TLAK Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 MLB.Com Scott Merkin CHICAGO -- The White Sox declined club options on both outfielder/first baseman Darin Erstad and left-handed reliever Mike Myers, with both veterans officially filing for free agency on Tuesday. After a highly successful 11-year career playing for the Angels, Erstad signed a one-year deal as a free agent with the White Sox last January and the club held a $3.5 million option for 2008. Erstad proved to be an immediate fit in the clubhouse, but an injury-plagued season that cost him basically the entire months of June and July limited the left-handed hitter to 310 at-bats and 87 games played. Throughout the final two months of the 2007 season, Erstad refused to speculate on his future with the White Sox, adding there was a time and place to think about such decisions but not during the season. Erstad did admit to enjoying his time with the White Sox, after playing more than one decade with the same team. "There's an adjustment period, being in one place for so long, but everyone was very welcoming," said Erstad before the close of his one year with the White Sox, as the team used its $250,000 buyout. "Being the circumstances what they were, I had a great time with the people. "We all would have liked it to go better, but I by no means would second-guess my decision. I made the right decision, but hit a little road block in the middle of the year." That road block came on May 31 in Toronto, when Erstad severely sprained his left ankle while swinging and missing on a pitch from Roy Halladay. Erstad re-aggravated this same injury while making a diving catch on a line drive to center field in a June 22 contest against the Cubs, a game marking Erstad's first appearance after his initial stint on the disabled list. "It's definitely frustrating," said Erstad of the injuries that slowed him down. "I had it going differently in my mind at the start of the year." Myers, 38, joined the White Sox on Aug. 19 via a prorated, one-year contract, with the club holding a $1.1 million option for 2008. General manager Ken Williams liked the different look Myers provided with his sidearm southpaw style, but Myers finished with an 11.20 ERA in 17 games for Ozzie Guillen's crew and allowed 28 baserunners over 13 2/3 innings. Boone Logan figures to fill the left-handed specialist role for the White Sox in 2008, with the young hurler limiting left-handed hitters to a .221 average last season. Shortstop Juan Uribe remains the only case left for the White Sox to decide, with the team having until Nov. 12 to exercise a $5 million club option or invoke a $300,000 buyout. Uribe hit .234 in 2007, marking the fourth straight year his average has dropped with the White Sox, but also knocked out 20 home runs and drove in 68. Scott Podsednik, Joe Crede and Alex Cintron all are arbitration-eligible, with Crede figuring to be the lone one of the three to return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxfan1986 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Well everyone feared we would pick up Erstad's option, good think we didn't. Still a good chance he's brought back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Good start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Very nice news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg The Bull Luzinski Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Hooray!!! Hopefully the first of many declines to come in the next month. Do a happy dance, GrindErtad is gone (for now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Did Hawk drive to his house to see how he's feeling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg The Bull Luzinski Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 ... upon hearing the news, Erstad broke his ankle again. He is expected to be ready for spring training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Oooh. Offer Erstad a job as Coach in Charge of Grinderness. That way, everyone can work hard, have a positive attitude, and injure themselves needlessly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Applause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 good and good. now go get some legitimate ballplayers, kw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claydude14 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 I'm gonna miss ol' Grindy, he made for some great comic strips and hilarious moments on the field (who could forget the incident in Anahiem where he lost the ball in the twilight and stood there with his arms out? I made a drinking game out of the constant replaying of that clip). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 (edited) By the way...these were the easy 2 cuts. There need to be 2 more. And presumably, this drops the 40 man to 37, thus clearing all the room we want for those kids folks were worried about. Edited October 31, 2007 by Balta1701 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felix Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Thank the lord.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 so, does grinderstad now turn into declinerstad? can this type of unilateral nickname change be done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg The Bull Luzinski Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 This thread is already full of the bad Erstad jokes I was hoping for. Keep them coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29andPoplar Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 These two moves are not a surprise. Cutting loose Podsednik and Cintron is next. White Sox can and hopefully will get better players than all four of these guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 01:32 AM) These two moves are not a surprise. Cutting loose Podsednik and Cintron is next. White Sox can and hopefully will get better players than all four of these guys. upon reading that post, pods immediately tore his adductor muscle. he's out four to six. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 07:32 PM) These two moves are not a surprise. Cutting loose Podsednik and Cintron is next. White Sox can and hopefully will get better players than all four of these guys. Agreed and agreed. Glad to see it, and hoping for the other two as well. I'll be curious to see what folks here who seemed 100% sure we'd pick up Erstad's option have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg The Bull Luzinski Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(thedoctor @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 07:33 PM) upon reading that post, pods immediately tore his adductor muscle. he's out four to six. ... when reached for comment, doctors expressed surprise that Pods had any muscles in the groin area still untorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 06:32 PM) These two moves are not a surprise. Cutting loose Podsednik and Cintron is next. White Sox can and hopefully will get better players than all four of these guys. Actually...cutting Podsednik can wait for a couple weeks, because Scott as far as I know doesn't have an option the Sox would need to pick up; he was on a 1 year deal and the Sox would have to offer him arbitration, the deadline for which isn't until December. Uribe, however, is under contract and has about 14 days left before the team has to decide whether or not to pick up his option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalapse Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 08:33 PM) Agreed and agreed. Glad to see it, and hoping for the other two as well. I'll be curious to see what folks here who seemed 100% sure we'd pick up Erstad's option have to say. Anyone who actually thought Erstad's option was going to be picked up was kidding themselves, they weren't going to pay him $3.5M in 2008, this was an obvious move. My (and many others) real fear is that they'll decline the option but then turn around and sign him to a lesser deal. I still think there's a damn good chance they'll do it too, after he's given his 1 year, $1M deal w/ a nice option for 2009 we'll have to endure 4-5 months of bulls*** about how valuable he is as a 4th OF/backup 1B/grinding coordinator/team leader/lover up until opening day when he's given shadow starter duties once again of course that will only last until about mid-may when he suffers his first major injury. Some club need to jump in and sign him immediately, my sanity is at stake here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewashed in '05 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 We can improve this ballclub by getting rid of all these bozos, Erstad, Myers, Pods, and Cintron. Then replace them with Andy G... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosox41 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 quote name='WhiteSoxfan1986' date='Oct 30, 2007 -> 08:03 PM' post='1525198'] Well everyone feared we would pick up Erstad's option, good think we didn't. Still a good chance he's brought back. I can't belive the Sox are letting go of the second greatest CFer ever, right behind Aaron Rowand Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 06:32 PM) These two moves are not a surprise. Cutting loose Podsednik and Cintron is next. and Uribe. No way that guy is worth 5mil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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