Phil Rogers: Hello there. Let's get started. I hope everyone's doing well ... Tim, no, I don't think the job would be Owens' to lose. I think he'd have to take it from Ryan Sweeney, who will also get a good look. I do think Owens has a future with the White Sox but he won't ever be handed a job, as Anderson was a year ago. He's gonna have to earn one.

Phil Rogers: Jim, Good question. My guess is that Josh will wind up spending at least half of 2007 at Charlotte, but he could break camp with the White Sox, who certainly need both right-handed bats and power off the bench. It's the age-old development question -- where would he be better off -- and I think the Sox will decide to give him regular at-bats, unless he looked so good in the spring (probably in left field) that he was going to start three or four times a week, anyway.

Phil Rogers: Good observation, Dave. I happen to like Haeger a lot. To me, he's like a young Tim Wakefield, who, if you'll remember, had a big impact early in Pittsburgh and has had an outstanding career. But it's also true that the Sox's system is down at this point, especially in regard to true power arms. I can never remember them having so few mid-90s guys, especially under age 24 or so. It's a real concern -- and that .333 winning percentage for the Sox at the low-A and rookie levels should be quite alarming for White Sox fans. They need to ramp up their level of talent, especially in the low minors.

Moderator: Bryan, nobody else was really close. I like the age and background of Justin Edwards, but he's not a true power arm. Besides him, I also took a look at John Shelby Jr. and Brian Omogrosso, but none of these guys really received top 10 consideration.

Phil Rogers: Well, Jerry, he didn't miss many bats, did he? But I wouldn't read too much into a guy's performance after a college season. Even some really good prospects struggle. The good news was he stepped in and got a lot of work. I think it showed that he needs work on his secondary pitches, which was the focus for him in Instructional League. I'm really curious to see how he performs next spring and if he gets a chance to start, which he might.

Phil Rogers: Yo, Eric, in the land of cheese. I'm assuming you mean why would he move off of third base. That would be all about Joe Crede. If the Sox sign Crede to a long-term contract, then Fields is going to need either another position or another team. But he did make a ton of improvement at third last year. The recent upswing in salaries would seem to give high-profile prospects like Fields a boost. The Sox should determine Crede's signability real soon and then think about trading him at some point within the next year if he's likely to leave as a free agent after 2008.

Phil Rogers: Yep, Chris Carter is definitely on the radar. He is the best power prospect in the system, although it hurts his value that he's become a first baseman after starting off his career at third. He's a kid and he can rake. Those guys are valuable commodities. In an ideal world, he should be a roster consideration about the time the Sox are looking to replace Jim Thome.

Phil Rogers: Hi Chris. There are many strong Jack Egbert supporters in the White Sox front office after his work the last two years. He's really right there with Lucas Harrell as a prospect, and could have crept into the top 10 this year. He doesn't have the greatest velocity -- low 90s top -- but he has a plus changeup, he challenges hitters and when he's on -- which he often is -- gets guys to beat the ball onto the ground. He has a real chance in a farm system that is short on pitching prospects.

Phil Rogers: Henry, great question. If anyone deserves a mulligan, it is Ray Liotta. Yes, he had a bad 2006, but he was also dealing with some serious issues as a New Orleans area guy in the wake of Katrina. I don't think he was focused on baseball last winter -- understandably so -- and he paid for it all season. Next year is going to be a big year for him, but he deserves an open mind after all he's been through. I still like him a lot.

Phil Rogers: It couldn't have been closer, really. In my mind, the difference is age. Sweeney has been young for every league he has played in, and increased his value a little by adding center field last year, which makes him a consideration in any of the three outfield spots. Sweeney also began to show the power that Razor Shines long ago insisted was there. I'm not sure he'll be a big power guy, as Razor says he will, but I think he can be a high average hitter -- a tough out -- and have 15-20 homer power. He's got a great arm and runs pretty well. Very good looking prospect. He could crack Ozzie Guillen's lineup next year but it wouldn't hurt him at all to repeat Triple-A.

Phil Rogers: Well, everyone is going to have their own guys who catch their eyes. I like Jay Marshall, a left-handed reliever who didn't walk a single left-handed batter in 58 appearances at Winston-Salem last year. He seemed to turn a corner after he dropped down, which made him really tough on left-handed hitters. He's not a lock to go on the 40-man, however, and could get taken by someone in the Rule 5. Dewon Day, a Rule 5 pick by the Sox last year, pitched well in the Arizona Fall League and could qualify. I also like the Hawaiian who was a low level pick in the 2006 draft, Texeire. I rated his slider as the best in the Sox system after hearing raves on it from the Instructional League. Is three enough?

Phil Rogers: I didn't put Lucy in the top 30, which could one day look like an oversight. I think he's solid enough behind the plate but he hasn't really proven himself as a hitter. He's got time, but for an advanced prospect coming into the system, he really hasn't opened as many eyes as you'd think he could have. Maybe he'll start to hit later on, as Chris Stewart did. But right now I see Stewart, Francisco Hernandez and Gustavo Molina (re-signed as a six-year free agent) as being ahead of Lucy.

Phil Rogers: Hey, StatManDu, he's absolutely still a prospect. He flashed onto the scene so young that it probably wasn't fair to him. He hasn't hit like a lot of us thought he would after his huge season in rookie ball in 2004 but he still has an elite arm and is a good athlete. Don't give up on this guy yet. He's a switch hitter but struggles from the right side of the plate. You wonder if the White Sox won't make him strictly a left-handed hitter at some point.

Phil Rogers: Like Lucy, Brandon Allen just missed the top 30. He's got great raw power but hasn't developed the strike-zone discipline he needs. He's still real young so he can bounce back in a big way in 2007.

Phil Rogers: Mark, I certainly did my share to raise expectations for Anderson Gomes. They were too high as he entered 2006, and his inexperience as a hitter certainly showed when he opened the year at Winston-Salem. He did better after dropping to Kannapolis but still had an OPS under 700 there. His collection of tools is arguably the best in the White Sox system at this point but he seems like a longshot to put it together. He could make a huge leap forward in 2007, as last year was his first full year as a hitter (remember -- he pitched in Japan), but his stock will tumble fast if he doesn't. Right now there are as many guys who like another Brazilian, Paulo Orlando, as those who are high on Gomes.

Phil Rogers: Hey Bob. The thing that probably figured in Owens not making the top 30 was his age. He's admittedly inexperienced for his age, because of those football years, but it's hard to get too worked up about a 25-year-old outfielder who hits .262 in Triple-A. I thought he would hit better after winning a batting title the year before, but he struggled against more experienced pitchers. He's still a solid prospect, though, don't get me wrong.

Moderator: You're right. There is a shortage right now. The most intriguing guy to me is Heath Phillips, the poor man's Mark Buehrle, who at the end of last season was throwing harder than Buehrle and having more success. He was rock solid for Team USA in Cuba, and was named the top pitcher in the International League. I'm told he's going on the 40-man roster but the Sox don't talk about him as a starter candidate. Kenny Williams did mention him the other day as a bullpen option after the Cotts trade. I think this guy could really be a pleasant surprise. I'd at least like to see him get a chance, and I'm not sure that's going to happen with the Sox. He needs to have a great spring. Guys who are more on the radar include Wes Whisler, who was impressive in the Fall League, and Ray Liotta, who could start next year back in Birmingham. Justin Edwards is a good prospect but a long way away. As I mentioned, I also like Marshall as a sleeper, but that could just be me. Clayton Richard, the former Michigan QB, was bothered by a knee injury last year but bounced back strong at the end of the season.

Phil Rogers: I'm guessing here, Jeff, but Broadway could be a consideration as early as the second half of 2007 (although the White Sox would rather plug him in for one of their starters in 2008 or '09), and McCullough seems likely to need at least two full years in the minors, which makes him 2009, at the earliest. Both are high-probability guys, though.

Phil Rogers: Greetings, Maki. Sweeney will get a shot in CF, not RF. My guess is he returns to Triple-A for the start of the year, but with a strong spring he could force his way into the picture, either in Brian Anderson's spot or possibly even in LF, depending on what happens there. Jermaine Dye is a serious contract question after 2007, but he's going to be the regular there for at least one more year.

Phil Rogers: Hey Jim. My guess is no, but I'll qualify that by saying the one quantity Ozzie Guillen wants to add is speed, and dumpingtrading Podsednik wouldn't seem to help there. I think the Sox are understandably down on the production from CF and LF last year, and you wonder if that's a place they'll add to help the catch the Tigers, who look strong after adding Gary Sheffield.

Phil Rogers: Hey Bill. Love Jacksonville. Is Beach Road Chicken Dinners still in business? Man, I loved that liver-gizzard combo plate (but I guess that's my problem, isn't it?) There was good news on Honel in Instructional League. He seems healthy again after a non-TJ type of elbow surgery and could start 2007 back in the Birmingham rotation. He was never a real high-ceiling guy, according to most scouts, and has been derailed by injuries. Next year's a big one for him, but there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

Phil Rogers: Hey Larry. Yes, Cunningham could play CF. He doesn't have the greatest arm but I think he's a solid outfielder and the White Sox aren't afraid to look at non-traditional guys in CF. Witness Joe Borchard and Sweeney. I don't think his ceiling is quite as high as the guys you mentioned, mostly because he doesn't project to have the power and maybe not as much speed, either. But he could be a high-average hitter, which would keep him in the big leagues for a long time. He's a very interesting guy to watch.

Phil Rogers: Hi Bob. Great numbers, not so great stuff. The reports I get are that he's a high-80s guy, not a true power guy, but I've never seen him pitch, even in spring training (where I see most of the guys). I considered him for the top 30 but he did not wind up making the cut.

Phil Rogers: Not this year. With his tools, he'll be there a year from now if he starts to hit a little better.

Phil Rogers: Hey Trevor. I'm not the guy to compare guys from one organization to the other, really, so I'll go with the experts. I do know that Josh Fields very much looked the part in the Futures Game. I think he's going to be a heck of a player. If Crede wasn't so good defensively, Fields would be a good bet to force a trade in the very near future. As it is, the upturn in the price of signing veteran players still could lead to a Crede trade and Fields making the Sox younger.

Moderator: Best mid-November guess: Jack Egbert, Lucas Harrell, Adam Russell, Wes Whisler, Ray Liotta, with Kris Honel, Kyle McCullough and Clayton Richard in the mix.

Phil Rogers: Ironman for a Day ... not many seasons, but thanks for remembering Bob. I've touched on Perez before. Rice has one of the best arms in the system. He hasn't learned how to command it yet but he is a true mid-90s guy, and as I've mentioned before there aren't a lot in this system. He's a guy to keep an eye on in 2007.

Phil Rogers: After a great spring training in which he impressed Ozzie Guillen, Valido went backwards all year. Much of that could be attributed to his health, as he tried to play through an injury to his handwrist. His fielding was fine but the questions that existed about his hitting when he came into the Sox system from Miami returned. It didn't help that his best years as a hitter were tainted by a performance-enhancer suspension. He's still in the picture but might have to pass Pedro Lopez again to be considered the shortstop of the future -- although I'm not sure the system currently has one. There's a dearth of shortstop prospects in the low minors for the Sox.

Phil Rogers: Yes, he just might. He's a guy who is younger than some people think. His career slowed when he was rushed in 2005 but he got back on track last year. He's a good fielder at either middle infield position but doesn't impress with his speed or power, which means he's gonna have to hit like crazy to be a big-league consideration.

Phil Rogers: Hello Scottsdale. Richard hurt his knee late in the spring and had a small piece of surgery. Otherwise he would have made a full-season roster. He got back on track at the end and bears watching in 2007.

Phil Rogers: Hey Joe. Love your bar (on Weed St.). He seems versatile enough to start or relieve. He had a solid year in the Fall League out of the bullpen but could wind up starting again in 2007, most likely at Birmingham to open the year. There are a lot of people in the organization very high on him. His fastball has some nasty late movement and he has arm angles hitters don't often see.

Phil Rogers: Hey Mick. At this point I'd say Alex Cintron is the shortstop of the future. There are serious questions about Valido's hitting.

Phil Rogers: About the only guy we haven't covered who qualifies is Boone Logan, and he's a fairly well known commodity at this point. I can tell you he really surprised me last year. I like to see guys coming and Logan slipped totally under the radar, as Kenny Williams likes to say. The White Sox's minor-league coaches, in this case Curt Hasler, deserve a lot of credit.

Phil Rogers: Hey Warren. I touched on Allen earlier. Sanchez is a legitimate sleeper. He is a tools guy who hasn't put up the numbers yet but has been very young for his level. I considered him for the top 30 but wound up going with another couple of guys like him in the Brazilians, Gomes and Orlando.

Phil Rogers: Hey Jacob. You like vanilla, I like chocolate ... or whatever. The point is, opinions vary. This year's Sox Top 30 is the thinnest of the ones I've put together, so I'd say after about No. 6 you could get a huge variety of opinions on candidates. It helps to be young when you're breaking ties, and Harrell, Long and Carter all have youth on their side.

Phil Rogers: Hello, St. Charles. That's exactly how I envision Haeger. Assuming the White Sox have somebody who can catch him (Pierzynski did a lot better in September and Chris Stewart, who knows him well, could make the team as a backup) I think he'll open 2007 in the White Sox bullpen as a swing man. You bring him in for the sixth inning, and if he's got his good stuff, maybe you let him throw two or three innings. If one of the starters needs a blow, you can plug in Haeger. It's possible that he would do really well in the rotation, which would be a good problem to have. I like Haeger a lot and the White Sox seem to have become more open-minded about the knuckleball.

Phil Rogers: You get right to the point, don't you. For Corwin's sake it would be nice to see some team take him in the Rule 5 draft. I think too many lefties have gone past him in the White Sox system, and I'm not sure he can hang onto a roster spot at Charlotte or Birmingham in 2007. The clock is definitely ticking on a really good guy.

Phil Rogers: Hello James. I've discussed Valido earlier so I'll move to Getz. He came into the system as an advanced college prospect and has moved fast. I love his strike-zone judgment but that's about it, unfortunately. He's going to have to be a high-average, high-OBP guy to keep moving up the ladder, as he lacks power and has only average speed (although he did steal 18 bases last year). I don't see him as having a very high ceiling.

Phil Rogers: Hey Johnny, again. Ken Williams mentioned both those guys after the Neal Cotts trade. I'm really big on Logan. He was blowing hitters from both side of the plate away at the end of the year in Charlotte. Reynoso has a plus arm but has never thrown enough strikes to get big league consideration. In my experience, that's a tough thing to start doing when the big-league manager or GM is watching. Reynoso is going to get a look next spring but I don't see it.

Phil Rogers: Hi Mike. This is a guy who wasn't drafted out of high school, so he has come a long way in a hurry. The people I talk to like his bat and his speed, as well as his pedigree. He will be tested in a full-season league next year -- possibly jumping to the Carolina League. He might be the best middle infield prospect the system has at the moment.

Moderator: To be honest, we're just now nailing that down. The guys who seem the most likely are Heath Phillips, Owens, Liotta, Egbert, Justin Edward and Logan. Whisler is just gonna miss 10-15, I think.

Phil Rogers: Hey Mark. First point, those Jon Garland trade rumors come from my friend Ken Rosenthal, at Fox sports. He does a great job but at the GM meeting and since I was hearing the Texas rumors as Vazquez, not Garland. I do expect the Sox to trade one (at least one) of their veteran starters to make the rotation younger, but I'd be surprised if Garland was the pitcher traded. Danks, a lefty, is considered a high-level prospect, but probably would need a year before reaching Chicago. Another guy from the TExas system in these talks is Nick Masset, a power right-hander who could relieve next year.

Phil Rogers: Hi, Kilty. I just addressed Danks. I think Fields will stay at third base and wind up as a No. 5 or 6 hitter in the big leagues. I'm just not sure if that happens in 2007 or '08, and if it's in Chicago or elsewhere.

Phil Rogers: Hey there Mr. Canada. The guy I like on the sneak attack is Jay Marshall, who blew left-handed hitters away for Winston-Salem. I'm a little worried the Sox could lose him in the Rule 5 draft, as I'm not sure he's gonna make the 40-man roster. He's a side-armer who can hit the high-80s with natural deception. And, by the way, he's from Jefferson (Mo.) Community College, the place that sent Mark Buehrle to the big leagues.

Phil Rogers: Well, Ken, you know your system better than I do. But I see middle infield as a weakness. Alex Gonzalez remains an interesting guy but sure seemed in a funk in the Fall League. Maybe he heard he wasn't making the Top 30 this year.

Phil Rogers: How about Slider's at Jacksonville Beach? Man, I love that place, too.

Phil Rogers: And the questions just keep coming ... Carter was moved because he was a nightmare at third. He is a growing kid, so you can say he outgrew the position, but Miguel Cabrera ain't no runt.

Phil Rogers: Hey Monte. Wasserman has done unbelievably well for a guy signed out of a tryout camp after the draft. I'd say that sure, he's got a shot, but he's going to have to keep putting up good numbers wherever he goes. The next step is Triple-A. If he can survive as a closer there, then he's got a shot. He's not afraid to throw strikes, and that's a big part of the battle.

Phil Rogers: Hey Paul. Hand or wrist injury. Really bad for a hitter. He tried to play through it and then just had to shut it down after moving to Birmingham. The Sox hope he reports healthy next year.

Phil Rogers: Ah, Chris Young ... enough to make a White Sox fan cry. He would have been No. 1. You'll remember he was No. 2 a year ago, and would have been No. 1 when he was traded if not for the quirky requirement that made Bobby Jenks eligible. If the White Sox do trade Vazquez, they better get someone really good to offset what they gave up to get him.

Phil Rogers: Hey Jim. I don't think money was a big factor in the Cotts trade. I think they felt more of a need for RH relief than LH, and their scouts really like David Aardsma. As for Carlos Vasquez, he's a guy to watch but at this point nothing special. He probably should have gotten a mention for the 2007 Birmingham rotation although he pitched well for the Cubs after being moved to the bullpen. He throws in the high-80s and has a decent slider. He's been hurt and suspended for steroids. You wouldn't bet the farm on him.

Phil Rogers: Hey Matt, we'll call this the lightning round because I can't go past 2:15. Cruz ... good bat, did play 2B in the Instructional League, the Sox like him. Gartrell, drafted as a college senior and played well last year. Another good year and he's on the map. Gerst has speed and can play center. Leadoff type. Guy to watch. All three are really.

Phil Rogers: Sweeney ... by a tick.

Phil Rogers: Ideally you vary them. I think they need to focus on power, high-end arms in the next draft, even if they have to reach somewhat.

Phil Rogers: He's no kid. I'd have to check but he might have been lost as a six-year free agent.

Phil Rogers: JR Perdew did some of his usually good work with Whisler, improving his delivery. His low-90s sinker is a good pitch. If he develops the secondary pitches, he could advance as a starter. If he doesn't, he could get to the big leagues as a reliever. My guess is he's going to pitch in Chicago in some role.

Phil Rogers: Broadway's never been a big strikeout guy but attacks the strike zone. I don't think he's pitching to contact, necessarily, but he has a great changeup and knows how to pitch. Think Brad Radke -- low strikeouts, low walks.

Phil Rogers: I did not know that about Santeliz, but I'll check it out. The Sox certainly don't have many guys in winter ball. I think he's got a good, raw arm but is very inexperienced. Winter ball should really help.

Phil Rogers: Hi Jim. Give the Royals credit for getting the right guys. Lumsden would have been the most highly rated pitcher, and maybe No. 3 overall. Cortes would have gotten top 10 consideration.

Phil Rogers: Gerst did not make the top 30 but he's certainly made an impression since being selected in the 2006 draft. The key to his development is going to be the bat. He'll be tested in a full-season league next year, most likely the South Atlantic.

Phil Rogers: This will have to be the last one today. Thanks for all the questions. I don't think Guillen is going to hold anything against Tracey (because of the retaliation situation in Texas). But Tracey could have done a better job taking adva ntage of the chances he's gotten. The Sox haven't given up on him but most don't think his stuff has been as good the last couple of years as it was before. He either needs better stuff or command. Again, thanks for the questions. Let's do it again next year.