Williams has only one objective: winning

Here we go again.

Unmatched in Chicago sports currently among general managers is Kenny Williams' ability -- and desire -- to remake his club.

The White Sox GM did it prior to the 2005 season and all he got for Christmas was a World Series title. And now he's got it in his mind to light a fire in his clubhouse and put some diversity back in his lineup.

The first shoe dropped with the expected trade of Jon Garland, and in return Williams received a first-class shortstop in Orlando Cabrera and some payroll flexibility.

Next out of town will go Juan Uribe and Joe Crede, unless Crede were to suddenly pull a Kenny Rogers, reject Scott Boras, and get on the phone with Williams and beg to stay in Chicago.

Even then it's probably too late, so expect Josh Fields to play third and wait to see what Williams gets for Crede and what he does in the outfield.

"We're going to be one of the most dynamic offenses out there,'' Williams said. "I think people will be more excited when some of the other things we're going to do are behind us.''

He'd love to get his hands on Marlins third baseman Miguel Cabrera and put Cabrera's potent bat in left, and then sign either Aaron Rowand or Torii Hunter to play center, but any and all of that is going to cost serious money, and, in Cabrera's case, young players as well.

Williams doesn't have the luxury some teams do of merely throwing money at problems, so he must be more creative and responsible.

He also doesn't have the luxury of time. He has to win quickly to placate a restless fan base, and also because his lineup is built to win today while Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome have something left in the tank.

So it forces him to trade a starter like Garland, who's going to be a free agent after next season, even though no team willingly gives up a pitcher averaging 207 innings the last six years.

However, every day Garland stayed here his value decreased, and in Cabrera the Sox get a Gold Glove, World Series-winning middle infielder who can bat second and inject some life into a sleepy offense and lifeless clubhouse.

Williams admitted he was looking for leadership and a "go-getter attitude,'' and both Hunter and Rowand fit that bill as well, if Williams can afford the bill.

But don't be surprised if many more changes are on the way, even perhaps a new second baseman and a couple of new relievers.

"Hopefully, very quickly, other things will start to happen," Williams said. "This is just the start.''

Pitching in

As for the rotation after Mark Buehrle, Javy Vazquez and Jose Contreras, the kids Williams acquired a year ago will get a chance.

Maybe one will help fill out the rotation and maybe one will come from free agency.

He might take a chance on one of the older, broken-down types like Bartolo Colon, David Wells and Jon Lieber and hope to get lucky, or find a relatively cheap option like Livan Hernandez, who always takes the ball, finishes .500 and pitches 200 innings, even if it's not always pretty.

And don't laugh, but ex-Sox Josh Fogg is out there after a decent year pitching at Coors Field, when his 10-9 record and 4.94 ERA wasn't far off Garland's 10-13 with a 4.23, for a third the price.

In any case, Williams made it clear Monday that he intends to be very busy in the very near future and asks that you not judge his moves too harshly until you see the finished product.

"The message we've been giving to every (player) we've talked to is we have every intention of winning in '08,'' Williams said. "Last year doesn't sit well with any of us and we'll be (darned) if we're going to go through that again.''

Stay tuned.

As good as it gets

So you're watching Sunday's game and you find yourself saying, "Well, Rex Grossman wasn't really horribly terrible today, so that's a positive, right?''

The standard for quarterback play has been lowered so much -- with Grossman's assistance -- that, as it's analyzed today, what would have to be considered by an objective observer to be an extraordinarily mediocre performance, during which Grossman fumbled on the most important drive of the year, is considered a spectacular game by those who still promote Grossman as the next Brett Favre.

True, the defense was awful and the offensive line invisible, but that doesn't mean the quarterback was good. He wasn't. He was OK.

That's now thought of as a great QB outing by Chicago football standards.

And that's kinda sad.

Whatever happened to …

… Brian Urlacher?

Just asking

Is it a bad thing when you need to find 80 percent of an offensive line in the off-season?

Alive and kicking

Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: "In soccer, the L.A. Galaxy traded their coach to the (San Jose) Earthquakes for a third-round draft pick. All the Dolphins got for Nick Saban was indigestion."

Nice game

ESPN.com's Bill Simmons: "Every week when (Bill) Belichick does the (postgame) handshake, he has the same satisfied smirk on his face that someone has when they're meeting the boyfriend of a kinky ex-girlfriend.''

Lane violation

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: "Three slowest-moving objects in the world: (3) The Malaspina Glacier on Yakutat Bay in Alaska, (2) The garden snail, (1) Shaq in the fourth quarter."

And finally …

Fox comedian Frank Caliendo, on his belief that Ricky Williams needs to be tested again: "He'd have to be high to want to play for the Dolphins.''

brozner@dailyherald.com