Re: Rowand for Thome
 

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I'm confused [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]. I don't like this trade for the Phillies. I think it is really bad for the White Sox. I'm just at a loss for an opinion.

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Huh? They traded their back up first baseman and his albatross of a contract for a CF with and OPS of .800 or so last year. Nice work Phils, we'll be headed to another tough season in the NL East.
-James

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Quite a big difference between .736 and ".800 or so"

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That is true. I was working from memory. Regardless, he is an upgrade for the Phillies in center field and they gave up a backup player with a huge contract.
-James

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

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I'm confused [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]. I don't like this trade for the Phillies. I think it is really bad for the White Sox. I'm just at a loss for an opinion.

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I like Aaron, but I like this trade. Look for the Sox to land another center fielder. And they definitely needed some consistent LH power, which Thome brings. Playing DH will hopefully keep him healthy.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

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Rowand is not much of a player. He was once a great prospect. But, now he's a 28 year old who never reached his potential.

Thome is a far better hitter. If he's healthy, the White Sox will get much more production out of this trade in 2006.

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Precisely. The time was right to trade Rowand -- his '04 is still fresh in everybody's mind, while I believe that his '05 season is probably closer to the truth for him. He's a nice player, but not a difference maker.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

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I assume Thome will be primarily DHing with Frank Thomas not being resigned. So, he should be able to stay healthy on the Sox.

Rowand's future on the Sox was limited with minor league Brian Andreson on the way. If he wasn't traded this off-season, he was definitely gone next off-season. The Sox could get a one-year fill-in if Anderson isn't ready to go in 2006.

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The Sox will be paying about $8 million per year of Thome's contract for the duration. This means that Everett and Thomas will definitely not be re-signed, which will save the Sox about $4 million a year on a payroll that will already be expanding. Look for them to trade for a CF (Juan Pierre?) to add more speed to the lineup, and bring Konerko back for 4 years.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

At first I was real pissed about this trade. But then I remembered that Rowand, apart from 1 break-out year, just isn't that good a hitter. He's average. As long as Thome can stay healthy (good chance of it at DH), then I like it.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

Also, you Sox fans won't ever have to hear Prodigy again. I'm pretty sure it's worth it just for that.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

I dig this trade for the Phils. Jim Thome? who needs him. Ryan Howard is a player.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

Nobody thinks Thome's power/injuries was steriod induced? Not saying yes or no, just wondering if anyone thinks it might have been.

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

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Nobody thinks Thome's power/injuries was steriod induced? Not saying yes or no, just wondering if anyone thinks it might have been.

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ive heard lots of vehement denials from people close to him... not that that means anything.... i definitely feel like it could be his body breaking down... or something else...

Re: Rowand for Thome
 

For a team that has been as historically cash strapped as the White Sox, getting a player of Thome's caliber while having another team pay a hug chunk of his salary is a major coup.
The simple fact is that the Sox don't draw, and I'm not convinced that winning the World Series is going to change that. Nobody wants to take their family to a night game in the ghetto. Even if you get in and out of the stadium okay, you still have to worry about your kids seeing a fight in the stands, which is far more common at Comiskey than Wrigley.