Let the Speculation Begin

21.5 games out of the Wild Card lead with seven games left to play, there isn't much of interest left to follow in the White Sox season this year. Let the offseason speculation begin...

Chicago Tribune:

...But with Cleveland on the verge of clinching the division for the first time since 2001, emphasis has shifted to how the Sox and Twins will regroup, whether it's Minnesota surviving the potential loss of All-Star center fielder Torii Hunter or how Sox general manager Ken Williams will revamp his roster after a disastrous 2007.

Williams hasn't been shy about making bold changes, such as reshaping the lineup that produced a 2005 World Series championship. A retooled bullpen was 2007's major alteration, but it collapsed two months into the season.

Manager Ozzie Guillen expects Williams to make more daring moves, but he doesn't expect first baseman Paul Konerko to be involved.

"I don't think Konerko is going to be one of the guys [traded]," Guillen said. "We don't know, but I don't see that coming. I see [pitcher Jon] Garland saying, 'I'm going to get traded.' I don't think that's the right comment because we don't know that.

"One thing about Kenny, he will let you know what you need to know. If we put any one of our five starters on the market, someone will take it. You have to be careful of that and say, 'Well, why do these people want to take it and we cannot keep it?'

"I'm not just talking about Garland. I understand why he thinks about it because it seems like every year he's been [rumored to be] traded. But we're not going to play dirty with guys who were important for us. We're not going to lie to people."

Guillen Contract

If you're looking to purchase a White Sox jersey this offseason, your only safe bet up until tonight was Bobby Jenks (after all, it is not certain that any of this year's White Sox team will be back). Now, it appears you can add Guillen to the "safe" list, as he has received a contract extension though 2012.

AP:

"The problems that we are having right now, I simply do not believe that they are problems that are with our coaching staff or with our manager," general manager Ken Williams said, calling the contract extension an easy decision.

"I already said previously that I put all that weight on my shoulders. I'm the one that has to put them in a better position to win baseball games and that means going out and making the necessary adjustments to get this team where we are better and get guys back up to their normal level of production."

Williams said he wanted the players, Guillen and the fans to know that the White Sox -- who had 99- and 90-win seasons before this year's debacle -- would engage in an offseason plan to ensure there would not be a repeat of this year's record.

..."This is the worst summer I've had in all my career because I was too soft. I was kind of worried about what people were going to say about me," Guillen said. "I could care less what people say about me as long as I win."

Guillen was voted AL Manager of the Year in 2005 but the White Sox slid from contention early this season and were 61-83 entering Tuesday, tied with Florida and Tampa Bay for the poorest record in the major leagues.

...Now Guillen will be a major part of the restructuring and there certainly will be some criticism of his new deal after such a horrible season.

"I respect that because everybody has their own opinion," Guillen said. "I think I should be criticized for the way we played this year. ... Believe me, after this year and last year what I went through, I'm bulletproof. I've been taking a lot of heat. I don't blame people for putting me on the spot because of the way played."

Continued White Sox Analysis from the Oz

Chicago Tribune:

"Well, they're killing me," Guillen said. "They're killing my family. They're killing my coaching staff, killing the White Sox fans. They kill the owner. They kill everyone. I hope they feel the same way we feel."

...

"You don't see this today," Guillen said. "You've seen this since April. I keep giving people a chance to succeed, a pat on the back. I wish I played for a manager like that. I swear to God I wish I could have played for a (expletive) manager like that. Every time you fail and keep putting guys out there who fail day in and day out, that's easy to play.

"A $100 million payroll and those guys don't show how much they make in the field. Well, Kenny [Williams], I don't say what he has to do, but we play like this and spend all that money on the club like that, I will shut the payroll and go with Double-A kids if we have to, because it's not easy. I know those guys go out there and they care about it."

...

"I hope somebody out there cares the way we care," he said. "Good guys or nice guys finish (expletive) last. I'm tired of seeing that (expletive), day in and day out. And I don't want to spend a miserable September seeing the same (expletive). If I have to see the same (expletive), I told Kenny, 'Bring somebody up. (Expletive) it.'"

White Sox Season Recap

Chicago Sun-Times:

''I finally have to admit it -- we're horse [expletive],'' Guillen said. ''I thought we were just playing bad, but, no, we're horse [expletive].''

The Hot Stove Tracker is Back

It is not going to surprise anyone when I say that the White Sox have been miserable this season.

So what to do? Start thinking about next year, of course.

The Chicago White Sox Hot Stove Tracker hereby is back. Time to get great for '08.

Today's entry: Torii Hunter (I'm guessing this one will keep popping up throughout the winter)

Chicago Tribune, 8/23/07:

Guillen acknowledged the price and dearth of effective leadoff batters means it's possible Jerry Owens will bat first again next spring. Owens has played better than Guillen expected in center field. Owens could shift over to left if the Sox land a marquee free-agent center fielder such as Minnesota's Torii Hunter.

Guillen Out of Touch on This One

Ozzie Guillen is a character, but this one goes too far. In fact it rounds the bend from being colorful to end up in the realm of the idiotic.

ChicagoSports.com:

"I'm sure there are people in Chicago who are happy we didn't make it. And not just Cubs fans either. White Sox fans too. Some people think, the media, they're happy we didn't make it. But we can't please everyone. We just have to come back strong and try to get another shot next year."

HUH?!? White Sox fans are happy that we aren't in the playoffs?!? Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie. You're taking things way, way, way too far. The only Sox "fans" who are happy that we aren't in the playoffs are those who wear Cubs hats to U.S. Cellular.

Here is the end of the quote:

Guillen believes that those detractors do respect him.

"Some people don't like the way I am," Guillen said. "I'm the way I am, and no one is going to take that away from me. Of course, some people are really sad we don't make it, but they're true fans and the people who work at the park."

I guess I'm just a "true fan." Still, I can't fathom there are many White Sox fans who are happy with the way this year turned out.

White Sox Therapy Session #1

Second half of the season got you down? Can't believe the losing continued last night? Spaulding, Get Your Foot Off the Boat understands. Therefore, presented here for your sanity is White Sox Therapy Session #1 -- good perspective from the Sox taken from today's ChicagoSports.com article. Remember, back away from the panic button.

"I don't blame people who think the way they do right now because we're not playing good baseball. Last year we did the same thing for a month. Now hopefully this is a week or a month we're going to go through it. The bad thing about it is Detroit is playing good." -- Ozzie Guillen

"We knew early in the year when Minnesota wasn't playing well that that wasn't going to last. The Twins went through [bad times] in April, we're going through it now and then we'll be out of it. A month from now everybody will be talking about how good we are. It's just the ups and downs of a season. It's just a matter of, after 162 games, who's left standing." -- Paul Konerko