General manager Ken Williams was coy when asked about prize Cuban free agent outfielders Yeonis Cespedes and Jorge Soler and lefthander Gerardo Concepcion.

It was hard to know if Williams thought the Sox were in the mix for their services and wanted to lay low or whether he knew the Sox wouldn't be able to afford one or all of them. The Sox are known to have interest and are considered to be one of the teams in the mix for Cespedes, although many consider the Cubs to be front-runners.

"I don't know who you are talking about,'' Williams told reporters when asked about the Cubans.

You know, Cespedes, the five-tool Bo Jackson type center fielder.

"Those are all just rumors,'' Williams said. "I don't know what you guys are talking about.''

Huh?

"Who were these guys? Where are they from?''

Cuba. Someone said you watched Concepcion in person.

"Somebody said I was there,'' Williams said.

"I don't know what you are talking about.''

Reporters laugh, and Williams almost almost spits out his water suppressing a chuckle. Cespedes is the guy who might cost you $50 million.

"Is that the left-handed pitcher?''

No, that's Concepcion. Cespedes is the 26-year-old Bo Jackson. The one Dayan Viciedo is recruiting.

"You think I should check into them?''

Earlier, Williams said the Sox money supply is tapped. He doesn't have cash for a free-agent utility infielder, he said. Soler, 19, and Concepcion, 18, will come cheaper and would help replenish a farm system in need of an injection of talent.

The Cubans came up later during question-and-answer time with fans. It was more of the same from Williams.

"Who are they? Are they any good?'' he asked.

With that, new manger Robin Ventura turned toward Williams and said, "Should we be scouting them?"