Trouble in Paradise

I’ve said it before, and I see no reason to retract my statement – the only thing the media enjoys more than building up heroes is tearing them down again.

The latest example of this truism comes courtesy of the scribes at the Chicago Tribune. After two years of effusive praise of the Chicago White Sox and GM Kenny Williams (well-earned praise, I must add), two of the Trib’s best and brightest columnists have seen fit to go way off script and voice their displeasure with the South Siders.

What could the Sox have done that was so bad, so shameful, so ignominious as to lose two of their top cheerleaders? They traded Freddy Garcia to the Phillies.

First, Dr. Phil’s offering from Thursday’s paper:

Win fast, White Sox.

And White Sox Fans, go ahead and make plans to be busy with something other than watching baseball games in late-summer 2009, if not also ‘08. Just to be clear, this is not so much a reaction to the Freddy Garcia trade as it is to the mind-set behind it.

From this point of view, the dynasty of a Sox Fan’s dreams seems to be in serious danger of crumbling, thanks to a stunning bit of arrogance from club chairman Jerry
Reinsdorf and general manager Kenny Williams.

Oh, snap! The good Doctor goes on to say:

Having inhaled their cigars and digested the developments, Williams declared his club has no plans to extend the contracts of Mark Buerhle beyond 2007 or Jon Garland, Jose Contreras, and Javier Vazquez beyond 2008.

In other words between now and Opening Day 2009, the Sox either will trade or lose to free agency every member of the starting rotation, including the four guys who won a World Series barely 13 months ago. Are these guys nuts?

{snip}

Executives with rival clubs were at least somewhat incredulous about the brazen nature of this plan. One called it “counter to everything they’ve been doing.”

I’m no mind-reader, so I can’t be sure what brought about this sudden change in Dr. Phil’s perspective. My best guess is he’s angry that the team blew his shot at another book deal this winter, and apparently for the next few years.

As petulant as Dr. Phil was, that was nothing compared to Rick Morrissey’s ire:

This is what happens when you run when you should have been standing pat. And this is what happened when an organization insists its payroll is tied into fan attendance and then turns around and reneges on the deal.

If the Freddy Garcia trade isn’t part of some bigger plan that involves bigger, better moves down the line, consider it a betrayal.

{snip}

Mostly -- and you will be shocked at this one -- they were looking at money. They won’t have to pay Garcia’s $10 million for 2007 nor will they have to pay him in the future, when he could command a bigger salary as a free agent. Never mind that he won 17 games last season. The number with the commas and all the zeroes is the one the Sox care about most.

In terms of championships, this is what Williams is saying to Sox Fans: One and done. You have your 2005 World Series. Shut up and be happy.

Yeeeowch! Tough talk from Rick Morrissey, Defender of the Faith...

I suppose, in a way, this sudden change in course shouldn’t be surprising. But only a handful of weeks have passed since both writers tried hard to spin their team’s third-place finish. One would think that if they were going to turn on their own, they’d at least wait until the 2007 season started.

Maybe they’re just trying to avoid the Christmas rush...