July 24, 200421 yr Forget offense, go after a pitcher Jeff Carroll / Times Columnist CHICAGO -- You are general manager Kenny Williams, and as you sit here Friday, you have exactly a week to fine tune the White Sox for a playoff drive. Better start moving. If Williams has a worst-case scenario plan folded up somewhere in a box in his office, he was surely unfurling it Friday afternoon. Just a few days after he acquired Carl Everett from Montreal to pick up some of injured Frank Thomas' fire power, he received awful news. Right fielder Magglio Ordonez, who never looked entirely comfortable returning from June knee surgery, is likely to miss the rest of the season with bone swelling near his left knee. "If we win this thing, I should be manager of the century, I guess," manager Ozzie Guillen said. Nope, Oz, this one's on your boss. Despite the crazy rantings of one of its pitchers, Houston is dead in the National League Central and could be convinced to part with Carlos Beltran before the July 31 trade deadline. Colorado's Larry Walker (.319 in a handful of games this season) is available, though it would take a bidding war against the Florida Marlins to bring him over. Talk that Timo Perez, Joe Borchard and Ross Gload were going to somehow rise up in the last 70 games of the season and fill in for Ordonez's offense was blind optimism speaking, not logic. And I'm afraid that Williams knows this only all too well. A reactionary general manager -- a panicker, in other words, which Williams claims not to be -- would immediately look to fill in what has been lost. But in this case, the Sox should think outside of the batter's box and go after a starting pitcher. If they can make a late entry into the Kris Benson sweepstakes, for example, they could accomplish a couple things. They'd solidify their own rotation with a No. 3, bumping Esteban Loaiza and Jon Garland back a turn. And they'd also pry him from Minnesota's determined fingers. Pittsburgh is likely to deal Benson (3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in his last five starts) to Minnesota. Detroit's Mike Maroth reportedly is available. When Thomas went down with a stress fracture in his left foot, the accompanying shrug from fans and media alike was mystifying. His .434 on-base percentage was a huge factor in the offense's first-half success, though fans still obsessed with batting average as a hitting measuring stick always figure Thomas is washed up every time that mark falls below .280. The lineup is now without its Nos. 3 and 4 opening day hitters, and two of the most prolific sluggers in franchise history. Ordonez, a free agent after the season, may have taken his last swings as a member of the White Sox. So maybe sentiment helps to explain the unbalanced reaction by fans to the two sluggers' injuries. It's no excuse for the GM, though. If Williams continues to pursue offense, thinking he can still slug his way to the postseason, he'll find he's only chasing his tail trying to replace two impact players. The best way to go is to change the makeup of the team and alter its strength from offense to the mound. Plan on scoring less runs? Then try to limit opponents to less to make up for it. Six days left. So what do you think? Would you get a new arm or get a new bat?
July 24, 200421 yr I think whichever one we can get for giving up the least is the answer. We arent really hurting in either posistion. However, if we could undercut the twinkies and grab Benson we would really be in a good spot. No matter who is pitching our offense has been streaky. So if we could have that rotation with benson we can compete with anyone, maybe even those damn A's.
July 24, 200421 yr Benson isn't a huge prize. They need to go after a power bat to replace Maggs and a RP to replace Mike Jackson. I think the Sox can make the playoffs with the SPs they have. There will only be 3 SPs starting in the playoffs anyway.
July 24, 200421 yr Another set-up man does wonders for the bullpen. I don't think another setup man is needed, politte and marte are awesome there. I just want someone to replace Mike Jackson, Scott Sullivan seems like a good choice that would probably come pretty cheap.
July 24, 200421 yr We need another bullpen arm. I just pray that KW doesn't sit pat with the current roster.
July 24, 200421 yr The White Sox do not need offense. They have Everett. Everett will produce runs as well as Timo in right field. No outfielders, please, unless you will take Borchard (.192, 3 hrs, 12 career RBI with Sox) and Ross Gload (he just plain sucks in right field.) I forsee a gap in the bullpen. Marte, Politte, Takatsu, will help us a million in the playoffs. Adkins, Cotts, Jackson, will not cut it. (Cotts and Adkins are decent, but are not overpowering, and Jackson is just old.) So why wouldn't you want a relief pitcher? The White Sox cannot afford to invest any more money in a guy like Kris Benson, who, carries a price tag on him as well as the chance for nagging injuries. Randy Johnson, the future hall of famer, sure, why not? I'm sure the White Sox would MUCH rather have him than Steve Finley.
July 24, 200421 yr The White Sox do not need offense. They have Everett. Everett will produce runs as well as Timo in right field. No outfielders, please, unless you will take Borchard (.192, 3 hrs, 12 career RBI with Sox) and Ross Gload (he just plain sucks in right field.) I forsee a gap in the bullpen. Marte, Politte, Takatsu, will help us a million in the playoffs. Adkins, Cotts, Jackson, will not cut it. (Cotts and Adkins are decent, but are not overpowering, and Jackson is just old.) So why wouldn't you want a relief pitcher? The White Sox cannot afford to invest any more money in a guy like Kris Benson, who, carries a price tag on him as well as the chance for nagging injuries. Randy Johnson, the future hall of famer, sure, why not? I'm sure the White Sox would MUCH rather have him than Steve Finley. Nice post beastly. I agree with most of it except I don't believe Bensons price tag would be a problem considering the sox really haven't added that much money this year with the trades but everything else you said I think is right on.
July 24, 200421 yr This is why I love the Chicago media... Why in the hell would we want to stop the twins from getting Todd Ritchie 2K4 let alone get him ourself. The guy will get killed in the AL. I for one will be laughing my ass off when he costs the Twins the division. We need a new starting RF and a bullpen arm. End of story...
July 24, 200421 yr Nice post beastly. I agree with most of it except I don't believe Bensons price tag would be a problem considering the sox really haven't added that much money this year with the trades but everything else you said I think is right on. Its just we would give up a lot to Pittsburgh for him, and since I think he's not signed long term, that makes things complicated for us as well. It adds to the price tag.
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