Here's
an interesting quote from Kenny Williams on the first day of SoxFest, via Mark Gonzalez:
Williams also had to answer questions involving the future of
left-hander Mark Buehrle. Buehrle, who becomes a free agent after the
2007 season, said Williams doesn't expect him to be with Chicago in
2008.
"I don't remember saying that. Is that why he's not talking to me? I
don't remember saying that. You don't know how the cards are going to
be dealt," Williams said Friday.
Well, how about
Dec. 7:
"It was our intention to talk about extensions with every one of [the
current starting pitchers] because they're all young, they're all
durable and I don't think -- at one point in time -- outside of the
business question. What's going on now in the
market, it's not realistic for us to go that route. We've got to make
an adjustment. What we would be talking about, honestly, are numbers and years I'm not comfortable with."
And then
Jan. 11:
So it should not be surprising that Sox general manager Ken Williams
will not try to re-sign the team's recognized pitching leader after
giving him a chance for an extension last spring.
"With the market as it is, I don't anticipate making that overture again," Williams said recently.
Some context from Williams' SoxFest quote would be nice. It's hard to tell whether this is sarcastic Kenny or simmering Kenny, as there's a thin line between the two. Either way, I still think it's smarter for him to pretend like Buehrle could be in the Sox's future plans. It really doesn't make his job any easier otherwise.
By the way, if anybody is going to SoxFest this weekend, describing the scene would be much appreciated.
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Gonzalez believes Sox fans will be giddy over the acquisition of Darin Erstad. but probably overstates his worth just a little:
And if Erstad is recovered fully from a right ankle injury that limited
him to 40 games with the Los Angeles Angels last season, he could
provide the Sox with the same type of bargain Jermaine Dye has during
his two seasons after being hindered by leg injuries.
Homers hit by Dye in 2006: 44
Homers hit by Erstad from 2001-2006: 37
Good luck with all that.