southsider2k5 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 I wonder how much he is regretting turning down that contract now? White Sox general manager Ken Williams already has plenty on his to-do list as the season winds down and he plans for the 2005 campaign. But the biggest concern looming is the increasing chance All-Star slugger Magglio Ordonez may not be healed sufficiently to start next season. As his Sox beat the American League Central champion Minnesota Twins 8-6 Tuesday night behind Juan Uribe's pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning, Williams pondered the team's personnel makeup for next season. The Sox have played the second half of this season without veteran sluggers Ordonez and Frank Thomas (stress fracture in left ankle). Ordonez was placed on the disabled list July 22 with bone marrow edema in his left knee. Williams thinks Thomas will be ready to go next spring, but perhaps not Ordonez. The injury to Ordonez, who is being paid $14 million in the last year of his contract, also makes it difficult to negotiate a free-agent deal with him and his agent. "We don't know about his health," Williams said. "There's a problem and we are just trying to get a handle around that. And he is trying to get a handle around it himself before he engages in any talks. "It is a very rare injury. The blood flow into the bone still is not coming around well enough. So I don't know what we are dealing with. He can't make any commitment and neither can we. "I wish way back when, we had gotten [a new contract] done so the focus would be only one thing—his health. Right now we just have to let Father Time tell us what to do." Williams says he has had limited communication with his ailing sluggers. "The last time I talked to Mags, I told him to get the heck out of Florida," Williams said of the hurricane-ravaged state. "I haven't talked to Frank since he was here last. I probably will speak to Frank in spring training. I am confident Frank will be healthy. I hope the situation starts to get a little better [with Ordonez]." Meanwhile, Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen are trying to fashion the White Sox more in the image of the Twins—a team that thrives on pitching, defense and fundamentals. The Sox ended a seven-game losing streak against Minnesota Tuesday night. "You try to emphasize [speed and defense] every year. It is a lot easier said than done sometimes," Williams said. "It is a revolving process. What I am going to choose to focus on now is pitching. We feel like we have a strong staff going into next year. And the way that Jason Grilli has come on, it makes the fifth starter spot not a dire need. He has impressed us." The White Sox were expected to be serious contenders in the AL Central this season before injuries knocked out their top two sluggers. The Sox did see Paul Konerko hit his 40th home run of the season Tuesday night, making him only the third Sox to hit 40 homers or more. Thomas has done it five times and Albert Belle once. "The way this team was constructed from the beginning is certainly not what you have seen out here the last few months," Williams said. "But the fact of the matter is that the last 80-some-odd games, a lot of guys who were designed to come off the bench in supporting roles have had to play a lot greater roles. … It is one of the things I really have to look at as far as determining where we are and what our showing this year really means." Neal Cotts (2-3) was credited with Tuesday night's victory in relief of starter Jon Garland. Shingo Takatsu earned his 18th save. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 (edited) Edited September 22, 2004 by The Cheat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winninguglyin83 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This is quickly becoming a very sad story. Maggs is one of my all-time Sox favorites. I sincerely hope his career was not ruined by the collision with Willie Harris. all the best to Maggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Maggs is a free agent at the end of this season and I know the season is not officially over, so techinically he is still property of the White Sox...but KW talks like the Sox have "dibs" on him. Nice try Sucka. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Poor Maggs, I know some of you don't feel sorry for him since he turned down a very, very generous contract offer, but it just hurts me to see a guy especially with so much talent get injured on a play like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted September 22, 2004 Author Share Posted September 22, 2004 Maggs is a free agent at the end of this season and I know the season is not officially over, so techinically he is still property of the White Sox...but KW talks like the Sox have "dibs" on him. Nice try Sucka. Well as of right now, they do have exclusive negotiating rights to Maggs, so basically they do have dibs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Poor Maggs, I know some of you don't feel sorry for him since he turned down a very, very generous contract offer, but it just hurts me to see a guy especially with so much talent get injured on a play like that. I feel bad for him in that regards, but I'm extremely tired of hearing news about him and a contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This is the line that worries me!! And the way that Jason Grilli has come on, it makes the fifth starter spot not a dire need. He has impressed us." Well, there's your reason for not going after a pitcher in the off-season. Positive Spin: Unless, it means Garland is trade bait and they will go after a Number 1 or 2, pushing everyone down a spot and Grilli becomes #5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Well as of right now, they do have exclusive negotiating rights to Maggs, so basically they do have dibs. But there are no negotiations going on right now and there won't be any until after the season, but I see what you mean. Let's assume that even after the season ends, Maggs condition has not improved and Drs say he might be out for all of 2005, I can't imagine any team would sign him during the off season. Is he then without a team for all of 2005? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winninguglyin83 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Yes. without a team. And, more importantly, without a paycheck. I'll tell you what KW likes the most about Grilli -- he'll pitch for the minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This is the line that worries me!! Well, there's your reason for not going after a pitcher in the off-season. Positive Spin: Unless, it means Garland is trade bait and they will go after a Number 1 or 2, pushing everyone down a spot and Grilli becomes #5 Not green I missed that quote Jason Grilli Quality Starts: 0 Felix Diaz Quality Starts: 2 Somebody explain to KW that Grilli has 2 victories because of his average 8.04 Run support. Felix Diaz on the other hand has had run support of 3.66 -- See the difference KW... I know there are plenty of people here who think that Diaz is a T-ball stand... But he's a much more solid option as a 5th starter than Grilli is. Yes he was was lit up like a christmas tree at first... He had an ERA of 10.17 in his first 23 innings, giving up 11HR's over that span... Since then he has an ERA of 3.42 in 23.2 innings, while not giving up a single longball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSteve Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 I really like Mags, but he made it a business by wanting so much, and now he screwed himself over. That's life. Its not like he didn't make $14 million this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This could end up screwing the Sox. Before no matter what we would have atleast offered arbitration, and been assured that we would have gotten some picks. Now if Maggs health is looming, we cant just automatically offer a contract, because what if no one else offers, and then we are stuck with a hurt player making over $14 mil. Although, I guess they could put in a clause that the contract can be voided if he does not pass a physical, etc. Still a lot of money is at stake, and his health is no longer assured for next year, or beyond. SB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchetman Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 i don't think we would have offered arbitration in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted September 22, 2004 Author Share Posted September 22, 2004 i don't think we would have offered arbitration in any case. If he was anywhere near healthy we would offer arbit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchetman Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 maybe if we were 100% healthy. i still don't think KW would want him back for one year 12-14 million. it's not like he showed that much care for our draft picks over the years..."let's sign sandy alomar as a FA!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted September 22, 2004 Author Share Posted September 22, 2004 maybe if we were 100% healthy. i still don't think KW would want him back for one year 12-14 million. it's not like he showed that much care for our draft picks over the years..."let's sign sandy alomar as a FA!" But if he were projected to be healthy by the start of spring, someone would pay him a multiyear deal at 12-14 mil for sure, meaning that offering arbit was a formality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchetman Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 IF he was 100% healthy, you're prolly right. BUT the marlins thought that a few years ago with i-rod and when he didn't get what he wanted he accepted arbitration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This could end up screwing the Sox. Before no matter what we would have atleast offered arbitration, and been assured that we would have gotten some picks. Now if Maggs health is looming, we cant just automatically offer a contract, because what if no one else offers, and then we are stuck with a hurt player making over $14 mil. Although, I guess they could put in a clause that the contract can be voided if he does not pass a physical, etc. Still a lot of money is at stake, and his health is no longer assured for next year, or beyond. SB I think KWs 'interest' in Maggs is all P.R. and B.S. He's gone, but KW still needs to say all the right things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This is quickly becoming a very sad story. Maggs is one of my all-time Sox favorites. I sincerely hope his career was not ruined by the collision with Willie Harris. all the best to Maggs. The injury he has is due to a long-term issue. The collision probably aggravated it, but did not create it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 The injury he has is due to a long-term issue. The collision probably aggravated it, but did not create it. That's interesting. I had not heard that in this way. I had heard, that he had the problem - but it would have never been known had the collision never happened... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 That's interesting. I had not heard that in this way. I had heard, that he had the problem - but it would have never been known had the collision never happened... I have something similar with my knee and I can guarantee there were times he had to have known something was up. At the time, he might not have thought it was anything to worry about. That is, unless I have misunderstood the injury of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Williams may not of wanted Maggs at $12-$14mil, but he sure wanted the first or second round pick that Maggs would have brought in. Offering an All-Star arbitration would of surely meant the Sox got compensation, now they are going to have to be real smart in what they do, because it could back fire in so many ways. SB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toasty Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 misunderstood the injury? its kinda like a severe bone bruise... swelling in the marrow due to immense trauma... i.e. the collision. I doubt highly that there was a pre-existing condition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted September 23, 2004 Share Posted September 23, 2004 misunderstood the injury? its kinda like a severe bone bruise... swelling in the marrow due to immense trauma... i.e. the collision. I doubt highly that there was a pre-existing condition So far, the things I've read about it state that isn't something that develops that quickly. Never said I was a doctor, just stating what I have read and experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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