Jerry_Manuel
07-25-2002, 11:43 PM
From the Trib: (I'll post the important parts)
The Sox reportedly agreed to pay about $500,000 of the remaining $2.1 million remaining on Durham's contract. An underachieving team and poor attendance at Comiskey Park combined to make Durham the first to go from the 2002 Sox.
"The reality is we could not afford Ray Durham beyond this year," Sox general manager Ken Williams said. "And I also think we have talented young men ready to step in."
"Jon has a good arm," Beane said. "We probably pushed him a little because we needed [starters] at Triple-A. He wasn't helped by our void [at Sacramento] and by rushing him. Kenny has historically taken [hard-throwing] guys like this and has a good track record of taking young arms and making them into good pitchers."
"Willie will get the bulk of the time there as the team currently stands," Williams said cryptically.
In Sox-speak, that means center fielder Kenny Lofton should have his suitcases packed. Lofton, the team's player representative, is among the soon-to-be free agents likely be purged by next Wednesday's non-waiver trade deadline as Williams shuffles the deck to get some fresh faces into the lineup for the final two months of a lost season.
As soon as Lofton departs, Harris figures to move to center and recently acquired D'Angelo Jimenez will be called up from Charlotte to play second. If the Sox can unload Royce Clayton, a more difficult task because of his $1.5 million remaining salary and .230 average, Jose Valentin will move to short and third baseman Joe Crede will be called up. Catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. is also on Williams' "must-go" list, which would open a spot for up-and-down prospect Josh Paul. The Sox also are shopping outfielders Jeff Liefer and Carlos Lee, along with Todd Ritchie and Bob Howry and others.
In a flip-flop version of the White Flag trade of '97, sources say Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is steaming because his team appeared to wave the white flag weeks ago . This time, Sox fans are likely to support a housecleaning, with the team trailing Minnesota by 14 games and looking defeated at times on the field.
The Sox reportedly agreed to pay about $500,000 of the remaining $2.1 million remaining on Durham's contract. An underachieving team and poor attendance at Comiskey Park combined to make Durham the first to go from the 2002 Sox.
"The reality is we could not afford Ray Durham beyond this year," Sox general manager Ken Williams said. "And I also think we have talented young men ready to step in."
"Jon has a good arm," Beane said. "We probably pushed him a little because we needed [starters] at Triple-A. He wasn't helped by our void [at Sacramento] and by rushing him. Kenny has historically taken [hard-throwing] guys like this and has a good track record of taking young arms and making them into good pitchers."
"Willie will get the bulk of the time there as the team currently stands," Williams said cryptically.
In Sox-speak, that means center fielder Kenny Lofton should have his suitcases packed. Lofton, the team's player representative, is among the soon-to-be free agents likely be purged by next Wednesday's non-waiver trade deadline as Williams shuffles the deck to get some fresh faces into the lineup for the final two months of a lost season.
As soon as Lofton departs, Harris figures to move to center and recently acquired D'Angelo Jimenez will be called up from Charlotte to play second. If the Sox can unload Royce Clayton, a more difficult task because of his $1.5 million remaining salary and .230 average, Jose Valentin will move to short and third baseman Joe Crede will be called up. Catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. is also on Williams' "must-go" list, which would open a spot for up-and-down prospect Josh Paul. The Sox also are shopping outfielders Jeff Liefer and Carlos Lee, along with Todd Ritchie and Bob Howry and others.
In a flip-flop version of the White Flag trade of '97, sources say Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is steaming because his team appeared to wave the white flag weeks ago . This time, Sox fans are likely to support a housecleaning, with the team trailing Minnesota by 14 games and looking defeated at times on the field.