When Walker first laid eyes on Dunn's swing, it was probably the first time Dunn had a bat in his hands since the end of the 2010 season. As always, Dunn hadn't hit during the offseason and never saw a reason to because he was always ready to go by Opening Day.

He appeared ready on Opening Day last season when he homered against the Indians' Fausto Carmona in Cleveland. Dunn was 4-for-14 (.286) with five RBI over his first four games when he went down with an appendectomy in Kansas City on April 6 and, for whatever reason, never recovered. There were other factors that likely entered into his woeful season, in which he batted .159 with 11 home runs -- 15 fewer than his previous full-season low. But a case can be made that the surgery and subsequent stoppage of his season set off the downward spiral.

Dunn wanted to come back sooner but returned to action six days after having surgery. General manager Ken Williams said in hindsight he would have held Dunn back longer and perhaps given him some minor league at-bats to get his swing back after the layoff. Dunn, one of baseball's most prolific home run hitters of all time, went on to have one of the worst seasons ever by a major leaguer.

On "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 Friday, Guillen said Walker approached him after watching Dunn's first hitting session in Arizona.

"He says 'We have a problem,' " Guillen said. "I say 'What? Spring training is only a couple of days [old].' He said, 'You've got to come out and see Adam Dunn's swing.' I said 'Don't worry about it. We've got a month and a half to get ready, go through spring training. Don't worry about it.' "

Guillen watched for himself the next day.

"I looked at his swing and I told [bench coach] Joey Cora going home, 'We've got a big problem,' " Guillen said.

Dunn was not concerned. He repeatedly told reporters during spring training that was his history, and that "eventually it will click. It always does.''

Because of his poor year, Dunn did some hitting this past offseason. Guillen (Marlins) and Walker (Braves) will both be elsewhere, giving Dunn a fresh start with new manager Robin Ventura and hitting coach Jeff Manto.

"It was painful to see Adam Dunn every at-bat and walk behind me with a long face striking out," Guillen said.

"People in Chicago, believe me, he tried everything in his power to get better. He just had a bad year. Hopefully he will bounce back."

Johnson, 32, is best known for his two-out, two-strike home run against the New York Yankees on the final night of the 2011 regular season. It capped a seven-run comeback in an 8-7 Rays victory that clinched the American League wild card for Tampa Bay.

A career .235 hitter, Johnson's other home run in 2011 was a three-run shot against Sox lefthander Matt Thornton during the ninth inning on April 8. The Sox were leading 7-6 at the time, and Rays held on for to a 9-7 victory after they had trailed 7-4.

Johnson's flair for the dramatic extends further. Seven of his 11 Rays home runs either tied the score or gave his team a lead. He hit eight homers against the Rays' AL East rivals Boston and New York, including a tying shot against Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning of a September 2008 game in Boston. It was his first at-bat as a Ray, and the Rays went on to win.

Johnson, who was slowed by a wrist injury in 2011, declined an assignment to AAA Durham in October. He told the Tampa Tribune he believes he can make the Sox Opening Day lineup.

"I have to take it day by day, but that's the plan," Johnson said. "You don't play this game to shoot low. I'm going in there shooting for the stars."

Making the Opening Day roster will be a big enough challenge, even if Johnson's wrist is healthy. Paul Konerko is the Sox first baseman and $56 million man Adam Dunn is the designated hitter. The Sox are looking at Johnson as a possible backup and pinch-hitter.

Johnson batted .275 with 15 homers and 58 RBI as a rookie with the Oakland A's in 2005. In 2007 with the A's, he batted .236 with 18 homers and 62 RBI. He has also played one season in Japan.

"The boos?"
"I thought you meant the booze."
"It kind of comes with the territory. When the team plays well, the players and the coaching staff get the accolades. That's great. It's it should be. When the team plays poorly, it's the GM and owner's fault. It is what it is. It's part of the deal.
But every time it happens. It seems like it's happened only two other times. In 2004 and 2007.

"You never know. Maybe the third time is a charm."

Is there money available to add a player(s)?
"No."

This is it?
"Tapped out."

Your roster

"Obviously, I felt better about it than a lot of the sentiment. I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to some of the off-season grumbling up until the past few days. You can always say I'm not too busy to listen to, but I like our team evidently a lot better than some others. We got a starting pitching staff that I'm confident in. We got a lot of bullpen options and a lot of young guys filtering in the starting rotation and the bullpen. We're going to need some bounceback from our veteran guys if we're going to compete.
We don't get it, we're not going to compete. These are just the facts at hand. We'll play good defense and smarter defensively because we got some guys filling into their major league shoes a little bit more and I hope that we have a relaxed environment and guys just focus on less than the numbers, but moreso on the experience of being in the major leagues and on a good team and have some fun with it. Be intense about it but play for the scoreboard and not the stats and do something on that given day to help win a game and let that be the focus."

Lillibridge possibly a backup infielder?

"Sure it is. Brent needs to bring all the gloves he's brought for the past couple years.
"Yeah, he can play shortstop. Will he play shortstop? That will be a Robin decision. I don't make that decision."

Reaction to Prince Fielder signing:
"I wasn't happy about it. It surprised me like it probably surprised a lot of you guys. It probably would have been worse if he was added to the club that had Victor Martinez on it. But right now they lost one good player and they added another good player and they're different kind of guys who bring different guys to the table."
"Listen, Detroit was going to be formidable anyway with Victor healthy. They just replaced a guy they went down on. It must be nice."

Can you operate with current payroll?
"No, we don't have to trim. We've had opportunities. But what we've tried to do we've looked into opportunities if we wanted to go into a full rebuilding mode, opportunities that would give us some of the top talent in all of the minor leagues. Well, that didn't materialize. So you try to give yourself the best chance of winning with the current roster. At the same time, hedge your bet and add a piece or two for the future as well. That's why you saw us get all the pitching with the moves. "

"More specifically, the only way I was going to trade a guy as valuable as Sergio Santos is if we got somebody back as valuable as the kid we did from Toronto, Molina. This young man is we think is a top of the rotation type of guy.

And we fully expected people to raise an eyebrow. But if I cared about that, then you wouldn't have a lot of guys that people were worried about losing this offseason. You wouldn't have had John Danks if we didn't take a similar move a few years ago. You wouldn't have Gavin Floyd. Some of the things have been done.''

Did you talk to veterans about what you have done and that you might chip away:

"Well, I don't know Paulie once we did, once we did have the conversation or once we did have the idea in our head that we might do something, we did consult Paul. He expressed to us that he had the confidence in whatever plan we were going with. We've been competitive every year he has been here with a couple of exceptions, and he was on board no matter what the direction was. He also thinks that we have the ability to compete this year. We just have to have some guys get back to themselves.

"So, it was also explained to him that as I tried to explain to you guys, I guess very ineffectively at the Winter Meetings, when I said rebuilding, nobody said anything about what I said immediately after that where I said there was not going to be a domino falling kind of effect. So what you got is a little bit of a hybrid.

On Cubans Cespedes, Soler

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

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

Somebody said I was there.

You think I should check into them?"

How important is good start for this team?

"Certainly, your position in the standings effects what you are going to do come June or July. Listen, given my druthers, I I would always like to be competitive and like to be aggressive. That is my nature. But at some point, and listen it's very difficult, especially with the kind of financial parameters you have, it's very difficult to compete for the length of time that we've competed and not have to have a tear down at some point in time.

I don't expect anyone to appreciate that who hasn't sat in the chair. But it is what it is. So, to kind of do a little bit of both what we've done if we can just get some guys to play back to where their career norms are then we can, I think we can still sustain that over the next number of years with the injection of young players we currently have now and expect to have.

I'm optimistic about today and I'm optimistic about tomorrow. The thing that is in my mind is you've got now some of the greatest players in the game that have now switched over to the American League. So, it's become that much more difficult now in the American League to. Some of the good teams out there just got better. So, at some point in time, we are going to have to probably get back to what has been more our norm over the last number of years which is the aggressiveness. But now this offseason, we just weren't in that position.''

On commissioner's award for White Sox:

"Well, I think we started it at the urging of the president a few years back. He's very passionate about it. We take it very seriously and it's our community responsibility and the people that have donated their time and their physical work that they put in has just been amazing. So, I can't say enough nice things, positive things, about these people. Not just fans, but they are just good people serving their community. They make us look good."

"They [prognosticators] picked us [to finish] first for a lot of years and unfortunately we didn't hold up our end of the bargain. In 2008 they picked us third. Where are we now? Third or fourth? Good. They're never right. They're wrong more than me."

Kyle Williams

"As a father it was absolutely awful. Even if it weren't my kid, I'd still feel bad for what happened. Through it all, the young man has shown me exactly who I thought he was, which is a man of character, a strong-minded, tough son of a gun. He's hurting right now and he's pissed, and he should be. Believe me, I'm not happy with some of the death threats and some of the things that are unfortunately part of our culture. I wish it weren't that way, but I have first-hand knowledge of it being that way. He grew up in a household where he knew exactly what to expect. He stood up in front of more media than I've ever stood in front of and told them exactly what he felt, and took responsibility. How can a father be anything but proud? It was explained to him that I was there, not for the football player - and he will always be in our eyes, not because of the football player he is, but the man he is."

"I have to give kudos to the San Francisco 49ers organization, too. They have put together something there where it's all for one and one for all. They all rallied around Kyle and it was not just about him. These are special people. They have a special program out there because the players care about one another and they stick together."

Harbaugh to spring training
"I think we can get to that point. After witnessing what I witnessed, I certainly am encouraged that you can get to an even higher level than we've experienced around here. I'll tell you another thing, Jim Harbaugh asked to come out to spring training and throw out the first pitch and hang out a little bit and be around baseball because he loves baseball. He has no idea, but he's going to stand up in front of the White Sox and talk about team leadership and togetherness. We need to tap into that a little bit."

Rebuilding

"Nobody reported that I said so much more after I said 'rebuilding.' No one said that it won't be a domino-type of rebuilding. It was replacing a veteran player with a young player here or there. I explored all the avenues so we could get an influx of as much talent as we possibly could. That didn't manifest into anything more than you see now, so we did a little bit of that to protect our future, and did some things to protect our present. Hopefully it's enough and if we have a need in the middle of the season at some point we can go out and address it."

Championship expectations

"I'm behind my own schedule. I thought by now I'd have a couple championships, but I'm not even up to my own expectations."

Beckham

"What's more important for Gordon this season, no matter how it turns out, is to play to win and have fun while you're doing it. Two goals for me for Gordon Beckham: Play to win and have fun doing it. I think the success for him will be there at the end if he just lightens up and goes back to being a game."

Talked to Adam?

"No. I have not. I wanted Adam to get as far away from baseball for as long as he could possibly go without even thinking about it. All a phone call would have done from me is make him feel that much closer to the game that I don't want him to feel right now. I'll talk to him on [Feb.] 22 (day before ST starts)."

Dunn 2011

"He never got it going. If I had to do one thing over, one singular thing over from last year, I would have sat him out a week longer, at least, after he had the surgery, and got him some at-bats in the minor leagues to get his stroke back. I take the responsibility for that."

Parent, a 13-year veteran catcher who managed the Phillies' AA Reading club before joining the Sox to be first-year manager Robin Ventura's bench coach, was an imposing physical presence on the SoxFest stage over the weekend. He talked about Sox pitchers retaliating when Sox hitters get hit by pitches, and he addressed veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski's shortcomings against would-be base stealers

"A.J. has struggled behind the plate with the running game," Parent said to a SoxFest crowd over the weekend. "We're going to try to do things to help out, either with his mechanics, his release, his release times, throwing over, having pickoff [plays]."

 How Pierzynski, 35, responds to extra work during spring training, is worth watching. He's been an ironman behind the plate -- he caught 1,000 innings for the 10th consecutive season in 2011 -- who prides himself on fitness and workout routines and no doubt is comfortable with his normal routines. He is also highly regarded for calling a good game.

Sox issues had issues holding runners, and shortstop Alexei Ramirez has required work around second base making tags. But Pierzynski has never possessed a gun for an arm and he had trouble at at times transferring the ball from his mitt to his throwing hand.

The Sox threw out 37 runners last season while allowing 135 stolen bases, which ranked last in the American League. One of two holdovers from the 2005 World Series championship team, Pierzynski's willingness to spend extra time with new staff on throwing and blocking drills during spring training would demonstrate the kind of veteran leadership rookie manager Robin Ventura and his staff need.

Opponents stole 94 bases in 118 attempts (80 percent) with Pierzynski catching. Of those 24 caught stealings, 11 were on pickoffs by Sox pitchers. Pierzynski threw out 13 runners, and Sox catchers won't have Mark Buehrle around to shut down would-be base stealers for them.

Tyler Flowers, 26, who showed flashes of good things when Pierzynski went on the disabled list for the first time in his career, figures to play more behind the plate. It makes sense for a team trying to inject some youth while giving the veteran Pierzynski more breaks, especially with Pierzynski in the final year of a contract paying him $6 million this season. A career .284 hitter, the left-handed hitting Pierzynski was a designated hitter seven times last season and might DH more this season.

Flowers hit five homers in 110 at-bats, but he batted .209. Baserunners were slightly less successful on 76 percent of steal attempts with Flowers catching. He has shown signs of promise, but needs to show more.

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?"

His named has been tossed around in numerous trade rumors ever since general manager Ken Williams said the Sox were going to rebuild or tweak their roster to get younger. He is signed through this season with a club option for 2013. His value as a middle of the rotation starter makes him a valuable piece for buyers and sellers.

"You know it's happening [trade talk] but you have zero control over it so to think about it for a second is a waste of your time,'' Floyd said. "When i got traded to the White Sox [by the Phillies) it caught me by complete surprise. I got called while watching a TV show in December. You have no control over it. You listen to it, you anticipate, but there is nothing you can do.''

Floyd has no desire to leave.

"I love Chicago, I want to be here,'' he said. "I've been part of this organization for four or five years. I feel like I've grown and gotten better every year and established relationships I'll cherish the rest of my life. We love Chicago. I try not to think of it too much.''

Players are often kept in the dark when it comes to trade discussion.

"The only time they said something was last year when my name was coming up,'' Floyd said. "[General manager] Kenny told me, 'Dont worry, nothing is happening.''

Floyd hasn't heard that this year, though.

"No, no," he said with a chuckle.

"Who said that? You're giving me news,'' Cooper told the Mully and Hanley Show on Friday morning. "It's news to me.''

After Cooper, who was en route to SoxFest at the Palmer House, listened to Ventura's comments, he said, "Well, you got more info than me.''

Righthander Jesse Crain has expressed a desire to have a shot at the job and was thought be many to be the leading candidate until Ventura cited Thornton. Thornton was given first crack last year and lost the job to Sergio Santos, who was traded during the offseason.

"Like I said, Matt is certainly capable,'' Cooper said. "You have [prized rookie righthander] Addison Reed is a kid who has to work into it. You can't name him. You got Jesse Crain -- he is a guy who is more than capable. We'll figure it out. Nobody said Santos last year. I'm a believer in they'll show you who needs to be in there at that time.''

Ventura by no means named Thornton the closer. And it may be Cooper, who has a new four-year contract, who has the final say, anyhow. Crain let Cooper know he'd like an opportunity.

"Coaches have an idea going in who they want,'' Crain said. "I just wanted to let Coop know because I have been in the big leagues for eight years and never had that opportunity. One save situation last year. I'd like to get an opportunity to see what I can do.

"That's not taking anything away from Matt and Reed. I just would like an opportunity. Until I got in the big leagues, from 10 years old through college I was a closer. Joe Nathan was with the Twins when I was there, one of the best in the game. I have confidence in myself. It just takes an opportunity. I've really learned a lot and matured the last couple of years. I think I can do it.''

Alex Rios, on the other hand, took a step back not only with his bat but in the field, as well. And we're not talking about how he played so deep in center. It was a curious development for a center fielder who has been an adequate glove man for most of his career.

So it comes as no surprise that manager Robin Ventura and general manager Ken Williams have been talking up De Aza as a leadoff man and center fielder. Ventura said Thursday that Rios could see time in left field -- no surprise there, either.

"As of now he could be moving to left field, he could be in center. We don't have concrete plans,'' Ventura said. "I know I will want him to play. He's a talented kid and when we get going I want him to be in the middle of it. He's a talent that hopefully will show this year.''

Rios, who is signed through 2014, is playing on a seven-year, $69.84 million contract. He batted .227 with 13 homers in 44 RBI in 537 at-bats. His recent history is bouncing back after bad years. Ventura's fingers are crossed.

"When I had a year that I didn't feel was my best I felt obligated in the offseason to do things differently and try things,'' Ventura said. "You come in with a different mindset than in other years. These guys are competitors.

"It can make guys press. But there seems to be a feeling that they can prove last year was an aberration. Going into spring training there is motivation in that direction and I like that.''

Rios never recovered from a tough-luck start when he hit into a lot of hard-hit outs. Frustration set in, followed by a bona fide slump. And he seemed to take it with him in the field.

"Rios never looked ready to throw,'' an American League scout said. "He was stylish, so safe and so sure, playing not to make a mistake.''

Rios, who turns 31 in September, did show signs in September that he can still hit, going 23-for-75 (.307) with an .875 OPS, five homers, 11 RBI and 12 runs scored. Granted, the games didn't matter much, but it beat the alternative.

De Aza played in 54 games after his mid-season callup, batting .327 with four homers, 23 RBI and 29 runs scored. He stole 12 bases in 17 attempts. He had 11 doubles and a .400 on-base percentage.

"Alejandro De Aza played his tail off as far as I'm concerned,'' Williams said. "Did you watch him? He's pretty good.''

"Regarding Ozzie Guillen's departure as White Sox manager last September, I want to make it clear that he left with our organization's blessing and at my urging. Ozzie told me he wanted to finish out the year, the Marlins really wanted him in Miami for the conclusion of the season, and I told him that he had no choice but to go given the excitement surrounding the opening of their new stadium and the unveiling of their new uniforms. Ozzie needed to be in Miami at the end of the season for the Marlins.

"We will always be grateful for the 21 seasons Ozzie spent in a White Sox uniform as a player and coach, especially his role in helping us win the 2005 World Series championship. We wish him nothing but the best."

White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy recently implied during a radio interview that Guillen quit on the team with two games left in the season. Peavy, plodding his way toward the end of the season with a tired shoulder, was uneasy with the insinuation that he quit with three seasons left.

Guillen fired off a series of tweets last week suggesting he would have his say before long:

"When i get to chitown lets make one thing clear what happen last day whit the sox stay tune"

"I am out the country now but i never quit in anything yes be ready when i talk going to be fun"

"I will kill peoples fellings no mercy i turn the page but they no let me a long then get ready going to be bad"

"People want me to look bad but I so honest i wiil say the real true put u seat belt on"

With two games left in the season, the Sox announced that Guillen would be let out of the final year of his contract.