gosox41

QUOTE(GreenSox @ May 12, 2007 -> 07:42 AM) The most talented AA/AAA players he's given up would have been "bullpen pieces" - that's pretty good. Or it's pretty bad depending on how you look at it. Because while KW hasn't given up more then null pieces in trades, what has the farm system produced under KW's reign that is currently helpinh the Sox in the ML level? So good for KW for not overpaying in trades, but bad for KW in the fact that the Sox minor league system sucks. Bob

QUOTE(sircaffey @ May 9, 2007 -> 12:58 PM) No no, you take some SP, any SP from the minors and have them start against the Sox. I forgot about that. That's been going on for years. At least 2 GM's have overseen this as well as 3 managers and countless players. How does this team carry the same characteristics with so much different personnel? Scouting or lack thereof? Bob

Just take 5 really good ball players, and surround them with 20 guys with average to below average talent, slap a Twins jersey on them and the Sox will find ways to beat themselves. Of course the other way is to throw any left handed dummy on the mound who can get the ball over the plater and watch the Sox flail away like fools. You don't even need a Santana or Sabbathia. Wait until Ted Lilly gets a hold of us. We'll make him freaking Cy Young in the NL. Boy do I miss the days when we had that "selfish" player who used to tatoo left handed pitching. What was his name again? The guy Ozzie and KW hated. Plays for the Blue Jays now. I'm sick and tired of losing in the same fashion. I can handle team wide slumps (though not happy) but I can't stand watching the Sox continually choke against the Twins or suck against lefties. Bob

QUOTE(striker62704 @ May 8, 2007 -> 10:43 PM) I'm so sick of this team. Something has to change. Might as well start at the top and work your way down. I think it's way to early for this talk. No doubt Ozzie blew it tonight. But Ozzie's not the problem. The biggest culprit right now is lack of hitting. Everyone has an opinion on different line ups etc, but when the only player hitting on your team the last week or so is Erstad, you're going to lose some games.. The Sox will need to average more then 4 runs per game to get to the playoffs. I don't even think they're at that right now. Bob

QUOTE(quickman @ Apr 26, 2007 -> 09:58 PM) I don't like Ozzie anymore than you might like him, but i think anderson is horrible, I also think Ozzie was forced to take him on the team and now he is giving it back to KW and anderson himself. Look, i realize alot of young people like this guy, but he is pompous, irritating, cares about himself, his women, his dope, and his golden locks. He is not fitting on this team, and he will be gone, trouble is nobody wants him, and we have nothing better in our two bit minor league system at this point. The message is very clear, Ozzzie hates the guy, try workign for a boss that hates you. Its no fun and you are pretty much screwed, therefore you start doing things that would piss off your boss more, and care less for your surroundings. Human nature. He is a goner. So why would KW even bother drafting him? KW hates players he perceives to be selfish (ie see Frank Thomas and Jon Rauch). Sure he or his scouts met wtih this guy when he was in college. Didn't they research a first round pick before throwing a ton of money at him? Bob

QUOTE(JDsDirtySox @ Apr 15, 2007 -> 10:15 PM) From new article on whitesox.com With these struggles in mind, Guillen was contemplating a few lineup changes for Tuesday's series opener at home against Texas, after Sunday's loss left the White Sox with a 2-4 record on this six-game road trip. "I might put Iguchi second and Erstad batting in the sixth or seventh spot, just to get a different feel," Guillen said. "I might go lefty-righty, lefty-righty, lefty-righty all the way to the end. I'm looking for something different and hope it works." "We just need to find some way to get our confidence going," added White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye, who drove in the only run off Sabathia with a bloop single down the right-field line in the sixth. "It might be putting up 10 to 15 hits per game or scoring nine or 10 runs, where everyone gets a couple of hits. We need something like that to get us going, and hopefully that will be soon." It will help, but may not matter much until Thome, Konerko, Crede, and Dye hit like they're capable of. Bob

QUOTE(BearSox @ Apr 6, 2007 -> 11:30 PM) Bring back Royce Ring... I was looking at the draft results from 2002, and it sucks so much that we missed getting Cole Hammels by 1 pick!!! Whatever happened to Ring? Wasn't he considered our closer of the future? And then even when he was traded to NYM, they considered him their future closer... According to people around here, he was drafted because he the most major league ready player. How did that work out? I think the Sox signed him because he was cheap. But as the last 6 years have shwon, it could be because they suck at scouting and drafting college and HS players. Wait until players from more recent drafts start making the majors before any Sox first round pick. Bob

QUOTE(TheOcho @ Mar 24, 2007 -> 10:45 AM) How's that trade looking for Phillies aswell right now? Garcia has a sore arm(To be examined today) and has posted a 11 something ERA in 8 innings so far this spring. Look past the question if we could have gotten more then just Floyd and Gio and maybe this was the only trade offered to us for him. So this trade right now is looking like Blah, Floyd isn't showing us anything and Garcia ain't showing the Phillies that he's ready to go out and dominant the NL. At the time of the trade, the Sox didn't knowhe was hurt. I don't let injuries affect my judgement in a trade unless one of the team accuses the other of not providing all the facts. In this case, the Phillies aren't complaining. Id you are saying KW knowingly traded an injured player for whatever he can get, then his rep is all but shot and few GM's will deal with him. Bob

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Mar 23, 2007 -> 11:17 AM) So they bring in one of the more injury prone and mediocre players of the past 6 years to be his replacement? That's f'ing brilliant if that's the plan for bringing in a World Series. I bet Anderson is starting by the end of April. I hope you're right. I don't see the excitment about Erstad. There's no reason BA can't put up better numbers then Erstad. Why are the Sox so down on BA? Bob

QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 23, 2007 -> 07:09 PM) Looks like Masset and Danks will both make the team... this could be a gigantic steal for us when it is all said and done. Unfortunately the other trade we made with our proven 17 game winner isn't turing out so well. Bob QUOTE(Jordan4life_2007 @ Mar 24, 2007 -> 04:05 AM) I'll be quite dissapointed if Danks is the 5th starter. I just don't feel he's ready. I don't care what he's done this spring. I'd still rather go with Floyd, who has major league experience. I know, "What has Floyd proven at the major league level?" Well, not a whole lot. I'd just as soon give him another chance at the start. If he bombs, call somebody else up. I agree about Danks. Before spring training started most agreed he needed another year in the minors. But he's pitched decently, not great and now we're forced to use him becasue Floyd sucks. I think Danks will be a very good pitcher, but I just don't think he's ready to be a MLB starter in 2007. I'd go with Haegar. Stick Floyd in the bullpen to pitch the garbage innings. Bob

QUOTE(greg775 @ Mar 21, 2007 -> 08:55 PM) I heard this rumor on the radio. The Sox will trade Mackoviac and Boone Logan for Aaron Rowand. Then we'll trade Rowand for Brandon McCarthy. Take it for what it's worth. Huh? I doubt the Rowand for McCarthy part of ever happens. Must be some fan speculating nonsense. I can see the first part happening unfortunately. Bob

QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 17, 2007 -> 09:28 PM) Right now it looks like Pods will start in LF and leadoff and Erstad will play CF and bat 2nd. Terrero will also probably be the 4th OF since Anderson seems to have a pretty bad injury and if he doesn't start he will be in AAA. Now, vs. righties at least, Ozzie seems to have his mind set at batting Pods, Erstad, and Thome bacb-to-back-to-back, and IMO, that would be idiotic having three lefties in a row. Now, I have no problem with Erstad batting second since he is good no. 2 hitter, and Iguchi can be a good at the bottom of the order. But 3 lefties in a row is just a sign of disaster, IMO. If I had it my way, I'd, like many others, have Dye bat third. He can get on base, hit for power, average, and has good speed. He fits the 3 spot perfectly. And some say we should sandwich the lefty, but instead I would bat Konerko 4th since he is a better hitter then Thome at this point in his career, and is a better run producer. Thome would bat 5th, and Crede would bat 6th. Basically my lineup vs. righties would be... 1. Podsednik - LF; 2. Erstad - CF; 3. Dye - RF; 4. Konerko - 1B; 5. Thome - DH; 6. Crede - 3B; 7. Pierzynski - C; 8. Iguchi - 2B; 9. Uribe - SS Now, IMO this would be the perfect lineup. Thoughts? If the suggestion is to bat Iguchi 8th, then I say just bat him last. He'd serve as a 2nd lead off hitter nad if he got in (something that he does a lot more then Uribe) then Dye would have a chance to bat with a man on. Bob

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Mar 13, 2007 -> 09:38 PM) anyone notice Uribe having a good spring? Granted, he's not as interesting as Anderson chat, which is reaching an Anna Nicole Smith fever pitch around here. Crede's hitting a cool .500 PK checking in at .400 Jim-Boy's ripping moonshots and Terrero is going to make for a tough decision come cut time. Logan hasn't given up an earned run yet and Danks has a 2.00 ERA over 9 IP. Are the Indians really that much better this year? The Twins? Random thoughts, all of which interest me more than the ongoing saga of Brain Anderson and Aaron Rowand. Uribe always seems to have good springs. Glad to see PK, Crede, and Thome hot, though I was never too concerned abou them. I like Logan and think he'll be a good reliever, all the more reason not to trade him for Rowand. And while all the othe stuff may be more interesting, it doesn't make reacquiring Rowand a bad move. And also the lack of fifth starter is a fascinating topic being that KW has said he wnated to avoid the position of not having 5 reliable starters. As good as Danks as looked, I think he needs more minor league time and is far from proven. Floyd, as of today, is miles behind him. Haegar isn't getting a serious look as a starter. And oh by the way, the 2005 team won because of pitching. Having guaranteed losses every 5th game plus the fun of wearing out your bullpen every fifth night is a sure way to avoid making the playoffs. Bob

I know it's only halfway through spring training and all that and I'm not panicking about the team as a whole, though I'm not as optimistic as I was right after Soxfest when KW talked about all this great pitching he traded for. So feel free to talk me off the ledge regarding the issues below: 1. This Garcia trade is eating at me more and more everyday. KW has gone on record saying he wouldn't trade 1 of his 5 starters unless it made the 2007 team as well as the future brighter. So tell me how has the Garcia trade helped the Sox for 2007, let alone 2008? Sure it's early, and maybe the AAA team will go far with Gonzalez and Floyd. Gio wasn't even projected in the rotation and Floyd has been anything but impressive. How are the Sox better with this move? Is this really all the value Garcia had in the trade market. You read columns and behind closed doors Philly is laughing that the Sox took on Floyd for a 17 game winner. Of course any public comments they make talk about a change of scenery helping him. Whatever. This trade alone can be just like the Foulke/Koch trade and keep the Sox out of the playoffs. I said the same thing before the '03 season and nailed it. And I'm saying the same thing now about Floyd. Someone give me some reason to be optimistic about this guy helping the Chicago White Sox in 2007. 2. What is with the Rowand love. Sure he's hard nosed, but he's also not a good offensive player unless you're comparing him to Borchard. There's no reason Anderson can't produce similar numbers to Rowand and give you better D. Why would the sox consider trading young pitching like Tracey or Logan for Rowand and his contract? Does everyone thing the Sox bullpen is going to go into the season and not need any changes due to bad performance or injury? I think they're sadly mistaken if you do. And adding Lieber to the mix as part of the trade rumors really has me scratching my head. A trade of Logan, Garcia, and Tracey for Floyd, Gonzalez, Lieber, and Rowand? I can pass on that one without thinking twice considering the Sox are supposed to be going for it in 2007. 3. Why is Sox management down on Anderson? Give him time to mature. No way is Rowand a significant upgrade. Why didn't the sox ship him out earlier if thy didn't like him? Does anyone else have the same concerns?

QUOTE(robinventura23 @ Mar 10, 2007 -> 05:11 PM) As for my surprise move, Floyd will not make the #5 slot. It will go to....Danks. With Floyd going to AAA and Haeger winning the long relief role. JMO That wouldn't surprise me a bit. I was never too high on Floyd. Bob

QUOTE(beck72 @ Mar 10, 2007 -> 06:26 AM) As spring is nearing its midpoint, a few things are starting to shake out. And I see a few surprises that we could see before spring ends. One is that Mackowiak could be dealt. I don't see him getting a lot of AB's, and not more than his 250 some ab's in 2006. Certainly not in the IF. Cintron backs up 3b, SS and 2b, and Ozuna will see time before Mack. And he hasn't played a lot of LF in his career. With Erstad playing well in LF, and some in CF, Mack won't see much time there either. And if Dye went down in RF, Sweeney would likely be called up to fill his spot anyway. A NL team could use his versatility, which was probably overblown anyway as he played for the Pirates. Two, Danks takes the 5th spot. If he performs like he has, throwing strikes and getting outs, the other guys would be hard pressed to beat him. With some of the best AL Central hitters being left handed, Danks has an advantage there as well. Third, a bullpen arm could be dealt, such as a Boone Logan or Aarsdma. Yet this would likely only happen if the sox could improve their 2007 lineup, which would be hard to do [the possible Rowand acquisition would be one of the few options that would qualify]. With Sisco looking like the 2007 version of Matt Thornton, he seems to have the 2nd lefty in the pen locked up. And Logan's value would never be higher after his very solid 2006 year in AAA. Aardsma may be the odd man out. If Danks takes the 5th spot, then Haeger or Floyd would likely take a bullpen job. Seeing how Aarsdma was acquired before the sox got Nick Masset, he may not have a spot in the sox pen. Any other surprises that we could see? People winning roster spots, trades, etc? It better not be geting Rowand back. I'm holding out hope for a CFer that can hit. I think KW will make a trade. Bob

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Feb 24, 2007 -> 01:32 PM) Frank has not always been nice to the media, but I have never once heard that he was a bad teammate. I love the man and always will, he will always be my favorite player in a White Sox uni and favorite baseball player ever. Can't wait till he is enshrined in Cooperstown. I agree but it seems KW feels differently. Bob

QUOTE(Jim Spencer @ Feb 24, 2007 -> 09:59 AM) Could be a pretty good outfield in Charlotte this year. Ozzie said if Pods comes back sonner than expected, Anderson, Sweeney, and Owens will be down in Charlotte. The only way any of them stays is if they make the team as a starter or someone gets hurt. Ozzie did say that he couldn't see BA as a platoon player and I must agree. He would be better off getting his ABs down in Charlotte than sitting the bench in Chicago. I wonder how Brian would take a demotion??? In today's Trib, KW compared Anderson to Crede saying he needs to take his lumps. I didn't get the impression he'd be in the minors for opening day but I can see them keeping a short leash on Anderson. I doubt they're going to allow him to get into June with a .150 avg. like last year. Bob

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2007 @ Feb 25, 2007 -> 01:29 AM) Mike North was done when he said Shaq, not Wade, was the main reason the Heat won the title last year. I hope that bum is gone when his contract is up. I'm surpirsed he lasted this long. North has always been awful. I stopped listening to him years ago. It says a lot that I'd rather here Mike and Mike overanalyze football (my third faviroite sport) on a national level then listen to North talk about local sports, especially basketball/baseball. If a lesser fool were on 670 for my morning commute to work, I wouldn't bother with listening to Greenberg salivate for Chad Pennington. Bob

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Feb 15, 2007 -> 09:01 PM) I highly doubt Floyd puts up anywhere near Garcia's numbers. I do, however, believe one of the starting pitchers can fill his numbers, and Floyd can hopefully put up numbers around what Buehrle put up last year. Say the rotation fills out something like this... Contreras - 3.75 ERA, 17 W Buehrle - 3.90 ERA, 16 W Garland - 4.25 ERA, 14 W Vazquez - 4.45 ERA, 13 W Floyd - 5.50 ERA, 10 W I assume you'd agree that the rotation above would be better than the rotation from last year. In this instance, Contreras is improving upon himself, Buehrle upon Garland, Garland upon Garcia, Vazquez upon him, and Floyd is having a worse year than Buehrle. If 4 pitchers improve, and the bullpen is better this year as well, the Sox should have no problem pitching wise. At that point, it will be about the offense being able to consistently score all year long, as opposed to just in the first half. Regarding Gonzalez, he probably won't be ready to pitch in the Sox rotation until next year at the earliest, and I figure it's either going to be 2009 or he'll be traded. Just a hunch on my part, with just numbers and gut feeling backing it up. That should help a little bit anyways, atleast according to how I feel. Some may disagree, that's their right. I hope the other 4 guys step it up, the Vazquez is the least likely of the 4 to do that. We both pretty much don't expect much from Floyd. But this is what bothers me about the trade to begin with. It's like going back and forth in circles. KW trades a proven starting pitcher for one player with little expectations and one with a lot of hope (Gonzalez). Shuoldn't Garcia have more value then that in the trade market? This goes back to filling other non-pitching holes. I see how much the Astros paid for Jennings and it seems like the rec'd next to nothing. I realize Jennings has another year on his contract, but I don't think Jennings is so great of a pitcher to begin with. And that leads me back in a circle to the trade of Garcia. If we operate under the hope/assumption that the 4 other starters step it up, then wouldn't the Sox be that much better even if Garcia pitched exactly as he did in 2006 (and for the record, being a walk year I think he'll have a monster year)? One of the reasons I keep going back and forth with this trade is that so far it contradicts 2 KW comment: 1. It doesn't make the White Sox a better team in 2007 2. This trade was not done to cut salary. Bob QUOTE(chisox72 @ Feb 16, 2007 -> 08:33 AM) This is what I don't get about people that still gripe about these trades. It was NEVER the question mark fifth starters spot to REPLACE or PUT UP numbers like Garcia. That was NEVER what the team was looking for. Javy MUST be better. Mark MUST be better. Jose MUST be better. Thats what the team is looking at. When you say things like put up Garcia numbers, as though Floyd is going to suck for sure right off the bat, does that mean he can also take games off and pitch like s*** against the Royals and D-Rays down the stretch when a win is needed? Just like the immortal Freddy Garcia did? Just because he "can't get up for anything but big games"? Please. As I said in an earlier post. This rotation MUST have the top 4 be as effective as they can be if they want to win. THAT is what won it in '05, the top 4. There is no reason in the world that Javy, with his s*** together cannot put together a 17 win season. Period. So the Sox traded Garcia with the intent of making the 2007 team better but we've come to the conclusion that it's not the 5th starters job to put up Garcia like numbers. So we agree Floyd will be worse. Just looking at that situation alone, does that make the Sox a better or worse team? Now I agree the other 4 guys need to pitch like they're capable of. Can you prove how the trade of Garcia will make the other 4 starters better. Because we already agreed above taht Floyd won't be as good as Garcia over the course of the season. Last, I agree that Garcia sometimes lacked intensity. But how's this for motivation? It's Garcia's walk year and this may be the last big contract the signs. Are you saying you expect Garcia worse then last year because there are the same or less big games for Freddy to pitch in with the Phillies? Bob

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Feb 14, 2007 -> 11:07 PM) Uribe had about the 11th best SLG% out of all MLB shortstops, and he had the 12th most XBH's. Using both OBP, SLG, and defense, I figure Uribe is probably about the 15th best SS in the league - meaning exactly in the middle - with the potential there to be a top 10 SS in the league next year. It's almost guaranteed that he can't put up a worse year, even with his offseason troubles. I'd probably put him at putting a .725-.750 OPS next year with the capabilities to go up to .800. I find that quite realistic, and so long as the glove shows up too, those will be great numbers. Anderson wasn't good last year overall, but he was a rookie (worst.excuse.evar...I'm using it anyways), and he was pretty respectable beyond June 11th (something to the tune of around .280/.330/.400 - Kalapse/someone else will have the exact numbers in a flash because he/they is/are the man, and I'm too lazy to look it up), but Ozzie for whatever reason refused to give him full-playing time and insisted on platooning Mackowiak and Anderson, killing the defense in CF during the times Mackowiak was out there. Anywaysm, so long as he doesn't party like a mad mofo, and he works his ass off, he should have a respectable year at the plate, and he'll be good in the field. Regarding the Garcia trade - you mentioned that you don't have the time to follow it enough, so I'll just let you know now that the Yankees reportedly turned down Mark Buehrle for Humberto Sanchez, so they are pretty high on him. You weren't going to get Melky along with him for Freddy, especially with a free agent class as deep in mediocre starting pitching as this year was, and seeing as how the Yankees essentially intend to build a World Series winner with the most mediocre starting staff ever, they were pretty much in heaven. I've explained that I don't really feel that CF or SS were holes, and that LF was, so I'm just kinda pissed about that. There were several options available to upgrade LF if only Ozzie didn't absolutely have to, have to, have to have a leadoff hitter than can run fast. If that was the case I would have almost been happier with KW throwing globs and globs of money at Juan Pierre (if only I were serious would it be funny). Had he brought in someone like Trot Nixon or David Dellucci to have in LF, and then either used Perez or Ozuna out there with them, or gone out and gotten like Craig Wilson, Jose Cruz Jr, or Preston Wilson, and then set up such a platoon in LF with Iguchi leading off, I would have been in heaven as a fan. As it is, I'm not nearly as excited, but I have my hopes. I just have to hope Erstad leads off most of the year, because if he does, he's atleast pretty much guaranteed to put up a .333 OBP, and it should be consistently. If he does so, it'll be better than his sub .300 OBP that he put up in the second half last year (which is beyond unacceptable). All I can do is hope. So what do you project for Floyd in 2007? Do you expect Gio Gonzalez to have any impact on the big league team? KW preached about how if he traded one of his starting pitchers it would be to help the team win now as well as in the future. Maybe Gonzalez will one day be good--heck I've heard someone say he reminds them of Ron Guidry. I don't see that, especially in 2007. So it comes down to Floyd. Can he put up Garcia like numbers or better over the course of a full season? I have my doubts about the guy. UT RIGHT Now he has a a good shot to be the fifth starter, whether that's by default or if he lasts there the whole season are other issues. Bob

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Feb 14, 2007 -> 08:20 PM) Then who? Find someone at SS and CF that KW could have acquired for a reasonable price while also maintaining some type of core that will allow the team to remain competitive beyond 2007. (and please don't say Aaron Rowand, because he's not an upgrade over Brian Anderson) I was just listing areas that needed improvement and statistically (at least offensively) stood out to be holes. Uribe and his .260 OBP is not good. Anderson wasn't good last year with the bat. Being that I don't have as much time to follow baseball and the minors as closely as KW (or for that matter as closely as I used to) nor do I have a bunch of scouts to report to me I can't name names. Off the top of my head, why not Garcia for Humberto Sanchez and Melky Cabrera (to play LF) But I'm pretty sure when you trade 2 starting pitchers, one a young cheap up and comer with some decent potential, and one a big game pitcher who finished strong that KW could have addressed one of these holes instead of acquiring all the pitchers he did. There are probably some young minor league stud OF prospects something the Sox seem to lack. Since I'm not privy to trade talk, I don't know what was being offered for Garcia. I trust that KW made the best baseball deal he could but whose to say he couldn't have traded Garcia to another team for a good OFer and a Gavin Floyd type prospect. That's where I tie this in to how I feel about the Garcia trade. I hope Gavin is more then a #5 starter in 2007 who psots a 5+ ERA and averages his 5 innings. I have no choice to trust the scouting of Floyd and the magic of Cooper because Floyd is in a Sox uni. I agree a lot more with the McCarthy trade then the Garcia trade, mainly due to Floyd. I hope I'm wrong and Floyd lives up to the hype taht made him a first round pick. Bob

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Feb 13, 2007 -> 09:49 PM) Last point -- expecting production from drafted players one or two years ago may be unwarranted, but what about all the years previous to that? Latin America is still uncharted territory with our scouts. I agree with you on this point. The minor league system has been a disappointment in the KW era. I've been questioning it for years. I remember when KW came on, some of the minor league experts at the various White Sox sites were thrilled that KW was going to rebuild the farm system. I remember being told I know nothing about the minors and to be patient. Well it's 6 drafts later so how much longer do I have to wait to rebuild a system that produced players like Buehrle, Crede, Ordonez, Lee, Durham etc. Heck, I'd be thrilled to trade away minor leaguers that became stars for the sake of winning now. I wouldn't complain about lack of production in the minor league system if we were producing assets that went elswhere and had great success. And don't get me started on Latin America. The Sox have the following advantages over many other teams when it comes to Latin America: 1. The city of Chicago is diverse and has a big Latin American population 2. The Sox have a huge number of Latin American's on their team and that's good PR. 3. The Sox have Ozzie Guillen. I'm confident Ozzie would be an excellent salesman for this team when it comes to signing some of the ametuers as free agents. I don't understand why the Sox haven't done more to exploit this opportunity when we're drafting the likes of Royce Ring in the first round. Bob

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Feb 14, 2007 -> 03:26 PM) Phil Rodgers needs to get over the Garcia trade. So let me get this straight, we are a bad team now because we got rid of one pitcher from our rotation yet the cubs add the mighty Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis, and other spare parts of crap and they are the bestest team in the world. One team won 90 games, the other team lost nearly as many. You would think by Phil's comments that we had the record the cubs did last year. I still have mixed feelings about the Garcia trade, but hopefully Floyd will make me a believer. As for the Cubs, they sucked last year, and hopefully they'll suck this year. But they have 2 things going for them: they upgraded in many positions (but when you suck you have lots of areas to upgrade in) and the play in the NL Central. The Sox are a better team then the Cubs, but the Cubs have a better chance to make the playoffs. Bob QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Feb 14, 2007 -> 06:41 PM) So I ask...how has this team been downgraded severely from last year? The only thing that should have been upgraded, but was not, was LF, and atleast there the Sox have options in-house should Podsednik suck complete ass. There's no reason one of the 6 in-house candiates for the 5th starters job can't give the Sox a respectable season, I can't imagine the rotation being much worse than it was last year, and the bullpen has almost undoubtedly improved. And I must also ask...how would the Sox have been able to spend money while also remaining competitive through 2008-10? By signing Gil Meche or Gary Matthews for $10+ mill a year? Juan Pierre for $9? Dave Roberts for $6? It was far too risky to give money to such inconsistent players. KW is not Jesus Christ, and as far as I can tell, it was probably impossible for him to fulfill the fan's expectations. I don't think the team should be downgraded, but I think LF is not the only area that needed to be improved. CF and SS are issues. Hopefully Anderson will mature and Uribe will be playing for a big contrct. Bob

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Feb 13, 2007 -> 08:29 PM) http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6466022 Of White Sox interest: Hopefully Kenny and his scouts know their stuff. I've said before that KW will be known as the GM who brought a WS championship to Chicago but his legacy will be what he does in the next few years. I hope Gavin Floyd turns out to be something good for the Sox. Bob