Ken Williams is well-versed in the bobbing and weaving that has to go on this time of year.
Whether it's to avoid a tampering fine by Major League Baseball or Williams simply not wanting to show his hand, the White Sox general manager was again careful in how he discussed the latest rumors swirling around the South Side.
On whether or not they had put a claim in for reliever Trevor Hoffman that was blocked?
"I have no comment on it,'' Williams said. "Because if I answer that question, I'm going to give you an answer that I'm going to give you, and the next time you ask a question, and I don't give the answer in the same form, then it will tell you what I'm doing. It establishes a pattern, and you can figure me out.''
Williams also couldn't comment on slugger Manny Ramirez, but was asked about having a few more tricks up his sleeve other than the obvious.
"It's possible,'' Williams replied. "It's always possible. Sometimes the most obvious things are the most unrealistic things to accomplish, so you always got to be looking for what you actually can accomplish. And sometimes small marginal growth is sometimes just as effective as the more obvious bigger thing that you're not going to get.''
Manager Ozzie Guillen offered up even less when asked about adding to the roster.
"You guys make me get in trouble because if I say something about Manny Ramirez, that's tampering or whatever you guys call it,'' Guillen said. "No. I just talked to Kenny a couple minutes ago and nothing out there. I think they've got to go through waivers and I don't know how long the waiver is. Seeing the rules a lot of people are on waivers. Can Manny Ramirez be our savior or whoever come out, I don't know? I don't have any comment about Manny because I can't.''
Mixed message
If Guillen is in fact leaving the South Side after this season, that would be news for his realtor. The manager admitted on Thursday that he was looking to buy a house in Chicago.
"I have a beautiful house back in Miami and in Caracas, but that's the place I live the most,'' Guillen said of staying put. "I like competition and I like to compete. I like people to ask me questions and to second-guess me. I like people to hate me. I like that. Why not? I'm not a perfect guy. Some people love me, some people hate me. I like that.''
September help
Williams was also asked about September call-ups and if the Sox had moved forward in that department as far as narrowing down the names.
"No, we've had to deal with some other things recently and haven't gotten to that point yet,'' Williams said. "But I've talked about it with my staff and minor league people.''
Are the Sox serious? Manny Ramiirez? Our team is starting to look like an old folks home for baseball players past their prime. Let's see... Omar Viquel, Andrew Jones, Maek Kotsay, Juan Pierre, and now Manny Ramirez. Nothing like planning for now and the future huh Kenny? Being serious for a moment, Manny Ramirez will not help us collectively catch the Twins, win the playoffs and the world series. We might catch the Twin.... "might".... But the rest is out of reach with this aging roster. Good grief!
Now, now. Have you been watching the games? Omar and J.P. have definately been contributing!
After seeing the Phillies get swept 4 in a row at home by the Astros in a pennant race, it makes the Sox seem not so bad by comparison
We don't need no freakin Manny. He's 38, expensive and has nothing left in his tank. We got hitting. We need bullpen help. Please get rid of Linebrink ASAP! How I love to see the Yanks lose to anybody and especially the Sox! Go Sox!!!
With the teams they have to play over the next week they'll be at least 8 to 10 games back.For whatever he's gonna cost,player and $$$,it's too little too late for our underachievers.
Manny is here! This will be even more awesome than when we signed Jose Canseco!
Now that we got the freakin Manny, cut Teahen immediately and use Kotsay as left-handed DH. Teahen is a bust period. He either homers, strikes out, or in the case of yesterday with the bags loaded, hits a weak grounder to second for a final out. At least with Kotsay, you have a fighting chance for a line drive base hit to right. Harrell and Sale throw fire! Go Sox!!