Crank That Offseason Plan: Chicago White Sox

I'll try to keep this short and sweet, highlighting areas of question for each team. I'll start with the Chicago White Sox.

MUST-MAKE DECISIONS

1) Octavio Dotel: Arbitration, or not?
Dotel – Walk

2) Jermaine Dye: Mutual option, arbitration, or not?
Dye – Buyout

FLEXIBLE DECISIONS

3) One-year contract for John Danks? If not, what would you pay to extend him?

I think a multi-year offer similar to the one Jon Lester got would be fair. I can't think of a more comparable pitcher to Danks than Lester. If he doesn't go for that then go to year-to-year with him.

4) One-year contract for Bobby Jenks, extension or trade?

Jenks – You have to keep Jenks but under no cirumstance should they offer him a multi-year deal. The problem with trading Jenks is that it moves everybody in the bullpen up one job. So, while Matt Thorton would probably make a solid closer (see Brian Fuentes) it moves both Tony Pena and Scott Linebrink into roles they should not be in on a contender.

FREE AGENCY

5) Which positions are in most dire need of an upgrade?

One of the corner outfield spots are in dire need of an upgrade more than anything else on this team. It would be nice to have at the spot filled by an athletic player not named Scott Podsednik. I simply don't think he'll be cheap enough to make sense nor do I think he can duplicate his career year in 2009.

6) Name three (or more) free agents you’d consider, at a price.

Sign Bobby Abreu to a 2 year $20 million dollar contract. (I don't expect the Angels to be able to sign him along with Chone Figgins and John Lackey)

Sign Joe Beimel or Will Ohman for a 1 year deal around $2.5 million

Sign J.J. Putz to an incentive laden deal.

TRADES

7) Name three (or more) realistic trades that could improve the Sox team.
I don't see any trade as a likely scenario unless we're getting a superstar outfielder for Jenks but he didn't have the season that would warrant something like that. I'm thinking we should stand pat till the trade deadline if we need an extra piece (see Chris Getz getting bit by the injury bug).

SUMMARY

Obviously, the White Sox need to replace Dye at the very least and I assume they'll need to replace Scott Podsednik as well. All in all the White Sox need a backup catcher to replace Ramon Castro, two corner outfielders, a lefty out of the pen to replace Randy Williams and a designated hitter. Kenny Williams isn't a guy that spends big bucks in the free agent market and most of his moves are made through trades.

The White Sox don't have a ton of money to spend due to the trades and waiver claims made for Jake Peavy and Alex Rios, respectively. My key to the offseason is getting Bobby Abreu to fill one of the corner outfield spots and beyond that, one buy low right-handed option out of the pen and a semi-reliable second lefty would be lovely.

Getting a backup catcher isn't critical because no matter who it is they'll probably be terrible. They always are. Cole Armstrong makes sense in the short term but he's essentially a bad version of A.J. Pierzynski (throws righty, bats lefty). I'm fine with rotating the designated hitter spot especially if either Tyler Flowers or Dayan Viciedo can make the club.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Anthony Booker

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Once upon a time, M.J. Hartwig and I debated about student-athlete blogs.  It stemmed from an issue with allowing athletes to write columns -- it was about the time Nick Hill was penning pieces for the DE as he prepared for the NFL Draft.  The conversation turned to who we would have do it next year.  I said no one.  He suggested Anthony Booker, who to this day is still the highest ranked recruit the modern era of Saluki basketball player has brought in.


"I'd give him whatever he wants," is what I remember Hartwig saying at the time.  Lots of time has passed between then and now.  (P.S. This is a much better blog than it used to be.)

So, here we are in 2009 and Booker has found his way into my projected starting line-up.  And for good reason.

Atlantic Division: Is it 2010 yet?


In the Eastern Conference, both the Southeast and Central division should be fun to watch. The Atlantic division? Not so much.

Everyone is waiting for the big 2010 free agency class, especially the teams in the Atlantic. Boston will be a great team, no doubt about it, but the other clubs have been waiting for their Christmas for two years now.

The New York Knicks have done a spectacular job of keeping themselves mediocre for the last two seasons as they cross their fingers and hope for LeBron James or Chris Bosh at the least. The New Jersey Nets have done the same thing in a more subtle way. Instead of announcing to the world they are waiting for 2010 like the Knicks did, the Nets have stockpiled plenty of young talent and kept their salary cap low as they have sold the idea of a "rebuilding process."

Don't be fooled, they want those big names just as much as New York. And poor Philadelphia and Toronto have been stuck in the middle. They have rebuilt and unloaded at the same time, resulting in a good, but not great team. So until 2010, here is what to expect from this division.

1. Boston Celtics
This team definitely does not want 2010 to come. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo will all be pursued heavily come June, so the Celtics know their time is now if they want another championship. Rasheed Wallace will hopefully be able to lighten the load on Kevin Garnett so they can keep their defensive leader healthy for the whole season.

The only weak spot the Celtics have had is on the bench, but they took big steps to solve that with the acquisition of Marquis Daniels. Glen Davis started to come into his own in the playoffs and I still think Bill Walker will bust out at some point this season. Celtics cruise to a division championship.

2. Toronto Raptors
The 76ers may look like the teams of their glory days with their throwback jerseys this season, but Toronto is better. The Raptors had huge additions with Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack, Amir Johnson and DeMar DeRozan. This is the best the team has looked on paper in a while and there is depth. Chris Bosh will play his hardest as he wants a big payday this summer and Jose Calderon with super-scorer Turkoglu on the floor.

Defense has been a problem in the past, but I think Jack and Johnson both bring tenacity on that end of the floor. And your darkhorse for Rookie of the Year: DeMar DeRozan. He has looked good in preseason. Let's not forget Andrea Bargnani, he has improved each year.

3. Philadelphia 76ers
The biggest question on this team: Can Elton Brand stay healthy, and if so, does he remember how to play basketball? The team has plenty of young talent including Marreese Speights, Thaddeus Young and rookies Jrue Holiday and Dionte Christmas, but Brand is the key. In a division with Chris Bosh, Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez, a solid front court player is a must.

Andre Igoudala is the man, but this team will struggle this season because it doesn't have an NBA-ready point guard. Louis Williams fills in OK, but he is much better as a shooting guard. Holiday has potential, but it is rare to see a rookie point guard have a significant amount of success in their first year. Royal Ivey will provide much needed defense at the point.

4. New Jersey Nets
The Nets have received plenty of criticism and I'm not sure why. I think Courtney Lee is a great addition as he is a solid, consistent defender as well as a good scorer. Devin Harris and Brook Lopez are nearing all-star status and Chris Douglas Roberts continues to improve as a scorer. The team doesn't have much of a bench, but it did add some veteran leadership.

The additions of Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Keyon Dooling will provide guidance to a young team susceptible to outside influences. This core group of veterans should keep the young players focused on the game, but they are still too unseasoned to be seen as a true threat yet.

5. New York Knicks
They just want LeBron James in 2010 and I'm sure they wouldn't mind adding another top-five draft pick to the mix next season either, so don't expect much from the Knicks. David Lee will continue to record empty double-doubles, Larry Hughes will continue to take too many shots, Eddy Curry will continue to be too overweight, Nate Robinson will continue to be too short, Al Harrington will continue to take ill-advised threes and Wilson Chandler will wonder why he is in New York.

I like Chandler, and I think Chris Duhon is capable of good games for the most part. Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas will try to fit in, but this team has got next to nothing.

2010 is almost here, hang in there.

Is Jim Hendry Reading This Blog? If So, Please Continue To Do So

The Cubs offense is already putting new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to sleep.

A couple of years ago, my roommate and I were discussing the upcoming Major League Baseball offseason.  It started as a hot stove chat and turned into me analyzing who would go where and for how much.  Back then, I wrote a blog that was not TBDS and made predictions on a handful of players.

I was spot on in each prediction.  He would later suggest MLB execs were reading my blog. So, Jim Hendry, if you're out there reading.  Thanks.  Click a link and help some brothas get paid.  Oh!  And stay tuned for my offseason guide to not fucking up building a contender.  Maybe you'll see something you like.

There really is no denying this timeline:
Hiring Jaramillo is truly a step in the right direction for the Cubs.

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Justin Bocot

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Justin Bocot exploded onto the Saluki hoops basketball scene when he scored a career-high 28 points in Southern Illinois' 72-64 win at Missouri State.  But really, his on-the-court success began with a homecoming of sorts as he scored a team-high 14 points in a 70-63 loss at Illinois State.

From that point on, Bocot averaged 10.8 points per game -- including the 28 point game that was in the team's second game after losing senior guard Bryan Mullins to what would eventually end up being a season-ending stress fracture.

So, what does Bocot do for an encore?  Replacing Ryan Hare, who was dismissed from the team on Sunday for violating team rules, in the starting line-up would be a good start.

The Central is the center of attention


The Central division can be summed up in two words: LeBron James.

Chicago is riding high after the best first-round NBA playoff series in history against the Boston Celtics, but they are no match for James' Cleveland crew. All eyes will be in Cleveland as James and The Big Witness begin their march for a championship.

Oh, and regardless if Cleveland wins a championship, James will sign with Cleveland. So all you fans of other central teams, don't start getting your hopes up for the summer of 2010; he isn't going anywhere.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
This is probably the easiest call to make as far as a division winner goes. The only way Cleveland loses the division is if James gets injured for an extended period of time. Shaq should add to an already dominant team and Anderson Varejao will continue to look like an all-star from all the nifty passes he receives from James.

I suppose Cleveland could lose the division if Delonte West shows up to work with his collection of 18 guns one day (Too soon? I know, disgruntled employee jokes aren't funny, they're dangerous people).

2. Chicago Bulls
It pains me to write this, but they have established themselves as the second best team in the division. Derrick Rose was great last year, and assuming he added a jump shot during the offseason, he is going to be near unstoppable at times. And did Joakim Noah cut off Kareem Abdul Jabbar's hands and surgically connect them to his arms? I'm not sure when Noah got that soft touch he has been showing, but it scares me.

The Bulls will also be one of the deepest teams in the league, boasting, Kirk Hinrich Jannero Pargo, Taj Gibson, Brad Miller and James Johnson. The shooting guard position has some questions, but John Salmons is a good, consistent player.

3. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have received a lot of criticism this offseason, but they are not as bad as some people think. Yes, they overpaid for Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, but people cannot forget they are both still very good players. Rodney Stuckey should continue to improve and Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince are always a handful.

They have plenty of question marks on defense, except for Stuckey and Prince who are both top notch. They also don't have much in the front court other than Jason Maxiell and at times Chris Wilcox. They better hope Austin Daye was the right choice, because they will need all the help they can get up front.

4. Milwaukee Bucks
I refuse to ever pick the Bucks to finish last. And I also actually think they are better than the Indiana Pacers. Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut NEED to stay healthy this season as there is not much firepower behind them. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute should break out as one of the league's best defenders and Brandon Jennings is going to at least make people remember Milwaukee has a basketball team again.

The darkhorse: Hakim Warrick. Expect big things out of him this season. He had a great preseason and I think he will turn heads. The Bucks are also deep at the forward position with Warrick, Ersan Ilyasova, Mbah a Moute, Carlos Delfino and Joe Alexander. Rebounds will be key for this team.

5. Indiana Pacers
Some experts think they are on the upswing, but as long as Jim O'Brien is coaching it won't matter. Brandon Rush seems ready to bust out and Danny Granger is one of the league's best players. Roy Hibbert is good, but O'Brien loves Josh McRobert's facial hair so he will play the wrong person most of the time. Everyone debates Tyler Hansbrough's worth, but it wont matter because this team isn't going to win many games either way. That's just what happens when you don't have a bench.

They lost Jarrett Jack and Marquis Daniels in the offseason; two huge assets off the bench. Now they boast intimidating players such as Solomon Jones, Luther Head, A.J. Price and Travis Diener. Sounds scary (for Pacers fans).

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Tony Freeman

[Ed. Note: This is the newest installment of a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

When I was the Daily Egyptian's sports editor, I received many e-mails about the well-dressed young man sitting at the end of the bench.  They asked if he was a coach?  Kind of, but not really.  A recruit?  Kind of, but not really.

Eventually, I got around to writing a feature about Tony Freeman, a 6-foot-1 guard from Maywood, Ill.  The University of Iowa transfer sat out the 2008-09 season because of NCAA transfer rules and will look to break out in his senior year at SIU.

And for those who fear he will be rusty, take note that T-Free was named the Most Valuable Player in a tournament played in Turkey over the summer.  One of his teammates on the trip was fellow Saluki Nick Evans, and they helped topple the mighty basketball dynasties of France, Germany and Bulgaria.

So, what should fans expect from the team's lone senior?

Saluki Men's Hoops 2009-10 Preview: Kevin Dillard

[Ed. Note: This is the first in a series previewing the 2009-10 SIU men's basketball team.  After finishing the 2008-09 season with a disappointing 13-18 record, Chris Lowery's Salukis are one year stronger and one year smarter as they will look to extract revenge on the Missouri Valley Conference teams that took advantage of a young squad.  Those teams will get their comeuppance soon enough.  And what better way to warn them than with a preview of each player that will tear their hearts out and step on their souls.]

Kevin Dillard became the first Saluki freshman to lead the team in scoring since Kent Williams.  So how does the former Illinois Mr. Basketball follow up a stellar first-year campaign?

Carol Slezak isn't familiar with the WBC

"The schedule has been out of control for years, but it keeps getting worse. Just six years ago, the Cubs and Florida Marlins played Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 15. Just four years ago, the White Sox won the World Series on Oct. 26. But today, Oct. 20, the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees will play Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, and Game 7 of the World Series is scheduled for Nov. 5." --- direct passage from Carol Slezak's latest column...

Seriously?

Apparently she doesn't realize that the World Baseball Classic is the reasoning behind the World Series probably running into the first week of Nov. and not because MLB wants to drag this thing out as long as it can.

It's just dumb. She made no reference of the WBC either. Maybe she forgot it happened. I mean it was boring and I couldn't even tell you who won it at this point. The idea is cool but it's not worth it.

That's not the point though.

The point is, the season runs long this year because of the WBC and for no other reason.

But it gets even more dumb. She says the World Series should be played at a neutral site.

Why? Who cares if it's cold? Did White Sox fans not show up in 2005 when it was freezing rain? Would the Cubbie Blue faithful not show up if it was 20-degrees and windy at Wrigley Field in 2010?

I would much rather freeze to death and be able to enjoy a game in person rather than watch a watered-down version take place at a dome in Florida with only the wealthy elite in attendance.

That's just dumb.

The Steve McNair Saga Just Won't Go Away


Steve McNair's death on the 4th of July has been an absolute mess.  CBS News further muddies the situation by doing some damn good investigative journalism as it was able to obtain cell phone records.  A little bit of research has gone a long way in my opinion.  Now, to clean up the rest of the mess.

Right?

Well.  Not quite.  I almost feel as if this is adding insult to injury -- as the old sports cliche would have it.  I'm sure McNair's surviving family members and friends want justice.  But at what cost?  Some have said that this ruins his legacy.  I would argue against that idea.

Sure, being a married man dating a 20something waitress while he's got a wife and kids at home is going to put a smudge on his life story.  However, no one can take away the positive things he brought to his community when he was alive.

Not even charges of adultery.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)