By Phil RogersTalking baseball while position players report for spring-training duty:
1. Ken Williams dropped a nice nugget on Comcast's Chuck Garfien, hinting that he worked to try to trade for Roy Halladay over the winter. He said the potential deal "may have given us a chance to have the best rotation maybe in the history of the game'' -- a nice bit of hyperbole about a non-event.
The Blue Jays wound up with three blue-chip prospects for Halladay -- pitcher Kyle Drabek, catcher Travis D'Arnaud and position-challenged hitter Brett Wallace. That price translates to Tyler Flowers, Daniel Hudson and third baseman Brent Morel from the White Sox, and they might have had to add a fourth or even fifth player because Hudson isn't generally valued as highly as Drabek.
Photo: Roy Halladay ended up with the Phillies, but not before Sox GM Ken Williams took a shot at landing the former Blue Jays ace.
Then there's the question of money. With Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle and Gavin Floyd
signed long-term, Halladay (who specifically forced his way to
Philadelphia) probably would have been a one-year rental at his 2010
salary of $15.75 million. The White Sox didn't have that kind of money
to spend after adding Peavy and Alex Rios last season. But, hey, even a
GM can dream.
2. Dontrelle Willis' career is in tatters, but he still gave Johnny Damon a good recommendation about coming to Detroit. "Even he said all the right things,'' Damon said. "(He said), 'You're going to enjoy it.' "
Willis, due $12 million in the last year of the horrible three-year extension he got after coming from Florida with Miguel Cabrera, is in a big group of pitchers competing for the No. 5 spot in the rotation behind Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer and Jeremy Bonderman. He could be released if it doesn't click this spring.
3. Dusty Baker has a real chance to contend this year in Cincinnati. The signing of Jonny Gomes upgraded the picture in left field, which is one of the Reds' question marks. The chance to compete is built around the starting rotation. This spring will provide a look at how close Aroldis Chapman and 2009 first-rounder Mike Leake (a huge winner in college) are to pushing for spots in the rotation that features Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Aaron Harang and Homer Bailey, with Edinson Volquez expected back from elbow surgery at mid-season. Chapman has been impressive in his early work, generating some early talk that he could come straight to the big leagues.
2. Dontrelle Willis' career is in tatters, but he still gave Johnny Damon a good recommendation about coming to Detroit. "Even he said all the right things,'' Damon said. "(He said), 'You're going to enjoy it.' "
Willis, due $12 million in the last year of the horrible three-year extension he got after coming from Florida with Miguel Cabrera, is in a big group of pitchers competing for the No. 5 spot in the rotation behind Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer and Jeremy Bonderman. He could be released if it doesn't click this spring.
3. Dusty Baker has a real chance to contend this year in Cincinnati. The signing of Jonny Gomes upgraded the picture in left field, which is one of the Reds' question marks. The chance to compete is built around the starting rotation. This spring will provide a look at how close Aroldis Chapman and 2009 first-rounder Mike Leake (a huge winner in college) are to pushing for spots in the rotation that features Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Aaron Harang and Homer Bailey, with Edinson Volquez expected back from elbow surgery at mid-season. Chapman has been impressive in his early work, generating some early talk that he could come straight to the big leagues.
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I don't think his statement was that much hyperbole. IF we had completed the deal, it MAY HAVE given us a CHANCE... That seems to have treated the idea with a healthy dose of reality. I mean, IF, MAY HAVE, CHANCE... what's he supposed to say? "If we had completed this deal, we would have had a pretty good starting rotation." Maybe understatement is not one of his strengths, but let's face it, that would have been a great pitching staff.
Charlie S. is so correct. I am a Sox fan who doesn't spend very much time knocking the Cubs. Hey, they both are major league teams. However, anyone who has an ounce of baseball sense realizes the Sox have a better chance of seeing post season action in 2010. St. Louis, Cincinatti and the Brewers are simply too much to overcome in the Central. The White Sox admittedly have a tough Minnesota to get past. Having only one real challenge in a division is a heck of a lot easier than 3 teams who are certainly better.
Wow... I don't hate the Cubs... I'll root for them every game but 6 (3 at the Cell and 3 at Wrigley), but c'mon already. You have to give the Sox credit for always trying to build a winner. Maybe they couldn't swing Halliday, but I don't think its hyperbole to say that Peavey-Halliday-Beurle would be the headline for one of the best rotations ever. Floyd and Danks as your 4 and 5 would be terrific.
Even with the moves they did make, I think the Sox are very competitive. Could they use a little more power? Sure. Is Beckham going to be a second baseman to reckon with? Don't know. Will guys like Rios and Carlos Quenton find their old form again? Don't know. But even with those questions, I'd rather be a Sox fan this year than a Cubs fan.
seems like working to try and trade for a player is a GM's job, some trades happen, some don't. so none of this surprises me. at least the sox didn't spend all off-season just trying to dump one player.
Agh...The Chicago White Sux. The second team in Chicago who no one really cares for.
The real Chicago Team where are slogan is "THIS YEAR IS OUR YEAR" Get a life and start posting on Cubs articles!
Guys, I'm only on the White Sox because after my injury, NO ONE was dumb enough to sign me except Kenny!
Best rotation in history? LOL um not even close. Buehrle had the perfect game and then what, like 10 losses in a row? Gavin who? And I'm not even close to being healthy yet.
Kenny talks a lot, almost more than my dumb "manager" Ozzie
I wish I could be on the REAL Chicago team.....Go CUBS!
Love,
Jake P.
Phil your continuing harping and negativity towards any and all things White Sox fascinates me. Since you made your money writing the World Series book you haven't had a positive thing to say about the team.
We all know that Roy wasnt going anywhere without the extension, and the Sox werent going to be able to give it up. They have too much money tied into Rios and Peavy.
There is no way Toronto even would consider that horrible package Phil threw out there.
It would have taken Beckham, one of either Danks or Floyd, and one or more of the minor league scraps Phil suggested.
Kenny probably looked into to it thinking Toronto owed him a favor fot taking Alex Rios and that ridiculous contract off their hands. They thought otherwise.
Pork is obviously a Cubs fan. That statement shows that you have zero knowledge when it comes to baseball.