"The infidels from Detroit City cannot compete with our soldiers! We will crush them, Allah willing."

I was hoping it was Screamin' Jay.

I like confidence, but Williams shouldn't assume that the Tigers are going to crap the bed just because they haven't won the division in 20 years and choked twice in '06.

Williams' biggest problem is that he has been almost completely incapable of developing young position players. As we've seen, there's tremendous value to having Grade A prospects -- they might develop into superstar talent, or can be used to trade for superstar talent. Without that, the White Sox are going to struggle to compete just like they did last year. There's some hope with the young pitching (Gonzalez, de los Santos, maybe Danks), but where are the slugging outfielders and first basemen who can take over for Thome, Konerko, and Dye? They don't exist. That's a failure on the part of the current front office.

Well, the slugging first baseman just went to Arizona for Carlos Quentin.

Um . . ignore previous comment. Wrong thread.

You are just wrong on this, Mulligan. Yes, the Sox current farm system is fallow especially in hitting talent. And, perhaps, during Williams' reign as GM the Sox haven't produced much frontline talent, however, before that he was the head of player of development, when the Sox were producing tons of talent. So, Kenny does know something about developing minor league talent and I believe that he has fashioned a tremendous organizational scouting. Williams' certainly has been willing to trade away prospects for current MLB talent, but as I've said before, the Sox have been perhaps the best organization in baseball in keeping good minor leaguers and trading off minor leaguers that fail to pan out. If Chris Young becomes a good player then he will the first Sox minor leaguer (that is with very little or no major league experience) to succeed since 1991 and Bob Wickman (IIRC).

Um . . ignore previous comment. Wrong thread.

I know what you meant though.

I put a spell on you...

Does anyone know KW's tone of voice when he said this? It sounds like a joke that just doesn't translate well to the printed page.

You are just wrong on this, Mulligan. Yes, the Sox current farm system is fallow especially in hitting talent. And, perhaps, during Williams' reign as GM the Sox haven't produced much frontline talent

Let me get this straight. My two main points were essentially that...

"the Sox current farm system is fallow especially in hitting talent" and

"during Williams' reign as GM the Sox haven't produced much frontline talent."

You agree with both of these points.

So when you say I'm just wrong on "this," what exactly does "this" mean?

By the way, I have no problem with Williams trading prospects for current talent. I just wish that the "tremendous organizational scouting" you speak of could produce someone who could help this team. Not Brian Anderson. Not Jerry Owens. But a bona fide MLB player. Maybe Josh Fields is one. I hope so. Who are the others? Obviously the Tigers have some advantages in drafting, since they've sucked so hard for so long. But where are the White Sox equivalents of Miller and Maybin?

But where are the White Sox equivalents of Miller and Maybin?

This has something to do with draft position in those two years, of course, but also with the position that each organization has taken toward draft slotting. I'm guessing that the Sox haven't gone above slot since Joe Borchard (although that's just off the top of my head and I'm not a draftnik, so...).

Maybin, Miller and Porcello (who was drafted last year, when the Tigers selected after the Sox) are all players that the Tigers drafted and signed because they were willing to ignore the slot recommendations.

Does anyone know KW's tone of voice when he said this? It sounds like a joke that just doesn't translate well to the printed page.

The only way it makes sense is if it is a joke, or Williams is thinking really long term. You see, in a few years after the White Sox have a fire sale to restock their system, and Detroit starts losing it's stars and doesn't have quite enough prospects to maintain their team, then Detroit will be in a good position to compete with the White Sox. Yes, in 2013, Detroit might be in a good position to compete with the White Sox. KW's got it all figured out.

This has something to do with draft position in those two years, of course, but also with the position that each organization has taken toward draft slotting.

My thoughts exactly. Since the Sox haven't drafted in the top 10 much at all, they aren't going to get a slew of guys like Miller and Maybin. A lot of the guys the Tigers have drafted (Maybin, Miller, Verlander) all came because the Tigers were bad. Really really bad. The Sox have the 8th pick this year, lets see what they do with it.

Williams said: ‘‘All this has done is put the Tigers in a better position to contend with us.’’

This is the same as when a player guarantees his team will win. What, we expect these guys to not think they're going to win? Do people really think that athletes and the like do all this preparing and practicing and competing and still expect to lose? They're in it to win, and that's the only thing to think about.

"Lying is forbidden in Chicago. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honor and integrity. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced in their eyes and hearts."

A lot of the guys the Tigers have drafted (Maybin, Miller, Verlander) all came because the Tigers were bad. Really really bad. The Sox have the 8th pick this year, lets see what they do with it.

Last year they got Porcello with the 20somethingth pick, by being willing to spend money. He could be traded just as well as Miller was. The White Sox could have been doing that, too.

The White Sox could have been doing that, too.

They certainly could have drafted Porcello, as they picked a few spots ahead of the Tigers. They weren't picking high enough for Maybin and Miller, even with their signability concerns. The White Sox could have picked Daniel Bard ahead of the Red Sox, to name one example that comes to mind.

Last year they got Porcello with the 20somethingth pick, by being willing to spend money. He could be traded just as well as Miller was. The White Sox could have been doing that, too.

I highly doubt that Jerry Reinsdorf will authorise the White Sox to start paying above slot recommendation.

The guy the White Sox got in the first round last year (Aaron Poreda) is working out pretty nicely thus far.

I don't think the White Sox need to be upping their signing bonuses - the A's and Twins worry about signability, and their systems are very nice - as getting better at scouting. They need to expand their international scouting as well as get better at recognizing good ballplayers here in the states.

They have a tough row to hoe - they're at least 3 years from contention, I think - but they need to stop fooling themselves and admit that contention isn't the goal this year. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery and whatnot.

I highly doubt that Jerry Reinsdorf will authorise the White Sox to start paying above slot recommendation.

Why not? They signed Belle after the chidding over free agent contracts.

Why not? They signed Belle after the chidding over free agent contracts.

And they gave Joe Borchard a really high signing bonus. In both cases, the Sox got burned, and in both cases, the experiment was not repeated.

Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery and whatnot.

I look forward to the step where they apologize to fans for Podsednik.

I look forward to the step where they apologize to fans for Podsednik.

I don't know what they can do to make amends for that.

Do people really think that athletes and the like do all this preparing and practicing and competing and still expect to lose? They're in it to win, and that's the only thing to think about.

I call BS on that. Athletes certainly know when their teams suck, and they do expect to lose more often than not. They do all the "preparing and practicing and competing" because they want to get paid. Do you really lose sleep about your company losing market share? Only if it affects your job, right?

They're in it to get paid.

I don't know what they can do to make amends for that.

Ritual suicide, perhaps. Anything else would be inadequate.

Well, "contend" doesn't necessarily have to mean 'compete in the standings'... it could be "contend" in the same way a flamethrower better enables me to contend with gnats - sure beats a rolled up newspaper.

The White Sox could have picked Daniel Bard ahead of the Red Sox, to name one example that comes to mind.

The Red Sox drafted a spot ahead of the White Sox last year.

I don't know what they can do to make amends for that.

They could start with one-on-one's with his wife.

Do you really lose sleep about your company losing market share? Only if it affects your job, right?

They're in it to get paid.

I wouldn't want you in my company.
Sure most people (virtually all people are in it to get paid)
but most people ALSO want to win- if there in a profession that you can "win" or "lose" most peopel want to win, independent of other things.

They could start with one-on-one's with his wife.

There's still time for the Sox to sign Kris Benson.

I don't think Williams was joking. I also don't think he completely believes what he says. It's GM speak mainly. What's he supposed to say? "The Tigers' acquisition of Cabrera leaves us with no hope of competing. And sorry folks, we simply don't have the prospects to improve internally or via trade. But please be sure to sign up now for the 2011 season ticket plan when we'll be good again."

And of course, Williams might believe it. It seems pretty clear he doesn't think last year's team was as bad as its record. And he knows that Cabrera's a great hitter but still not likely to outhit a healthy Thome. And he traded away the equivalent of Willis already this winter so obviously he's not too worried about that.

The Red Sox drafted a spot ahead of the White Sox last year.

Thanks. I was thinking that Bard was a supplemental pick.

I wouldn't want you in my company.
Sure most people (virtually all people are in it to get paid)
but most people ALSO want to win- if there in a profession that you can "win" or "lose" most peopel want to win, independent of other things.

Oh, come on. Do you think people at Pepsi worry that much about being #2 to Coke? The top guys, sure. Like GM's and managers do for baseball teams. But both are money making machines, just like sports teams, and the average workers are happy to do their jobs well and get paid.

Haven't you noticed how players aren't as devastated as fans when they lose, e.g. Glavine after his last game implosion. Because it's a profession for them, and they're in it for professional success.

Oh, and on not wanting me in your company. Believe me, the guys who go overboard to be #1 in the league tables (in banking) are the ones who destroy your company, b/c they do stupid things to be #1. My company has always been #2 in our industry (by market share) and made way more money for our shareholders than #1.

To paraphrase Groucho:

I would never work for a company that would hire someone like me.

I look forward to the step where they apologize to fans for Podsednik.

Kenny Williams is currently planning to bring Pierre on board to show how Podsednik should have worked out.

This discussion is hilarious. First the Sun-Times makes a big deal out of a PR spin comment, then people spend valuable time dissecting it. Can't we all go back to arguing over how much Miguel Cabreba's production will drop changing leagues?

Why would Williams apologize for Podsednik? It was a good trade, helped bring us a championship and then he held on to him WAY too long.

I still like counting the RINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.