Clarkdog

I agree that Bart would generate a lot of interest and would provide the opportunity to package another salary like a Konerko. But what I don't want to see the Sox do (and they have done this in the past) is trade players to fill a need only to find the have opened another hole that they need to fill. If the trades don't make them better overall - why trade? The question the Sox need to ask is are we rebuilding or are we retooling? This fan base won't support another rebulding phase, not after only achiveing mediocrity with this current group. Retooling is the only option. So what do the Sox have and what do they need - and how do you get what you need with as little sacrifice to what you already have. The Sox have starting pitching - Buerhle, Colon, and Loaiza are a pretty good 1-2-3. Buehrle has struggled no doubt, but you cannot give up on him. Colon is solid and a workhorse - you have to attempt to retain him after this season. Loaiza has been a steal - he deserves a contract with the Sox that has performance incentives, to protect you if this is a fluke year. Garland and Wright? There a plenty of teams that would love to have Garland - he has great stuff - all his problems are in his head. He's 24, he'll figure it out. . To me, Wright is expendable. I think we could find another 5th starter that could fill his slot - Josh Stewart perhaps. Our bullpen has strength and weakness. Glover, Marte, Wunsch, Gordon & Koch (of late) have been pretty good. Sanders and White are a gaping hole. First we don't need to carry 12 pitchers in the pen. None of them are getting the work or routine the need to be effective. One can go. Ginter can certainly deliver as well if not better than White. Send White down or release him. As trade bait - here you have Marte, Wunsch, Gordon, or Koch. But you have to choose one. Our everyday guys - We have lots of corner outfielders (Lee, Borchard, Ordonez), a third baseman (Crede), a second baseman (Jimenez), a first baseman (Konerko), and catcher (Olivo), and utility man (Graffanino). Don't give up on Konerko - he's in a bad stretch but is in no ways done. We need a centerfielder, and a shortstop and both should increase the team speed and ability to put the ball in play. What's expendable - Thomas: but he is expensive for one tool, no one will want him. Valentin - a nice player, big heart - but that long swing and stone hands are killing us. Harris - second is his best and only position; only the Sox play guys so out of position and hope it will pan out. Daubach - streaky enough when he plays everyday - this is a disaster situation for him. Rios - a 25th man on any roster. Here the trade bait is where we have some abundance - corner outfielders. And to me it's Lee. I love the guy and think having him around as a DH after Thomas goes would be great - but Frank is in the way and I beleive he has an option he can pick up for next year. Lee, if I'm not mistaken, is arbitration eligable - he's got a pay day coming. He is hitting well - trading him in a package for a need up the middle would let Borchard move to the corner where he's originally played and open the spot for a real CF - speed & defense. This team reminds me of the '83 Sox - there are some tools here that can work, but glaring holes that can be filled with the right deals in place- it might make all the difference in the world. Sorry for the long post.

Mariotti has be known to be a Sox basher, and Sox fans have criticized him for his bias towards the Cubs/Sosa and taking pot shots at the Sox. But I believe that he sees the same thing as the fans when it come to the Sox. The Sox are a missed opportunity that the management of this team has ignorantly squandered by alienating fans through their pompous and moronic management of this ballclub. The problems on the field are bigger than Gary Ward. Yes, the offense is anemic. But firing Ward will not cure that. The problem with this team goes straight to how it has been constructed. The front office has no strategy for supplying the talent to win baseball games. They just figure they'll out slug everyone and we waltz to a division title. Wrong. They put all thier eggs in the offensive basket, and its killing us now, beacuse we don't have a team that can win tight ball games. The Sox are a fundamentaly bad baseball team and the management knew it in Spring Training. They we're hoping to win on the cheap in a weak division with a bunch of sluggers. Does anyone really believe this team could win a tightly contested division series the way they play? With poor defense, not running the bases well, unable to maximize and capitalize on scoring opportunities? No way. This was all smoke and mirrors - and I bought into it and now I'm pissed.

I agree that they are calling the inside strike more in an effort to speed up games. But Frank is getting pitches to hit, just not the ones he wants to hit. I mean look at Sosa, Bonds and Thomas. Who is the guy in the cleanup spot protecting them? Sosa: Alou, Bonds: Cruz Jr., Frank: Maggs. Frank easily has the best cleanup protection of the three (although Maggs numbers today wouldn't support that). If I were Maggs I'd be a little pissed. Frank isn't getting pitches to hit? With the numbers Maggs has put up the last few seasons. No way. Frank just can't turn on that inside pitch. It won't be long before Frank starts asking for the pitchers to throw underhand.

Steff: As a new member to this forum, I'm probably repeating earlier sentiments. But, you should not care in the least about what people are saying. You did a service by passing on something that you heard from a source that you see as reliable. If it happens great, if not it's unfortunate. This is not the NY Times - its the SoxNet PaleHose Talk. No journalistic standards need apply. These boards are all about rumors and what ifs. Taking content from a message board and reporting in a broader sense is a little shady. I saw the Yahoo Sports story attributed to your rumor, but you are not responsible for that. All things aside, I think you, HSC and your sources are right for three reasons: 1. Joe Cowley's column - that was a burning criticism of KW. If KW was in a secure place, that type of column can get a columnist cut out of the loop especially knowing how vindictive KW is of the media. Cowley knows something, and he is positioning himself as the guy in the media who called it. 2. Manuel and KW contradicting each other recently on matters of player personnel 3. Manuel's comments after last night's loss. That was unlike him, and I think he has wanted to call the club out for sometime but it didn't fit into KW's "team" concept which may have affected Manuel's ability to lead. Kind of an immediate change in posture from "it will come together" to "look yourself in the mirror". Anyway, thanks. Any rumor you uncover will be read with great interest by me.