Rowand signs with Giants

[NorthSideSox72]

On the list of desired CF's, in order of preference...

 

Hunter

Fukudome

Rowand

Hamilton

Ramirez

Crisp

Owens

Pierre

 

Yikes. Running out of possible improvement players.

 

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I too am happy that Rowand signed elsewhere. Part of me wants the CF job to go to Anderson, or Sweeney, or Owens, but I feel that is wishful thinking/blind optimism that one of those three will be successful in '08. The same kind of wishful thinking can be applied to our 3-5 SP's as is.

 

 

I know I'm in the minority, but I am looking forward to seeing what Jerry Owens can do. He hit when he was in the minors and he hit in his second go around here last year and if you applied a run rate to his SBs if he was here all year he would have led the league (at about 75-80%, which is fine). I think he at least has earned a legit chance to start.

[Soxfest]

I am glad they did not overpay for AR and his 2 decent seasons.

[Chisoxfn]

I should state, I wouldn't have as much of a problem with missing out on these CFers if the team opted to go into a rebuilding mode (which I would have been fine with). Maybe not a full blown rebuilding mode, but one that would have consisted with clearing out many of the veterans for younger players who would have their best years ahead of them (ie packaging veterans up for not only prospects, but also considering dealing some prospects for younger every day players that are proven so you are still in a decent position).

 

Instead the Sox are stuck in no-man's land (at least for the time being) and it has me concerned. They decided to go for it (Cabrera and Linebrink moves were signs of that, but without a CF and a leadoff hitter you really have little shot at going for it, imo). Heck even if they landed Rowand/Roberts there is no guarantee (as the rotation is still shoddy) but it at least gives you a solid lineup, what looks to be an improved pen and a rotation with two proven starters and 3 question-marks.

[southsideirish71]

I don't care about money, I care about winning. Kenny is sitting on money and isn't doing s*** about it. I am tired of losing out on player after player after player.

 

So he should pay whatever mad amount of money to bring back a decent not a superstar coming off of his career season playing in the NL in one of the best hitting parks in baseball.

 

Consider this a blessing.

[Balta1701]

The White Sox won the world series in part because of FA acquisitions Tadahito Iguchi & AJ Pyrzinski (though not quite the magnitude of the money you are talking about)

 

Red Sox won the world series because they made major splashses (both in FA and the Trade Market). You can say JD Drew/Lugo were busts, but they also gave Daiske tons of money as well and I don't think they win without those guys (maybe without Lugo but Drew ended up helping them in the playoffs and Daiske was quite solid in the regular season helping them get home field advantage throughout). The Red Sox also got Lowell because they were willing to take on his contract (in order to get Beckett of course). The White Sox probably couldn't have made that move.

 

St. Louis is a bad example because they really haven't been too big on the FA market the past couple years, primarily because they've resigned most of their guys. However, they haven't exactly developed most of their starters (and the Eckstein signing helped them win the World Series).

 

Bottom line I think every good team has at least a few key pieces that were picked up in FA. I'm not saying you bring you hole club from FA, but you probably need to use it to fill some holes.

But, here's the one part of that point. Teams like the White Sox, the Cardinals, and even the Red Sox are winning series now not because they try to fix all their holes through FA, but because they've made a number of smart moves that sneak around guys like Rowand who go for top dollar off of a career year. The Red Sox have picked up guys like Ortiz, Lowell, and Beckett and signed them to affordable deals well before they hit FA, and they've plugged in a few intelligently developed pieces like the rookies we saw this year. The Cards struck gold with some pitchers no one would come close to. The White Sox got a bunch of guys in at well below market price due to injuries, attitude, or Kaz Matsui.

 

If the White Sox signed rowand, it might have increased our chances of making the playoffs this year by 1-2%. Even with Rowand, we'd still need an awful lot of other stuff to go right. That's, quite simply, why I really dislike the idea of trying to fix last year's debacle through FA. Play the kids, and at least see if you get lucky. If you do, then at worst you've got cheap talent or trade bait, and if you don't, then you see which holes you still need to fill.

[Dick Allen]

But, here's the one part of that point. Teams like the White Sox, the Cardinals, and even the Red Sox are winning series now not because they try to fix all their holes through FA, but because they've made a number of smart moves that sneak around guys like Rowand who go for top dollar off of a career year. The Red Sox have picked up guys like Ortiz, Lowell, and Beckett and signed them to affordable deals well before they hit FA, and they've plugged in a few intelligently developed pieces like the rookies we saw this year. The Cards struck gold with some pitchers no one would come close to. The White Sox got a bunch of guys in at well below market price due to injuries, attitude, or Kaz Matsui.

 

If the White Sox signed rowand, it might have increased our chances of making the playoffs this year by 1-2%. Even with Rowand, we'd still need an awful lot of other stuff to go right. That's, quite simply, why I really dislike the idea of trying to fix last year's debacle through FA. Play the kids, and at least see if you get lucky. If you do, then at worst you've got cheap talent or trade bait, and if you don't, then you see which holes you still need to fill.

You make a great point. It just doesn't fit with KW's win now approach. The White Sox don't like to pay full price. It can be argued the only one who is getting it now would be Linebrink and they have a $100 million payroll and still stink.

[Guest]

I just thought the White Sox would do something proactive, instead of sitting on their backsides making small moves, after the White Sox faithful filled the stands. but after ticket price increases, basically increases the price of everything in the ball park and outside of it, things are starting to look more and more like Reinsdorf is taking us for a ride. Why pay $7 for one beer to watch a team finish in 4th or 5th place in their division?

[Balta1701]

I just thought the White Sox would do something proactive, instead of sitting on their backsides making small moves, after the White Sox faithful filled the stands. but after ticket price increases, basically increases the price of everything in the ball park and outside of it, things are starting to look more and more like Reinsdorf is taking us for a ride. Why pay $7 for one beer to watch a team finish in 4th or 5th place in their division?

If you don't think the product on the field is worth the price you're paying, then don't go. No one makes you go. No one made me buy the DirecTV MLB package in 05-06, I just got rewarded for doing so, and no one made me cancel that package before the 07 season.

[sircaffey]

YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a god. KW is probably sitting in his leather chair cursing right now, but this is his best move of the off season.

[Steve9347]

On the list of desired CF's, in order of preference...

 

Hunter

Fukudome

Rowand

Hamilton

Ramirez

Crisp

Owens

Pierre

 

Yikes. Running out of possible improvement players.

Josh Hamilton would be my number one anyways... unfortunately we haven't been linked to him.

[Rowand44]

That's a steal.

[NorthSideSox72]

Josh Hamilton would be my number one anyways... unfortunately we haven't been linked to him.

Luckily, that means nothing.

 

[Controlled Chaos]

I think 5 at 12 million was reasonable. If 5 years instead of 4 was the sticking point that's ridiculous. I can understand some people saying hey we're rebuilding anyway, but the fact is that has not been the comany line. We are supposedly going balls out after it right now. So far this offseason...I don't see any thing remotely close to balls out. Peolpe can say we're rebuilding cause we've sucked....but we haven't moved our veterans for any young guys to show were rebuilding. It's like the team is influx right now.

[sircaffey]

Luckily, that means nothing.

 

Unfortunately, it's Crisp/Pierre or nothing, imo. I'd rather hang onto the pitching that it would take to get Hamilton anyways. We're going to need as many options as possible when the backend of the rotation explodes.

[fathom]

Not a ridiculous contract for Rowand, but I'm proud of KW for not caving in and giving 5 years. KW's in a really bad position, especially in regards to public relations. With Rowand not returning, and the likely trade of Crede imminent...the casual fan is going to get just as pissed as the smart fans (for different reasons).

[fathom]

BTW, would this be a good time again to say that the Chris Young trade severely damaged this franchise?

[sircaffey]

BTW, would this be a good time again to say that the Chris Young trade severely damaged this franchise?

 

Not a good time, but oh so true.

[Steve9347]

Not a good time, but oh so true.

I'll still take Javier Vazquez.

[fathom]

Which is why I don't think we will see a trade of Konerko, even though it would be a smart move. He is no in a position where it's going to be tough to sell ANYTHING.

 

I can't imagine JR is very happy with the way things have gone down this off-season.

 

I said it yesterday, and it was an honest statement: how does KW still have a job? Not only does he have one of the worst teams in baseball, he also has one of the worst farm systems. There's no excuse for that with a 100 million dollar payroll.

[Balta1701]

BTW, would this be a good time again to say that the Chris Young trade severely damaged this franchise?

Until Jerry Owens, Brian Anderson, or Ryan Sweeney step up, yes.

[RockRaines]

Well. We could always sign bonds to play lf if we are worried about our offense.

[sircaffey]

I said it yesterday, and it was an honest statement: how does KW still have a job? Not only does he have one of the worst teams in baseball, he also has one of the worst farm systems. There's no excuse for that with a 100 million dollar payroll.

 

I would think it's because the absolute only other choice to take over as GM is Hawk, and we all know how that went that one fateful year.

[fathom]

Well. We could always sign bonds to play lf if we are worried about our offense.

 

You bring up an interesting point about the LF spot (Bonds would be too much of a circus this season)....KW doesn't envision Quentin as a starting LF. The Sox were going to put Fuku in LF if they signed him.

Edited December 12, 2007 by fathom

[hitlesswonder]

BTW, would this be a good time again to say that the Chris Young trade severely damaged this franchise?

 

I think "severely damaged" is a little strong. What severely damaged this franchise is that Young is the only decent position prospect it has produced in the last 4+ years. It magnifies the mistake. But I think Vazquez could have been turned into Lasting Milledge this off-season, and that would make the trade much less of a big deal. Lamentably that didn't heppen. If KW can flip Vazquez for a decent young player, it's not a crippling trade.