Future roster and payroll decisions

[soxlug]

I visit here often and read a lot of posts. I will say this is the best White Sox message board I have ever found. I am a huge fan and am realistic about our chances at anything. So anyways my first topic thread so kind of nervous. First I want to say that I am thrilled that the White Sox have not handed out some of the rediculous contracts being handed out this off-season. Konerko's $65,000,000 seems like the deal of the century now. I go along with the thinking that KW is truely a good GM and he has seen an opportunity to build up the arms within the organization and am grateful for that. I guess ultimately where I am going with this is the opportunity for this team is closing (I am ecstatic with what the core has done by the way.) This year we have Thome, Dye, Buerhle, and the Crede saga as well all looking to say farewell. Iguchi too I believe is getting close. With the moves we have made this off-season our transition is going to be a lot less painful. We have enough young arms at the starts of what seems to be a descent rotation down the line. What do you guys think about us not issuing any huge contracts this year? Do you think we are going to deal for or sign another starter for this years team?

I am really excited about this years team plus excited about our farm system. The McCarthy trade I am not ecstatic about yet but KW brought us some rings. Here is what I want to see. I want Charlotte to field a whole year with Haeger, Floyd, Sisco, Phillips, and Tracey as their starting rotation with Gonzalez and Broadway added in 08 while any of this does not take away from the big boy club. Why? To season these players and for us to sign another starter (????) and keep Floyd and Sisco out of the bullpen and to see what they can do as starters at AAA. Is Sisco a starter? Ever? Thanks I would like (love) to see your thoughts.

[UserNameBlank]

I'm glad KW isn't overpaying for mediocre players, and I'm glad KW didn't give blank checks to Soriano and Zito.

Some of those guys you mentioned for Charlotte will be competing for a spot as our fifth starter. Not all of them will be in AAA as there is an entire back end of a bullpen to fill.

KW is getting young pitching, which is of course the most valuable commodity in baseball. If the decision is either keep these guys, offer them arbitration, get a couple draft picks, and let them walk or pick up a few more young pitchers so that everyone develops together we'll have a stocked rotation by '08 or '09, I'd actually prefer the former.

The thing is, a lot of Sox fans don't like what KW is doing, but what KW is doing is making sure the Sox stay competitive. If he didn't do this, two or three years from now we could be looking for a new GM.

If KW held on to all his starters, offered them arbitration, and let them walk, we'd only get tops 10 draft picks out of that. Also, of those ten draft picks, you'd have to think they would have a much smaller chance of reaching the majors than the guys we've acquired since the players we've picked up have already gone through most of the growing process. Plus even if some of the draft picks did reach the majors we'd have to sign a bunch of mediocre starters to fill in while they develop.

[itsnotrequired]

This year we have Thome, Dye, Buerhle, and the Crede saga as well all looking to say farewell.

:?:

I wasn't aware all these guys were itching to get out of town. The Sox control Crede for two more seasons and Thome is signed through 2008. Maybe they will be "looking to say farewell" after 2008 but certainly not in 2007.