Yes I am a Sox fan, but one of my complaints against the Reinsdorf Era has been that they have competed in a small market division and have had minimal success over that time. Competing against these teams that rarely spent money allowed them to battle maybe, one team per year for almost 25 years, before last year.

Then I listen to Kenny going after the Cubs division and laughing on how they just might win 'that' division.

I guess the last 25 year didn't matter.

Also not such a fan of Kenny forgetting the World Champs came from the Cubs divsion and they beat the team from the Sox divsion. Not that I am a St . Louis fan, but when we got no respect for winning the World Series it was the same thing, I guess Kenny can dish but not take?

IMHO there is a bunch of Sox fans, giving Kenny the benefit of the doubt, which he earned from 2005, but waiting for this 2007 team to be .500 or so, and then they will rise.

I don't think anyone can argue that Williams made this team weaker for 2007. They turn out much stronger in the long run, which is part of the GM's job. Still, I am of the belief that when you have a championship caliber team, the long term plan becomes secondary to winning the WS.

Im a Cub guy but even without Garcia and McCarthy the Sox should still be the favs to win the AL Central. In my opinion this division is overrated. Tigers were over their heads last year, reality will set in this year. Twins have no Liriano or Radke, but Sidney Ponson is in their camp LOL. Indians pen doesnt do much for me and the Royals are still the Royals. White Sox look like the best of the bunch to me.

Shocking!

Kenny cut payroll this year and the self proclaimed "knowlegable Sox fans" are ingoring it. Yes, dont overpay, I understand that, but he is getting a free pass. He earned it last year, but now being two years removed from a WS Championship, its time to start asking some tough questions.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Sox payroll higher this year than last year? It's not about money, it's about building talent and not turning into an old, achy, expensive team and turning into the Cubs by needing to buy free agents.

Take away the money the Phils and D-Backs are payng Thome and Vazquez, the payroll is less.

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He is not getting a free pass. He is taking a lot of shit, and if he ends up being right all those people won't be around

Kenny's biggest fan is Kenny.

I guess as a GM you need to have such confidence that every move you make will work out and I don't think that confidence exists in Kenny if they don't win 2005.

Just not a Kenny Williams fan at all.

I think his 2005 team played above his expectations and he took a ton of credit for guys he wanted to get rid of, or guys he didn't go and get.

Sure it is a slap at Kenny but a compliment to Ozzie and the players.

Fact remains, if things get done Kenny's way, Cito Gaston is manager and the question I have, DO THE SOX WIN THE WORLD SERIES IN 2005 WITH CITO AS MANAGER?

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

No they wouldn't win with Cito Gaston

Ozzie has a real connection with his players so no matter how crazy he acts, they still respect him. He brings the best out of them.



I think Kenny is smart by trying to save money, but why launch Garcia now when you have one more year with him and to get a pitcher with a 7.29 ERA. As far as McCarthy goes, we could have had Soriano for 1/2 a year which may have changed things at the end. The big weakness was pitching and McCarthy blew a few games last year after he was proclaimed the so called future of the team.

I am trying really hard to trust Kenny, but its kind of hard. After all he is the GM and I am just a fan

Jae, I think most people would agree that they don't win in 05 without Ozzie and the fact is that Kenny did not want him, Kenny didn't want AJ, Kenny was willing to take Iguchi for only a low price, Kenny wanted to trade Crede and Garland before the season, Kenny tried to trade Konerko the season before.

I do not chalk it up to luck. The players and coaches displayed true skill and won because of that. The GM didn't

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I think Kenny has become so convinced that he is the man that took them to the WS that he can do no wrong and it's not right for the fans (his customers) to question him

He better hope for a huge season, at least a playoff, or he might be in trouble.

Totally agree with Kenny using his get out of jail card for this season! He would never be pullng this crap if he didn't the WS!

So many players, coaches, GM's and owners told me that hey had a good year last year with 90 wins and I should appreciate that. This 2007 team is not as good and if they lose by a few games, Kenny is to answer

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"Woof Woof"

For those not paying attention, KW has the equivalent of a government job for as long as Reinsdorf is around. He will never be fired.

That's only part of the story BF. KW made brilliant trades for Contrearas, Garcia and Uribe (think about getting those three guys and the best player they gave up was Aron Miles). He moved Carlos Lee for Podsednik (who was an all stat that year) and bullpen relief. The money saved on Lee was also used to bring in Hernandez who had the defining moment of the WS run. He lowballed Iguichi because he knew the Sox were the only team that was a serious bidder for his skills (I acknowledge some luck there as, by his own admission, he had only scouted Iguichi with tapes).

Even more importantly he cobbled together a bullpen. He beat the great Billy Beane in getting Cotts who was fantastic that year. Cliff Politte had two great years with the Sox. Williams rediscovered Bobby Jenks when he was on the scrap heap available to every GM in the game. Call it luck if you will but KW acquired enough good players to go have three closers that year with Mr. Zero, Hermanson and then Jenks.

Also, I am a big believer that there is absolutely nothing special about Ozzie Guillen as a manager. He is mechanical with his use of the bullpen. He plays reserves out of position. He believes that the way to get the most of people is to demean them publicly. The greatest thing Ozzie Guillen did in 05 was to not overmanage in the playoffs. The four complete games in a row may never be replecated.

If KW was lucky, he used up all his luck for the next decade in one year. I think he was good.

touch em all, gd.

Way to give em the 1,2 combo GD.

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I'm bringin Sellars back..

Big Fan has never liked KW. That's fine. I just don't think a GM can accidently win a World Series like BF claims. Do you need some guys to surprise with career years? Yes. The Sox had that. But that can be said of alot of World Series teams.

KW is perfect, death to those who dare question him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even though, once the sox fall out of contention, most of you will be calling for his head.

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No one said he was perfect Fred. I have some problems with his offseason this year. What we are saying is that the championship run has to be chalked up to more than just dumb luck.

GD, I was just kidding, but Kenny does have a huge ego and loves the priase, but he is thinned skinned and doesnt like to be called out. Kenny has taken a huge chance this year and if it blows up in his face, he better get ready to take the heat.

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Yes, Kenny gets credit for Vazquez and Garcia, but he sure tried to trade some of main peices or in the case of Aj and Iguchi, didn't even want them and in the case of his manager, didn't want him either.

Always going to be an element of luck in any World Series and the Sox got that in every break possible, which is part of it. I never begrudge a team for it's luck factor.

2 Huge peices to that Sox team are AJ and Ozzie. Kenny didn;t want either of them. he said so in the press before he ended up being forced to get both.

yes, forced.

Ozzie, because Jerry R. did not want a sleepier version of Jerry Manuel in Cito Gaston and AJ because they basically had no catchers. NONE

Up until the end of the free agency period you had Ben Davis and 73 year old Sandy!

Just to show you how much Kenny hated his catchers, he signed Chris Widger from a softball team AFTER Spring Training started and this guy beat out Ben Davis!

When it was apparent to everyone on the planet that the Sox needed a catcher and Aj was far and away the best option Kenny replied "He just doesn't fit in with our team." Then 3 weeks later Kenny said "he talked to some people and AJ was ok now."

That someone was Jerry R. and Dennis Hastings, who basically told Kenny and his hot head what to do.

same on the Iguchi negotiations

same on the Dye signing

Would any team trade a guy who hit .305, 31 HR and 99 RBI for a guy who batted .244 with a low OBP? yes he had 70 SB's? Straight up? Now way. it was a salary dump and he did a good job of it, but it is not like Kenny did it because he wanted to.

Konerko - Anyone could have got him if they wanted him.

Crede - Offered around the league, no takers

Garland - Same thing

Uribe - The guy is a journeyman just holding down a job. Could fill this spot with 10 other guys.

Jenks- Once again. I give credit for taking a flyer on a guy, but his closer of choice was Mr. Zero! Hermanson and Polite. Career years helped there.

I give kenny credit for trying to make things happen in the way of deals when he is strapped financially, but lucky for him, many of these deals didn't work out like he wanted them to.

Still begs the question. Cito Gaston win with the 2005 team?

I don't even rip on Kenny for being thin skinned and ready to take athe praise, but go after you when you opposse him. Thats not part of his job. if he sounds like a cocky prick, he just might be a cocky prick (Which he is), but it neither makes him a better or worse manager.

Only coach/GM i really ever thought was a worse GM/coach because of his press dealings was Dick Jauron. I think it was the focus of his thoughts so many time sof never saying the wrong thing.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I actually thought that Hawk Harrelson was the one that convinced Kenny to get A.J. Hawk knew A.J as a kid in Florida. A.J went to school with Hawk's daughter I think.

If you are correct, that's even more pathetic.

Kenny didn't like the guy, but then Hawk's daughter knew him from school and he is OK? lol

I guess I could be a GM after all. I know a ton of people that know other people that went to school with other people.

I don't chalk winning up to luck. The Sox had the same luck as any other team did winning a world series.

The lucky thing for kenny is that none of the trades he wanted to make went through.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Bottom line. He made the final decision. Shouldn't he get credit for not being a stubborn dictator and actually listening to others in the organization. I think so. That kind of goes against the "arrogant dick" that you portray him as Big Fan.

No, you should not get credit because other people prevent you from messing up.

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Call Dye, AJ and Iguichi lucky if you want. He signed three all star caliber players to below market contracts. I call that a job well done. Each was open for anyone to sign. Each also had his problems (Dye-injuries, AJ-attitude, Iguichi-older and foreign). Smart people seek advice on major decisions. You bash KW for moves that he wanted to make but could not complete. Then you call the deals he did not want to make but did eventually complete lucky. And why was he able to afford these three? Because he moved Lee. Sure it was a salary dump, but it was calculated.

If leaders were judged on moves all the moves they considered, no one would be held in much esteem.

I hate his attitude at times. I despise the way he treated Frank and encouraged that little pissant Guillen to treat him poorly. I think KW was hired as much to promote the social agenda of the chairman of the owners diversity subcomittee as for his talent. However, I am not blind to a man who has clearly developed into a good GM. When someone makes moves that consistently work, it is hard to call him lucky.

You give Ozzie much too much credit. I think any number of managers could have takent the team to the World Series. I also believe that if Ozzie were fired tomorrow, he would have a very difficult time finding a new job.

Better then not listening and actually messing up. Yeah. Maybe your right. Guys like Larry Himes, Ron Shuler, Ed Lynch, Andy McFail, and Jim Hendry are "my way or the high way guys". It all worked out really well for those guys.

Yet Ozzie never said anything bad about Frank except the first year he was there when he said something along the lines of "shape up or ship out." Ozzie played with Frank. He knew what kind of a SOB Frank could be at times. Kenny Williams made himself look like a shitbird the way he handled that one.

The bottom line: Kenny Williams is a decent GM but he has done some questionable things this year.

Ozzie Guillen, I believe he is a good manager but his two faults, one his temper gets the best of him and he forgets he is in a different role than a player. I think he still thinks he is a player once in a while and secondly, he gives people too many chances. He had too much faith in the pitching staff last year and it screwed the Sox

Ozzie is a good manager because he believes in his team, he keeps things loose in the clubhouse, and players like him and respect him. He has a winning record as a manager and he freely admits that managers don't make the team, the players do. Can he be an asshole? Yes. Will that respect from the players carry on if Ozzie continues to berate people like Garland? No. The Sox were trying to get over the hump and all because Garland didn't bean Padilla, Ozzie had a shit fit. Not cool at all. Ozzie is also new at being a manager and still needs to mature.

You can't credit Ozzie alone with the WS. You can call him a factor, but it was the players that step up and I completely agree with GD on that one