Maybe Ozzie isn't as crazy as I thought. Nahhh, it's probably the winter weather:
Guillen's focus will be on finding a leadoff hitter. Center fielder Jerry Owens seems to be general manager Ken Williams' favorite. Guillen seems to prefer [Orlando] Cabrera. Neither are proven in the top spot. Will this be Guillen's biggest headache?
Cough, cough...
"Yeah," he said without hesitation. "If Jerry Owens plays the way we think he can play ... I like the way he played last year.
Cabrera can be a leadoff hitter. Believe me, I want my leadoff hitter to get on base. I don't want a leadoff hitter to steal bases. The only way you are going to steal bases is if you are there. If you get on base, you have Thome, [Paul] Konerko and [Jermaine] Dye hitting behind you. We should score a lot of runs, but we have to get on base first."
- Jim on SoxFest, and the Sox speed without speed approach.
- DFA'd Sox reliever David Aardsma was traded to the Red Sox for minor-league relievers Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich. Here's the press release. Mota and Soco are expected to go to Class-A.
- Scott Merkin on Brian Anderson: "I heard three teams from the National League have some interest."
- Dino-news: The Seattle Mariners MLB.com reporter says "The White Sox and Angels have expressed interest in the veteran slugger [Carl Everett], but he remains unsigned." Everett currently is on the roster of the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Seems Kenny can't let go!
- The latest on the Erik Bedard to Seattle, Adam Jones to Baltimore trade.
- Mike Pindelski on 2008 Paulie.
- THT's John Walsh looks at Tango's 'Fan Scouting report'. And Tango's Sabermetric Archive Links (like BaseBoogle (aka Baseball via Google) that searches only Baseball Analytic sites).