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winninguglyin83

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This madness isn't going to end until Maggs signs with another team.

 

It's very disturbing that almost every player who leaves the Sox -- McDowell, Ventura, Fisk, Cameron, Foulke and many others -- leaves with hard feelings.

 

And they are building here. An article posted on the White Sox official web site.

 

/2004 8:29 PM ET

GM 'hurt' by Ordonez's comments

Williams responds to All-Star slugger's quotes

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

 

Magglio Ordonez has 60 home runs and 590 RBIs in the last five seasons. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

 

 

 

CHICAGO -- Magglio Ordonez's mere presence in the White Sox's lineup draws instant notice from the South Side faithful and opposing teams, alike.

Apparently, Ordonez's absence also is becoming somewhat newsworthy.

 

For the second consecutive day, general manager Ken Williams responded to an issue surrounding the injured All-Star who has not played since bone marrow edema in his left knee ended his 2004 season on July 22. Ordonez had not talked much, if at all, to the Chicago media from his home in Florida during his prolonged absence, but two pointed comments showed up as part of a column in Thursday's edition of the Chicago Sun-Times.

 

Ordonez took exception to an article in the Chicago Tribune the day before, based on an interview with Williams, in which there was some question as to whether he would be healthy enough to start Spring Training. There's little doubt in Ordonez's mind regarding this particular answer, as the 30-year-old seems to feel the severity of his injury is being unfairly portrayed or addressed.

 

"I'm healthy. I'm going to be 100 percent by Spring Training," Ordonez said in the column. "I don't know why they're saying I won't be. What I read in the paper is not fair."

 

The comments from Ordonez apparently came earlier in the day and probably prior to Williams' address to the media Wednesday afternoon. During that time, the White Sox's general manager spoke of very positive conversations he had with Ordonez and his agent, Tom Reich, that very day and how he was extremely encouraged by the progress made in Ordonez's healing process.

 

Magglio Ordonez / RF

Born: 01/28/74

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 215 lbs

Bats: R / Throws: R

 

More info:

Player page

Stats | Splits

Team Site

 

 

 

Williams also went out of his way to mention Ordonez as a continuing important part of the White Sox family. That entire interaction made Thursday's column a big surprise to Williams, who thought he was on the same page as Ordonez and his camp but still chose his words carefully in response Thursday evening.

 

"My initial reaction was anger," Williams said. "Throughout the course of the day, it was more hurt than anything, assuming that those comments were in their correct context. I had spoken with Magglio yesterday, and I thought it was a great conversation.

 

"We got off the phone and I felt very good about it, both after talking with Tom Reich and Magglio. I felt very good about the prospects of him getting better and healthier and him fitting into our equation. I thought about calling him again today, but I don't know how much good it would do.

 

"If that (newspaper) conversation and interview took place before I spoke with him, it seems that I would have been alerted to that at some point that this was coming forth," Williams added. "If that interview took place afterwards, then it's even a little more hurtful."

 

The state of Ordonez's knee is a very important topic in regards to the future of Ordonez's Major League career. As a healthy contributor, there are few better than Ordonez. He hit 60 home runs and drove in 590 runs over the past five years, with his average ranging from .301 to .320.

 

Ordonez is an accomplished base runner, who had 25 stolen bases as recently as 2001, and a very underrated right fielder in terms of his stellar defense. But as a free agent, currently earning $14 million and in search of a deal covering five years at close to $70 million, teams might be less inclined to deal with Ordonez if they don't think he's ready to play.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"As time goes on, you will understand when certain truths come out more so why we are in the position of a holding pattern (for offering Ordonez a contract), why we can't make any offers prematurely."

-- Ken Williams

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

With that in mind, Ordonez spoke out. Ordonez claimed in the article that he had already started a daily rehabilitation program and will be able to run and swing the bat in a matter of weeks. Williams mentioned Wednesday that Ordonez hadn't even begun workouts in the pool, an early form of rehab prescribed for the ailing superstar.

 

"That would please me if he is," Williams said of Ordonez's talk about running and swinging the bat soon. "I'm trying to take the highest road I can here."

 

Ordonez classified his injury in the article as "a bone bruise. That's it." Williams almost suffered an injury of his own Thursday, biting his lip so as not to react to the direct comments from his right fielder

 

From the beginning of the season, Williams refused to discuss Ordonez's contractual negotiations through the media. Out of respect for Ordonez, he might have to add his current health status to the list of unapproachable topics

 

"I'm uncomfortable talking about anything because it's going to be spun in a controversial manner," said Williams, who did mention he would like Ordonez to return to Chicago some time in the near future for an examination by White Sox doctors. "The one thing I've learned is that sometimes in this position you have to take it in the gut in the present, knowing that down the line, some things will be explained to a greater degree.

 

"As time goes on, you will understand when certain truths come out more so why we are in the position of a holding pattern (for offering Ordonez a contract), why we can't make any offers prematurely. I'm not willing to elaborate on that because I think that my elaboration certainly doesn't help him, and I don't want to hurt Magglio or his chances to maximize his value or our chances to re-sign him.

 

"It's probably something that I should just allow to let die, rather than comment very much further," Williams added. "There are some definite opinions about what was said, but the toughest part about it is it was after a great conversation."

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I've said it before I'll say it again.  This organization suffers from verbal diarrhea.  Words come out of their mouths like they can not control their mouths.

The umpteenth time KW has opened and run his mouth without thinkin of the consequences. It's getting tired, and fast.

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I see most of you are ranting toward KW here.  I see it 100% different.  It looks to me the KW is trying to be diplomatic about things.

And like I said, Maggs is the one who can prove KW by either openning up one of his workouts, or releasing his medical records showing improvement.

 

Basically one of two things is going on, Maggs people are lying to KW, or Maggs people are telling Kenny the truth, and KW is lying to us. Like I said in the Kotex-Boy thread, it only makes sense one way.

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60 Hr's in 5 years? thats not accurate is it?

You are correct, it should have read 160 home runs and 590 RBIs. Also, some of you are very naive where KW is concerned. KW is trying to make sure Ordonez is as devalued as possible, in order to lowball him if he gets the chance or is inclined to sign him. That is JRs way and KW learned well. Conversely Ordonez may be trying to downplay the severity of his injury. Unless he gets an official clean bill of health Ordonez is going to have to settle for an incentive laden and probably short term contract. In any case, Ordonez deserved much better than this cynical manipulation. He has never acted like anything but a mature classy individual on or off the field. That's rare in today's world of sports. I've been rooting for the Sox since shortly after I learned how to read. At his point, I am ever so tired of the Reinsdorf reign. It's really too bad because I don't think that there is a franchise in any of the four major professional sports that could bring as much joy and relief to its fans if it won a championship than the White Sox. Again, many of you are oh so naive where KW is concerned. Shut your mouth Kenny and get to work! Your counterpart on the north side is running laps around you.

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Here's the deal...I guarantee I will be proven correct: the Sox will try to "lowball" Ordonez (show him no respect for what he's done as a Sox!), and he will sign elsewhere. The Sox will not sign a FA "replacement" for Maggs...your starting RF for 2005 will be Carl (F**king) Everett!

 

Enjoy 3rd place.

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Here's the deal...I guarantee I will be proven correct: the Sox will try to "lowball" Ordonez (show him no respect for what he's done as a Sox!), and he will sign elsewhere. The Sox will not sign a FA "replacement" for Maggs...your starting RF for 2005 will be Carl (F**king) Everett!

 

Enjoy 3rd place.

For once and for all, they cannot "lowball" Maggs. The minimum contract that Magglio Ordonez can be offered is $11.2 million for one season, IF they offer arbitration. Lowballing him does no good, because they can't pay him anything less than 20% of what he made last year. What is the point? If we don't want to resign him, we need to drive his value up, not down. We need someone to outbid us, not to drive his price under his floor cost to the Sox.

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unless the sox have no intention of offering him arbitration, which i believe is the case.

And if we don't offer him arbitration we can't negotiate with him at all, which means he doesn't matter what his worth is. Plus by making his value so low that we lose him for nothing, that means we don't get any draft picks either. At least by driving his value up, and getting someone to offer him a big contract, we get draft picks, even if we have no intent of resigning him.

 

Bascially what people think is that we are slandering Maggs (intentionally diseminating wrong info) so that we can drive his value so low that we can't resign him, and we can't get draft picks for him. Why the f*** would the Sox do something so stupid? I know the hate for JR and KW runs deep in these parts, but that is ultra-ignorant. With every other big player that has left here, we have done everything to insure that we at least got the draft picks. Now all of the sudden we don't want the franchise superstar OR draft picks? Come on, GMAFB.

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???

 

we are bad mouthing him in a weak attempt to rationalize to the fans why we aren't going to sign him.

 

what KW says means nothing to other GMs, they're smart enough to have the situation checked out themselves.

 

his message is to the fans.

Which Maggs and his agent could easily counter by either releasing his medical records or inviting the press along on one of these workout sessions. Then KW would be caught in a bold face slander if it were true. It is that easy, and all of this would be over.

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Bottom line...the Sox will not offer (nor pay) Magglio anything near what his market value will be proven to be, we will NOT have him next year, our starting RF will be Everett, and the 2005 SOX WILL SUCK!

And not so slickly planting stories in the press about Maggs "condition" furthers those ends. Why is that so hard to see?

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