Williams focused on future
White Sox continue to search for veteran outfield upgrade
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

Paul Konerko begins his 10th season in Chicago in 2008, looking for a fifth straight year with at least 31 home runs and 90 RBIs. (Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO -- Good news came Ken Williams' way on Thursday, and then he presented some apparent positive information for White Sox fans in a talk with MLB.com later that night.
The information received by Williams came via a phone call from Scott Boras, the agent for Joe Crede, who gave continued high marks to the third baseman's recovery from last season's back surgery. Williams, in turn, pretty much put to rest any rumors concerning a possible trade of Paul Konerko, the team's popular first baseman, offensive force in the middle of the order and White Sox captain.

"I've said before we would consider anything that makes us better," said Williams when asked directly about Konerko. "I have a hard time coming up with something that would make us better if we moved Paul Konerko.

"That's not to say someone won't present something to engage us in conversation. But I have not initiated any conversations, nor has anyone presented us with anything."

Konerko, 31, begins his 10th season in Chicago, currently on a run of four straight years with at least 31 home runs and 90 RBIs. Konerko had three straight years of 35 home runs and 100 RBIs prior to 2007. Crede, 29, has played parts of eight seasons with the White Sox, but had a microdisectomy performed on his back on June 12, costing him all but 167 at-bats and 47 games during the 2007 campaign.

With Josh Fields ready to take over third on a full-time basis, after showing great power and promise during Crede's absence, Crede's comeback in 2008 might not take place under Ozzie Guillen's watch. But it looks as if Crede will be healthy and ready to compete for the White Sox or some other Major League team.

Boras told Williams that while Crede has been hitting off a tee and working with Steve Odgers, the director of Boras Sports Training and former White Sox conditioning coach, Crede feels "as much range of motion as he has felt in years."

"That's great news," Williams said.

Williams added that there have been no new contractual discussions between the White Sox and Boras, meaning Crede still appears to be the third baseman on the trade block with free agency looming after 2008. Despite acknowledging quite a bit of interest in Crede from around baseball, Williams remains in no hurry to move the stellar defender and Silver Slugger winner from 2006.


"Something will be decided by April 1," said Williams of the Crede-Fields situation. "In terms of us moving forward, it's not a bad position to be in, with two quality guys.
"I don't see it as a negative. We will entertain offers from teams that want to ask about our guys and make the determination whether it's good or not. But we will not rush to make a decision."

By Williams' estimation, the team already has improved through the Hot Stove additions of shortstop Orlando Cabrera, left fielder Carlos Quentin and right-handed setup man Scott Linebrink, despite the departure of rotation stalwart Jon Garland. Williams continues to search for a veteran outfield upgrade following the much-publicized pursuit and eventual decision to move on without big-ticket free agents such as Torii Hunter, Kosuke Fukudome and Aaron Rowand, as well as coming up short on a somewhat remote trade candidate in Miguel Cabrera.

If the present target remains Boston's Coco Crisp, a player Williams would not comment on directly, then the plan must stay on hold until the Johan Santana situation is resolved in Minnesota. A Santana trade with the Red Sox either would send Crisp to the Twins or keep him in Boston, if rookie sensation Jacoby Ellsbury is moved as part of the package.

Missing out on Crisp, though, would not put a halt to Williams' offseason search.

"It sounds like a recording now," Williams said. "But we will continue to look at ways to get us better."

Some disgruntled fans wanted Williams to offer more money to Hunter or at least spend the $75 million earmarked over five years for the potential free-agent signing. But Williams explained how this money wasn't a hard-and-fast part of the overall 2008 budget, and he has to keep an eye on the White Sox future, while spending in the present.

"You are assuming we had $75 million," said Williams, when asked about the Hunter offer. "We were hoping to get that along the way, and ultimately, [the move] would pay for itself to a large degree. [Chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] authorized it, and I appreciate him having the faith in me to go out on a limb, because it took us well above break even.

"This is like your personal finances. There has to be a certain amount of fiscal responsibility, otherwise you will put yourself in a situation where you have to do without something that's very vital to the functioning of the house.

"Going a couple of years back, if I made some decisions on some of the players people were urging -- it goes back three, four, five years ago -- if I made those decisions in the fashion the public wanted me to do," Williams added, "we would not have been in position years later to extend [an offer to] Konerko or Garland, the first time, or Mark Buehrle.

"People say to look at today and only today, but I have to look at where we were and where we are going. You can't take one action and have it prevent you from doing something that might be important to the overall picture. I have not found a way to articulate that point in a way that people understand or accept

_________________
“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter and Those Who Matter Don't Mind.” ~ Dr. Suess


Nice Guys Finish Last

Thank you,and have a nice day !

He's spinning so much about where that money went that was offered to Hunter that I'm getting dizzy.

I also don't believe for a second that the White Sox are not making money. Baseball, as Bud Selig keeps reminding us, brought in 6 billion dollars - apparently, the White Sox didn't get any of this, those huge crowds last season were just my imagination ????

I'm a frustrated White Sox fan. 75 wins, here we come!

How are the white sox a better team today by trading jon garland?

I'm sick of this crying poor crap too. The Sox drew 2.7 million last year. 2.9 million the year before.

They are the 3rd largest market so they get more than most towns in local TV and radio deals. The Sox have 30 games or so on Superstation WGN.

Yes, it's a Cubs town but there are a lot of Sox fans too. Don't forget, in 2005 and 2006, it was reported that the Sox had better local TV ratings than the Cubs.

You can't tell me that the LA Angels have a better following in LA than the Sox do in Chicago. No way. They've come on recently but the Sox have 100 years of history. The Angels spend big time. I doubt they get the local viewership that the Sox get. They just aren't the sports town we are. I think the Sox and Angels have had the same ticket sales the last two years as well.

I'm using the Angels because they are a comparable equal to the Sox. The Angels are the 2nd favorite team in a large market city just like the Sox. Dodgers and Cubs are the more popular team in each city.

Now, the Sox have been top 5 in payroll the last couple of years. I just don't want to hear Kenny make it out like they are losing money. They aren't.

This whole situation makes me a sad panda....god I hope they work something out...

the sox continue to raise ticket and concession prices and are crying poor? please.

regardless of spent or saved money, kenny has done exactly jack and shit to better this team for next year so far this off season.

_________________

Previous losses AKA Partner Cash Calls AKA Loans

Get paid back and thus no proifts

at the same time, none of them had a problem loaning the money because the value of the team more than covered the investment and for a $100K investment they each have made about $10mill, but none have "realized" such a return yet. The again, don't know if any one of them needs it.

_________________
"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.’”