My Recommendations to Kenny Williams, GM of the World Champion Chicago White Sox

Williams has done a fine job over the last two years (best in baseball in my opinion) and has started his off-season right, rejecting his option on Carl Everett and picking up Cliff Politte's.

Here's what I think he should do this off-season:
1) Let T.I.M.O. walk.
2) Podsednik for prospect(s) (non-majors ready)
3) Young in left.













4) Let Konerko walk
5) Peace out Hernandez even if it's necessary to part with most of his salary.

That leaves us with this starting 9:
Thomas
Pierzynski
Gload
Iguchi
Crede
Uribe
Young
Rowand
Dye

Bench:
Harris
Anderson
Owens/Brown (For Leftiness)
Catcher


Staff:
Buehrle
Contreras
Garland
Garcia
McCarthy
Cotts
Marte
Jenks
Hermanson
Vizcaino
Politte

So that leaves:
1) Do something clever to get one more big bat.
2) Grab another one of those utility idiots that we always have running around to backup our infield positions.
3) Find some sort of back-up catcher.

2) is minor.
We could solve 1) and 3) by picking making a good offer to Johjima.
He, Thomas and Pierzynski could share 400 ABs at DH and C.

The only concern would be handling the pitching staff--of course A.J. has trouble talking to half of them anyway.

Williams might have to go get someone mid-season, but that's going to be a ton cheaper than trying to win these off-season bidding wars.

A plus is that we are grooming our next starting OF for when Dye and Rowand's contracts expire in 2007 (or 2006 if the rookies make a ton of progress). I think Young is ready now. I hope he gets the chance.

Like any championship team!!!!!! the Sox are going to have to start making choices about who they are going to keep when the contracts start expiring. Podsednik is Young with less defense and power, so that's an easy one. Hernandez is a big name with a middling salary and not much left when the bases aren't loaded. The rotation is just going to get too expensive, so I'd say to try to throw up to $8-9 million extensions at the rest of the staff, pay Buerhle whatever he wants and fill in the rest with the wealth of arms in A ball when the time comes.

The infield is where I would invest the bulk of the money. Crede can walk when/if Fields is ready (can he play defense?). I'd retain Uribe. Make a choice on Iguchi/Harris or find an outside solution. Sign/trade for a big bopper at first.

Anyway, for now, let's celebrate this historic victory and prepare for next year, but it's worth thinking about what the future will bring.