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I didn't realize they lowballed Hunter.....
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Two years ago, they were soaked with bubbly. Today, the White Sox are stuffed with baloney and b.s. I really wish they'd just PLEASE STOP TALKING -- Ken Williams, the Blizzard of Oz, the hillbilly broadcaster -- because for all the bluster and hubris spewed about their so-called grand offseason plans, the Sox have responded much like an offense that batted a major-league-low .246 and struck out 1,149 times.
Swing and a miss.
Swing and a miss.
Swing and a miss.
He gone.
Learning nothing from the Torii Hunter debacle -- you'll recall how the Sox made a Spiderman-like recruiting video of Hunter climbing the skyline, told everyone how badly they wanted him, then lowballed him and watched the Angels steal him at $90 million -- Ozzie Guillen was in full babble mode Tuesday afternoon in Nashville. He eagerly told reporters at baseball's winter meetings that fellow Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera, the sport's most gifted young hitter, was all but Sox property. Describing the 24-year-old third baseman as his ``fourth son,'' the Blizzard raved how Cabrera has lost 30 pounds and adopted a new attitude. He went so far to predict he'd hit 50 home runs with U.S. Cellular Field as his new home base.
``I think he is going to bring more leadership to the ballclub,'' said Guillen, using present tense.
Once again, the Sox were making it sound like a done deal, just as they'd made the Hunter ``signing'' sound like a done deal two weeks ago.
And once again, they only were setting themselves up for humiliation. This time, it was their divisional rivals, the Detroit Tigers, who attacked and won the shakedown, acquiring not only Cabrera from the fire-sale-happy Florida Marlins but snagging the devilishly dangerous left arm of pitcher Dontrelle Willis. It was difficult enough losing Hunter, the center fielder they coveted, to a legitimate American League contender in Anaheim. But now they've lost Cabrera and the 25-year-old Willis to the already loaded Tigers, which means Detroit -- with Willis, Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman leading a packed rotation -- is positioned for an even longer period of dominance with the equally talented Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. And given the strides of the Kansas City Royals, who suddenly aren't reluctant to spend money in a small market, the Sox could be doomed for also-random into the next decade.
``Uh, oh,'' Williams said when informed of the deal.
This news comes after the general manager repeatedly vowed to catch ``the big fish'' this offseason. But to land a big fish, you need the right bait, the right pole and the right fishing savvy. Twice now, the Sox have been reduced to all-talk, no-results losers, which only serves to continue a dramatic free-fall that has seen them lose 135 of 244 games since early July of 2006 and stumble far behind the Cubs as a Chicago baseball story. It wasn't long ago when Williams talked about winnng ``two or three world championships,'' claiming the Sox had reduced the Cubs' stranglehold on the marketplace and were prepared to take over the town.
Two words, Ken:
Mute button.
The Sox are doing nothing but write a sad country-western song in the capital of twang. Kenny and Ozzie are becoming a comedy routine, incapable of getting their stories straight. Earlier Tuesday, Guillen was quoted as saying the Sox were weighing free-agent center fielder Andruw Jones as an option, a surprising development in that Jones is represented by Scott Boras, the agent long despised by Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Later, Williams was forced to shoot down Guillen's statements.
``He is not on our list,'' he said.
Who is, then? With Sox fans in various states of outrage about Williams' whiffing, isn't it time they swallow their institutional stubborness, acknowledge their public-relations mess and give 35th Street cult hero Aaron Rowand his desired five-year contract? Or are they going to make things worse by letting another team outbid them for Rowand? And in the horror of all South Side horrors, what if the Cubs outmaneuver them for Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome?
If so, Kenny, Jerry and the Blizzard may not want to show their faces in Soxdom anytime soon, starting with the fan convention next month. In losing Hunter, the organization showed its cheapness. In losing Cabrera, the organization's porous farm system was exposed, with Detroit able to offer elite, ready-made prospects such as pitcher Andrew Miller and outfielder Cameron Maybin. I shouldn't have to remind anyone that Williams has reached the postseason only once in seven years on the job. Granted, he won the first World Series around here in 88 years, but in a town of Chicago's magnitude, one championship never should be enough -- though I sense it's more than enough in the mind of a 71-year-old owner.
What are the Sox looking at, another 90-loss season?
``We have to try to be the best team we can be,'' said Williams, sounding small-market-like. ``And again, it isn't always the team that has the most stars, the best offense or what-have-you in a particular area that is the best team.''
Guillen, as usual, was more to the point. ``If the season starts tomorrow, I will be worried,'' he said. And why not, with no leadoff hitter, no center fielder, two well-paid shortstops, three potential holes in the rotation, a still-shaky bullpen and a lot of old 2005 holdovers who only will get older?
So while the Red Sox and Yankees stage a death duel for Johan Santana and the Tigers produce an amazing double whammy after a prior deal for Edgar Renteria, Williams is spinning his wheels like an executive whose best days are behind him. You'll have to explain why a team that won a Series behind unprecedented October pitching would so readily discard Jon Garland -- a durable, talented arm in his prime -- for 33-year-old shortstop Orlando Cabrera, who will be a free agent in 11 months and was acquired after Williams oddly signed his incumbent shortstop, Juan Uribe, to a $4.5 million deal. When he signed set-up reliever Scott Linebrink, he claimed he knew exactly what he was doing.
``Everything we do has a plan,'' Williams said.
I guess I was expecting something bigger. This was the man who declared last month, ``Last year did not sit well with any of us. We'll be damned if we're going to go through that again. We will aggressively pursue a championship. We're trying to win the 2008 championship. We were embarrassed last year."
Got news for you, Ken. The embarrassment quotient just grew.
I didn't realize they lowballed Hunter.....
------------------------------------------------------------
Two years ago, they were soaked with bubbly. Today, the White Sox are stuffed with baloney and b.s. I really wish they'd just PLEASE STOP TALKING -- Ken Williams, the Blizzard of Oz, the hillbilly broadcaster -- because for all the bluster and hubris spewed about their so-called grand offseason plans, the Sox have responded much like an offense that batted a major-league-low .246 and struck out 1,149 times.
Swing and a miss.
Swing and a miss.
Swing and a miss.
He gone.
Learning nothing from the Torii Hunter debacle -- you'll recall how the Sox made a Spiderman-like recruiting video of Hunter climbing the skyline, told everyone how badly they wanted him, then lowballed him and watched the Angels steal him at $90 million -- Ozzie Guillen was in full babble mode Tuesday afternoon in Nashville. He eagerly told reporters at baseball's winter meetings that fellow Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera, the sport's most gifted young hitter, was all but Sox property. Describing the 24-year-old third baseman as his ``fourth son,'' the Blizzard raved how Cabrera has lost 30 pounds and adopted a new attitude. He went so far to predict he'd hit 50 home runs with U.S. Cellular Field as his new home base.
``I think he is going to bring more leadership to the ballclub,'' said Guillen, using present tense.
Once again, the Sox were making it sound like a done deal, just as they'd made the Hunter ``signing'' sound like a done deal two weeks ago.
And once again, they only were setting themselves up for humiliation. This time, it was their divisional rivals, the Detroit Tigers, who attacked and won the shakedown, acquiring not only Cabrera from the fire-sale-happy Florida Marlins but snagging the devilishly dangerous left arm of pitcher Dontrelle Willis. It was difficult enough losing Hunter, the center fielder they coveted, to a legitimate American League contender in Anaheim. But now they've lost Cabrera and the 25-year-old Willis to the already loaded Tigers, which means Detroit -- with Willis, Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman leading a packed rotation -- is positioned for an even longer period of dominance with the equally talented Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. And given the strides of the Kansas City Royals, who suddenly aren't reluctant to spend money in a small market, the Sox could be doomed for also-random into the next decade.
``Uh, oh,'' Williams said when informed of the deal.
This news comes after the general manager repeatedly vowed to catch ``the big fish'' this offseason. But to land a big fish, you need the right bait, the right pole and the right fishing savvy. Twice now, the Sox have been reduced to all-talk, no-results losers, which only serves to continue a dramatic free-fall that has seen them lose 135 of 244 games since early July of 2006 and stumble far behind the Cubs as a Chicago baseball story. It wasn't long ago when Williams talked about winnng ``two or three world championships,'' claiming the Sox had reduced the Cubs' stranglehold on the marketplace and were prepared to take over the town.
Two words, Ken:
Mute button.
The Sox are doing nothing but write a sad country-western song in the capital of twang. Kenny and Ozzie are becoming a comedy routine, incapable of getting their stories straight. Earlier Tuesday, Guillen was quoted as saying the Sox were weighing free-agent center fielder Andruw Jones as an option, a surprising development in that Jones is represented by Scott Boras, the agent long despised by Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Later, Williams was forced to shoot down Guillen's statements.
``He is not on our list,'' he said.
Who is, then? With Sox fans in various states of outrage about Williams' whiffing, isn't it time they swallow their institutional stubborness, acknowledge their public-relations mess and give 35th Street cult hero Aaron Rowand his desired five-year contract? Or are they going to make things worse by letting another team outbid them for Rowand? And in the horror of all South Side horrors, what if the Cubs outmaneuver them for Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome?
If so, Kenny, Jerry and the Blizzard may not want to show their faces in Soxdom anytime soon, starting with the fan convention next month. In losing Hunter, the organization showed its cheapness. In losing Cabrera, the organization's porous farm system was exposed, with Detroit able to offer elite, ready-made prospects such as pitcher Andrew Miller and outfielder Cameron Maybin. I shouldn't have to remind anyone that Williams has reached the postseason only once in seven years on the job. Granted, he won the first World Series around here in 88 years, but in a town of Chicago's magnitude, one championship never should be enough -- though I sense it's more than enough in the mind of a 71-year-old owner.
What are the Sox looking at, another 90-loss season?
``We have to try to be the best team we can be,'' said Williams, sounding small-market-like. ``And again, it isn't always the team that has the most stars, the best offense or what-have-you in a particular area that is the best team.''
Guillen, as usual, was more to the point. ``If the season starts tomorrow, I will be worried,'' he said. And why not, with no leadoff hitter, no center fielder, two well-paid shortstops, three potential holes in the rotation, a still-shaky bullpen and a lot of old 2005 holdovers who only will get older?
So while the Red Sox and Yankees stage a death duel for Johan Santana and the Tigers produce an amazing double whammy after a prior deal for Edgar Renteria, Williams is spinning his wheels like an executive whose best days are behind him. You'll have to explain why a team that won a Series behind unprecedented October pitching would so readily discard Jon Garland -- a durable, talented arm in his prime -- for 33-year-old shortstop Orlando Cabrera, who will be a free agent in 11 months and was acquired after Williams oddly signed his incumbent shortstop, Juan Uribe, to a $4.5 million deal. When he signed set-up reliever Scott Linebrink, he claimed he knew exactly what he was doing.
``Everything we do has a plan,'' Williams said.
I guess I was expecting something bigger. This was the man who declared last month, ``Last year did not sit well with any of us. We'll be damned if we're going to go through that again. We will aggressively pursue a championship. We're trying to win the 2008 championship. We were embarrassed last year."
Got news for you, Ken. The embarrassment quotient just grew.
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