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OK.......call me crazy.....but with all the good moves Kenny keeps making, I'm getting a bit delirious........the Rangers need pitching.....how about Uribe and Garland to Texas for Mike Young and a reliever. He'd be a far better hitter from the 2 hole! And I like that .380+ OBP

Another year with a questionable 5th starter is the last thing I want..... BUT, if we can get Ben Sheets we would be stupid not to do it. I am not convinced we will all be so gung ho about our staff when El Duque is hurt, if Contreras can't put together back to back good starts...etc. Adding Sheets gives us a solid #1 --- KW can always go back to the drawing board to fill the 5th spot. I still say we need pitching -- whether its Vazquez or Sheets -- the addition of that type pitcher signed to a long term contract would be awesome.....and KW knows it!

Brewers having trouble signing Sheets.......that's music to my ears. I hope KW is watching that one with a close eye. I'd offer any combination of BMac, Garland, Contreras, Diaz, Anderson, Lopez, Borchard...........Crede/Ben Davis/wewillie! This is the guy I have wanted for a long time -- a "strikeout" pitcher who can dominate! Sheets -- Garcia -- Buehrle -- El Duque -- Cotts/Hermanson/whoever else KW can get cheap! If both Contreras and Garland are included with a few prospects -- the money we save can go to Sheets in a long term deal. Maybe it makes sense for the Brewers -- we all know they can ill afford "one" player eating up 25-35% of their payroll. IMHO this would be a reason for Jerry to increase the payroll!

I think we are missing the boat here...... Hairston was a Back-up in Baltimore -- behind Roberts. Who cares what his numbers were! He couldn't beat out Brian Roberts! And if he has so much potential in CF, why exactly didn' they try to get him in the line-up via a position in the outfield? While I like the kid because he was a local HS player -- the Cubs just traded 10 million and their version of the Phillie Phanatic to Baltimore for a back up player and two minor leaguers. This was all about DUMPING SOSA! Hairston is a back-up player -- the Lee trade looks even better now.

The White Sox have been rumored to like Hinske for some time. I have not read about it recently, but with them landing Hillenbrand they really don't need him. Weaver was also a guy KW wanted. We all know how he can get attached to certain players (need I mention Alomar and Everett). I havn't looked up the numbers, but I thought Weaver was a ground ball pitcher (at least when with Detroit). All in all I think this is all premature -- but if there is even a little truth to the idea I am happy because it means that KW (like me) is not fully satisfied with the bottom of the rotation. Contreras-El Duque-Garland

This could play out a million different ways -- but, my guess is the Eric Hinske would be part of this team soon after a Crede trade. Iguchi will play 2B and Uribe has to stay at SS if only because we have no other options. I for one still believe we need starting pitching. If this somehow helped us to land Vazquez for Garland/Contreras and others -- we could have the makings of one heck of a staff. Vazquez-Garcia-Buehrle-Weaver-El Duque Pods-Iguchi-Dye-Konerko-Everett-Rowand-AJ-Hinske-Uribe

I have a hard time believing this one -- LA just signed Paul "can't hit" Bako. They also have a guy named David Ross who will compete for P-time,and traded for minor league hyped Navarro. Exactly how many "potentially" good catchers do they need?

Current grade --- "B-", I'd say about an 84% so he's really close to a solid "B". If we land Iguchi at second, I give KW a "B+". (88%) As I have said in other posts, we started this off season looking to add a pitcher like JVazquez or the Unit and ended up with ELDuque. Kenny is trying to sell us that he is a #3 starter, but I'm not sure I buy that. I do think ElDuque is a good signing, I'd rather have him at 4 mil than to over pay for Clement at 8 million plus and not have AJ. We also,IMHO, still need another starting pitcher. I'm sure KW will sign someone late as an invite to Spring Training, "just-in-case" we need him. I like the upside of Cotts and I do not feel BMac will perform like Diaz, Rausch, etc. when finally given the chance, but we need that veteran should someone go down. Once second base and security starter is filled --- KW gets an "A".(95%) And to think we did all of this with "Sox-friendly" money.

The signing of AJ solves two major problems -- it gives us a solid catcher and adds a left handed hitter to the lineup. If we sign Iguchi -- which I view as a risk worth taking -- KW gets a B+ from me! IMHO we still need to sign another starter. KW wanted a top of the rotation guy like JavierV or the Unit. He ended up with ElDuque. He has tried to sell it as getting a third starter -- but only time will tell. Over all KW did a great job getting players at "sox-friendly" money. ElDuque is a far better risk at 4 mil than most of the other guys who signed for 7-8-9 million per year or higher. I'd rather roll the dice on ElDuque than to over pay for a guy like Clement. We have Dustin H that can sub in as a starter. We also have two quality young guns in Cotts and BMac. We still need that "in-case-we-need-you" pitcher. If we sign that kind of guy -- and I am sure we will before Spring training. Then KW gets an "A"!

I think the White sox will be about the same this year as last year, primarily because of the division we play in. Face it, if and when MLB decides to rotate the teams that must play against NYY and BOS, we will be jsut like Tampa -- close to the bottom. As long as we are in a DIV with MN, CLE, DET, KC.........we still have a chance. We should always be in the 88- 90 win range, give or take 5 games. Is that good enough to win the dicvision? We know better than anyone, most years its only good enough for second place.

Does anyone know of a site that lists MLB team additions and subtractions based on this off-season. I can't find one, but am interested in comparing teams in the Central. Thanks in advance.

I agree that 2 yr 8+ million is a lot, but, as it is with all trades and signings only time will tell. Better to get him than spen 8+ million per year for a guy like Clement. IMHO, signing El Duque isn't all that bad. My guess is that we deal for Vazquez, moving Garland out and Hernandez becomes our 5th starter. We then sign Eckstein (2B) and AJ© and go to spring training. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Crede go in one of these deals -- KW had some interest in Hinske in the past. Toronto needs to move Hinske which could be to our advantage.

IMHO Cora is too similar to Harris -- the only thing I like is that he can play SS. I don't think he is that much of an improvement over Willie or worth the extra money it would cost versus our other minor league options for the utility spot. On the other hand, I do think Eckstein is worth the money. His OBP is much more consistant year over year -- plus he is that "get dirty in your face never quit" type player whose value is generally under appreciated. No to Cora, YES to Eckstein!

I looked up JV's numbers (if and when that BS ever happens) and surprisingly they are not that good. His K/9 is nice but he also has given up more than 23 HR's each of the last 4 seasons (I think 32 last year and 28 the year before). Add that to a marinal win percentage and he also may not be worth the money. Don't get me wrong, I'd welcome him with open arms, but I don't have that same warm fuzzy fealing after reveiwing his numbers.

43 hrs in 2004 --- 6-9-11 hrs monthly in June/July August, and a 1-3 record in September. He isn't worth the money. I vote to "pass".