Mailbag: Sorting out trade rumors

02/06/2006
Only 11 days remain until White Sox pitchers and catchers report to Tucson. And only 12 days remain until Feb. 18, the day assigned by manager Ozzie Guillen as the end of the celebration for last year's World Series title and the true start of the focus on repeating in 2006.
So, there's no time for chit-chat today. Let's open up the White Sox Mailbag and see what's on the fans' minds.
I heard a rumor that the White Sox are thinking about trading Jose Contreras and Jermaine Dye for Bobby Abreu and Gavin Floyd. This doesn't make any sense to me. Abreu is an aging, overrated hitter and defender, and Floyd had an ERA over 10 in seven games for the Phillies in 2005. We already have our lefty power hitter in Jim Thome. What's your take on all of this? -- Ryan, Waukesha, Wisc.
My take, Ryan, is that this deal won't happen and is nothing more than an unfounded rumor taking on a life of its own. For starters, general manager Ken Williams told a sold-out SoxFest crowd during a question-and-answer seminar that he was done making moves as Spring Training quickly approached. I was also informed recently that Williams and Phillies general manager Pat Gillick have not talked in more than one week.
There's no question Abreu is one of the game's supreme talents, and I'm a bit perplexed by your analysis of his ability. He was a 30-home run, 30-stolen base performer in 2001 and was a 30-40 player as recently as 2004. There's also the little matter of Abreu being part of Guillen's inner circle of close friends in Venezuela. But don't forget the contributions made in 2005 by Dye, who had more home runs than any right fielder in baseball.
Factor in Williams' assertion that he would only trade pitching if he received pitching in return, and the addition of Floyd would not exactly fill that bill -- although Floyd was a first-round pick in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft. Contreras is going to Spring Training with the White Sox, 100-percent guaranteed. There's a very, very good chance he's leaving Tucson as the team's No. 2 or 3 starter. Abreu will be flanking Aaron Rowand in the Philadelphia outfield.
While Juan Uribe is a solid hitter at the bottom of the order, what benefit is he to the White Sox hitting in the second spot? -- Pat, Milwaukee
Uribe handled the situational-hitting responsibilities very admirably when used regularly in the two-slot during the 2004 campaign. The free-swinging shortstop also hit .285 with a .331 on-base percentage and 39 RBIs over 260 at-bats in that exact lineup location. Guillen mentioned at SoxFest that he would control some of Uribe's at-bats at No. 2, in regard to laying down bunts and giving himself up to hit behind the runner, and that notion could be a plus to Uribe's overall offensive game.
Hitting coach Greg Walker has mentioned on numerous occasions that Uribe possesses an abundance of talent at the plate. Of course, his defensive prowess goes almost without mention after his Game 4 effort in the World Series. Walker also felt Uribe gave away too many at-bats hitting lower in the order. This move, which is just a Spring Training experiment at this point, could instill greater plate discipline.
As for Tadahito Iguchi, it gives him a chance to be more of a run producer and gives Guillen a greater opportunity to use Iguchi's speed. Guillen is more likely to run Iguchi in the middle of the order, as opposed to when he's hitting in front of Dye, Thome and Paul Konerko. If it works, it's a win-win proposition.
I've been thinking about the upcoming year, and I honestly believe that with our lineup, we will be the first team to ever go undefeated. I know it might sound a little far fetched, but what is your prediction for next year? Also, do we really even need a bullpen for next year? -- Ben, Valparaiso, Ind.
Ben, I strongly disagree with your opening sentiment. The White Sox will not go undefeated, but instead will finish 152-10, with three losses coming against Oakland, of course, and three to the Cubs, along with one loss apiece to the Yankees, Red Sox, Twins and Indians. It seems that no matter which team appears to have the edge in the crosstown rivalry, the Cubs and White Sox split their six games. The South Siders hold a 19-17 edge since 2000.
In all seriousness, I really believe the White Sox will repeat as American League Central champions. As for the bullpen, they need a few relievers just in case Mark Buehrle or Freddy Garcia or Jon Garland decide not to finish a game or two. But having a stellar starting staff such as the one Williams has assembled certainly relieves the pressure a bit to find replacements for Luis Vizcaino and Damaso Marte.
Do you think the decision to make Konerko team captain is positive or negative? Konerko himself seemed to decline the offer, and personally, I think A.J. Pierzynski would be a better leader. -- Will, Montgomery, Ala.
Konerko temporarily declined the offer because he wasn't sure if a group that built a championship on everyone being considered equal in the clubhouse and on the field needed one player to be signaled out above the others. He also didn't know if the captain's role really had a fit in baseball.
As I've said before, with or without the official designation as captain, Konerko is the clear-cut leader of this team and has been for the past two seasons. Once Guillen explained to Konerko that this move was a tradition he planned to start, with Konerko being the first honoree, Konerko quickly accepted the title. It's a definite positive and well deserved.
I am a high school baseball coach and a big White Sox fan. I will be visiting Tucson for Spring Training over the first weekend in March. This is my first time to attend Spring Training, and I was hoping to see either the Major League or Minor League teams work out.
Do the teams practice on the weekends and, if so, is there someone from the Sox I could contact to find out when these workouts will be taking place? I am really excited about the possibility of not only seeing several spring games, but also getting the chance to see some workouts. -- Erik
Erik, there are no weekends off in baseball, so the White Sox will be working out every day. If you are arriving that first weekend in March, the White Sox already will have begun Cactus League action and are playing somewhere in Tucson for the first seven days of the schedule. As for the workouts, there's no real set time until Spring Training starts, but they usually begin somewhere around 9 or 10 a.m. local time. Just go to the park and ask around the day before, or call the White Sox office at the Kino Sports Complex.
Is there any chance Thome will play first base? -- Mark, Mokena, Ill.
Thome said during SoxFest that he expected to play some games at first base this season and he was preparing accordingly. I would expect him to serve predominantly as the team's designated hitter, with Konerko at first base. For those who haven't noticed, Konerko has developed into one of the more talented and underrated defenders at first.
Thome's workouts, featuring 125 to 130 swings per batting practice session, four times per week, should be the tidbit that truly excites the fans. He spoke at SoxFest of having no setbacks during those workouts. Walker mentioned that Thome looked great in the sessions he witnessed, and Williams added that Thome gets him pumped up for the season to begin every time they talk. All systems sound ready to launch.
About how many Mailbag questions do you get every day?-- Noah, Evanston, Ill.
I haven't kept count of the daily submissions to the Mailbag, but my inexact guess would be about 40 to 50 questions per week. The all-time record came after Aaron Rowand was traded, when I stopped counting after 300 questions.
Of course, some fans write about the same concerns (i.e. Brandon McCarthy, Brian Anderson and a second left-hander in the bullpen). Others are trying to find out more concrete information in regard to the prevailing rumor of the day. In fact, via questions submitted to the Mailbag, Contreras has been traded for Miguel Tejada, Abreu, Cliff Floyd and Willy Taveras.
But I truly appreciate each and every question that has been or will be sent.

Source: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/