GM Williams building staff with eye on future ... and A-Rod?
By Scott Miller | CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer Follow ScottMiller: Five things to know
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- It ain't on-base percentage, home runs, ERA or VORP, but the Chicago White Sox lead the majors this spring in one very specific category.
Conspiracy theories.
Their follow-up to the 2005 World Series triumph a dud, Sox general manager Kenny Williams over the winter rearranged his pitching, sending Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia and one-time top prospect Brandon McCarthy to Texas.
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| Kenny Williams made plenty of moves last winter to ensure a return to the postseason and a run at a title. (Getty Images) |
Strong initial accusations that they were whacking their payroll.
Ongoing whispers in the industry that they're positioning themselves to make a run at Alex Rodriguez if he and the Yankees head to Splitsville this winter.
"I don't give a s--- what anybody thinks anymore," says White Sox general manager Kenny Williams of the chatter that leaves his ears ringing daily. "It's grown very tiring when people are focusing on what you don't have rather than what you do have.
"That's been a common theme the last few years, but here are the facts: It's interesting how the media says in the same breath that the Sox got rid of two-fifths of their rotation, but in reality, we're bringing four-fifths back."
We'll pause here for you to dig out your copy of Fractions for Dummies.
"In addition, we have three of the top prospects in baseball fighting it out for the fifth spot, and another three or four pitchers behind them right on their heels. And we have four guys in the bullpen who, in our estimation, will be lights out -- (Bobby) Jenks, (Mike) MacDougal, (Matt) Thornton and (Nick) Massett."
Williams spent the winter juggling contracts (Garcia is free-agent eligible after the '07 season), projecting the White Sox out over the 2008 and 2009 seasons and beyond and re-evaluating his personnel.
In other words, doing what every other GM does as the snow falls.
What Williams is, however, is one of the most aggressive GMs in the game.
