Something old, something new
Hope everybody had a terrific holiday weekend. I have to catch up with some book-writing, so here’s an assortment of items past, present and future:
*I added a dozen photos from Cooperstown to the Sox Machine Facebook page, many from the Viva Baseball exhibit, which I hadn’t visited before.
I also scored a couple old Bill James Baseball Abstracts from 1986 and 1987, which covers the beginning and end of Hawk Harrelson’s one-year stint as general manager. Like the 1960s, that’s a period of Sox history I’ve always wanted to know more about. These should be a pretty good window into how that debacle played out.
*Takashi Saito is on the White Sox’s radar, according to reports out of Japan. He’s effective, but he’ll also be 40 when pitchers and catchers report. He was mentioned in timmeh’s offseason plan (suggested retail value: one year, $3 million), but I wouldn’t count on the Sox emerging victorious, as they rarely win these multiple-team free-agent throwdowns.
*Andrew breaks down the mid-1990s-Cleveland-to-2000s-Chicago “talent” pipeline.
*Phil Rogers likes Eduardo Escobar:
Some with the White Sox believe Escobar has that [Vizquel’s] type of potential.
More than Buddy Bell does:
I don’t think we want to drop Omar Vizquel (comparisons) on him just yet.”
*An Oakland blogger wants Brent Morel.
*Looking through the Chicago Tribune archives to see what kind of ink Robert Valido received (the answer: similar, but not even as early as the raving about Escobar), I came across this quote from John Danks Sr. after Jordan Danks declined signing with the Sox following the 2005 draft:
“My hope is that he enjoys a couple of years at UT before getting drafted by the White Sox. I love the White Sox. I hope they play in the World Series.”
Thank You, Thank You. Those pics were great. Nancy was quite the looker.
Jim, how often do you get to the Hall? I read on your profile, you live in upstate NY.
About every few months. It’s only about 80 minutes away.
Lucky. I’ve been to a bunch of stadiums on some fantastic week long trips, but have never made out that far.
Figure a trip would be somewhere in the days to just get through.
Someday, someday…
Guys like Escobar still present little value in my baseball world. Vizquel is old school, and guys like him, or lesser versions like Adam Everett are barely fringe starters when they provide little to nothing with the bat. Vizquel was atleast at one point a descent hitter, Escobar will need to be the same to progress thru the system.
Saito on the cheap isnt a bad idea at all, he can get outs.
I remeber a radio interview on the score with Mr Danks and he might as well of been on the sox payroll he spoke so highly of the organization, so its good to know the ownership and gm and everyone involved in that process are doing a nice job.
With all the to-do over Thanksgiving weekend, we somehow overlooked the Phillies signing DeWayne Wise: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/phillies-sign-dewayne-wise-wilson-valdez.html
It seems they’re serious about regaining their former glory and winning the World Series again…what better way to do that than by signing Wise.
I visited Cooperstown on Fourth of July week, 2002. The town was packed. I think I was the only person there wearing White Sox gear.
Are you going to have a tribute to Charlie Weis, Jim?
Here’s the headline:
IRRELEVANT TEAM FIRES COACH
Well, I had to ask.