Stoney on 670 Thursday 12/4

[WHITESOXRANDY]

I've been following Kenny for a ling time. He'll go to camp with 1 starter spot open but not 2. No way no how.

[SoxFan562004]

He also said Poreida (sp?) will go to ST as a starter

[RockRaines]

I've been following Kenny for a ling time. He'll go to camp with 1 starter spot open but not 2. No way no how.

Hey!! Someone who gets it!!!!

[hi8is]

another comment they aired saying Javy wasn't a money deal, more about the team getting younger

it was neither... i think the main motivation was dumping a duschebag ball-less loser.

 

but - you're not going to go out and publicly say that... are you?

[Shamrock4Life]

if the this team, as presently constructed, is the one in ST I will be dissappointed.

[Reddy]

if the this team, as presently constructed, is the one in ST I will be dissappointed.

 

it won't be. come on people, really? you really are buying KW's crap? there's a reason we're freeing up payroll folks. It's either for a big time starter or a big time outfielder.

 

there is still excitement to be had.

[Dick Allen]

The one thing I took out of the Stone interview was it seems like JD is a goner. Considering all the praise they have given JD over the years, dangling him out to every team basically in such a public fashion seems curious. I wonder if his problems with OC cost him some points with the White Sox hierarchy.

[ThunderBolt]

It’s starting to look like the only members of the old offensive core that are gonna be here in late September are Thome and AJ. I still think AJ’ll retire as a Sock. At least I hope so, but he has many years left to go before we find out.

[macsandz]

If that's the case, then JD won't be the only one moved. Prepare for EXTREME TEAM MAKEOVER:WHITE SOX.

 

Prepare to be dissapointed if you think there is some major overhaul coming. The Sox are cutting costs for economic purposes...like EVERY OTHER BUSINESS right now.

The fact that Kenny moved on the Vazquez deal now and didn't wait a few more days for the meetings tells me he has nothing really going on the market. He's not gonna move Dye or Jenks or any other key player and you don't want him to. We need a damn RF that produces like Jermaine and we need a damn closer the likes of Bobby. He knows that. He tried to create a market for them earlier and will listen if he's approached, but I'm telling you aside from some secondary moves like a Broadway-Taveras deal and maybe a free agent 4th starter & catcher signing, this team is pretty well assembled for 2009. Like it or not.

[macsandz]

It’s starting to look like the only members of the old offensive core that are gonna be here in late September are Thome and AJ. I still think AJ’ll retire as a Sock. At least I hope so, but he has many years left to go before we find out.

 

No it doesn't. Tell us how it looks that way at all....

 

[ThunderBolt]

No it doesn't. Tell us how it looks that way at all....

God, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the legitimate Dye trade rumors going around, and the fact that Konerko’s going to remain a fairly valuable commodity to a team that might be out of the race in September (though I hope not). Tell me why you think any different?

[macsandz]

God, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the legitimate Dye trade rumors going around, and the fact that Konerko’s going to remain a fairly valuable commodity to a team that might be out of the race in September (though I hope not). Tell me why you think any different?

 

Your post implied there would be drastic roster moves that would gut the team. I don't think there will be. I love a trade as much as the next guy, but expecting KW to bounce these guys is not realistic. Williams has a huge ego and this is his time of year to get the spotlight. He's screwed it up with his bravado last year and he's playing it close to the vest right now, but again, I think minor moves from here on out.

 

This offseason is more about subtraction than addition.

[gosox41]

Prepare to be dissapointed if you think there is some major overhaul coming. The Sox are cutting costs for economic purposes...like EVERY OTHER BUSINESS right now.

The fact that Kenny moved on the Vazquez deal now and didn't wait a few more days for the meetings tells me he has nothing really going on the market. He's not gonna move Dye or Jenks or any other key player and you don't want him to. We need a damn RF that produces like Jermaine and we need a damn closer the likes of Bobby. He knows that. He tried to create a market for them earlier and will listen if he's approached, but I'm telling you aside from some secondary moves like a Broadway-Taveras deal and maybe a free agent 4th starter & catcher signing, this team is pretty well assembled for 2009. Like it or not.

 

 

Do you know anything about this for a fact or is this just opinion?

 

Since the season ended, KW has cut $36 mill in pay roll. While I'm well aware of the economic situation and that some players are due raises, I have a hard time believving payroll will be cut 33%. I have no inside info right now, but the team won a division last season and drew well. Season ticket prices are going up, not staying the same or decreasing. I just don't see payroll remaining at this level. I may be wrong but logic tells me othewise. KW has to know this team can't win a next year the way it's currently set up. If you're going to rebuild, you trade Jenks and Dye (and PK and Thome if possilbe) not keep them and hope Richard and Marquez win 15 games each and hope Anderson learns to hit, that one of the 42 second basemen KW has picked up become starts and that Fields hits and fields better. too many quesiton marks.

 

 

 

[macsandz]

Do you know anything about this for a fact or is this just opinion?

 

Since the season ended, KW has cut $36 mill in pay roll. While I'm well aware of the economic situation and that some players are due raises, I have a hard time believving payroll will be cut 33%. I have no inside info right now, but the team won a division last season and drew well. Season ticket prices are going up, not staying the same or decreasing. I just don't see payroll remaining at this level. I may be wrong but logic tells me othewise. KW has to know this team can't win a next year the way it's currently set up. If you're going to rebuild, you trade Jenks and Dye (and PK and Thome if possilbe) not keep them and hope Richard and Marquez win 15 games each and hope Anderson learns to hit, that one of the 42 second basemen KW has picked up become starts and that Fields hits and fields better. too many quesiton marks.

 

 

My wife's maiden name is ...Hahn.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

After last year's Hunter incident of course KW is going to say he doesn't plan on doing anything. Him telegraphing the moves were what led to it not happening.

Kenny has talked about how some details of potential moves slipped out and hurt him last year, but I don't buy any of that.

 

Kenny missed out Rowand because he didn't offer a fifth year. Kenny missed out on Fukudome because Fukudome wanted to be the first Cubs Japanese player, and thank god for that. Kenny missed out on Miguel Cabrera because the Marlins liked Miller and Maybin more than Fields and Danks/Gio. And, Kenny missed out on Torii Hunter because the Angels came in last-minute and offered a ridiculous contract that no one was going to match. The media didn't hurt him at all.

[Chisoxfn]

The one thing I took out of the Stone interview was it seems like JD is a goner. Considering all the praise they have given JD over the years, dangling him out to every team basically in such a public fashion seems curious. I wonder if his problems with OC cost him some points with the White Sox hierarchy.

JD wasn't the only one to have issues with OC though and it was evident that the Sox brass clearly had problems with him. I'd be shocked as hell if the Sox wanted to get rid of Dye. I think its a matter that he's the best chip out there that should be able to command a lot while only having a few good years left. The guy is clearly a class act and will always be someone I cheer for (regardless of the uniform he wears).

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

The one thing I took out of the Stone interview was it seems like JD is a goner. Considering all the praise they have given JD over the years, dangling him out to every team basically in such a public fashion seems curious. I wonder if his problems with OC cost him some points with the White Sox hierarchy.

You're looking too far into it. The Sox love JD, and if he were three years younger right now then he wouldn't be for sale. He's on the block because he can help the Sox get younger and better in the future.

 

As far as the Dye rumors becoming public, there's practically no way around that. I doubt Kenny or any other GM can heavily shop a player without it being leaked at some point. All these reporters have their sources (except for Bruce Levineline) who love to run their mouths and spill the beans.

[Pants Rowland]

My wife's maiden name is ...Hahn.

 

Not sure if you are Bulls***ting here or not, but I too have wondered if all of these cost cutting deals are more about the economy and anticipation of a drop in revenues. The only thing that doesn't make sense, however is raising ticket prices. In my mind, the price point to maximize revenue next year is probably below 2008 levels, not above them. See if you can get them in the seats, then push concessions. Time will tell.

[ThunderBolt]

My wife's maiden name is ...Hahn.

hmm, and of what relation are you?

 

Hahn is a native of Winnetka, Ill. and a graduate of New Trier High School, the University of Michigan, the Harvard Law School and Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He and his wife, Jean, have two children, Jake and Charlie. The family resides in Glencoe, Ill.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/team/e.../hahn_rick.html

[Chisoxfn]

Not sure if you are Bulls***ting here or not, but I too have wondered if all of these cost cutting deals are more about the economy and anticipation of a drop in revenues. The only thing that doesn't make sense, however is raising ticket prices. In my mind, the price point to maximize revenue next year is probably below 2008 levels, not above them. See if you can get them in the seats, then push concessions. Time will tell.

I'm sure the Sox are going to take a bit of a hit. You got to factor in that there was at least some cash helping them get there payroll to what it was last year, so when you take that out the question is how much in payroll has the club really dropped (plus how many guys have received raises). Yes they've cut a significant chunk already but I'd say they were probably a bit over-budget at one point last season too.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Do you know anything about this for a fact or is this just opinion?

 

Since the season ended, KW has cut $36 mill in pay roll. While I'm well aware of the economic situation and that some players are due raises, I have a hard time believving payroll will be cut 33%. I have no inside info right now, but the team won a division last season and drew well. Season ticket prices are going up, not staying the same or decreasing. I just don't see payroll remaining at this level. I may be wrong but logic tells me othewise. KW has to know this team can't win a next year the way it's currently set up. If you're going to rebuild, you trade Jenks and Dye (and PK and Thome if possilbe) not keep them and hope Richard and Marquez win 15 games each and hope Anderson learns to hit, that one of the 42 second basemen KW has picked up become starts and that Fields hits and fields better. too many quesiton marks.

There are some people around who are saying the economy is going to get a whole lot worse than it is now and not just magically recover under the hand of the Great Obama. It's kind of funny, because there is all this love talk about Obama coming out of the Sox camp and yet at the same time there are some indications that ownership itself doesn't believe "he can."

 

Of course the Sox could deal off Dye and maybe Paulie too, then turn around and sign a high-priced FA like Dunn or something to kind of cover it up a bit, but it's not totally out of the question that the Sox look to potential $5M/year or less options at spots they decide to fill with veterans.

[macsandz]

hmm, and of what relation are you?

 

Hahn is a native of Winnetka, Ill. and a graduate of New Trier High School, the University of Michigan, the Harvard Law School and Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He and his wife, Jean, have two children, Jake and Charlie. The family resides in Glencoe, Ill.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/team/e.../hahn_rick.html

 

Why did you send me Rick's bio?

[macsandz]

Kenny has talked about how some details of potential moves slipped out and hurt him last year, but I don't buy any of that.

 

Kenny missed out Rowand because he didn't offer a fifth year. Kenny missed out on Fukudome because Fukudome wanted to be the first Cubs Japanese player, and thank god for that. Kenny missed out on Miguel Cabrera because the Marlins liked Miller and Maybin more than Fields and Danks/Gio. And, Kenny missed out on Torii Hunter because the Angels came in last-minute and offered a ridiculous contract that no one was going to match. The media didn't hurt him at all.

 

Good post. It's not that Kenny's candor blew any deals, (though at the time he was humiliated and on the defensive when he said that) it's more that the web media would leak an interest and force leverage from the player's side which is bad for business in the front office. The gag order came down from Jerry this year. Kenny' saying he's not "talking but listening" in Vegas next week on the call today was an inside joke to Jerry.

[caulfield12]

There are some people around who are saying the economy is going to get a whole lot worse than it is now and not just magically recover under the hand of the Great Obama. It's kind of funny, because there is all this love talk about Obama coming out of the Sox camp and yet at the same time there are some indications that ownership itself doesn't believe "he can."

 

Of course the Sox could deal off Dye and maybe Paulie too, then turn around and sign a high-priced FA like Dunn or something to kind of cover it up a bit, but it's not totally out of the question that the Sox look to potential $5M/year or less options at spots they decide to fill with veterans.

 

 

Well, the thing is, almost EVERY business in the country can be looked to cut costs in anticipation of having a rough go the next couple of years...that provides the Sox cover, whether they believe in Obama or not.

 

Bill Clinton, whether you believe him or not, said the economic problem should be able to overcome in 15-24 months...if they "make all the right decisions." Well, there's no guarantees on that happening. The thing is, nobody knows. You can take all of the last decade's Nobel Prize winners in Economics and you'd have 10 dramatically different opinions on a solution.

 

I just think they're being prudent...and that we probably were over budget about $5-15 million last season and we're going to make it up this season, partially with the raising of ticket prices. I think it's better to be careful then to get into a real desperate situation like some teams, where they basically have to auction off talent to keep their organizations afloat. The Twins are going to have to open their new stadium in 2010 in the middle of something resembling the Great Depression, for all intents and purposes, and Carl Pohlad was already stingy before.

 

With Thome, Konerko, Dye and Contreras all leaving the books in the next couple of seasons, Buehrle would be, far and away, our highest paid player.

Edited December 5, 2008 by caulfield12

[heirdog]

hmm, and of what relation are you?

 

Hahn is a native of Winnetka, Ill. and a graduate of New Trier High School, the University of Michigan, the Harvard Law School and Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He and his wife, Jean, have two children, Jake and Charlie. The family resides in Glencoe, Ill.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/cws/team/e.../hahn_rick.html

 

Its clear Bucket-o-suck is implying he is married to Rick Hahn's sister (or cousin...or niece). In any case, if Thunderbolt can dig up some details on the "Ladies of Hahn," then we can confirm the true identity of Bucket-o-suck. I always find it odd how relatives come out of the woodwork and offer inside details when the team (KW) is on a supposed "gag" order. Why put your family relations under duress to share info that people will likely be skeptical of any way. Is it helping the team? Its nice to get the info but we all take it with a grain of salt and most won't believe a word so unless there is someway you can prove to have inside info (highly unlikely), its best to leave it alone...or simply defend your brother-in-law if people are taking unnecessary shots at him (never happens on this board as Rick Hahn is a GOD here).

 

With all these trades, draft picks and signings, we have built decent depth in terms of youth. KW will either hope that at least 2 or 3 showcase the talent and get a spot in ST or per KW's modus operandi, he will package some of this talent to get other decent, young talent that is MLB proven (i.e. Swisher-type, with hopefully better results). I do, however, think Tavares is headed to the Southside as his name has been linked to Kenny for far too long over the years.