Williams may need creative solution

[spiderman]

Chicago Tribune Link

 

Williams may need creative solution

Spurned by Hunter, Sox forced to Plan B

Pie in the sky.

 

That's what Torii Hunter was for the White Sox and their fans. It's no surprise he has signed elsewhere, although you could have gotten long odds on the Los Angeles Angels a few days ago.

 

The Angels came from nowhere to put together the five-year, $90 million deal that makes Hunter the long-awaited bat to hit behind Vladimir Guerrero. This is a force-fit that leaves the Angels' big acquisition of last winter, Gary Matthews Jr., without a spot in what might now be baseball's best outfield.

 

Garret Anderson, Guerrero and Hunter combined to hit .303 with 71 homers and 312 runs batted in last season. That's some serious thump, at least for the moment, as all are close to the downhill portion of their careers.

 

But that's a problem for Tony Reagins, the Angels' new general manager, and his owner, the ambitious Arte Moreno.

 

Hunter is 32, an age that apparently didn't stop the White Sox from offering him a five-year deal. But as badly as the Sox wanted Hunter, there was no way they could spend $18 million per year to get him. That is an inflated price based on his being the biggest name available, now that Alex Rodriguez is staying in New York.

 

Given the contracts GM Ken Williams has negotiated or assumed since the World Series parade two years ago, the Sox don't have the payroll flexibility to compete for the most marketable free agents.

 

The Jon Garland trade improved that flexibility some, but Williams still doesn't know for sure that he can off-load the $4.5 million contract he gave Juan Uribe only 12 days before trading for a better shortstop, Orlando Cabrera. To have been in position to land someone like Hunter—and maybe even his Plan B, Aaron Rowand—Williams might also have to find a taker for Jose Contreras.

 

That would mean opening the season with a rotation of Mark Buehrle, Javier Vazquez, John Danks, Gavin Floyd and a fifth starter from a group including Gio Gonzalez, Lance Broadway, Charlie Haeger, Heath Phillips, Jack Egbert and Nick Masset.

 

If you're going to have three question marks in the rotation—probably the reality even with Contreras—you had better have a good bullpen. Williams is apparently close to making a major addition there, reportedly agreeing to a four-year deal for right-handed setup man Scott Linebrink, who helped the Padres reach the playoffs in 2005 and '06.

 

If he signs, Linebrink would fit the role Williams believed Mike MacDougal would when he gave him a three-year contract last winter—that is, a quality setup man to work in front of Bobby Jenks. He would improve the bullpen, which could become a strength if MacDougal and Matt Thornton return to their 2006 levels and Boone Logan and Ehren Wassermann contribute.

 

But it wasn't the bullpen that sank the Sox a year ago. It was their relative weakness in center field, in left field and at shortstop.

 

Cabrera is a significant upgrade over Uribe, who was as bad as any regular in the big leagues except for the 20 at-bats that ended with home runs. Cabrera produced 179 runs a year ago (runs scored plus RBIs minus home runs) compared to 103 for Uribe.

 

Jerry Owens is available to play center or left. But if the Sox are serious about contending, they shouldn't pencil him in. He picked up the pace in the second half after needing 97 at-bats to get his first big-league RBI, but he was hardly a first-division player.

 

Owens' .666 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in the second half was less than all 36 big-league left and center fielders with enough at-bats to qualify for a batting title. That includes Juan Pierre, who checked in at .685 after getting a five-year, $44 million contract from that wacky Ned Colletti, the Dodgers' GM.

 

So instead of throwing all their resources at Hunter, the guy who would help sell season tickets, the Sox are probably better off using the resources they have to add two outfielders, either through free agency (a thin crop after Rowand, Andruw Jones and maybe Mike Cameron) or a trade.

 

Rowand, of course, would return to the Sox and be lavished with a big contract (call it five years, $60 million) after spending two years in Philadelphia. The Phillies want him back, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are interested, but he's a guy the Sox could get. Texas, which joined the Sox and Kansas City in the bidding for Hunter, doesn't appear interested.

 

Hunter never seemed like a fit in Chicago. He hadn't heard real good things from his two Minnesota friends with Chicago experience, Jacque Jones and LaTroy Hawkins. Rowand, on the other hand, seems like someone who never should have left.

 

In 2005, with Rowand as the primary guy, the Sox's center fielders had a .752 OPS and produced 139 runs. Those numbers dropped to .672 and 102 in 2006, with Brian Anderson as the regular, and .628 and 124 behind the likes of Owens and Darin Erstad last season.

 

While away from Chicago, Rowand has improved his hitting. He batted .309 with an .889 OPS in 2007. Only Curtis Granderson and B.J. Upton had higher OPS numbers among regular big-league center fielders.

 

Hunter would have been a hit with the fans. But if the idea is to win, you can get a lot more bang for your buck spreading around that $18 million per year

 

[DBAHO]

I disagree that it wasn't the pen that sank the Sox. If we have a good pen in 07 we're a .500 team IMHO.

[striker]

Agreed. In 2007, anything that could have gone wrong did go wrong.

 

Horrible Offense

Inconsistent starting pitching

terrible relief pitching

injuries

 

You name it.

[joeynach]

You gotta think just from the ups and downs of baseball that they anything that can go wrong will thing wont happen again. I dont know where that leaves this team buts its really hard to be that bad with that amount of talent. Id love to see the sox make a push for Ryan Freel, Ryan Church, Nick Markakis, etc. Im not really someone who thinks Rowand can just put up the same #s he did last year. I wouldn't give rowand a dime over 3/30 but he will probably get at least 4/48 from someone so forget it.

[Guest]

Who is someone else? The only other "real" suitor for Rowand's services is the Dodgers. Philly would like him back but not at that price. I bet Rowand still has a few friends on the South Side. I'd offer him 5 years $60 million and see if he bites, but that's just me.

[Chet Lemon]

I would like to see the team swing a trade for the Astros' OF Luke Scott.

 

[bighurt4life]

I don't see any way that rowand can keep putting up the numbers for the next five years. With the reckless manner in which he plays his body is also going to be more prone to breaking down over the next several years. also, last season was a career year for him, i would much prefer a platoon of brian anderson and jerry owens as opposed to paying 12-14 million a year for someone who is an injury waiting to happen and unlikely to keep up the same level of production

[Texsox]

Injuries are a part of the game and I would not worry too much about Rowand in that regard. After all, as noted, it's how he plays the game. That is different than a guy with some chronic problem that flares up getting out of the shower.

 

5/60 could be a bargain if he continues to trend upwards, of even stays close to last years numbers. And signing players is all about where they will be in throughout the contract. I'd like to see him back in a Sox uniform next season now that Hunter is gone

[GreatScott82]

Injuries are a part of the game and I would not worry too much about Rowand in that regard. After all, as noted, it's how he plays the game. That is different than a guy with some chronic problem that flares up getting out of the shower.

 

5/60 could be a bargain if he continues to trend upwards, of even stays close to last years numbers. And signing players is all about where they will be in throughout the contract. I'd like to see him back in a Sox uniform next season now that Hunter is gone

 

I agree.. its not like Rowands #s were that much different than Hunter's last year. In fact weren't they better? And we all know what Rowand can do in CF defensively... . $12mill/season for 5 years is a decent deal. You would be saving $15 miillion alone from what we would have gave hunter. Plus im almost possitive KW will try to move Crede, Uribe and Contreras this offseason.

[RockRaines]

Frankly I think that kw has been targeting andruw jones as well, and I think over the next 6 years he outproduces hunter. I'd like to make a splash with him.

[BainesHOF]

Chicago Tribune Link

 

 

Hunter never seemed like a fit in Chicago. He hadn't heard real good things from his two Minnesota friends with Chicago experience, Jacque Jones and LaTroy Hawkins.

 

As usual, lazy and inaccurate reporting by Phil Rogers.

 

Here's Hunter quotes by MLB.com reporter Scott Merkin on a story that was on the Sox official site Tuesday:

 

"As for the problems endured in Chicago by Jacque Jones and LaTroy Hawkins, Hunter's friends and one-time teammates in Minnesota, those past issues won't remotely factor into his final decision.

 

"Two reasons: I'm a different person than those guys, and my game is different than those guys," Hunter said. "And I'm not with the Cubs. It's the White Sox. That's totally different.'"

 

 

 

[elrockinMT]

Aaron Rowand would be a great fit for this team.

[Chisoxfn]

Injuries are a part of the game and I would not worry too much about Rowand in that regard. After all, as noted, it's how he plays the game. That is different than a guy with some chronic problem that flares up getting out of the shower.

 

5/60 could be a bargain if he continues to trend upwards, of even stays close to last years numbers. And signing players is all about where they will be in throughout the contract. I'd like to see him back in a Sox uniform next season now that Hunter is gone

I agree. If Rowand plays close to what he did last year in this market 5/60 is a total deal. He's younger than everyone else and shouldn't be completely horrid by the time the contract ends. I'd be a major fan of that move but I think the Sox have to make two moves (finding a leadoff hitter who plays left or CF and than a solid hitter that plays the other position).

[sircaffey]

If 5/60 is the cost for Rowand, I think you have to go get him. Let's say he slips back to an .800 OPS. You still get very good defense in CF, you have a clubhouse guy, and at $12 mil, that's still not a terrible contract. A contract, that if you wished, you could easily get rid of in 3-4 years.

[southsideirish71]

If 5/60 is the cost for Rowand, I think you have to go get him. Let's say he slips back to an .800 OPS. You still get very good defense in CF, you have a clubhouse guy, and at $12 mil, that's still not a terrible contract. A contract, that if you wished, you could easily get rid of in 3-4 years.

 

Who says that 5 and 60 gets it done. The dodgers are looking at Rowand as their next move. Plus dont you think any sentimental thoughts that Rowand would of had was lost when Torii was woo'd instead of him. I would say Rowand takes whomever gives him the largest contract.

 

 

 

[greg775]

You gotta think just from the ups and downs of baseball that they anything that can go wrong will thing wont happen again.

 

Tell that to the Orioles and Royals.

Team can stink for a long time.

It's all about the players.

[southsideirish71]

Tell that to the Orioles and Royals.

Team can stink for a long time.

It's all about the players.

 

Your posts are confusing.

 

I remember cheering and shooting off fireworks that we won 3 more games last year. In fact, you said you were all about winning this year as many games and next year be damned. The draft picks dont matter.

 

Now you are lamenting about the players and possibly being bad for a long time. Thank god we won 3 more games and dropped our draft position by 5 spots in the last week.

 

 

[klaus kinski]

Get the guy that WANTS to be here-Rowand.

[Texsox]

I agree. If Rowand plays close to what he did last year in this market 5/60 is a total deal. He's younger than everyone else and shouldn't be completely horrid by the time the contract ends. I'd be a major fan of that move but I think the Sox have to make two moves (finding a leadoff hitter who plays left or CF and than a solid hitter that plays the other position).

 

Too bad deals can't be put in place in order of need or Uribe would probably not have been signed.

[sircaffey]

Who says that 5 and 60 gets it done. The dodgers are looking at Rowand as their next move. Plus dont you think any sentimental thoughts that Rowand would of had was lost when Torii was woo'd instead of him. I would say Rowand takes whomever gives him the largest contract.

 

I'm just going off the contract suggested in the article not that I think that's all it would take.

[Balta1701]

Who says that 5 and 60 gets it done. The dodgers are looking at Rowand as their next move. Plus dont you think any sentimental thoughts that Rowand would of had was lost when Torii was woo'd instead of him. I would say Rowand takes whomever gives him the largest contract.

Why is it I feel like the only one in Chicago who remembers those repeated, bad, bad, bad seasons put up by Aaron Rowand? Like the .736 and .746 OPS numbers he put up in 2005 and 2006?

 

I really get the feeling that some team is going to regret paying $13 million a year over 5 years for 2 seasons of >.850 OPS and 3 seasons of <.750 ops.>