Holy crap, Kenny Williams may have done something good.

White Sox GM Ken Williams has a tendency to be hot or cold with his transactions, which is rather enraging. But it looks like he made a pretty shrewd deal in landing Jermaine Dye.

Dye will make $4 million in 2005 and $5 million in 2006. That's a pretty damn good price for Dye, especially if he stays healthy. And to think Williams wanted to spend that money on an aging, power-deficient short stop who plays mediocre defense (Omar Vizquel).

Thanks again, Giants!

Dye's numbers aren't great, but the Sox could have done worse in their efforts to replace Magglio Ordonez. His .272/.334/.462 career splits are solid, and you gotta like that isolated power (SLG-BA). While that career OBP isn't spectacular, Dye'll have one of the better OBPs on the team if he can hit in the neighborhood of .300 (which will put his OBP in the .350-.360 range; his OBP has been consistently 60-70 points higher than his BA over the last 4-5 years), and even if he doesn't, he'll be league-average at worst. I expect Dye's numbers to look better at The Cell, anyway. Only three White Sox players created more runs than Dye in 2004.

Dye's career SO-Walk ratio is about 2:1, but it was closer to 3:1 last year. Assuming he gets back to his career average in 2005, I'd look for him to put up better numbers than .265/.329.

So what I'm saying is--good addition to the lineup for the Sox, and at a good price too. An outfield of Carlos Lee/Aaron Rowand/Jermaine Dye with Carl Everett in reserve (when he's not DHing) will be good. If Frank Thomas can get healthy and Paul Konerko can hit another 35-40 homers, the Sox will score plenty in '05.

Rowand
Harris
Lee
Konerko
Dye
Everett (as DH)

or (and this looks much better)

Rowand
Harris
Thomas
Konerko
Lee
Dye/Everett

Is it time for spring training yet?