Dick Allen

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.

Good for him. He should be managing the White Sox.

Of course it was. It would have been a big steal if all the White Sox got was a half eaten 5 year old bratwurst.

I'm pretty sure the first base coach hasn't determined many wins and loses. I still find it hard to believe the Sox are so down on Santana. He worked with the infielders, and I believe there has been vast improvement in defensive performance under his guidance. I know they were looking for a baserunning guy. How ironic Raines appears to be the man to get the job. His main criticism from management, media and fans when he played here was he didn't steal enough. Really, besides Harris, and I'm with the group who thinks if the Sox have to count on him, its going to be a long year, who isn't really living up to their stolen base potential? Its just another example of Ozzie bringing in another lackey.

Beltran is a great player, he would probably be the best all around player the White Sox have had in the modern era if he signed. There has been a lot of talk that the Sox might be able to offer him a very competitve contract. If he's healthy he's a gold glove and minimum 30/30 guy. He can hit in the 2 spot. The Sox then unload CLee for pitching. You have improved your offense, you have improved your defense, although Carlos did fine in LF, he is not comparible to Beltran defensively, and you upgrade the pitching staff. As to finding room for Sweeney and Anderson. A lot of things happen down the line, dissappointing performances, injuries etc. If Rowand continues his steep rise, and Beltran plays up to his potential, maybe one of the kids moves to first, or to DH, for a while. I know its a longshot, but nobody thought the Sox would get David Wells, Albert Belle, Bartolo Colon...............................

When the White Sox signed Albert Belle for the 1997 season, they had the 4th or 5th highest payroll in all of baseball. Spending more money will not guarantee higher attendance.

The truth eventually will have to come out. Magglio will not be signing a contract without a complete physical. I think Boras may be stretching the truth. He keeps saying its a 3-4 week recovery on his second surgery. Didn't this surgery occur at least 6 weeks ago? Why won't he be ready until December? Personally, I think its a ploy to get the Sox to offer arbitration, which Magglio would except, and gives him time to get fully healthy and get a big contract next year, while playing for a minimum of $11.5 million in 2005. Boras' problem is JR isn't as gullible as other owners, and chances of him falling for this are zero. Boras doesn't like negotiating with JR because JR is an excellent negotiator, and he can't take him to the cleaners like he does others. Boras said Magglio would be made available to White Sox doctors to examine at a later date. Who wants to bet its after the deadline for offering arbitration?

What about last season when they were in first place in the middle of September. They were giving away upper deck tickets for $5 in September against Boston, and couldn't draw 25,000. This season, the Brewers, playing in the cow town of Milwaukee, outdrew the White Sox. 2,000,000 in attendance isn't all that much anymore. The only teams in the AL that draw less than the Sox are their division rivals, which hurts because road teams get a percentage of the gate, and the White Sox therefore wind up playing at least half their away games in half full parks, Tampa Bay and Toronto. The Cubs drew 1.2 million more than the Sox, and their payroll was about $25 million higher. If you took the over 60% increase and added it to the White Sox payroll, it would be approximately $100 million, which would be higher than the Cubs. If you really believe the White Sox attendance would increase over 1 million from current figures if they raised payroll $25-30 million, you really are crazy. The White Sox have the fan support of a middle market team, at best. They have some advantages over the smaller market teams with local t.v. and radio revenue, ect. , not to mention a sweetheart lease deal on their stadium. But until and unless Bridgeport gets more dense in population, the attendance at the park isn't going to go much higher than it is right now, even if they won the World Series.

When? What season?

I think risking at least $11 million on a player who potentially will not be able to play at all, just for a draft pick or 2 is very silly. Maybe Magglio signs with someone before the White Sox have to offer arbitration, I think that's the only way they will offer it to him.