Trib Article

[LostInBoston]

White Sox general manager Ken Williams plans to do something at this year's winter meetings that he never has done before—leave the hotel.

 

Williams has plans to take officials from the club's minor-league affiliates to dinner Saturday night at one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants in New Orleans.

 

Other than that, Williams figures to be holed up in his hotel suite, talking trades with other teams and discussing offers with agents.

 

Williams will try to address some or all of these six questions:

 

1 Does anyone want to play for the White Sox?

 

The Sox have taken a big public-relations hit after losing free agents Bartolo Colon, Roberto Alomar, Tom Gordon, Scott Sullivan, Tony Graffanino and Carl Everett. But perhaps it's not as bad as it seems. Williams is not about to hang a "Help Wanted" sign at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

"People are overlooking the fact we're a pretty good team as it is," Williams said Wednesday. "A lot of the players we lost were added for the [2003] stretch run.

 

"Are there some things we'd like to do? Absolutely. But what should not be overlooked is that the nucleus is pretty darn good."

 

Williams still sees a 1-2 combination of starting pitchers Mark Buerhle and Esteban Loaiza that combined for 35 victories last season. He sees a formidable lineup headlined by Magglio Ordonez, Frank Thomas and Carlos Lee. And he sees a farm system ready to bear more fruit.

 

He also is thrilled to have acquired infielder Juan Uribe, whom he considers the Sox's shortstop of the future.

 

"Just because we don't make a move now to satisfy the public perception, understand this: Three years ago when we traded [Chad Bradford] for Miguel Olivo, that was part of our three- or four-year planning," he said. "We did the same when we traded Chris Singleton for Willie Harris, whom we think will blossom this year."

 

2 So are the Sox forsaking the present for the future?

 

No way. Williams is knee-deep in a jigsaw puzzle, trying to find parts that fit for a projected budget of $58 million. The problem is that the Sox's priciest 10 players will earn more than about $57 million next year, so someone has to go.

 

Here are those 10: Ordonez ($14 million), Paul Konerko ($8 million), Billy Koch ($6.375 million), Thomas ($6 million), Jose Valentin ($5 million), Loaiza ($4 million) and Jon Garland ($2.3 million), plus arbitration-eligible Lee (about $6.5 million), Buehrle (about $3.25 million) and Scott Schoeneweis (about $1.8 million).

 

3 Who's the most likely to depart?

 

Konerko had a lousy season—actually a lousy first half—but both the Dodgers and Orioles are looking for a first baseman and have money to burn. Valentin also is drawing interest from several teams after producing big power numbers (28 homers, 74 RBIs) at a position that has mostly superstars or duds.

 

Koch continues to draw interest from the Mets, who reportedly view him as a fallback if they fail to sign closer Ugueth Urbina.

 

Ordonez is very unlikely to go. Teams such as the Yankees, Dodgers and Braves are believed to have inquired, but sources say the Sox would complete a deal only if it improved the club immediately. It's hard to picture a team giving up significant talent for a $14 million-a-year player in his walk year.

 

Williams could make a deal for Lee in a minute, but he's loath to trade the Sox's most productive player (.291, 31 homer, 113 RBIs).

 

Considering the Sox were willing to pay Bartolo Colon the equivalent of $11 million next season, it's clear Williams has a salary-cutting trade or two in his back pocket.

 

"There are some interesting possibilities," he said.

 

4 Which pitchers do the Sox have their eyes on?

 

The Sox long have coveted free agent Sidney Ponson, but it's highly unlikely they'll be able to afford the 27-year-old right-hander, who turned down a three-year, $21 million extension from Baltimore in July.

 

The Dodgers' Odalis Perez, who sparred orally with his teammates last season, could come in a deal with Los Angeles.

 

There's a large pool of free-agent starters who have roughly the same promise as Loaiza did at this time last year. The group includes right-hander Cory Lidle, another former Blue Jay who slumped to 12-15 last year after showing promise in Oakland from 2001-02.

 

There are also Brett Tomko, Rick Reed and former Sox lefty Wilson Alvarez, who revived his career with the Dodgers last year (6-2, 2.37).

 

The pool of pitchers will get deeper after Dec. 20, when perhaps another 40-45 players will not be tendered contracts. Among those could be Seattle's erratic right-hander Freddy Garcia, who stands to make as much as $8 million through arbitration if the Mariners decide to keep him or trade him.

 

5 What else should we know?

 

Ozzie Guillen has been trying to get in touch with Thomas. The two haven't spoken since Guillen, upon being named manager Nov. 3, said: "I want him to be great in the clubhouse and play the game the way it's supposed to be played."

 

The Sox released Brian Daubach on Wednesday. They weren't going to re-sign the veteran first baseman, so they wanted to give him ample time to sign with another team.

 

The fact Scott Sullivan signed a two-year, $5 million deal with Kansas City doesn't mean the Sox couldn't afford him. Sullivan held out hope the Sox would offer arbitration, which would have given him leverage to command $3 million for 2004.

 

6 What does Williams like about the winter meetings?

 

Williams likes the social aspect of the winter meetings. Last year he recalled hanging out with four or five other GMs after hours in a hotel suite.

 

"It was a chance to let our hair down and talk baseball," he said. "You can lay groundwork [for future deals] and cultivate friendships, and that can help."

 

Williams said that when he left the suite at 4:15 a.m., he was the first GM to bail.

 

BAM! Hopefully Emeril kicks KW's ass into gear...

[Texsox]

The image of KW "letting his hair down" just made me sick.

 

Nice spin big guy. Just ignore that iceberg you hit.

[southsider2k5]

The image of KW "letting his hair down" just made me sick.

 

Nice spin big guy. Just ignore that iceberg you hit.

Or KW as a police officer

 

 

Nothing to see, move along...

[gsoxs1]

Now we know were KW sons get their reputation from.

[mreye]

Cory Lidle?

 

There's a reason Billy Beane didn't want him anymore. I hope KW learned his lesson.

[israel4ever]

All I can say about this morning's Trib and SunTimes articles is...they had better NOT trade El Caballo!!!

 

 

:fthecubs

[SuperSteve]

Now we know were KW sons get their reputation from.

[israel4ever]

If I were the Sox, I would like to get rid of Frank, and if I could get Weaver for him, and maybe a prospect from the Yanks, or Dodgers I would do that, or throw in Konerko, and a prospect or Willie Harris, and get Perez and Weaver.