White Sox News

Trade underscores Royals' desire to increase inventory and gain financial flexibility
Comment
November 7
Kansas City Star
 
"Two overriding factors surfaced Friday in explaining the Royals' decision to send third baseman/outfielder Mark Teahen to division-rival Chicago with cash for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields. Increasing inventory while gaining financial flexibility. "Our motivation behind this deal - and any deal that we make this winter," Royals general manager Dayton Moore acknowledged, "is to acquire as many zero-to-three service-time players as we can. That was certainly what we did here." Players with fewer than three years of service time, with a handful of exceptions, are not eligible for arbitration. That generally limits their salary, again with a few exceptions, ..."
Williams' Sox remake begins with Teahen
Comment
November 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Chris Getz and Josh Fields are Royals, Mark Teahen is the White Sox starting third baseman, Jermaine Dye is all but gone, talks with free agent-to-be Scott Podsednik have disintegrated, and Gordon Beckham is the new starting second baseman. Just another day of the Ken Williams experience. Less than 36 hours after the New York Yankees were crowned World Series champions, the South Side was a flurry of activity with Williams wasting little time in showing how the general manager wants the 2010 team to look. The first order of business Friday morning was announcing that the Sox bought out the 2010 mutual option on Dye, paying $950,000 and making the outfielder a free agent rather than picking ..."
Chicago White Sox still have work to do
Comment
November 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"Gordon Beckham makes sense at second base. But moving him there is not a huge upgrade for the White Sox without the addition of an All-Star level third baseman. Mark Teahen's a nice player, he's not an All-Star third baseman. There's no question the White Sox have enough starting pitching to win next season. But without Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome, the lineup is a major question mark, and I'm not seeing much money left to go outside for significant upgrades. Will that mean a pitching for hitting type trade this winter? It certainly could this winter although Ken Williams probably would have to risk dealing someone like Gavin Floyd or John Danks to get a big return. Just for fun, I compared ..."
White Sox confident Gordon Beckham can make switch to second base
Comment
November 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"Gordon Beckham realizes his offseason just became a little shorter. Beckham said Friday he's prepared to make his second position switch in as many seasons after being informed that he will move from third base to second to make room for newcomer Mark Teahen. "I'll probably have to work as hard, if not harder, than I did at third base," Beckham said a few hours after general manager Ken Williams informed him of the switch. If Beckham can make the transition to second as easily as he moved to third from shortstop last summer, the Sox defense should improve. He played second for Yarmouth-Dennis of the Cape Cod League in 2007 and in the Arizona Fall League in 2008."
White Sox see trade for Mark Teahen as start of busy offseason
Comment
November 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"The acquisition of Mark Teahen and move of Gordon Beckham from third base to second base is just the start of a busy offseason for the White Sox. General manager Ken Williams revealed Friday in a conference call with reporters that resurgent leadoff batter Scott Podsednik is not likely to return based on his salary demands. Right fielder Jermaine Dye, who hit 164 home runs in five seasons with the Sox, was given a $950,000 buyout. Williams said he unsuccessfully tried to make deals that could keep Dye with the Sox, but the Sox are expected to seek another corner outfielder while scrutinizing prospect Jordan Danks in the Arizona Fall League. Williams said the acquisition of Teahen from the ..."
Royals complete trade, send Teahen to White Sox for two players
Comment
November 6
Kansas City Star
 
"The details took another day once the news broke, but the Royals and White Sox completed a deal Friday morning that sends third baseman/outfielder Mark Teahen to the Chicago for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields. Both clubs confirmed the deal, which includes the White Sox receiving cash considerations to offset the imbalance in salaries. "It's strange," Teahen said. "I don't think it's really sunk in, but I had a day to digest the possibility of it. There are definitely some positives out of it. It's always nice to get into a situation where they've had success." Teahen, 28, batted .271 last season with 12 homers and 51 RBIs in 144 games while playing first ..."
Sox' Getz confirms trade to Kansas City
Comment
November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"White Sox second baseman Chris Getz confirmed he has been traded to Kansas City with Josh Fields for Mark Teahen and an undisclosed amount of cash. Getz said he was notified by Sox general manager Ken Williams of the trade, ending more than 24 hours of speculation after a report in Thursday's editions of the New York Daily News. The cash included in the deal will provide aid to the Sox, who could give the arbitration eligible Teahen a 2010 contract that could be worth around $5 million. Getz and Fields aren't eligible for salary arbitration. "I'm happy," Fields said before placing a return call to Williams."
Dye now a free agent as the JD Era closes
Comment
November 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Jermaine Dye Era has all but come to an end on the South Side. The White Sox announced on Friday morning that that they bought out the 2010 mutual option on the right fielder, paying him $950,000 rather than picking up the $12 million for the upcoming season. The move makes it so that Dye will now become a free agent. Dye's hope throughout the season was that the club would offer him an extension, but a dismal second half in which he hit .179 with just seven homers seemed to seal his fate. Acquiring Alex Rios at the end of August also put the writing on the wall for the 35-year-old Dye that his five-year stay was just about over."
Real deal? Teahen trade on hold
Comment
November 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Bizarre had to be Chris Getz's word of the day. The second baseman woke up a member of the White Sox on Thursday, but by breakfast time, he was headed to the Kansas City Royals. At least that's what the New York Daily News was reporting. The paper had Getz and disgruntled third baseman Josh Fields fitted for royal-blue uniforms and the Sox getting jack-of-all-trades Mark Teahen, 28. A source close to the situation then confirmed to the Sun-Times that the deal was virtually done, but there were still talks about minor-league prospects possibly being involved. That was the holdup. Meanwhile, the Sox and Royals told different media outlets they had nothing to report, and that included letting ..."
Chicago White Sox reportedly trade for Mark Teahen
Comment
November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"A reported trade the White Sox didn't announce Thursday overshadowed the team's re-signing of Mark Kotsay. The Sox wouldn't confirm reports they have acquired versatile left-handed hitter Mark Teahen from the Royals for starting second baseman Chris Getz and infielder Josh Fields. Although several scouting sources acknowledged the teams thoroughly evaluated and discussed personnel, neither Getz nor the agent for Fields said they had been informed they had been traded. Nor had Getz, who underwent a sports hernia operation Oct. 2, been asked to take a physical examination, which usually is the final step to complete a trade involving a player recovering from an injury. "I've heard nothing at ..."
Gordon Beckham should move to shortstop
Comment
November 6
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Rick Morrissey
"The world as we know it is not going to end if the White Sox move third baseman Gordon Beckham to second base, though the true Beckham believers among you might build survival bunkers just in case. Most of us can agree that Beckham is a star in the making and that, in general, you don't put your best player at second base. Ryne Sandberg, Jeff Kent and a few others aside, it's like having your head chef peeling potatoes. Seeing as how Beckham has played shortstop most of his life and seeing as how Alexei Ramirez had 20 errors at the position last season, one might come to the conclusion this is a freakin' no-brainer. Beckham to short and Ramirez back to second, right? Apparently not. Two ..."
Reports of Teahen trade appear to be premature
Comment
November 6
Kansas City Star
 
"It didn't take long for the Royals to surface in baseball's offseason trade rumors. Merely hours after the New York Yankees secured their 27th World Series title, a report claimed the Royals had agreed to send outfielder Mark Teahen to the Chicago White Sox for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields. The report first appeared Thursday in the New York Daily News and gained steam when the Chicago Sun-Times cited confirmation from the White Sox. It now appears those reports, at best, are premature. "We're in discussions with a lot of clubs about a lot of things," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "There is nothing to announce yet, and we won't comment ..."
White Sox ink Kotsay to one-year deal
Comment
November 5
MLB.com
 
"Mark Kotsay will be back in a White Sox uniform for the 2010 season. The White Sox announced Thursday that they had agreed to terms with Kotsay on a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Kotsay, who would have been eligible to file for free agency, combined to hit .278 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 67 games with the Red Sox and White Sox in 2009. He was traded to the White Sox on July 28 in exchange for outfielder Brian Anderson. Following the deal, Kotsay batted .292 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 40 games for Chicago. The move to bring back Kotsay was not a surprise. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen specifically expressed at the end of the '09 season that he wanted Kotsay back for 2010. ..."
Report: Royals trade Teahen to White Sox for two players
Comment
November 5
Kansas City Star
 
"It didn't take long for the Royals to surface in baseball's off-season trade rumors. Merely hours after the New York Yankees secured their 27th World Series title, a report claimed the Royals have agreed to send outfielder Mark Teahen to the Chicago White Sox for second baseman Chris Getz and third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields. Initial attempts to contact the Royals for comment were unsuccessful. Teahen said he had "no idea" if the report was true in responding to a text message. The White Sox also have not confirmed the report. The trade, reported by the New York Daily News, said Chicago views Teahen as a replacement for aging right fielder Jermaine Dye, who is eligible for free agency. ..."
White Sox trade Chriz Getz and Josh Fields to Royals for Mark Teahen
Comment
November 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The White Sox have traded Josh Fields and Chris Getz to Kansas City in exchange for infielder-outfielder Mark Teahen, the White Sox have confirmed. Teahen hit .271 while connecting on 12 home runs and driving in 50 runs last season. The 28-year-old lefty has spent his entire five-year career with the Royals. The move likely means Jermaine Dye, who is a free agent, will be replaced in right field by Teahen."
Another Ozzie sound bite: TV gig 'was a great experience'
Comment
November 5
Daily Southtown
 
"Now that his gig as a World Series analyst for Fox is coming to a close, Ozzie Guillen suddenly found himself Wednesday thinking about his real job as White Sox manager. ''My real job? Yes. I checked it out today and we're only 100 days away from spring training,'' Guillen said before Game 6 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. ''Wow. I was kind of disappointed.'' This TV job with Fox is something Guillen swore a month ago he would never do. After doing pre- and postgame reports for each game of the Series, Guillen - at least entering Game 6 - reached his goal of not dropping any of his trademark salty language into the commentary. Aside from that, he seemed to enjoy himself. ''It was a ..."
Working as analyst makes Guillen yearn for another title shot
Comment
November 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Wearing a sharp black suit and shiny dress shoes, Ozzie Guillen stepped onto the Yankee Stadium field Wednesday, and there was an immediate chain reaction of hugs, handshakes and laughs. First up was ESPN analyst and former teammate John Kruk. Then Phillies lefty Cole Hamels. Before long, Guillen was quickly lost among the red sea of players and coaches in front of the Phillies' dugout. Time of his life? Not really. ''It's very sad,'' Guillen said while relaxing in the company trailer after rehearsing for his new gig as an analyst for Fox. ''In the meanwhile, it gives you the energy to get back there. The emotion you have just being here makes you jealous. It makes you want to be one of ..."
Ozzie Guillen minding manners on World Series broadcasts
Comment
October 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"Fox apparently is working its pregame and postgame World Series shows without a safety net; that is, a dump button. But White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who has been known to throw around an expletive or two -- or three or four -- in his postgame news conferences, isn't worried. "No, because I only curse when I have [bleeping] people from Chicago ask me [bleeping] questions," he said before laughing. "I don't worry about that," he said Thursday before Game 2 at Yankee Stadium. "I know what I can do. Every time I curse is when my players don't play well. That's the way I make my point. "But when I talk to people, I know how to behave and when and how to say it. I don't think that's going be ..."
Walker aims to have 2010 Sox become hit-makers
Comment
October 29
Daily Southtown
 
"Greg Walker knows the reality. "Hitting coach" and "job security" will rarely be found in the same sentence. "Look, I know if I was in a normal situation I probably would have been fired after this year,'' the White Sox hitting coach said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "I also know that we have accomplished a lot. ... But we have underachieved the last few years. I think (general manager) Kenny (Williams), (manager) Ozzie (Guillen) and (board chairman) Jerry (Reinsdorf) know the reasons, and they know I'm the right man for the job. "I've done this for seven years, and I think for those seven years we've underachieved two of them. Even those years we did underachieve we went about our ..."
Ozzie: Wish we were here
Comment
October 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Wearing a sharp black suit and shiny dress shoes, Ozzie Guillen stepped onto the Yankee Stadium field Wednesday, and there was an immediate chain reaction of hugs, handshakes and laughs. First up was ESPN analyst and former teammate John Kruk. Then Phillies lefty Cole Hamels. Before long, Guillen was quickly lost among the red sea of players and coaches in front of the Phillies' dugout. Time of his life? Not really. ''It's very sad,'' Guillen said while relaxing in the company trailer after rehearsing for his new gig as an analyst for Fox. ''In the meanwhile, it gives you the energy to get back there. The emotion you have just being here makes you jealous. It makes you want to be one of ..."
Analyst Ozzie will work for Fox
Comment
October 22
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Who said Ozzie Guillen wouldn't be working in late October? After first dismissing the idea of moonlighting as a postseason television analyst, Guillen has changed his mind and agreed to join Fox's pregame and postgame coverage of the World Series, the Sox said Wednesday. The Sox also announced that they claimed outfielder Alejandro De Aza off waivers from the Florida Marlins. De Aza, 29, spent most of the 2009 season with Class AAA New Orleans, hitting .300 with eight home runs, 34 RBI, a .370 on-base percentage and a .506 slugging percentage in 87 games. He played in 22 games with the Marlins last season, going 5-for-20 (.250) with three RBI and six runs scored. A native of Guaymate, ..."
Beckham brings home the bacon
Comment
October 21
Chicago Tribune
 
"Manager Ozzie Guillen believes the bulk of the White Sox's 2010 roster is set, and Gordon Beckham gave him another reason to feel optimistic about it. Beckham, 23, has been named the Sporting News' 2009 American League rookie of the year. Making the honor more special for Beckham was that the selection was made by a panel of 338 major league players. "When it comes down to it, I'd rather have the players' than the media's vote," Beckham said Tuesday during a conference call. "But I think everything's important." The Baseball Writers Association of America will announce its awards next month after the completion of the World Series. Despite not being promoted from Triple-A Charlotte until ..."
Chicago Cubs, White Sox hopefuls square off in Arizona Fall League
Comment
October 20
Chicago Tribune
 
"With Chicago baseball on sabbatical, it does the heart good to watch a mini-preview of future Cubs- White Sox skirmishes. Starlin Castro grounding out sharply to Dayan Viciedo or Josh Vitters lining out to center field against Jacob Rasner might not set the pulse atwitter quite yet. But wait a year or two. So it was not without significance when the Peoria Javelinas, including several Sox prospects, visited the Mesa Solar Sox, featuring an assortment of Cubs hopefuls, in an Arizona Fall League game Monday. The Javelinas roared to an easy 8-1 victory, aided by Jordan Danks' pinch solo home run and Viciedo's two-run single to right. Castro continued to show that, at just 19, he's nearly ..."
Wise now free agent after declining AAA
Comment
October 10
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Dewayne Wise said several times this season that he never felt truly appreciated by White Sox fans. Wise, the outfielder who forever will be linked with Mark Buehrle's perfect game, opted for free agency Friday rather than accept an outright assignment to Class AAA Charlotte. Wise, 31, who won the leadoff job and starting center-field spot out of spring training before separating his shoulder early on, hit .225 with two homers and 11 RBI in 84 games with the South Siders. It was his leaping catch at the wall to preserve Buehrle's perfect game against Tampa Bay on July 23, however, that was Wise's most memorable moment -- and maybe one of the more memorable moments in club history ..."
With Dodgers, Jim Thome chases elusive ring
Comment
October 10
Chicago Tribune
 
"It's strange the knuckleball-like path careers sometimes take. In 2006, the White Sox acquired an aging Jim Thome as the missing piece in their quest to repeat as world champions. In 2009, they traded Thome -- with his approval -- for almost nothing so he would have another chance to win a championship. And so here is Thome, a Dodger for just more than a month instead of a White Sox sitting at home. South Side fans may have been angered and confused at the deal, but Thome and his teammates are one victory over the Cardinals away from an NL Championship Series, with Game 3 scheduled for Saturday. "I love Chicago. I think everyone knows my feelings for Chicago," Thome said. "I was also in a ..."
White Sox talk new deal with Scott Podsednik's agent
Comment
October 10
Chicago Tribune
 
"The White Sox and the agent for Scott Podsednik held a preliminary discussion this week with the aim being to bring the leadoff hitter back to the South Side. "It's in the early stages," Ryan Gleichowski, Posednik's agent, said Friday of a brief chat with Sox assistant general manager Rick Hahn. Gleichowski said the sides agreed to talk later this month. The Sox have exclusive negotiating rights until 15 days after the World Series with Podsednik, who batted .304 with 30 stolen bases and a .353 on-base percentage in 132 games. Podsednik is a more affordable option than free agent Chone Figgins of the Los Angeles Angels. Quentin update: In addition to undergoing successful surgery to ..."
Rockies find an edge in ex-White Sox Jose Contreras
Comment
October 9
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Phil Rogers
"You know what they say about someone's junk being someone else's treasure. Most of the time junk is just junk, of course. But the yard sale theory just might work for the Colorado Rockies and Jose Contreras. It was Contreras, the proud Cuban, whom Rockies manager Jim Tracy summoned with the first of his five calls to the bullpen in Thursday's division series game against the Philadelphia Phillies, a game in which neither team seemed blessed with a wealth of relief pitching,. The Rockies were leading 4-1 in the sixth inning with runners on second and third and no outs. The lead was down to 4-3 when the inning was over, but the sound echoing in the ears of the defending World Series champs ..."
Chicago White Sox's Kenny Williams takes a crack at comedy
Comment
October 9
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Fred Mitchell
"You have to wonder sometimes what it takes to get Ken Williams to crack a smile. But it appears the White Sox general manager is willing to provide a laugh for a good cause because at 7 p.m. Friday, he will be a celebrity guest in a comedy charity fundraiser at Park West to benefit Gilda's Club (gildasclubchicago.org/Noogies.html). Gilda's Club assists those affected by cancer. Hosted by Sun-Times columnist and movie critic Richard Roeper and WMAQ-TV-Ch. 5 reporter Natalie Martinez, "Night of 1,000 Noogies" will feature The Second City. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also will attend. Sights seen: I watched a terrific new sports movie, "Big Fan," Friday night that is being held ..."
Sox pick up options on Garcia, Thornton
Comment
October 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"In what became a foregone conclusion given the way Freddy Garcia pitched in September, the White Sox picked up the $1 million option for 2010 on Garcia's contract Tuesday, ensuring that the veteran right-hander will be back on the South Side next season. Garcia, who celebrated his 33rd birthday Tuesday, was 3-4 with a 4.34 ERA in nine starts after he was released by the Mets in April. He figures to enter the 2010 season as the No. 5 starter, behind ace Jake Peavy, John Danks, Gavin Floyd and Mark Buehrle. What makes Garcia particularly appealing to the Sox is his low price tag: $1 million, with $2 million in incentives. Garcia, who was on the 2005 World Series-winning staff, was traded by ..."
Chicago White Sox pick up options on Freddy Garcia and Matt Thornton
Comment
October 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"The White Sox virtually set their 2010 rotation Tuesday when they picked up their $1 million option on Freddy Garcia. Garcia, 33 Tuesday, enters spring training as the leading candidate for the fifth spot in a rotation with Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle and Gavin Floyd signed through at least 2011. Left-hander John Danks is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and is under team control. As expected, the Sox also picked up a $2.25 million option on left-handed reliever Matt Thornton. Thornton, 33, limited left-handers to a .203 batting average while striking out lefties 43 times in 101 at-bats. He posted a 2.74 ERA in a career-high 70 appearances. The Sox now have 11 players under ..."
White Sox pick up Garcia's option
Comment
October 6
MLB.com
 
"The White Sox exercised their 2010 option on right-hander Freddy Garcia, SI.com reported on Monday, adding that the 34-year-old will make a $1 million base salary, plus a possible $2 million in incentives. Garcia, who signed a Minor League contract after being released by the Mets in April, spent most of the summer in the Minors working on a comeback from 2008 shoulder surgery before being called up to the Majors on Aug. 18. He went 3-4 with a 4.34 ERA in nine starts for the White Sox."
Sox must decide what to do with Jenks
Comment
October 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The White Sox are facing a few questions this offseason, and some are doozies. None is bigger than the possibility of trading closer Bobby Jenks. Jenks continued to battle injuries this season, and some of the problems were believed to be conditioning-related. He also saw his production dip for a second consecutive season. On the other hand, moving Jenks elsewhere means making Matt Thornton the closer and weakening the setup role. Plus, one of Jenks' strengths is his short-term memory. Yes, he blew six saves, but he never let it carry over for long. So what to do? That falls on general manager Ken Williams. ''That's a hypothetical question that I'm not going to go to until something ..."
Mercifully, it's finally finished
Comment
October 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"That was the best news Ozzie Guillen could hear concerning the 2009 season. ''Hell, [bleep] yes,'' the White Sox manager replied when asked if he was glad that the 5-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers was the final game for the Sox. ''The way we play all summer, yes. After you spend all summer the way we did and you don't get to the point you want to get, it's frustrating because you want to be in the playoffs, you want to be a part of that. You want to continue the season, but in the meanwhile, you cannot wait to get it over with and prepare for next year.'' Thanks to a road trip in late August through Boston, New York and Minnesota followed by a makeup game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, ..."
Dye may have played last game in White Sox uniform
Comment
October 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"The White Sox packed their bags for the final time this season, shook hands and hugged following a 5-3 loss to the Tigers to end a 79-83 season. Jermaine Dye faces an uncertain future, with the Sox likely to give him a $1 million buyout instead of both sides agreeing to a $12 million mutual option for 2010. He struggled miserably in the second half, hitting .181 with seven homers in 210 at-bats after hitting .302 with 20 long balls in 291 at-bats before the break. "I don't really have a feeling right now," Dye said calmly after finishing with a .250 batting average, 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. "I just want to go home, get away from baseball like I always do and take two weeks off and ..."
White Sox fall to Detroit Tigers 5-3 in season finale
Comment
October 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"The acquisitions of pitcher Jake Peavy and center fielder Alex Rios addressed issues well in advance of the 2010 season. It's the next moves by general manager Ken Williams that leave several returning veteran players curious heading into what could be a zany White Sox offseason. "He's obviously going to have to make some moves because we haven't performed up to expectations, and we know we should have gotten it done here," said A.J. Pierzynski, one of the few players with a strong offensive season. "At the same time, there's a good core of guys here. It's just a matter of tinkering and getting the right parts and getting the guys who fit in and help this team get better." After being ..."
Granderson's catch thwarts White Sox rally
Comment
October 5
Detroit Free Press
 
"If centerfielder Curtis Granderson hadn't made his sensational eighth-inning catch Sunday, the tying run likely would have scored on the play, and a five-run Tigers lead would have evaporated in about 5 minutes. "It was the catch that gave us a chance to play on Tuesday," said outfield coach Andy Van Slyke. "If the ball lands, it's like a punch in the stomach." Granderson saved the 5-3 win over Chicago and sent the Tigers to Minnesota for a one-game playoff Tuesday for the American League Central title. If the Tigers had lost Sunday, Minnesota would have won the division with its 13-4 victory over Kansas City. When the eighth began, it was unfathomable that the Tigers would need a ..."
Twins catch Tigers, with Chicago's help
Comment
October 4
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"For the third time in four years, the Twins enter the final day of the regular season with a chance to win the American League Central. "Nothing amazes me anymore because of last year," manager Ron Gardenhire said after Saturday's stirring 5-4 victory over Kansas City. "I take that back. This team amazes me because of the courage they're showing." In their second-to-last scheduled game at the Metrodome, the Twins raised their outfield curtain, giving a few thousand extra fans the chance to see one of the building's more memorable games. Michael Cuddyer broke an eighth-inning tie with a home run off Royals reliever Dusty Hughes, and the Twins eventually pulled into a first-place tie with ..."
Oz says Figgins may cost too much
Comment
October 4
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen doesn't concern himself with tampering rules or any of the red tape that keeps suits employed in the Major League Baseball offices. He deals with reality. So when asked Saturday about the reality of the Sox going after Los Angeles Angels leadoff hitter and free agent-to-be Chone Figgins this winter, Guillen spoke honestly. ''I don't think Figgins,'' Guillen said. ''To be honest with you, would we like to have players like him? [Bleep], everybody does. But this kid is going to cost you a lot of money. If we figure out this guy is going to solve our problem, then [chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] will take a shot because Jerry wants to win. ''I would love to have ..."
Oz's team here at last
Comment
October 4
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The last three games have been White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen's vision all along. Stolen bases, an athletic lineup that can create runs, the occasional home run and a pitching staff that leaves the opposition gasping for air. The question is, can the Sox carry that formula into 2010? ''The main thing, we have it right now,'' Guillen said before the Sox' 5-1 victory Saturday against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. ''Baseball is going to change. How's it going to change? You're not going to see too many power numbers like you did in the past. And we're in the right direction. That's the main reason [outfielder Alex] Rios is here. I think that's the reason [pitcher Jake] Peavy is here. ..."
Greg Walker has a couple of pet projects
Comment
October 4
Chicago Tribune
 
"Greg Walker's hitting duties will expand this winter and could take him to places as far as Puerto Rico and California. The White Sox's hitting coach plans to stay in contact with Carlos Quentin and Alex Rios, who struggled this season. "We've got to square some things up going into next spring training, and I've got some ideas what I want to do next winter with both of them," Walker said. "I've already talked to them about it. We're all on the same page with it." Quentin will undergo surgery Tuesday to have a pin removed from his surgically repaired right wrist. After his rehabilitation, Quentin plans to experiment with a few things he has discussed with Walker, who wants him to regain ..."
White Sox top Detroit Tigers 5-1
Comment
October 4
Chicago Tribune
 
"The White Sox reinforced manager Ozzie Guillen's optimism for 2010 while making the Detroit Tigers' mission to win the American League Central title even tougher. Behind Freddy Garcia's seven-plus innings of six-hit ball, the Sox knocked the Tigers into a tie for first with the Minnesota Twins entering the final day of the regular season after a 5-1 victory Saturday. The loss forced Detroit to start ace Justin Verlander in Sunday's finale against John Danks after the Tigers could have clinched the division as early as Thursday. "I love the way we look for next year," Guillen said. "Do we have to get better? No doubt. In the meanwhile, I said it two months ago, if I had this ballclub early, ..."
Tigers' funk continues; season on the line Sunday
Comment
October 4
Detroit News
 
"Is this really how the season is going to end -- ingloriously, with the Tigers losing and disappearing? Or is there a last-gasp victory in them to either win the division outright or force a one-game playoff with the Minnesota Twins? That's what we don't know: How it will all turn out. What we do know is that after Saturday night's 5-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox, coupled with the Twins' victory over the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers are no longer driving the bus by themselves. The Twins have hopped into the seat and grabbed the wheel. The two teams are tied with one game remaining. What was a seven-game lead for the Tigers on Sept. 6 is down to nothing. They've stumbled themselves ..."
Blank stare for Tigers
Comment
October 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The final harsh lesson in a season of harsh lessons was awaiting the White Sox players in Motown this weekend. But thanks to the dominance displayed by Jake Peavy in an 8-0 win, that lesson-learning business was temporarily put on hold. Manager Ozzie Guillen came into the series with Detroit with every intention of sweeping the first-place Tigers and adding some drama to the Central Division race with the Twins. He also came in as a realist, knowing that the Sox players could very much find themselves having to watch the Tigers swarm at the mound in a pile of celebration, flinging champagne and beer into the air as the 2009 division champs. And, frankly, he didn't mind his players seeing ..."
Chicago White Sox wallop Detroit Tigers 8-0
Comment
October 3
Chicago Tribune
 
"Manager Ozzie Guillen thought the idea of having the Tigers clinch the American League Central title with his White Sox in town would make sure his players would be "hungry" for 2010. But the Sox displayed their own motivation Friday night with an 8-0 victory that at least delayed the Tigers' championship hopes. The Twins beat the Royals 10-7, and only trail the Tigers by one game in the Central with two left to play. Behind Jake Peavy's two-hit pitching over eight innings, the Sox played more like a team competing for a pennant than a unit completing a sub-.500 season. "If you saw that Cleveland series, it was miserable," said Peavy, who finished the Sox portion of his season with a 3-0 ..."
CHICAGO 8, DETROIT 0: Peavy, Sox blank Tigers
Comment
October 3
Detroit Free Press
 
"Jake Peavy pitched eight scoreless innings and three White Sox had two RBIs as the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers lost to Chicago, 8-0, tonight at Comerica Park. The Twins defeated the Royals, 10-7, tonight in Minnesota, so the Tigers' lead in the division is one game. The Tigers, who couldn't take advantage of an opportunity Thursday to win the division with a win over Minnesota, heard a smattering of boos during their series opener against the White Sox. "For the last day or so, they've been disappointed," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Most people when they're disappointed, they express their disappointment in the form of boos. There's nothing wrong with that." To leadoff the ..."
Pummeled Tigers' AL Central lead drops to one with two games left
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October 3
Detroit News
 
"Yeah, but if you won those Russian Nutcracker tickets, it wasn't a complete loss. Clincher Two turned out to be as bad as Clincher One -- except no one threw a pitch at Adam Everett. The Tigers lost to the White Sox, 8-0, and the Twins beat the Royals, 10-7, on Friday -- which means, as if you didn't know, the Tigers lead the American League Central by one game with two remaining. The Tigers defeat coincided with the first night of Fan Appreciation Weekend at Comerica Park. A lot of prizes were given away, including those Nutcracker tickets. But a free tire alignment isn't what you really wanted. It's not the reason you attended the game -- although with 34,726 on hand, good seats ..."
Twins depart Detroit as Sox fans
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October 3
Detroit News
 
"When it was all over, the hit batsmen, Delmon Young about to charge his own dugout, Joe Mauer accused of cheating and an unheard-of four Twins errors, all that was left was Ron Gardenhire quietly leaving a note behind for White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "I never liked you more than I like you right now," Gardenhire wrote. Then he planned to leave the note in the visiting manager's desk, which would be occupied by Guillen on Friday night when the White Sox were to play the first of three against the Tigers at Comerica Park. And as every Twins player noted after their 8-3 victory Thursday: "Go, White Sox!" Well, not Delmon. He was too ticked off at teammate Jose Mijares. And not Mijares, ..."
White Sox 8, Tigers 0: AL Central lead could be down to one game
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October 3
Detroit News
 
"The Chicago White Sox pounded Edwin Jackson and the Tigers on Friday night at Comerica Park to once again keep the Tigers from getting closer to locking up the American League Central championship. The Tigers, who failed to clinch the division title with a win over Minnesota on Thursday afternoon, were embarrassed, 8-0, on Friday by the White Sox, who can't even finish with a .500 record this season. And with the Royals losing badly to the Twins, the Tigers' lead is likely to be down to one game heading into play Saturday. The White Sox, who won the Central last season, sent Jake Peavy to the mound. He worked seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 victory over the Tigers last Friday in ..."
High and low fives
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October 2
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It's not the kind of moment that shows up in box scores or can be overdone by White Sox marketer Brooks Boyer, but it's the kind of moment that defines Mark Buehrle -- and, more specifically, how much manager Ozzie Guillen loves him. It happened after Monday night's game with the Indians in Cleveland, just 48 hours after Guillen went nuts because players such as Gordon Beckham and A.J. Pierzynski sneaked into the clubhouse during a bad loss to the Detroit Tigers to check college football scores. Guillen had all but outlawed college football on Sox televisions as a result. Buehrle was sitting with a plate of food in Guillen's office, having just talked Guillen into letting him pitch once ..."