come here when he was a FA, but Reinsdorf wanted Jamie Navarjo instead?

 

(However, I'm sure every franchise has about 100 "near misses")

Let's stop living in the past and thinking about what could have been and appreciate that we have a 6-3 ballclub in first place. This team has heart, and money can't buy that.

Why in the hell would Frank want to DH at that point in his career..? Sorry.. but Frank was the star of this team and I agree with him not wanting to move at that point.

I don't think that McGwire was any improvement at 1B defensively. Why couldn't Mark have dh'd? The Big Hurt had been with the team and was at the top of his game in the early 90's. He was just as feared a hitter as McGwire then and come to think about it he is still playing baseball.

(However, I'm sure every franchise has about 100 "near misses")

Oh absolutely. GMs are talking all the time. And sometimes it is close, but your gut says "not do it". What if in 1990 the Sox got a GREAT offer to trade Thomas elsewhere for say, Bo Jackson or Cecil Fielder. Those were both established major leagures with a TON of up side. It oculd have been done. At the time, you couldnt tell how Frank would progress. As it turns out, Frank was one of the best hitters of all time in the early to mid 90s. And as for Bo and Cecil, well, they arent even playing anymore.

Supposedly Robin Ventura gave it to Randy. No one would ever answer the question as fact though..

Speaking of Robin, he was the one who was headed out of town to acquire Bonds.

 

 

Someone mentioned Clemens. I believe it was Shuler who thought Navarro would supply more bang for the buck than Clemens.

 

 

Schuler = :dips***