Justin posted a recap from the Bruce Levine chat on ESPNChicago, and I think I need to put my two cents in on some of the things he talked about.

I'll start with the money situation.  Levine says the Sox have a cap of about $95 million.  Sounds like that number is about right, but I don't think there's any way its a true cap.  If Kenny runs into a situation in which he needs a few extra bucks (or 10 million) I can almost guarantee you Reinsdorf finds a way.  I think the idea of claiming they have a cap is just a cover up move.  There's not way that suddenly after all these years of being pretty lenient on the payroll that Jerry put a hard cap on Kenny, I just don't buy it.  That's not to say they won't stick to it though.

Next is the few personnel issues that were brought up.  Quentin, Pods, and Konerko to DH, Beckham to stay at 3rd, Danks a possible big-leaguer, all of them seem reasonable.  But I'm not sure the semantics of how any of those work other than Beckham staying at 3rd.  The DH spot is really the only spot on this team that is truly open.  With the 90% chance of Dye being gone (I'd say more like 99) you are left with 3 outfielders (Q, Pods, Rios).  Meaning if Quentin or Podsednik DH then little Danks would have to be on the team and starting, which Levine said on the team, not necessarily starting.  If Konerko is the DH, then there isn't a first baseman other than Kotsay, and there's no way they are planning on going into a season with significant plans for Kotsay.  So like I said, all are reasonable, but there is still one missing piece in regards to the starting lineup, assuming Danks isn't ready to start immeadiatley.

That missing piece is where I think the next portion of the chat comes in.  Chone Figgins is too expensive for the Sox, at least that's what Levine says.  I agree with that to a certain extent.  I'd say explore it, if he's to pricey then move on, but I hope they don't just assume that.  So that means we are still left with a missing starter in the lineup.  So let's peruse the free agent list looking for an outfielder or a DH.  Aubrey Huff, Bobby Abreu, Mike Cameron, Rocco Baldelli, Robb Quinlinn, Pedro Feliz, Marco Scutaro?  Any of those make sense to you?  I'd say any guy who can hit for average fits in the Sox lineup.  The names I just mentioned are in no way currently linked to the Sox (I picked some people out of the Free Agent list who I thought would make sense), but I think any of them (and Figgins) would help this team and really fill that hole.  Oh yeah, and that 1% chance I give for Dye to come back fills the spot too.

The last thing I want to touch on is the Rios situation.  Levine says fans need to wait to call him a bust.  I know he's been kind of a scape goat since coming over, but I'm not sure how many people truly believe he is a bust.  I for one am expecting a big year out of him next year.  Regardless of what he did here in 09, this guy has a good track record and he's going to get to play 81 games in the homer friendly Cell.  He was forcing last year, he struggled for a good period after coming over, but he wasn't a bust.  He's a bust if he hits .220 again next year.  Can't call a guy a bust yet, and I certainly don't believe Kenny is on the hot seat because of it as the question to Levine was posed.

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