En Espanol
Feedback

Posts tagged KennyWilliams at FanHouse

FanHouse

Resources

Email our editors with your tips, corrections, complaints, inquiries, suggestions, etc.

Blog Roll

Carlos Quentin Should Be the AL MVP

Tom FornelliPosted Aug 19th 2008 12:33PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, AL Central, MLB Awards

I was at U.S. Cellular Field last night sitting behind home plate when Carlos Quentin hit his major league-leading 35th home run of the season into the left field seats. Seeing Carlos go deep this season was nothing new, but there was something different about his blast on Monday night.

It didn't mean anything. The White Sox were already sporting a 12-5 lead on the Mariners, so his solo shot didn't factor into the game's result. Very rarely has that been the case for Quentin this season. Carlos came to the White Sox in an offseason trade with the Diamondbacks, and he came with very little fanfare.

At the time most White Sox fans - including myself - were still a little sore about missing out on Torii Hunter and local legend Aaron Rowand. So when they found out that Kenny Williams' big plan was to bring in some outfielder nobody had ever heard of, and one that was coming off of shoulder surgery to boot, Sox fans weren't pleased.

Well thank God Kenny Williams runs the team, and the fans don't.

The only reason Quentin even made the Sox roster out of spring training was due to a groin injury suffered by Jerry Owens. Owens' injury opened a spot in the outfield, and Carlos was going to keep it warm for a few games until he could come back.
Continue Reading Carlos Quentin Should Be the AL MVP

Jose Contreras Ruptures His Achilles Tendon

Tom FornelliPosted Aug 10th 2008 12:51PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, AL Central, MLB Injuries

The White Sox lost more than first place in the AL Central last night after falling to the Boston Red Sox 6-2 at U.S. Cellular Field. In what was his first start since returning from a stint on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis, Jose Contreras had to be helped off the field after rupturing his right achilles tendon while trying to cover first base in the second inning.

Obviously the injury will put an end to Contreras' season, but there are fears that at 36 (if Jose Contreras is 36 years old then I'm 12) this injury could bring Jose's career to an end. It's something that crossed the mind of his manager, Ozzie Guillen.
"Those kinds of injuries, I don't know how you can come back," Guillen said. "The only thing I hope is that he can pitch again."
As for what the Sox plan on doing in Contreras' absence, they haven't announced yet, but the team did pick up Horacio Ramirez in a trade with the Royals earlier on Saturday. Guillen is also toying with the idea of having D.J. Carrasco, who came on to replace Contreras after the injury, move from the bullpen to the starting rotation.

There's also the possibility that the Sox may make a trade, with the recently waived Jarrod Washburn being a candidate. Chicago had shown interest in the left-hander before the trade deadline, but balked at Seattle's asking price. I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny Williams kicked the tires on current free agent, and member of the 2005 White Sox, Freddy Garcia either.

Who Won and Lost During Trading Season?

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 31st 2008 9:08PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Astros, Angels, Braves, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, Mariners, Marlins, Mets, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, White Sox, Yankees, MLB Transactions

Take a deep breath, baseball fans. The dust has settled after another trading deadline, and what a deadline it was. Three future Hall of Famers were moved. So was a reigning Cy Young winner and two former All-Stars. And we haven't talked about Rich Harden yet. Undoubtedly, 2008 was the most entertaining trading season in recent memory for baseball fans.


Truth be told, it will take years before we know who helped themselves or hurt themselves at the 2008 trade deadline. That's just the way it is when boom-or-bust prospects are involved. But here's an educated (and roughly ordered) guess anyway at which teams won and which teams lost now that the July 31 deadline has come and gone.

Winners

Angels: With a double-digit lead in the AL West, the Angels didn't need to do anything to get to October. They went out and got slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira anyway, and it's nothing short of a coup. For all the praise heaped upon Mike Scioscia's throwback run-at-all costs strategy, it hasn't done much for Los Angeles in the postseason. The Halos have scored 17 runs in their last eight postseason games dating back to 2005, and they don't have single regular slugging over .500 this year. They needed a bat to go all the way in October, and that's just what they got in Teixeira.
Continue Reading Who Won and Lost During Trading Season?

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 31

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 31st 2008 12:41PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, Mariners, Marlins, Mets, Pirates, Rays, Red Sox, Reds, Twins, White Sox, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Red Sox, Marlins and Pirates are indeed working on a three-way deal that would send Manny Ramirez to South Florida, Jeremy Hermida and prospects to Pittsburgh and Jason Bay (and possibly reliever John Grabow) to Boston. The trade is still a long way from being completed, however, with the teams expected to haggle right up to the deadline on the prospects heading to the Pirates. The deal is fragile because it involves three teams and prospects from both Florida and Boston, so it could go right down to the wire, and there's always a chance the deal collapses.

But there is also a different feeling in Boston this time around with Ramirez, much like the feeling in 2004 when GM Theo Epstein swallowed hard and got rid of the beloved Nomar Garciaparra. If the three-way deal with the Pirates collapses, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Red Sox would then deal directly with the Marlins. And remember this: while the Red Sox would love to have Manny Ramirez in their lineup in October, it won't be as difficult as you'd think to replace his production over the final two months of the season because he is so poor defensively.

- GM Kenny Williams has already added future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. to the White Sox's roster, but he might not be done. With Scott Linebrink on the DL and closer Bobby Jenks just off of it, Chicago is looking for bullpen depth. Williams and the White Sox have been connected with Oakland closer Huston Street for a few weeks now, and there are indications from the Windy City that he'll make a final push to acquire him before the 4PM ET deadline. Eamonn Brennan has already covered the Nick Swisher-Street swap speculation already at FanHouse and correctly assumes that a deal is unlikely.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 31

What's Going On Here?

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 31st 2008 12:14PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, AL Central, MLB Rumors, MLB Transactions

I woke up this morning to about 15 different text messages on my phone, and I'm sure you can all guess what they were about. It seems the White Sox made a deal early this morning to bring future Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. to the south side of Chicago, and I have no idea why.

An aging outfielder who is probably better suited for the DH role is not what the White Sox need as they try to hold on to their lead in the AL Central. The Sox already have a Hall-of-Famer playing DH right now, which means that Junior would have to play the outfield, and with Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye out there, that means he'll have to play center.

The only thing that makes sense to me is that Griffey plays center while Nick Swisher and Paul Konerko share time at first, with Paulie also giving Jim Thome a day off occasionally as well. Still, that doesn't really make sense either.

I know that Kenny Williams was trying to make this exact same deal back in 2005, but that it fell through and didn't happen. Which turned out pretty well for the team that year, but was Kenny so disappointed in not adding Junior then that he just had to now?

I have to believe that this deal isn't the last one you'll be seeing the White Sox make before the deadline today, though I don't think that Swisher for Street deal will happen. The Sox gave up a lot of prospects for Swisher this past winter, and dealing him five months later for a two-month bullpen rental just seems like bad business to me.

Man, I wish it was 1998.

Ozzie Guillen Demands Satisfaction

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 30th 2008 4:20PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, AL Central

So the White Sox have lost their last three games, and are in danger of losing their spot on top of the AL Central if they lose to the Minnesota Twins tonight. You know what that means don't you? Yep, it's time for another Ozzie Guillen rant complaining about something.

This time Ozzie is getting tired of hearing about Paul Konerko, and to respond he pulled the "your critics" and "don't understand" and "diapers" cards out of his Rant Hat (patent pending), and here's what we ended up with.
"I don't understand the people out there," Guillen said Tuesday night. "I don't get it. I sit with [general manager] Kenny Williams and we try to do stuff, and we get pounded like we don't try or don't care or do good for the fans or for us.

"And I don't get it. I trust my players. I think they're good talent and will play hard for us.

"And hopefully the result will be the right one. Because if we win this thing, Billy Martin, Earl Weaver, all those guys will be in diapers with what I'm going to say, because I'm going to rip a lot of people apart if we win this year, because enough is enough. What are we going to do to satisfy people?"
Continue Reading Ozzie Guillen Demands Satisfaction

Josh Fields Could Be Traded

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 22nd 2008 1:08PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, AL Central, MLB Rumors

Before the 2008 season began, there were plenty of White Sox fans who thought the team would be better off having Josh Fields as their third baseman and trading Joe Crede. Considering how close Crede was to being traded to the Giants and Dodgers last winter, it's pretty apparent that White Sox GM Kenny Williams was thinking the same way.

Then the season started and Crede was at third for the Sox while Josh Fields was manning the position down in Charlotte. Well, even though Crede's defense has suffered in 2008 (he's already committed a career-high 19 errors which is likely due to his back), he still made the All-Star team for the first time in his career, and there's talk that the Sox may re-sign him this winter.

All of which makes Fields a little more expendable should the White Sox feel the need to add another starting pitcher to their rotation.
A source has indicated the Sox have been in discussions with ''more than one'' team about adding pitching help, either in the rotation or bullpen -- or possibly both -- and the major discussion is whether they dare part ways with minor-league third baseman Josh Fields.

According to the source, unless they are willing to part ways with Fields, there is no deal to be made. Basically, do they forfeit the future at third base to chase October glory this season?
The two pitchers whose names keep popping up lately in trade talks involving the White Sox are Toronto's A.J. Burnett and Oakland's Justin Duchscherer. If the Sox are to make a move, I'm guessing they'd prefer Duchscherer seeing as how Kenny Williams has a long trade history with Billy Beane, and Burnett is an overpaid injury risk that can opt out of his contract at season's end.

Ozzie Guillen Has No Complaints

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 2nd 2008 2:41PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, AL Central, MLB Rumors

While the Twins and Tigers are busy throwing fastballs at each other's heads this week, the White Sox are taking advantage of it by beating up on the lowly Cleveland Indians, and adding some cushion to their division lead in the AL Central. Still, even though the Sox have won six in a row, have the best ERA in baseball, and have crushed an American League-best 113 home runs, the team still has holes.

Considering that they're relying on two young pitchers without proven track records over an entire season in Gavin Floyd and John Danks, there's some speculation that Kenny Williams could be in the market for another starting pitcher. There's also the fact that the offense is too reliant on those home runs they hit, and could use some more speed on the basepaths.

None of this bothers Ozzie Guillen though, as he's perfectly content with taking his chances with his current roster.
"You have to crawl before you start running," Guillen said Tuesday while being careful not to declare the Sox a playoff-bound team. "This ballclub [can] compete and be in the playoffs, be alive in the pennant race. And if we get to the playoffs, I don't mind taking this ballclub to the World Series."
Continue Reading Ozzie Guillen Has No Complaints

Kenny Williams Still Really Hates the Cubs

Eamonn BrennanPosted Jun 19th 2008 10:10AM by Eamonn Brennan (author feed)
Filed under: Chicago, White Sox, Cubs, AL Central, NL Central

There's this thing called the Cubs-Sox rivalry. Have you heard of it? Apparently people get all angry and mad at each other about baseball. One team's fan base comprises a bunch of yuppie d-bag idiots from all over the Midwest; the other one is made up of neurotics with inferiority complexes. Generalizations! And then they play the games, and people get kind of excited, and then they go back to work Monday morning and all is right with the world.

Ahead of this weekend's crosstown series, White Sox GM Kenneth Williams is doing everything he can to stoke that rivalry:
''It is so different,'' Williams said. ''You might as well build a border, a Great Wall of China on Madison, because we are so different. We might as well be in two different cities. The unfortunate thing for me is it's a shame that a certain segment of Chicago refused to enjoy a baseball championship being brought to their city. The only thing I can say is, 'Happy anniversary." ''Let me just throw out one question: What happens if we win another one before they win one?'' he said.
Continue Reading Kenny Williams Still Really Hates the Cubs

Meet The AL Central Draft Picks

Tom FornelliPosted Jun 5th 2008 7:00PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, Indians, Tigers, Royals, Twins, AL Central, MLB Draft

Now that the exciting action of MLB's amateur draft has completed it's first round, it's time to take a look at our country's next millionaires. Here's a quick glance at the first round selections by the teams of the AL Central.

Kansas City Royals (3) Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage (Fla) H.S.: Picking this early in the draft is nothing new for the Royals, as they've had a top six pick in six of the last seven drafts. They've spent a lot of those picks on position players, as they've only chosen one pitcher (Luke Hochevar) with their first pick in the last four years. Well, considering that the Royals currently have the lowest scoring offense in baseball, and have hit the least amount of home runs, it's no shock that they went after a player with a lot of power in his bat. It's been said the left-handed hitting Hosmer has more raw power than any other player taken in the first round, and he can use that power to go to the opposite field just as easily as pulling the ball. Some wonder if he'll be a first baseman in the Majors, though, as he does have a very strong throwing arm, and may eventually be moved to the outfield.

Chicago White Sox (8) Gordon Beckham, SS, Georgia: After all the trades Kenny Williams has made the last few seasons, the White Sox farm system has been left pretty bare, especially in the middle infield. That's why the Sox had to be ecstatic when Beckham fell to them at the 8th spot. Beckham can play both shortstop and second, though he'll probably stay at short, and he can swing the bat as well. He hit .307/.505/.781 for the Bulldogs this season, and according to ESPN's Keith Law, he'll be the best prospect in the White Sox organization the second he signs his contract. Considering that Orlando Cabrera doesn't plan on sticking around in Chicago after this season, and the team is never happy with Juan Uribe, it may not be very long before White Sox fans see Beckham at U.S. Cellular Field.
Continue Reading Meet The AL Central Draft Picks
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Fantasy Football
ADVERTISEMENT