http://www.nj.com/columns/ledger/graziano/...&thispage=2

 

woo-hoo!

 

Does he have to go through the posting system? If he does, we have no chance at him. If he is a true free agent, that might make it easier, but I still doubt we spend that much money on an "unknown" player.

He's a free agent, no posting necessary.

I want him.

can anyone link me to the August wallpaper? I'm running a bit behind...

 

thanks

Is anybody else getting to the point where they HATE seeing the name "Aaron Rowand" on these boards...in the paper...everywhere that the White Sox are mentioned? I am just soooo sick of that friggin' guy, and I even like him. But man, can we just get over it all???

Is anybody else getting to the point where they HATE seeing the name "Aaron Rowand" on these boards...in the paper...everywhere that the White Sox are mentioned? I am just soooo sick of that friggin' guy, and I even like him. But man, can we just get over it all???

 

Did Terrero die or something??

 

His name disappeared really quick. I think he rubbed someone the wrong way.

well, with Podsednik and Erstad and Gonzalez taking up roster spaces, there is no room for Terrero. He will likely be activated come September.

can anyone link me to the August wallpaper? I'm running a bit behind...

 

thanks

 

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/knig...uff/augwall.jpg

Funny Ken Williams quote. Discussing Brian Anderson who thought that he received a low blow when he was sent down this spring after 17 AB (he was hitting .117 at the time).

 

MLB.com 8/19 Scott Merkin

"I've explained that situation to him personally on a number of occasions," said Williams, responding to Anderson's comments. "If he doesn't get it by now, maybe I'll have to put it in a form letter to him so he can re-read it over and over. "

 

KW went on to make some positive statements about BA, so it wasn't just a bash job.

yeah, he'll never play for the White Sox ever again... maybe he will be involved in a package to somewhere in the offseason.

I think Brian is just trying to get traded at this point. He has zero future here. Centerfield is wide open for 2008, and guys like Jerry Owens have completely pased him on the depth chart.

I think Brian is just trying to get traded at this point. He has zero future here. Centerfield is wide open for 2008, and guys like Jerry Owens have completely pased him on the depth chart.

 

Could very well be. First thing he needs to do is get healthy, the wrist thing doesn't sound promising.

Since there are always critiques of when Ozzie messes up a call... I noticed a very good coaching call last night I want to point out. Pods' HR. He shows bunt early in the count, as you'd expect him to with a man on second and no outs (or maybe it was 1 out). But then he gets ahead 3-0 (and takes), then 3-1. Seattle is expecting a bunt in a big way, and the pitcher has no desire to walk a guy like Pods, so you KNOW he is going to throw a fastball for a strike. So they let Pods swing away to try for a hit, since even Pods can hit a ball hard when he knows what's coming. The HR was just a bonus.

 

Anyway, just wanted to throw out there.

 

I am just surprised that Pods didn't crumble into dust after that swing.

I know he must be going through some hard times, but can't we please just release Cintron already? It's his third time on the breavement list and we won't need him in September. He's guaranteed the money either way. I just want him to be removed from Ozzie's toybox

I know he must be going through some hard times, but can't we please just release Cintron already? It's his third time on the breavement list and we won't need him in September. He's guaranteed the money either way. I just want him to be removed from Ozzie's toybox

He's been on bereavement leave three times?! I didn't even know that. Well, in a way, when combined with his injury, that might tell you something about why he is having the year he is.

 

From earlier this season one of Ken Rosenthal's columns a Q & A with KW. Kenny sounding a little pompous

 

Q: Now that you've seen the young pitchers you've acquired, how much better do you feel about the moves that you made?

 

A: It's everybody else that feels better. I had already seen these kids. That's why we got 'em. I already had a sense of optimism based on our evaluations.

 

But the coaching staff hadn't seen them. The manager hadn't. Now they understand to a greater degree. They're excited. And the players are, too.

 

I've had a few of them come up to me. Mark Buerhle said publicly the other day, the public perception is that we're looking for a fifth starter. All the players are saying, 'How are they going to choose one from this group?' They're impressive. And we had to do it.

 

Q: When did you decide it was necessary?

 

A: Three years ago.

 

Q: You knew it three years ago? You knew it would be this off-season?

 

A: Sure.

 

Q: Just the way the contracts laid out?

 

A: The way the contracts laid out, the way trends go on successful pitchers, the accumulations of workload. And success, which correlates into higher compensation. If we would have continued on, we would have damn near had a $70 million rotation.

 

Q: So you knew in '04 that this was an off-season in which you would have to do some things.

 

A: One of the reasons Javy was brought in last year was with that mindset that you're going to have some variables. If you don't prepare for either the loss of talent in free agency, injuries, poor performance, whatever — if you don't insulate yourself — your competitive level could drop off a cliff.

 

 

Will Mark Buerhle still be with the White Sox come 2008? (Rob Leiter/MLB / Getty Images)

 

And once it does, it's been my observation — and I hope I never have to witness it first-hand — it takes you a long time to climb back. Why? Because your first line of defense more times than not has slipped. And that first line of defense is pitching.

 

Q: The criticism of what you have done is that you've taken a step back in '07.

 

A: The disappointing thing is that I would think people by now would know me better than that. If and when I feel like that — that we're rebuilding and I don't think we can compete for a championship — I'll be the first one to tell you.

 

But if you just look at things on the surface, what have we done? We've fortified the bullpen. People don't know what we know about Andy Sisco, don't know the name Nick Masset, don't know Aardsma turned the corner at the end of last year for the Cubs, don't know Charlie Haeger's versatility.

 

We eliminated one starter. The common thought is that we eliminated two starters. That's not true. Brandon wasn't in last year's rotation. Freddy was the starter we eliminated. Now we have three or four candidates to go into that spot, with probably Floyd and Danks leading the way.

 

Everyone wants to focus on this whole makeover. What makeover? One of our off-season needs was a backup catcher. We feel we now have one of the best tandems (A.J. Pierzynski and Toby Hall) in the game.

 

We needed to insulate ourselves against Brian (Anderson) in center field to make sure he was going to continue to progress. So, in comes (Darin) Erstad. (Scott) Podsednik gets hurt, so now Erstad becomes that much more valuable to us. Everybody else is the same.

 

Q: How good are the three starting pitching prospects you acquired — Floyd, Gonzalez and Danks?

 

A: We look at things a little differently sometimes than other clubs. Here's what we think: We think they can pitch on a championship team. Otherwise, they wouldn't be here.

 

Who pans out to be a No. 1, 2 or 3, I don't know. They're all going to be somewhere in there. But fortunately, with Jon Garland, Mark Buerhle, Jose Contreras and Javier Vazquez, we don't need them to be anything but a No. 5 right now and next year as well.

 

They've got time to grow into whoever they're going to turn out to be. But they're going to be special.

 

Q: A lot of people think your moves were driven by owner Jerry Reinsdorf, that he wanted to cut payroll...

 

A: He absolutely did not tell me to lower payroll. The payroll went up. The payroll since '05 has gone up about $28 million. The revenues haven't gone up that much, I guarantee you that.

 

It's kind of an unfair picture that's being painted. We're over $100 million. And while it's great to be able to pay some of the stars of the game, we did win (the 2005 World Series) on a $75 million payroll. Money is not the answer to one's issues. It's not.

 

I told Jerry, we're going to be very unpopular until right around March 15. And he said, 'Why March 15?' I said, 'Because that's when people are going to get it. They're going to see for themselves. They don't know the names. They just see, a 17-game winner (Garcia) and young stud prospect (McCarthy) in and out the door.'

 

I said, 'Right around March 15, they'll start to figure it out.' And it actually happened, right around March 4.

 

 

Whatever people didn't know that he knew about Sisco, Masset and Aarsmda, I'm kind of glad I don't know.

Hall and AJ are nowhere near one of the best tandems in the league, and I just wonder how much Brian "progressed" with all of his 17 at-bats.

AJ + Hall wouldn't even be that hot if he hadn't been injured.

AJ + Hall wouldn't even be that hot if he hadn't been injured.

Give Toby a break. He's driven in a run this season. It must really suck for Toby that when you open his page on whitesox.com, the action photo isn't even him, its not even anyone any good. Its Nick Masset.

Edited August 22, 200718 yr by Dick Allen

Give Toby a break. He's driven in a run this season. It must really suck for Toby that when you open his page on whitesox.com, the action photo isn't even him, its not even anyone any good. Its Nick Masset.

 

Oh, so that's what people don't know about Nick Masset.

 

Just curious, when was the last time the Sox were in 5th place at least, say, a month or two into the season?

 

Edit: I mean before this year. Have they ever been in 5th a decent way into the season since they went to 3 divisions?

Edited August 23, 200718 yr by IlliniKrush

Edit: I mean before this year. Have they ever been in 5th a decent way into the season since they went to 3 divisions?

No

 

I did the research about a month ago, I'll try to find the post.

hopefully we'll get to see what Lucy can do come september. He would hopefully outproduce Hall, plus he is known for his good game calling and defense.