KW's comments on the Sox Future

[bigruss]

"We were the only 90-win team that didn't make the playoffs this year," he said. "And we still feel like, if we'd gotten there, we had a hell of a chance. But I've got a responsibility, a responsibility not just for now but for tomorrow. And even if we win in 2007, in Chicago if we spend 2008-09-10 losing 100 games, believe me, you're the village idiot. It doesn't matter what you've done before."

 

Thought this was weird, considering it seems like Kenny is willing for the team to go back to the streaks of finishing second in the division instead of winning a championship and sacrificing some years. Maybe it is just me, but that 2005 year was so special that I would rather have another one of those years right now and go through some redevelopment phases later than go through another streak of second place finishes without even having a chance to win a WS.

 

I understand the need for prospects, as I felt willing to trade a starting pitcher or two to upragde the current roster, but we are built to win now, and to waste that oppurtunity seems ridiculous to me.

[Buehrle>Wood]

It doesn't have to be one or the other. We can have a WS caliber ball-club and still have a solid minor-league system. The loss of Garcia is not too big on paper. We have guys who can fill that void. The only criticism of the trade should be on wether we got enough or not.

[GIOin08]

not really...

We are not going to pay all our pitchers. At this rate "the 5" will run us 75 million, which we wouldn't do so after 2008 we would have no pitchers under contract.

This is what he means by if we keep them all now we will be 100 game losers in 2008/9/10

[The Ginger Kid]

Atlanta Braves

 

 

just do what they do, but win it more often

[TitoMB345]

Im glad Garcia is gone, because he was a loser in the clubhouse. I was so sick of that s*** of him showing up his teammates.

[southsideirish71]

Im glad Garcia is gone, because he was a loser in the clubhouse. I was so sick of that s*** of him showing up his teammates.

 

 

I thought you ran over to nsbb.com to done your new cubs hat.

[chisoxfan79]

You know what if Kenny wants to think about the future he should call the Dodgers and see what he can get for JD because they are in the market for a corner outfielder with power I bet he could get Loney and Billingsly.

[FlaCWS]

"We were the only 90-win team that didn't make the playoffs this year," he said. "And we still feel like, if we'd gotten there, we had a hell of a chance. But I've got a responsibility, a responsibility not just for now but for tomorrow. And even if we win in 2007, in Chicago if we spend 2008-09-10 losing 100 games, believe me, you're the village idiot. It doesn't matter what you've done before."

 

 

You know, if you think about it, he makes a lot of sense. Take Freddy... the guy's 30 years old, in a contract year, with a lot of innings on that arm. Not saying I wanted to trade him (I'd have preferred to see Vazquez go) but Kenny's looking at keeping this team competitive for many years to come and saw a chance to trade a guy who has some value, but probably not enough value to justify a contract extension. So... do you want Garcia for one season (coming off a sub-par year for him) or do you deal him while you can, while bringing back a couple of decent (admitedly not great, but decent) pitching prospects?

 

Try and remember the one lesson we learned from '05: Championships are built around pitching, pitching and more pitching. People laughed at our offense going into that season - hell, I remember the comments after the Carlos Lee for Podsednik deal. But we won - because of pitching. And not only are good pitchers hard to find, but pitching prospects are more unpredictable than any other position - that is why you're smart to stock up on as many of them as you can to improve your odds. This was an opportunity to do just that.

 

Think about this: if Buehrle can't regain his old form... if Contreras's back acts up again... it won't really matter whether we had Freddy or not. I applaud looking to the future instead of going for it all in just one season. Too many things can happen in one season. Kenny understands that. And at the end of the day, we still have enough pieces to win in '07.

[AbeFroman]

Im glad Garcia is gone, because he was a loser in the clubhouse. I was so sick of that s*** of him showing up his teammates.

 

my my my... how quickly we change our tune.

 

Hey, you gonna get one of those We've Got Wood Shirts?... or maybe hold out for a Soriano Jersey?

[103 mph screwball]

Small market mentality. The past 24 hours have been great...for tiger, twins, and indian fans. I really wanted to go for it one more time, then I could tolerate an influx of youth and payroll control. This is bad PR.

[bigruss]

Try and remember the one lesson we learned from '05: Championships are built around pitching, pitching and more pitching. People laughed at our offense going into that season - hell, I remember the comments after the Carlos Lee for Podsednik deal. But we won - because of pitching. And not only are good pitchers hard to find, but pitching prospects are more unpredictable than any other position - that is why you're smart to stock up on as many of them as you can to improve your odds. This was an opportunity to do just that.

 

Think about this: if Buehrle can't regain his old form... if Contreras's back acts up again... it won't really matter whether we had Freddy or not. I applaud looking to the future instead of going for it all in just one season. Too many things can happen in one season. Kenny understands that. And at the end of the day, we still have enough pieces to win in '07.

 

 

I am all for trading some guys like garcia for prospects, but i believe we have the depth and pieces for a run this year. If like you siad, beurhle or contreras gethurt, then one of those young guys we acquired may fill in, or we have tracey, phillips, haeger, liotta, etc to fill in some spot starts. THat 2005 team was built on pitching, so i dont see why we didnt go after a guy like danks or another top flite prospect who could lead the rotation with broadway, mccarthy, haegar, mccuollugh, etc backing them up.

 

I understand Kenny's concern of losing Iguchi, Pods, Jermaine Dye, Mark B, (and maybe more) next offseason due to the inflated market, but if it means a playoff run this year and practically the whole first round of the draft next year then im cool, i want the Sox to compete when they have a chance, which is right now

[RockRaines]

If like you siad, beurhle or contreras gethurt, then one of those young guys we acquired may fill in, or we have tracey, phillips, haeger, liotta, etc to fill in some spot starts.

The two guys we just got for Garcia are better than Tracey, Phillips, liotta, Broadway, mcullughtwhatever.

[Balta1701]

The two guys we just got for Garcia are better than Tracey, Phillips, liotta, Broadway, mcullughtwhatever.

Kip Wells was a better prospect than Buehrle too, IIRC.

 

Hopefully someone earns whatever jobs open up in that rotation the next few years.

[3 BeWareTheNewSox 5]

It doesn't have to be one or the other. We can have a WS caliber ball-club and still have a solid minor-league system. The loss of Garcia is not too big on paper. We have guys who can fill that void. The only criticism of the trade should be on wether we got enough or not.

 

That's what it is

[bigruss]

The two guys we just got for Garcia are better than Tracey, Phillips, liotta, Broadway, mcullughtwhatever.

 

The point is that we have a bunch of 3-5 type starters, which is good because some will dissappear, some will be surprises, and some will be just midd of the road, but we need those top of the line starters and danks etc would make me really happy, since we could go back to a cheaper version of the 2005 rotation within 3-4 years with guys like these

 

like i said before "guys we had acquire" so that meant floyd or gonzalez, who i like but they both seemed to falter last year, and i would be estatic to get pelfrey and/or humber from the Mets for Vaz

[WilliamTell]

Kip Wells was a better prospect than Buehrle too, IIRC.

 

Hopefully someone earns whatever jobs open up in that rotation the next few years.

 

So was Jon Rauch if I remember correctly.

[heirdog]

You know what if Kenny wants to think about the future he should call the Dodgers and see what he can get for JD because they are in the market for a corner outfielder with power I bet he could get Loney and Billingsly.

 

If he trades Buerhle and Crede for ARod and Melky, you just might see this deal. Slot ARod in at Dye's spot in the lineup and get Sweeney, Fields or some other young players filtered into the lineup. There is no way that Dye takes another discounted deal and his value will never be higher than after his 2005 post-season and follow-up 2006 season so...KW probably has something more up his sleeve.

 

THat 2005 team was built on pitching, so i dont see why we didnt go after a guy like danks or another top flite prospect who could lead the rotation with broadway, mccarthy, haegar, mccuollugh, etc backing them up.

 

I think KW believes that Gio is that guy in the mold of Santana or Zito. I bet he tried to get a Volquez (or Hurley, Diamond) and Danks from Texas but after signing Padilla, Texas probably balked. I think the Floyd and Gio trade is comparable to the one above. Gio is a stud...just wait and see.

[witesoxfan]

The point is that we have a bunch of 3-5 type starters , which is good because some will dissappear, some will be surprises , and some will be just midd of the road, but we need those top of the line starters and danks etc would make me really happy, since we could go back to a cheaper version of the 2005 rotation within 3-4 years with guys like these

 

like i said before "guys we had acquire" so that meant floyd or gonzalez, who i like but they both seemed to falter last year, and i would be estatic to get pelfrey and/or humber from the Mets for Vaz

 

If some 3-5 type starters surprise, wouldn't that mean they are top of the rotation starters?

 

Also, Floyd has always had ace potential, but has been quite bad the past 2 years. And Gio will likely be a 2-3 starter at some point, pending he stay healthy.

[southsider2k5]

Atlanta Braves

just do what they do, but win it more often

 

Oh how could we have been so stupid. With all of MLB able to emulate the braves, I can't believe we haven't done it sooner

 

So was Jon Rauch if I remember correctly.

 

Rauch would have been big time, but that shoulder injury really set him back. He was never the same after it.

[joeynach]

"We were the only 90-win team that didn't make the playoffs this year," he said. "And we still feel like, if we'd gotten there, we had a hell of a chance. But I've got a responsibility, a responsibility not just for now but for tomorrow. And even if we win in 2007, in Chicago if we spend 2008-09-10 losing 100 games, believe me, you're the village idiot. It doesn't matter what you've done before."

 

Thought this was weird, considering it seems like Kenny is willing for the team to go back to the streaks of finishing second in the division instead of winning a championship and sacrificing some years. Maybe it is just me, but that 2005 year was so special that I would rather have another one of those years right now and go through some redevelopment phases later than go through another streak of second place finishes without even having a chance to win a WS.

 

I understand the need for prospects, as I felt willing to trade a starting pitcher or two to upragde the current roster, but we are built to win now, and to waste that oppurtunity seems ridiculous to me.

 

I think you need to understand that if this is our roster going into the season will probably compete for the division again and win 90+ games. We basically have removed ourself from two of the weaker pitching spots we had last year that cost us. All in all this team is built to win in 2007. When MB, and JD are FA after this year so be it, who knows where the market will be. So far I still beleive we have the best roster in the AL central. Im sorry but getting rid Garcia and Cotts is almost addition by subtraction they hampered us last year.