Williams no fan of dealing with rumor mill

Major-league general managers can't stand the month of November.

That is typically when the rumors are really flying, no matter how ridiculous.

"Each year, the demands the media puts on you gets progressively worse,'' said White Sox GM Kenny Williams. "One rumor gets thrown out there and it's not just the local media that is calling you about it, it's the national media as well.''

Williams has already had to deal with rumors that free-agent center fielder Torii Hunter was signed, sealed and delivered. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, he was asked for his feelings after Hunter signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

The rumor mill has hardly been limited to Hunter, who did consider joining the Sox before jumping at a five-year, $90 million offer from L.A.

At various times throughout November, the Sox were rumored to be close to landing -- in no particular order -- Miguel Cabrera, David Eckstein, Coco Crisp, Jack Wilson, Aaron Rowand, Carl Crawford, Kosuke Fukudome, Bill Hall and, of course, Yasuhiko Yabuta.

To his credit, Williams understands the rumor side of the baseball business, so he rarely lets his temper heat like the hot stove.

But when baseball's annual winter meetings begin in Nashville on Monday, Williams expects a drastic change, particularly among his peers.

"You throw everything out the window come Monday because that's when all of the games that have been played since the GM meetings stop, and serious, earnest conversations begin,'' Williams said.

In past years, Williams has often treated the winter meetings with disdain. In 2004, the Sox' GM met with reporters on the first day and said the White Sox had nothing going on.

"And to save all of us some time,'' Williams said, "that's going to be my same response the next three days.''

Williams likes to do his shopping earlier than the winter meetings, and he's already traded starting pitcher Jon Garland to the Angels for shortstop Orlando Cabrera, signed free-agent reliever Scott Linebrink and cut ties with center fielder Darin Erstad, left fielder Scott Podsednik and utility infielder Alex Cintron.

That's not to say Williams is unhappy heading into baseball's winter gathering, which runs through Thursday.

"We try to identify what our needs are, who our target players are, before the end of the season,'' Williams said. "Part of everything we do has a plan, has a direction. With the Jon Garland for Orlando Cabrera trade, in our view, with the dollars, it was Jon Garland for Orlando Cabrera and Scott Linebrink.

"Now we'll look to improve on all of that. We're in a good place heading into the winter meetings. When we set out to shape this team, where we are now is in a great place.''

So, what might the upcoming week hold in store for the White Sox?

If Williams has his way, he'll exit the Opryland Resort with a new center fielder, and maybe a new left fielder.

He'll also leave without incumbent shortstop Juan Uribe, who is out of a job after the Cabrera trade.

Without coming out and saying it, Williams is also likely to listen to trade talk for relief pitchers Mike MacDougal, David Aardsma and Matt Thornton, and minor-league outfielders Ryan Sweeney and Brian Anderson are also far from untouchable.

Third baseman Joe Crede, who is coming back from back surgery and is represented by agent Scott Boras, also could be moved this week.

And with Williams at the controls, you can never discount a blockbuster trade that hasn't already made its way through the rumor mill.

"As we sit right here today, nothing is going to change,'' Williams said. "We're still going to look at all options to get us stronger in all facets. Only when spring training comes around will we be out of that mode.''

Heading into the winter meetings, third baseman/left fielder Josh Fields and second baseman Danny Richar appear to be the Sox' only two young position players that have a shot at making the 2008 Opening Day lineup.

But Williams said Jerry Owens, Sweeney and Anderson are still in the picture for now.

"We would like to add better (batting) average and more on-base percentage in the outfield,'' Williams said. "We can still go with Owens in center field, and we still have Sweeney, still have Brian Anderson. We have a lot of flexibility.''