White Sox acquire Jim Thome per ESPNnews

[Balance]

I'm going to miss Rowand. He is one of my favorite players. Even so, the more I look at this deal, the more it makes sense for the Sox.

 

Worst case scenario is Thome being hurt and unable to play. If that happens, then this is a terrible trade.

 

Best case scenario is Thome staying healthy and putting up numbers like the ones he put up in CLE.

 

Most likely scenario, in my opinion, is Thome playing at DH and putting up decent numbers, with Herm keeping him in playing shape for the large majority of the season.

 

I think this puts the Sox in a position of flexibility, and makes them better-able to respond if they are (God forbid) unable to resign Konerko. Kenny isn't done making moves yet. After putting together the pieces like he did this past season, I'm willing to give KW the benefit of the doubt.

[RME JICO]

This seems to be a high risk high reward deal. Obviously a lot will have to do with Thome's production, but the other aspect of the trade is with the prospects Gonzalez and Haigwood. It is somewhat surprising to see both of them in the same deal, both lefties, both with very good ratings.

 

Rowand is available for FA status after 2006, so he very well could end up back in a Sox uni for 2007.

[Felix]

Rowand is available for FA status after 2006, so he very well could end up back in a Sox uni for 2007.

Highly doubted, considering the fact that we will have Brian Anderson, Chris Young, Ryan Sweeney, and Jerry Owens all waiting to get some action in the MLB.

[whitesoxmanager]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART?

 

I SAY HELL NO!

 

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

At least wait until the all-star break!

[KevHead0881]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART? 

 

I asked myself, and myself said "yes, if that player was expendable and the player we were getting in return could make us better."

[SSH2005]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART? 

 

I SAY HELL NO! 

 

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

At least wait until the all-star break!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you remember when we had Pierzynski in the 3-hole? We needed a lefty power stick that could hit third. If Thome is healthy, the trade is great. All Anderson has to do is play good defense. It won't be too hard to replace Rowand's .736 OPS.

[hi8is]

hey man, there are still 24 remining players that were all integral parts... specificaly guys named mark, john, freddy, jose, duque, and mccarthy.... also youve still got 7 out of 9 starters remaining.... and youve just replaced carl everett with someone who will most likely hit

 

.275 45 hr 115 rbi

 

hummmmm..... sounds good to me so far

[southsider2k5]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART? 

 

I SAY HELL NO! 

 

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

At least wait until the all-star break!

 

Actually I have been asking myself this question... Why are you freaking out about this deal so badly? We get it, you don't like the trade. That's fine. But why act like Kenny Williams ran over your handicapped grandmother in the crosswalk of a schoolzone, and then backed up to hit her again, all of the while dragging the World Series trophy tied to his bumper.

[KevHead0881]

Actually I have been asking myself this question... Why are you freaking out about this deal so badly?  We get it, you don't like the trade.  That's fine.  But why act like Kenny Williams ran over your handicapped grandmother in the crosswalk of a schoolzone, and then backed up to hit her again, all of the while dragging the World Series trophy tied to his bumper.

 

They traded him the day before Thanksgiving, for christ sake! Kenny's going to hell!

[Rowand44]

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

 

No matter how good your team is you always try making them better. When you stop trying to make the team better then you get passed by. Almost everyone here loved Arow but he was expendable and Kenny filled a hole that has been there for way to many years.

[SnB]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART? 

 

I SAY HELL NO! 

 

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

At least wait until the all-star break!

truth is, alot of guys had career years last year......and we had alot of luck on our side. I guarantee if we kept everything the same we probably wouldn't win the world series again........or even win the division.

[whitesoxmanager]

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Nov 25, 2005 -> 09:39 AM)

Actually I have been asking myself this question... Why are you freaking out about this deal so badly?  We get it, you don't like the trade.  That's fine.  But why act like Kenny Williams ran over your handicapped grandmother in the crosswalk of a schoolzone, and then backed up to hit her again, all of the while dragging the World Series trophy tied to his bumper.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I for one absolutely love KW. He was the first GM i can remember that actually went on a warpath trying to build a WS caliber team. He succeeded. But now I think he is unchartered territory and that is to know when to slow down and not make changes until necessary. I also know that some guys can get complacent after winning and just rest on their laurels. AROW was definitely not the kind of guy to be happy unless he was winning. He is the ultimate competitor and i dont think that money is a motivating factor for him. Now is Jim Thome going to be able to replace him in the dugout? Will A CF be able to handle the parks the way that AROW did? Health? How will Thome handle pressure situations & adversity? There are way too many "ifs" going into this deal. & to me there are no "ifs" with keeping AROW unless he jumps on a motorcycle....I trust KW. He has proven himself a winner & a champion. As a SOXFAN for 30 years I just have a really bad gut feeling that I am trying to put into words. I seem to be the only one on this board that is attempting to side with keeping AROW so i look like the ugly guy. i am not going to change my mind until we reflect back on the 06 season.

[Steve Bartman's my idol]

Not really. You do what's best for the team not what's best for a player who's been around for a long time. Keeping players around when they're well past their prime has gotten many a GM fired. Frank was great for the Sox for 15 seasons but he's been gone for a while now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True. But Frank's showing this season, albeit for a very short period of time, shows me that he's not washed up yet.

[hi8is]

from espns fantasy analsys of the trade:

"If he returns to full form, Thome could hit in the neighborhood of 30 homers in the AL Central. "

 

 

BWHAHAHAHHAHA

 

and

 

"playing at U.S. Cellular should not provide to much of an offensive drop off..."

[YASNY]

from espns fantasy analsys of the trade:

"If he returns to full form, Thome could hit in the neighborhood of 30 homers in the AL Central. "

BWHAHAHAHHAHA

 

and

 

"playing at U.S. Cellular should not provide to much of an offensive drop off..."

 

Sometimes I wonder if these people live in another dimension or something. Some of the analysi (?) are so off base from reality, it's scary.

[hi8is]

Sometimes I wonder if these people live in another dimension or something.  Some of the analysi (?) are so off base from reality, it's scary.

also makes me think that 10 percent of the soxtalk site needs to be getting paid =P

[Milkman delivers]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART? 

 

I SAY HELL NO! 

 

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

At least wait until the all-star break!

 

If KW says we need to get rid of an integral part, then yes. Yes, we should do that.

 

And also, I think KW knows when it's time to NOT try to make the team better. He judged that this WAS the time to make the team better. And you know what? I have just a little bit more confidence in Kenny f***ing Williams than I you or anyone else. He did win a World Series not too long ago. He did reassemble a team in one offseason not too long ago. I think he has somewhat of an idea on what he's doing.

[hi8is]

yeah - sometimes i think some of us fans forget how much kenny loves this team... both kw and ozzie bleed for the sox

 

they stay awake all night because of them.... they make good choices

 

no worries peeps

[nitetrain8601]

I for one absolutely love KW.  He was the first GM i can remember that actually went on a warpath trying to build a WS caliber team.  He succeeded.  But now I think he is unchartered territory and that is to know when to slow down and not make changes until necessary.  I also know that some guys can get complacent after winning and just rest on their laurels.  AROW was definitely not the kind of guy to be happy unless he was winning.  He is the ultimate competitor and i dont think that money is a motivating factor for him.  Now is Jim Thome going to be able to replace him in the dugout?  Will A CF be able to handle the parks the way that AROW did?  Health?  How will Thome handle pressure situations & adversity?  There are way too many "ifs" going into this deal.  & to me there are no "ifs" with keeping AROW unless he jumps on a motorcycle....I trust KW.  He has proven himself a winner & a champion.  As a SOXFAN for 30 years I just have a really bad gut feeling that I am trying to put into words.  I seem to be the only one on this board that is attempting to side with keeping AROW so i look like the ugly guy.  i am not going to change my mind until we reflect back on the 06 season.

 

Aaron Rowand will not be the reason why we lost or won the World Series. Thome is known as a class act and easily accessible across the league in clubhouses. Guys love playing with him. PK and Thome share an admiration for each other as well as noted in an article.

 

Anderson is also better than Rowand defensively. That's a fact. He also has a much stronger arm. I'd say we at least made a lateral move in CF and made an upgrade at the DH spot.

[Rowand44]

Anderson is also better than Rowand defensively. That's a fact.

This I disagree with.

Edited November 25, 2005 by Rowand44

[Buehrle>Wood]

ask yourselves this question:

 

if you just won the WS with a bunch of guys that rolled thru the division and then went 11-1 in the playoffs DO YOU NEED TO GET RID OF ANYONE THAT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART? 

 

I SAY HELL NO! 

 

I will say it again you gotta know when is the time to NOT try to make the team better and just leave things the way they are...

 

At least wait until the all-star break!

I've been a big preacher of the 2003 Angels. May be you should look them up?

[nitetrain8601]

This I disagree with.

 

We'll see next year. All Rowand had was his jumps, but he also played closed to the wall so he wasn't able to get to balls hit to shallow/mid CF.

[Chisoxfn]

This I disagree with.

Agreed. Anderson has the tools to be, but he doesn't get the jumps that Rowand gets, at least not at this point in his career.

[Balta1701]

Agreed.  Anderson has the tools to be, but he doesn't get the jumps that Rowand gets, at least not at this point in his career.

When you have the ability...getting the perfect jump is something you can learn. Most people here have said that Anderson gets good jumps, has great speed out there, and has a throwing arm vastly better than Rowand's. That's a good combo to build off of.

[Gene Honda Civic]

We'll see next year. All Rowand had was his jumps, but he also played closed to the wall so he wasn't able to get to balls hit to shallow/mid CF.

You're 100% correct.... If only Rowand had been playing shallower on these two plays

Edited November 25, 2005 by Gene Honda Civic