Dick Allen

You are right about the farm system. But who was there taking all the credit when the Sox farm system was erroneously ranked #1? Farm director Kenny Williams. I'm sure that ranking has at least a little to do with the job title he now holds. I applaude KW's effort, but results count. The results haven't been there and his mouth continues to run causing this team pr headaches.

But yet they were going to trade a healthy Magglio Ordonez for an injured Nomar last year, and Nomars' road stats were horrible. That said, I'm glad they did not sign Guzman at the price he received. I think Uribe is better than him anyway. I have always been an strong supporter of JR, but I will tell you, this offseason will make or break that support. If KW fails again this year, the front office IMO needs to be overhauled and a new experienced GM needs to be hired. The White Sox GM position has been a training ground ever since Roland Hemond was canned at the end of the 1985 season. Hawk, Larry Himes, Schueler , KW. The best of the bunch was the one who was fired, go figure. Remember, the season doesn't start until April, theres no reason to panic in November.

Juan Gonzalez, Esteban Loiasa, Bob Wickman, Pokey Reese.

You are exactly right. KW needs to be quiet, either that or come up with a couple more million deferred if Vizquel was "the top of the mountain" he claimed. Any agent worth his salt is going to be working his butt off to get the best offer. KW talking about flying below the radar, then who in the organization is spreading all this information around? A couple of articles say the Sox would have approximately the same budget as last season, and they give KW as the source of that information. How come the White Sox are the only professional sports organization whose budget is known to the public before the offseason player movement begins? And his quote about Boras' thought on his client's worth..........as dumb as can be. What's Boras supposed to claim his clients are worth, especially at the start of the signing period? All KW's quote does is turns fans off, and gets all White Sox talk beginning with budget and money again. This guy needs to be replaced by someone a bit more professional, and a bit more composed.

I don't understand why Arizona would make this trade, unless the Sox prospect is Sweeney, Anderson or BMac. Garland is arbitration eligible and will get $4-5 million. Konerko will make $9 million with his trade bonus. Both are free agents after next season. Johnson costs the DBacks $10 million now, $6 million later. It probably comes out to slightly more money, but certainly not enough to make up for the PR hit if they made the trade. The age factor doesn't bother me. In fact, the edge goes to the White Sox with this. Garland and Konerko are going to command multi year contracts. Johnson you could get with a one year extension, and go year to year with him. This trade makes no sense to Arizona unless the White Sox pick up a lot of $.

What if Cabrera plays like he did with Montreal this year? It was a lot worse than Vizquel? Uribe will be able to play SS full time eventually, even if he is not ready now. I think he is ready, its just that at third and second there have been a lot of problems, and he is need there. I like Vizquel, he is relatively cheap, and a short contract.

He'd trade Hudson. He wouldn't trade him for Konerko, though.

That might be true, but Beane could get a heck of a lot more for Hudson than he could for Konerko.

Konerko had a great year, no question about it, but in today's game he is overpaid at $8.5 million + and extra $500,000 if he is traded. Tim Hudson, if traded, will be traded for young, cheap top of the line prospects, who Beane can hold on to for several seasons, not overpaid players in the final year of their contracts. Oakland has won with pitching, they aren't going to trade one of their aces for a 1b/DH. It ain't happening.

This is true. BTW, the only reason Beane would trade Hudson is because he will be a free agent at the end of the year, and he would like to get something for him. It makes no sense that this something is Konerko, considering he also is a free agent at the end of the year. I believe this to be BS.

Hopefully in 2008, Bush's continued mess of everything American won't be too much for Hillary to clean up.

His rotator cuff is torn. He won't do much this season anyway.

Republicans aren't evil. George Bush isn't evil. Karl Rove, he's very evil.

He has a torn rotator cuff that he is trying to rehab without surgery. Usually, this results in surgery, which would keep him out a season. I would pass.

Stay away from Guardado. He has a torn rotator cuff he his trying to rehab without surgery. You know he will eventually have the surgery and miss a season.

With the launch of Comcast, I would imagine ratings are even more important to the White Sox. I'd guess the Cubs ratings won't waver much, even with Stone gone. Putting Stone in the booth would probably boost the Sox ratings, thus increasing advertising revenue. FWIW when ON TV was started, and Harry left, the Sox brought in Hawk and Don Drysdale, who had an ego just as big or bigger than Stone. Hawk and DD butted heads a few times in the booth, but got along just fine. I still remember Hawk breaking down when announcing DD's death several years ago. DJ seems like a nice enough guy, but IMO he really offers nothing to the broadcast. The only time he really gives insight is when Hawk totally sets it up for him.

Disregard what the Cubune says payroll will be. Who in their right minds in the White Sox organization would divulge this to a Cubune reporter? No one. At the very least, the payroll will be a little higher than it was last year. If the correct players are available for what the White Sox consider a fair price, the payroll will rise considerably.

Hoping Everett comes back to that high of level is dreaming if you where to ask me. Also, can someone explain to me how a guy who is supposed to be so competitive, such a great influence on other players, such a "gamer and grinder", lets himself get so heavy and out of shape? I know he had some injuries, but if you can't work out, you could always put the fork down. Counting on Carl Everett is very risky business.

Maybe Corg is the big shareholder?

I don't know if winning the WS would have any effect on Boston signing Pedro. They sold out every game this year. They can't sell anymore tickets than they do now. Pavano seems to want to go there. He'd be cheaper and possibly better than Pedro. I think the only thing that keeps him in Boston, is if Red Sox management is too worried he would become a Yankee. They also have 12 free agents, so the payroll will skyrocket anyway.

I always liked Foulke, especially in 1999 when he bought my brother and me several libations at the Marriott in Minneapolis. Reading this thread, you would have thought he sucked with the White Sox. The highest batting average against him in any season in a White Sox uniform was .225 in 2002. The White Sox had a love affair with the radar gun, and deemed a guy with a change up as a non desirable closer. They were wrong. It appears they have admitted it with Shingo now the closer. As someone who has met him, and talked to him for a few hours, he really is a very nice guy. Foulke was not the reason the Sox lost to Seattle in the 2000 playoffs. He is not the reason they didn't make the playoffs in 2001 or 2002. The trade that sent him away may be the reason the Sox didn't make the playoffs in 2003. Alan Embree really did suck on the White Sox, and he still sucks now.

Is he signed only through next year? I would take him off the Yankees hands and pay a little salary so I wouldn't have to give anything worthwhile back. Pavano wants to stay on the east coast, and I am not really sold on giving him huge money anyway. Pedro would cost a lot and who really knows how much better he would be than Brown. If Johnson gave the ok to come here, it would cost the Sox a lot of talent and money. I'd be all over Brown for a season if the Yankees ate most of his salary and didn't want much back.

Jim Leyland is apparently interested in managing again. He has been a scout with St. Louis for the past four seasons. Philadelphia and the Mets are supposed to be interviewing him. Too bad the Sox are locked into Ozzie. Leyland would be a great man for the job.

Well, the Twins were also the alleged source of it being true, weren't they?

The dope making out the line up card for the White Sox now might as well be managing the Twins, what with the stance he took on the Hunter/Burke collision. That Backman story was confirmed to be false by Gardenhire last year.