Something I don't understand about contracts. Why don't teams front-load contracts? For instance, the Sox offer PK 5/60mil. Pay him 16-14-12-10-8. That way, at the end, when other players are up for contracts, the Sox have more to offer to maintain their budget.

Something I don't understand about contracts.  Why don't teams front-load contracts?  For instance, the Sox offer PK 5/60mil.  Pay him 16-14-12-10-8.  That way, at the end, when other players are up for contracts, the Sox have more to offer to maintain their budget.

 

Why do people use credit cards? Buy now, pay later.

Something I don't understand about contracts.  Why don't teams front-load contracts?  For instance, the Sox offer PK 5/60mil.  Pay him 16-14-12-10-8.  That way, at the end, when other players are up for contracts, the Sox have more to offer to maintain their budget.

 

The players have to keep up with inflation

I dunno, can Konerko feed his child on 60 million?  Perhaps he'll go to the welfare line next to Latrell Sprewell.

 

Well, there's always money in the banana stand.

AND...don't forget Thome and him share an agent. ALSO, he can make more in endorsement dollars here. I would definitely go 5 years and maybe 1 or 2 mutual option years like Frank has.

Don't forget we are the defending world champions also. And how can we forget Pauly saying "What is it going to take for baseball people to realize we are a good team? And I came up with 1 thing... We are just going to have to go ahead and do this again next year"

If Pauly is a man of his word- he will be back here!

Don't forget we are the defending world champions also. And how can we forget Pauly saying "What is it going to take for baseball people to realize we are a good team? And I came up with 1 thing... We are just going to have to go ahead and do this again next year"

If Pauly is a man of his word- he will be back here!

 

There's a few reasons why I think PK might be back next season, but I'm not going to put any stock into what he said at a victory rally. If victory rally speeches meant anything, Illinois would be facing Sean May tonight in their game.

Something I don't understand about contracts.  Why don't teams front-load contracts?  For instance, the Sox offer PK 5/60mil.  Pay him 16-14-12-10-8.  That way, at the end, when other players are up for contracts, the Sox have more to offer to maintain their budget.

 

NFL teams do this from time to time, to keep there cap free down the road. I have never heard of this happening in MLB.

NFL teams do this from time to time, to keep there cap free down the road. I have never heard of this happening in MLB.

 

MLB likes to do it like the Marlins did with Delgado last year. Get a year or two on the cheap, then trade 'em off to the Yankees or Mets.

Here is the LAT piece on the Angels' PK Offer.

 

The Angels remain in the hunt for free-agent slugger Paul Konerko and are believed to have bumped their initial four-year offer to the Chicago White Sox first baseman to five years and about $60 million.

 

Konerko, who hit .283 with 40 home runs and 100 runs batted in, is expected to travel to Anaheim this week to meet with Angel officials, and he could make a decision before next week's winter meetings in Dallas.

 

The only other teams alive in the bidding for Konerko are the White Sox, who are reluctant to go a fifth year but, according to a team source, would do so if Konerko receives five-year proposals from other teams, and the Baltimore Orioles, who are willing to add a fifth year to their initial four-year, $50-million offer but are still long-shots to sign Konerko.

 

If Konerko leaves Chicago, he prefers to play on the West Coast and spend spring training near his Scottsdale, Ariz., home.

 

Konerko is also said to be very fond of Angel Manager Mike Scioscia and coaches Mickey Hatcher, Ron Roenicke and Alfredo Griffin, all of whom have ties to the Dodgers, the team that selected Konerko in the first round of the 1994 draft.

 

The Angels have also discussed a possible trade for Boston slugger Manny Ramirez, but that appears to be on the backburner while the Angels focus on Konerko.

 

A successful pursuit of Konerko would probably push first baseman Darin Erstad back to center field and block the path of promising first baseman Casey Kotchman.

 

The White Sox say re-signing Konerko remains a top priority despite their recent trade for Philadelphia first baseman Jim Thome, who is already recruiting Konerko.

 

"I put a call into him this weekend, but we have not talked," Thome said in a Chicago news conference Monday. "I've known Paulie for a long time…. For me, I wanted him to know from my end to come back, please."

PK Earned that 5th year in the playoffs. If we don't beat that there's something wrong with us.

I have a hard time trusting anything we hear about contract numbers. It's all conjecture and bulls*** until something actually happens. How often do we hear that something is about to happen during the offseason that never actually does happen? I'm not going to worry about the offers right now. How ever, if these offers are accurate, I like our chances of retaining Paulie.

Will Carroll's sources at BP indicate Paulie is gone. I don't know a ton about him or his sources so take ti with a grain of salt. At this point, I'm willing to say bye to Paulie and use that money mroe wisely. I realize that goes against popular sentiment around here but I think it'd be a good move. I'd bring Frank back at DH and go into the trade market looking for an impact position player. We'd then have the money to extend guys over the next few years

Will Carroll's sources at BP indicate Paulie is gone. I don't know a ton about him or his sources so take ti with a grain of salt. At this point, I'm willing to say bye to Paulie and use that money mroe wisely. I realize that goes against popular sentiment around here but I think it'd be a good move. I'd bring Frank back at DH and go into the trade market looking for an impact position player. We'd then have the money to extend guys over the next few years

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I agree with you. If Konerko leaves, I would re-sign Frank to a cheap contract. Then I would sign Bill Mueller and re-sign Ross Gload. If Frank gets injured again, Mueller could DH, bat second, and back up Crede. Gload could play some first base and also DH.

Edited November 29, 200520 yr by SSH2005

Will Carroll's sources at BP indicate Paulie is gone. I don't know a ton about him or his sources so take ti with a grain of salt. At this point, I'm willing to say bye to Paulie and use that money mroe wisely. I realize that goes against popular sentiment around here but I think it'd be a good move. I'd bring Frank back at DH and go into the trade market looking for an impact position player. We'd then have the money to extend guys over the next few years

Rick Hahn (sp?) had a quote on the Score that said they would take the money and spend it on other players, which might be a no brainer, but it's good to hear.

 

I think the 5 years really kill it for the Sox, I think KW only wants to go 4 for PK

I agree with you.  If Konerko leaves, I would re-sign Frank to a cheap contract.  Then I would sign Bill Mueller and re-sign Ross Gload.  If Frank gets injured again, Mueller could DH, bat second, and back up Crede.  Gload could play some first base and also DH.

I would want to see the Sox do more than that. Frank's injury can not be trusted, and I think Gload is a AAAA player.

Well, there's always money in the banana stand.

 

So long as you don't burn it down for the insurance.

I would want to see the Sox do more than that.  Frank's injury can not be trusted, and I think Gload is a AAAA player.

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This lineup wouldn't be all that bad but you're probably right. It looks like we'd be missing a big stick in the middle of the lineup.

 

Podsednik LF

Mueller DH/3B

Thome 1B

Dye RF

Iguchi 2B

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B/DH

Anderson CF

Uribe SS

This lineup wouldn't be all that bad but you're probably right.  It looks like we'd be missing a big stick in the middle of the lineup.

 

Podsednik  LF

Mueller  DH/3B

Thome  1B

Dye  RF

Iguchi  2B

Pierzynski  C

Crede  3B/DH

Anderson  CF

Uribe  SS

 

That lineup would get you 3rd place in the AL Central

IMO this team is far from done in terms of personnel moves. FAR from done.

 

They are always planning ahead and if Konerko doesn't re up they've got Plan B firmly in place, KW and Hahn are not gonna get caught with their pants down.

IMO this team is far from done in terms of personnel moves.  FAR from done.

 

They are always planning ahead and if Konerko doesn't re up they've got Plan B firmly in place, KW and Hahn are not gonna get caught with their pants down.

 

And I will guarantee that Ross Gload isn't part of Plan A/B/C/D, etc.

This lineup wouldn't be all that bad but you're probably right.  It looks like we'd be missing a big stick in the middle of the lineup.

 

Podsednik  LF

Mueller  DH/3B

Thome  1B

Dye  RF

Iguchi  2B

Pierzynski  C

Crede  3B/DH

Anderson  CF

Uribe  SS

Right, that's my feeling on it. As much as I loved the pitching staff last year I think it's a lot to ask for them to

 

1. Stay healthy for a full season

2. Duplicate last years numbers

 

Sox had a lot of close games last year, and they're overall offensive numbers weren't spectacular.

 

While I think the pitching staff will be extremely good again this year I want to see them add more offense. Hearing Hahn's (again sp?) comments, it seems like the Sox will use any money they didn't use resigning PK, so I have a feeling they will bring in another above average power bat.

 

WSCR threw around the names Glauss and Blalock (sp?). Who knows, but I imagine that's why KW wants his answer before December 8th so he can get something done at the winter meetings instead of scrambling in Jan or Feb.

Signing Frank Thomas to a contract before he can prove he is 100% healthy is not an example of spending money wisely.

I would be very reluctant to do a five year deal with anybody. I guess it's my bias because of the inuries I've seen. Hitters with chronic hip problems also worry me for a long term contract.

 

All that being said, it would very tempting to sign him to the deal if it stays around 13 mil/year. If it goes much higher I would look for an alternative.

 

If LA signs PK they won't need Kendry Morales or Kotchman, maybe we could trade for one of them.

That lineup would get you 3rd place in the AL Central

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Our lineup was worse last season. But I even admitted that we would need another big bat.

Here's my sole point on this matter.

 

If we lose the guy without whom we would not have won the world series...it should be because some other team offered him an insane amount of money - a B.J. Ryan type contract, which no one in their right mind would match.

 

I'm taking something ridiculous like $75 million or more over 5 years or a 6-7 year guaranteed deal or something like that.

 

There is no reason why we should not be willing to keep PK at the price the Angels and O's have reportedly offered. Those contracts are expensive yes, but they aren't so shockingly expensive that you'd laugh at the team signing him.

 

The guy has back to back 40 home run seasons and was our best run producer last year by far. He fills a direct need in our lineup. He fits in there perfectly, even more so with Thome (who can give him an occcasional day off.) PK and Thome in the middle of that lineup solves virtually all of hte problems our offense had last year - lack of a lefty power bat, OBP, etc.

 

Cleveland is improving every year. Minnesota keeps bringing up young pitching. The Yankees and Red Sox were both down last year, and Vlad the Impaler may have been hurt during the playoffs. Every one of those teams could perform a lot better next year just with the cards they already have.

 

If we let PK go for that kind of money, we are begging to finish 2nd or 3rd in the AL Central.