"The Heist"

[RockRaines]

Todays SI came in the mail, and there was a large article about Carlos Quentin.

 

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...39208/index.htm

 

 

The Heist

Carlos Quentin was obtained for a Class A player and nearly started the season in the minors; now he's raking

Jon Heyman

Print This PRINT E-mail This EMAIL Most Popular MOST POPULAR SHARE SHARE

 

DURING A winter in which Johan Santana , Miguel Cabrera , Erik Bedard , Miguel Tejada and Dan Haren were traded, the White Sox ' acquisition of Arizona outfielder Carlos Quentin barely registered as a blip. Quentin , after all, had hit only .214 in 2007 for the Diamondbacks and yielded only a Class A first baseman (Chris Carter) in return. The swap was widely viewed as extraneous tinkering by trade-loving White Sox general manager Ken Williams , or even worse, a Williams mistake.

 

On the advice of Sox scouts Gary Pellant and Joe Butler, Williams looked past Quentin 's weak stats last season. "He basically hit with one hand," Williams says, citing tears in Quentin 's left labrum and rotator cuff that dogged him throughout the year.

 

Despite assembling a roster that unexpectedly won the 2005 World Series and having had only one losing season in his seven at the Chicago helm, Williams—not one to worship at the altar of statistics in a stats-driven industry—has taken his shots. In April, Forbes misguidedly named him baseball's third-worst G.M., and he is unflatteringly portrayed in the popular 2004 book Moneyball. For now, though, Williams holds the title of the exec who pulled off the Heist of the Off-season.

 

The 25-year-old Quentin has been the biggest reason for another Williams-crafted South Side success story. After a poor spring in which he was in jeopardy of being sent to the minors until speedster Jerry Owens went down with a groin injury, Quentin finished last week second in the American League in home runs (14), RBIs (48) and slugging percentage (.571) and sixth in on-base percentage (.396). Quentin , Williams explains, wasn't merely a target of the White Sox last winter but an obsession going back to last year's trade deadline, when the club unsuccessfully tried to deal for him.

 

"He's an all-around player. And he's intelligent, intense and hard-working," says Williams , 44, himself a former corner outfielder and, like Quentin , a Stanford man.

 

Counting the Quentin deal and his more headline-grabbing off-season acquisitions of outfielder Nick Swisher and shortstop Orlando Cabrera , Williams has acquired 152 players in 55 big league trades in the last seven years. The A's Billy Beane—the only other current G.M. to have played in the big leagues ( Beane 's career average was .219, one point higher than Williams's)—calls Williams his favorite trading partner.

 

"He knows what he wants," Chicago assistant G.M. Rick Hahn says of his boss, "and he knows what he's willing to give up."

 

"I think people understand when they deal with the White Sox , we're not trying to win the deal," Williams says. "The idea that one team got the best of a deal—that drives me nuts."

 

Swisher and Cabrera , who have both energized the clubhouse, were acquired for commodities that other general managers rarely trade these days. Swisher was obtained from the A's for three top prospects, including hard-throwing pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Fautino De Los Santos (some White Sox people cringed at losing the righthanded De Los Santos in particular), and Cabrera for serviceable, middle-of-the-rotation starter Jon Garland . Williams dealt Garland because he believed young starters John Danks , 23, and Gavin Floyd , 25, were ready to contribute. They have proved him right: Danks, who was part of a five-player deal in Dec. '06 that sent Brandon McCarthy to the Rangers , had a 2.86 ERA in his first 11 starts, and Floyd , who was obtained that same month in a trade that sent Freddy Garcia to the Phillies, had held opponents to a .193 batting average in 64 1/3 innings. "If I recall, I was buried at the time [for the Danks and Floyd trades]," Williams says.

 

Nothing new there.

[Buehrle>Wood]

TSN came today as well and has an article on the same subject, as well as saying the bullpen signings were criticized but should be well worth it.

[quickman]

yes nice write up but he certainly cannot draft.

[JohnCangelosi]

Great article. I wonder where all the "fire Kenny Williams" people are on this forum this year?? No different than the people claiming Floyd had no talent, these people shouldn't utter another opinion as extreme as these and just shut their mouth because they have been proven wrong. Period.

[lostfan]

Great article. I wonder where all the "fire Kenny Williams" people are on this forum this year?? No different than the people claiming Floyd had no talent, these people shouldn't utter another opinion as extreme as these and just shut their mouth because they have been proven wrong. Period.

I was not one of the people being negative about Gavin Floyd, but it's not like Floyd did anything since being in MLB before this year... at all. He is the definition of "reclamation project."

Edited June 6, 2008 by lostfan

[JohnCangelosi]

I was not one of the people being negative about Gavin Floyd, but it's not like Floyd did anything since being in MLB before this year... at all. He is the definition of "reclamation project."

I'm not saying Floyd didn't deserve to be bashed last year. He did, probably until September. But, for someone to say he has no talent, (as several meatheads said on this forum) is utterly ridiculous. And I happen to feel the same about the fire KW talk. Nonsense.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

Great article. I wonder where all the "fire Kenny Williams" people are on this forum this year?? No different than the people claiming Floyd had no talent, these people shouldn't utter another opinion as extreme as these and just shut their mouth because they have been proven wrong. Period.

 

I wonder where all the "burn Contreras on a stake in the outfield during a seventh inning stretch" people are. Reason being I have some delightful bbq sauce that would go just right with some words. It would be a great picnic with some softball, beer, and afore-mentioned bbq sauce.

Edited June 6, 2008 by ChiSox35

[chitownsportsfan]

Oh come on! I like the article but saying Williams isn't in line with much of sabermetric thinking is silly. This is a guy that loves a flame throwing bullpen and picked up Q because (duh!) he put up great production at a young age in the minor leagues. Just because Beane won a trade once doesn't make KW some neanderthal.

 

I'd be willing to be that sabermetrics has a large bearing on almost 25 of the 32 clubs' thinking. It's clear Kenny is in the majority, if not one of the strict adherents.

[whitesoxbrian]

Good article.

 

He's kind of slowing down, I hope he can get hot again.

[whitesoxfan101]

Great article. I wonder where all the "fire Kenny Williams" people are on this forum this year?? No different than the people claiming Floyd had no talent, these people shouldn't utter another opinion as extreme as these and just shut their mouth because they have been proven wrong. Period.

 

I agree with the Floyd opinions in terms of negativity being over the top about him before the season, but Kenny Williams has yet to do anything this year to prove his critics wrong in regards to this years' team, it's still very early. If we can't win this HORRIBLE division, then the KW critics will be as loud as ever, and rightly so. Hopefully we do win this division though, and people like me will gladly look bad and be happy with the success.

Edited June 6, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[gosox41]

Great article. I wonder where all the "fire Kenny Williams" people are on this forum this year?? No different than the people claiming Floyd had no talent, these people shouldn't utter another opinion as extreme as these and just shut their mouth because they have been proven wrong. Period.

 

 

I'm still here. And nothing has been proven to me. Sure he's made some great movesm but his love affair with slow, one dimensional aging power hitters boggles my mind.

 

I could go over the stats the last7 years, but I won't unless you insist because it gets repetitive. But the stats explain a lot about why KW isn't as great as some think.

 

As for Floyd, I don't remember every saying he lacked talent. I remember saying he lacked confidence and was a head case. Big differece. I know the physical ability is there, but how many players with all the talent in the world fail to live up to the hype.

 

Credit Coop and Ozzie for rebuilding Floyd's psyche. The hard part wasn't seeing this guy has a great curve ball, the hard part was getting hi to believe.

But KW should get credit for getting him when he could have easily as seen him as another nut case.

 

 

 

[rangercal]

Good article.

 

He's kind of slowing down, I hope he can get hot again.

 

slowing down for the last 4 games or so?

[RockRaines]

I'm still here. And nothing has been proven to me. Sure he's made some great movesm but his love affair with slow, one dimensional aging power hitters boggles my mind.

Did you see who he drafted today? I think he understands that weakness. Check out Q, and Alexei.

[whitesoxbrian]

slowing down for the last 4 games or so?

Well yeah. Not only that, but his swings are looking awful. Just saying...

[JohnCangelosi]

Did you see who he drafted today? I think he understands that weakness. Check out Q, and Alexei.

I agree. Going back to Thome, that move made sense I believe at the time, and as far as resigning Paulie and Dye, I don't think you can blame him in either situation there either. Going forward I don't see our team being as slow as it is today under KW, but I believe we can still win with this team in our ballpark.

[iamshack]

I'm still here. And nothing has been proven to me. Sure he's made some great movesm but his love affair with slow, one dimensional aging power hitters boggles my mind.

 

I could go over the stats the last7 years, but I won't unless you insist because it gets repetitive. But the stats explain a lot about why KW isn't as great as some think.

 

As for Floyd, I don't remember every saying he lacked talent. I remember saying he lacked confidence and was a head case. Big differece. I know the physical ability is there, but how many players with all the talent in the world fail to live up to the hype.

 

Credit Coop and Ozzie for rebuilding Floyd's psyche. The hard part wasn't seeing this guy has a great curve ball, the hard part was getting hi to believe.

But KW should get credit for getting him when he could have easily as seen him as another nut case.

 

Oh come on! Kenny has GOT to be in line for executive of the year thus far. Sure, nothing has been won yet. But everything he said about who he's gotten in the last 18 months or so has panned out. Danks/Massett/Floyd/Ramirez/Quentin/Linebrink/Dotel....and I would bet a LOT that Swisher will be fine and rebound into the player we all know he is.

 

Find me another GM that has done so much with so little to help his club in the past 18 months...

[rangercal]

Oh come on! Kenny has GOT to be in line for executive of the year thus far. Sure, nothing has been won yet. But everything he said about who he's gotten in the last 18 months or so has panned out. Danks/Massett/Floyd/Ramirez/Quentin/Linebrink/Dotel....and I would bet a LOT that Swisher will be fine and rebound into the player we all know he is.

 

Find me another GM that has done so much with so little to help his club in the past 18 months...

I agree 100%

[whitesoxfan101]

Oh come on! Kenny has GOT to be in line for executive of the year thus far. Sure, nothing has been won yet. But everything he said about who he's gotten in the last 18 months or so has panned out. Danks/Massett/Floyd/Ramirez/Quentin/Linebrink/Dotel....and I would bet a LOT that Swisher will be fine and rebound into the player we all know he is.

 

Find me another GM that has done so much with so little to help his club in the past 18 months...

 

The Tampa Bay GM would easily be executive of the year right now. And the season is only a hair over 1/3 completed, so let's keep that in mind. Kenny looks brilliant so far in terms of 2008, but emphasis on so far.

Edited June 6, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[iamshack]

The Tampa Bay GM would easily be executive of the year right now. And the season is only a hair over 1/3 completed, so let's keep that in mind. Kenny looks brilliant so far in terms of 2008, but emphasis on so far.

 

Andrew Friedman has done a nice job. Then again, I think I could do a nice job if I walked into a system that was loaded beyond belief due to having the #1 draft pick for like 15 consecutive years. He did a nice job trading for Wheeler, signing Percival, acquiring Garza. But he walked into a system containing more talent than any team in baseball, and it's not particularly close.

 

I'd be more apt to give Joe Maddon Manager of the Year than Andrew Friedman Executive of the Year.

[SoxFan1]

Andrew Friedman has done a nice job. Then again, I think I could do a nice job if I walked into a system that was loaded beyond belief due to having the #1 draft pick for like 15 consecutive years. He did a nice job trading for Wheeler, signing Percival, acquiring Garza. But he walked into a system containing more talent than any team in baseball, and it's not particularly close.

 

I'd be more apt to give Joe Maddon Manager of the Year than Andrew Friedman Executive of the Year.

Agreed. The Rays have drafted 1st overall a lot and have sucked for years. Finally, he lets some of those top picks develop and puts it together but he DID become GM in 2005. I don't see them sticking around all season though.

 

2008: Tim Beckham, #1 overall

2007: David Price, #1 overall

2006: Evan Longoria, #3 overall

2005: Wade Townsend, #9 overall

2004: Jeff Niemann, #4 overall

2003: Delmon Young, #1 overall

2002: B.J. Upton, #2 overall (also got Kazmir #15 overall in the Victor Zambrano trade)

2001: Dewon Brazleton, #3 overall

2000: Rocco Baldelli, #6 overall (Shields was their 16th rounder)

1999: Josh Hamilton, #1 overall (Carl Crawford was their 2nd rounder)

 

Tampa Bay's success has come from good/high draft picks.

[knightni]

I wonder where all the "burn Contreras on a stake in the outfield during a seventh inning stretch" people are. Reason being I have some delightful bbq sauce that would go just right with some words. It would be a great picnic with some softball, beer, and afore-mentioned bbq sauce.

I don't want to burn the guy but, I'm right here.

 

A non-fan of Contreras.

 

He's having a good season so far, but he's past his prime and should be dealt in the offseason while he still has trade value..

[Kyyle23]

Who cares about this article. There is a blogger who says The Sox should trade Carlos Quentin and bring up Jerry Owens because they need speed.

[Y2HH]

Who cares about this article. There is a blogger who says The Sox should trade Carlos Quentin and bring up Jerry Owens because they need speed.

 

That "blogger" needs to lay down the crack pipe.

[OilCan]

Good article.

 

He's kind of slowing down, I hope he can get hot again.

 

 

Um....WSB....I think Q reads this board, based on his stats tonight.

 

[OilCan]

Who cares about this article. There is a blogger who says The Sox should trade Carlos Quentin and bring up Jerry Owens because they need speed.

 

That blogger can blog this...