Winter Meetings Chit-Chat

[bigruss]

IMO, the best in house leadoff option currently is Chris Getz.

Agreed, I see a very possible .290/.350/.400 that seems very solid.

[chisox2334]

hey rock raines do you know what the projected payroll the w sox want payroll be this yr?

[justBLAZE]

ding ding, and plan for 2010. I will go with that one, and if thats the case then Dye will be moved either now or during the year. Its not that bad of a strategy. Most people around here love to see the kids play. Now everyone has there chance.

 

I'd love me a Ray/Twin like (excuse me for the Twins reference) group of youngsters who play their heart out to win, but let's be honest here, I wanna compete next year. If no changes are made, I hope the youngsters will prove me wrong.

 

From Cowley:

 

Ozzie on Swisher: "I take the blame for Nick Swisher."

 

Whatever that means.

[knightni]

Once again, KW mentions we're at our payroll limit. Let's hope he's bluffing, or else something strange happened to JR's finances.

Maybe JR invested in oil futures.

[Balta1701]

So you think we need to add pitching, and no offense? You know Anderson won't be starting in CF, so you think we're fine with Owens in CF and Getz at 2b?

I'd be fine with the Getz/Lillibridge combo at 2b, and I'd rather have Anderson in CF, but could take Owens starting there until he gets hurt.

[quickman]

Once again, KW mentions we're at our payroll limit. Let's hope he's bluffing, or else something strange happened to JR's finances.

 

 

fathom seriously, this whole climate of economics is changing by the day. Another 50k jobs just got whacked today. Everyday there will be more. This is the time to go young. believe me I hate all this young crap, but it makes excellent business sense. JR is smart. By the way didn't he make his money in realestate, banking? Both of those suck. Just saying.

Edited December 10, 2008 by quickman

[fathom]

fathom seriously, this whole climate of economics is changing by the day. Another 50k jobs jsut got whacked today. Everyday there will be more. This is the time to go young. believe me I ahte all this young crap, but it makes excellent business sense. JR is smart. By the way didn't he make his money in realestate, banking? Both of those suck. Just saying.

 

well said

[kane0730]

Once again, KW mentions we're at our payroll limit. Let's hope he's bluffing

 

Let's all hope he has the greatest GM Poker Face of All-Time.

Edited December 10, 2008 by kane0730

[kane0730]

fathom seriously, this whole climate of economics is changing by the day. Another 50k jobs just got whacked today. Everyday there will be more. This is the time to go young. believe me I hate all this young crap, but it makes excellent business sense. JR is smart. By the way didn't he make his money in realestate, banking? Both of those suck. Just saying.

 

I agree with what you are saying here. But then why would they raise ticket prices??? There are going to be LOTS & LOTS of empty seats this year.

[bigruss]

Let's all hope he's has the greatest GM Poker Face of All-Time.

I could see KW in a position somewhat like that of the Padres, where JR really wants to cut payroll. Luckily, KW has more money to still stay with (or atleast he should). He is being forced to deal alot of vets to shed salary, luckily Javy and Swisher were already guys that were going to get traded so it didnt really look like salary cutting, but if he trades Dye for a young starter WITHOUT big time free agent moves than the KW really is being pressed. The biggest difference is that KW is able to control the situation more than Towers

[AWhiteSoxinNJ]

At this rate....next season will be a llllllooooooooonnnnnnnngggggggggggg one.

Edited December 10, 2008 by AWhiteSoxinNJ

[dmbjeff]

Ken Williams’ eyes turned red Tuesday when ahe was asked about his faith in unproven youngsters Josh Fields, Jerry Owens and Brian Anderson.

 

But the White Sox general manager was more diplomatic about assessing the back end of his rotation, where youngsters Clayton Richard, Jeff Marquez and Aaron Poreda currently are competing for two spots.

 

“Things can change,” Williams told a group of reporters while standing far away from the congested areas of the Bellagio where agents and some executives congregated. “Decisions are evolving as we travel down some roads that are a little uncertain right now. You can walk in the lobby and see how much uncertainty there is in regards to free agents or trades.

 

“All I’m saying now is I have an open mind, and if we have to go in the season with the young guys, then so be it.”

 

One National League GM suspected Williams was employing a method reminiscent of four winters ago, when he traded Carlos Lee and let Magglio Ordonez go to free agency. That allowed him to reshape the team and sign Tadahito Iguchi and A.J. Pierzynski after the winter meetings.

 

But Williams said his projected player payroll is currently at its limit. The Sox have earmarked more than $82 million for 11 players for the 2009 season, and that doesn’t include closer Bobby Jenks, who is likely to receive a $5 million raise as a first-year arbitration-eligible player.

 

Williams would gain more flexibility if he can trade right fielder Jermaine Dye and his $11.5 million salary. But Williams spent the afternoon in a staff meeting and said he doubted that any moves would be made by the winter meetings’ conclusion Thursday.

 

The Sox haven’t talked to Atlanta since last week’s Javier Vazquez trade, thus quelling a report that the two teams were engaged in serious talks involving Dye.

 

The Sox, however, could wait until January to see if the market became more saturated as Friday’s deadline to tender contracts to all unsigned players approaches.

 

Williams was just as evasive when asked if he would pursue a free agent now.

 

“Well, if I answered that question, it would go against my tactics of trying to mislead you guys as much as I can,” Williams said. “So, I just have to continue on with my pattern of dodging and weaving. We generally have more success when we are operating out of sight.”

 

if the payroll is now at 82 million....thats about a 30% reduction in payroll. seems very odd for a large market team. i guess they see bad numbers with this new economy.

Edited December 10, 2008 by dmbjeff

[justBLAZE]

if the payroll is now at 82 million....thats about a 30% reduction in payroll. seems very odd for a large market team. i guess they see bas numbers with this new economy.

 

But why is the White Sox the only organization (maybe besides the Padres, mentioned above) which is doing this?

 

You know Yankees are gonna spend a bunch, Cubs payroll is suppose to hit $140 mil this year.

Edited December 10, 2008 by tommy

[Marty34]

All the negative talk about cutting payroll is funny. If we could get rid of Dye, Konerko, and Thome and get nothing in return except the ~$33M off the payroll, I don't think anyone on this board would object.

[TylerAtIU]

With Blake signing in LA... what are the chance Crede ends up with the Twinkies???

 

Just thinking that makes me shiver...

[ThunderBolt]

Wow, KW just said, "I'm less concerned with average than on-base percentage." I like him more everyday.

[dmbjeff]

All the negative talk about cutting payroll is funny. If we could get rid of Dye, Konerko, and Thome and get nothing in return except the ~$33M off the payroll, I don't think anyone on this board would object.

 

im fine gettin rid of dye,thome,konerko as long as the money is being spent elsewhere. but obviously they arent doing that...or so they say

[southsider2k5]

fathom seriously, this whole climate of economics is changing by the day. Another 50k jobs just got whacked today. Everyday there will be more. This is the time to go young. believe me I hate all this young crap, but it makes excellent business sense. JR is smart. By the way didn't he make his money in realestate, banking? Both of those suck. Just saying.

 

The NFL just laid off 150 workers... Not a team, the NFL itself. The league that is the most financially successful of all sports...

[ThunderBolt]

Where is that line from?

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2008/12...ings_day_2.html

[ptatc]

The people who saw him in the Internantional League were stunned by how weak his bat was.

 

Again the performance was weak this past year due to injuries and such but the people I've talked to think he will be a pretty good major league hitter.

 

Maybe they were stunned by the weak bat due to his injuries and being shuttled around.

 

[bmags]

Truthfully, I thought some posters on here were crazy when they were saying "trust me, this is the team we will put out at spring training", but now it seems that money sent packing really was sent packing. Let's hope we have the right young talent or this could be a long season.

[Marty34]

But why is the White Sox the only organization (maybe besides the Padres, mentioned above) which is doing this?

 

You know Yankees are gonna spend a bunch, Cubs payroll is suppose to hit $140 mil this year.

 

For better or worse, the Sox have been one of the best run teams in terms of finances in the JR era.

[witesoxfan]

* White Sox general manager Ken Williams was strolling down one of the Bellagio hallways and had six or eight reporters trailing right behind him. He seemed to be giving a lecture on the fly, like the pied piper of rumors, saying something like: "Here's what I'm going to to do before I leave here ..." in a mock-serious tone as his notebook-toting entourage moved past me.

 

didn't see it posted earlier. From a rotoworld blog entry

[Marty34]

im fine gettin rid of dye,thome,konerko as long as the money is being spent elsewhere. but obviously they arent doing that...or so they say

 

Where does it say that? Besides, no way can they get those three off the books.

[bigruss]

Truthfully, I thought some posters on here were crazy when they were saying "trust me, this is the team we will put out at spring training", but now it seems that money sent packing really was sent packing. Let's hope we have the right young talent or this could be a long season.

Honestly, I think this team is cutting payroll, but for now KW wants to not look desperate, so he's holding onto his cards. Maybe at the end of the meetings when everybody else has forgotten that we are trying to cut payroll or in a couple weeks, then KW makes his move once again underneath the spotlight. He is kinda just testing the market now, if he could get what he wanted he wouldve made the trade.