Phil Rogers: Hey, everybody. Hello from snowy Naperville. Thanks for checking this out. I'm getting lots of Jon Rauch questions, so I'll take the first from a whitesoxinteractive.com regular and then see where to go from there. Rauch hasn't fallen off the map but he has gone backward. I thought he should have been up last year but he seems to have fallen out of favor a little with the Sox. I think he's going to be a big-leaguer but I'm not sure he can have the impact. Young is a high-ceiling guy and on this list we tend to look to high ceilings. As for Takatsu, that's a special case. Because he's a sure big-leaguer, he seemed to fit in the top 10 somewhere.

Phil Rogers: Hello John. Reed may be a leadoff type guy but I wouldn't rule out him hitting lower in the order. He'll develop some more power and probably won't steal as many bases as he gets older. He's not a blazer but he is aggressive in every phase of the game. That's rare in a guy who also has strike-zone judgment. To me, he's like a young Rafael Palmeiro, maybe. He might not hit .300 as a rookie but his career average could be in that neighborhood.

Phil Rogers: Hello Phillip. Nice name. I don't see the Sox trading their center fielders. Don't forget that Borchard and Reed -- for that matter -- might be better off on the outfield corners. I don't think Borchard needs a change of scenery. I think he needs to give himself a fresh start and stop putting so pressure on himself. I'd look for him to reassert himself this season. At some point the White Sox might have to say this is a guy who is going to strike out a lot, but I've seen him take over games. I think he can be a productive player.

Phil Rogers: Hello Brendan. Munoz did not take the whole winter off but he did pitch a lot less than last winter, when he virtually went from the Caribbean World Series to Tucson. There's no question the workload limited his effectiveness. He wasn't himself until June, maybe, and put up big numbers in the second half. He should be sharper this spring than he was in his two years in Jerry Manuel's camp. I'm not a scout, I'd guess Reed was probably 55-60 across the board in just about everything except hitting for average, where he's 70. He is a guy who seems to know how to use his skills.

Phil Rogers: I'll take another Reed question because Kris was direct. I'll say this -- it's not Kenny Williams' plan to have Reed make the team this spring but it cannot be ruled out. It's Rowand's job to lose but Reed is almost certain to open eyes, assuming he is not bothered by the wrist he injured playing for Team USA.

Phil Rogers: It's hard to say when the Sox will call up Honel but he's making steady progress, no doubt. He's gone a step at a time, pulling Ryan Wing along with him. Both will start this year at Birmingham. The White Sox have called up starts from Birmingham before, so it's not out of the question that Honel or Wing could arrive in 2004. I'd say '05 is a lock for both if they're healthy.

Phil Rogers: I'd have to give RJB the prize, if I had one. Indeed, McCarthy was the poor guy who got bumped because of Takatsu. I felt rotten about that. There's a big difference between 10 and 11 in these rankings, in terms of exposure. Valido is another guy who was on the cusp of the top 10. I also had Brian Miller in the 10th spot at one time. Scouts seem to think he has a higher ceiling than McCarthy but I'm impressed by a guy who has led his league in innings and strikeouts two years in a row. On Valido, I've heard nothing but good things on him. He wouldn't have lasted as long as he did in the draft if other teams had projected him to hit like he did at Bristol. He looks like a complete player.

Phil Rogers: I think the Hankins experiment would be regarded as a semi-success, and I'd look for him to share the catching load at Charlotte. It could be his only way to the big leagues because he may not hit enough to make it as a corner infielder. Everybody is looking for versatile players.

Phil Rogers: First off, I can't believe the Rockies gave the Sox an arm like this for two months of Sandy Alomar Jr. That was a complete steal. The Sox are intrigued by Pacheco but want to see him show them that he can repeat the control he had at Birmingham. He falls somewhere around 15 on the final list of Sox prospects, which isn't bad. He gets a chance to open Ozzie Guillen's eyes in spring training. As with any player, it will be interesting to see how he handles the stress. There aren't many Mark Buehrles who can walk in there throwing strikes.

Phil Rogers: These are great questions. I loved Schnurstein at this time last winter but he did have a disappointing first full year as a pro. He opened in extended spring and hurt his wrist after going to Great Falls. The injury wasn't considered serious but did seem to keep him from driving the ball. The upside was the Sox liked his approach in dealing with adversity. He should spend 2004 at Kannapolis and is capable of doing big things.

Phil Rogers: There's no doubt the Sox did not get great results with guys like Dan Wright and Jon Garland but I've never been one who blamed that on the aggressive advance through the minors. A lack of minor-league work certainly didn't hurt Mark Buehrle. Maybe we just hyped the other guys too much. With that said, I think Bob Fontaine convinced Ken Williams to slow down a little with pitchers. It will be interesting to see how things operate with Dave Wilder as farm director.

Phil Rogers: Don't panic, Steve. But the truth is I can't say for sure about Reed's wrist. The Sox haven't disclosed much about the situation. I've been told that they expect him to be fine for spring training but it's definitely something to watch with a young hitter. I'll be disappointed if he's not OK in spring training because I can't wait to see him against top pitchers.

Phil Rogers: How's Dallas, Jeremy. I miss it. Chicken-fried steaks, enchiladas, Lower Greenville ... I could go on and on but I'll get to your question. I think Josh Rupe is an absolute stud who could finish 2004 rated as one of the best -- if not the best -- pitching prospect in the Rangers' system. The Sox believe he corrected a mechanical problem last year and will have much better command in the future. He's always had good velocity and a nasty breaking pitch. Webster is your classic toolsy center fielder who would fit The Ballpark in Arlington well but is probably three years away.

Phil Rogers: Stumm is quite the enigma, as you know. The Sox say that he is once again healthy but he has pitched so very little over the last three years -- especially in outings of more than one or two innings -- that how would you really know? If his velocity comes back, he'll have a chance but he has missed so much time that he is still a very long way away.

Phil Rogers: My guy to watch out for is Fabio Castro, another small Dominican lefthander (out of the Arnie Munoz mold) who really seems to know how to pitch. He was 18 last year and pitched great at the end of the season in the Appalachian League. I think he'll open this year at Kannapolis and could end it in Winston-Salem, with an eye on being a young-big leaguer. The other guy is Todd Deininger, a right-handed pitcher from the Chicago area who went to Texas A&M. He's ready to make a move.

Phil Rogers: Hello, Fargo. Gonzalez is not the 2007 shortstop. Robert Valido jumped ahead of him. While Gonzalez is still a guy to keep his eye on, he went backwards last year and faces more internal competition than before. Mike Morse is another shortstop to keep an eye on, although there's a question of whether he'll stay there or move to third. I also kind of like Mike Myers, an older guy who is a shortstop by trade but really stepped up when there was a run of center field injuries in Great Falls.

Phil Rogers: Fer, are you a neighbor of Mr. Callis' by any chance? My sympathies if you are. Catcher is the weakest position in the Sox organization. I didn't rank a single one in the top 30. Their two best are Chris Stewart and Charles Lisk. Stewart hasn't hit and Lisk had a troubling run of five-passed ball games last year. This is a position the Sox have to draft heavily on in 2004, although they've ignored the need in previous years so maybe they will again. Meanwhile, Humberto Quintero (traded in the D'Angelo Jimenez deal) rises in the Padres' organization.

Phil Rogers: Richard, King did not make the top 30 but he is a guy to watch. He is a pure power hitter who is considered suspect defensively. He hit well out of Southern Miss but the guy who got my attention was second baseman Antoin Gray, who played alongside Rickie Weeks at Southern. I think Gray is a definite guy to watch, although he didn't even get drafted as a junior.

Phil Rogers: Nice point.

Phil Rogers: Kevin, see the previous response. There are similarities with Reed and Blalock, although I'd take the left-handed-hitting third baseman as a prospect any time. Reed also reminds of Raffy Palmeiro, who I covered when he was a kid. Palmeiro was a skinny kid and potential batting champ before he discovered the workout room. I'm not predicting 40-homer power for Reed but good hitters often learn how to become power hitters, too, especially left-handed hitters for some reason.

Phil Rogers: Come on, Bill, give them a break. They found and developed Bucky Dent. Sure, he's the last homegrown regular at SS but they did it once, right? No, it's a good point. They've certainly tried with the likes of Caruso (although they stunted his development by jumping him from Class A) and Jason Dellaero. They do have some coming. Pedro Lopez is a good bet to reach the big leagues and could be a quality fielder and No. 2 hitter type. Valido, Morse and Gonzalez are coming, too. But Morse is the only one of these guys coming who will be at even Double-A this year, so the wait goes on.

Phil Rogers: While the Sox lack depth in the minors, they have enough to keep a 4-A type like Gload off this list. I think he has a good chance to win a bench job in spring training and could get a big role if the Dodgers or someone else will take Konerko's salary. I believe the Sox think he'd hit 15-20 homers and drive in 80 runs if he played.

Phil Rogers: N, Christopher, I haven't heard plans to drop Borchard's switch hitting. I think the main thing is to find a way to build up his confidence, and having him hit lefty-vs.-lefty wouldn't seem to me to be a good idea. I think Borchard might be one of those guys you want to tell "stop thinking and start hitting.''

Phil Rogers: I like these questions. While I would have had to argue with the Baseball America police (that is, those who value ceiling over projectability) I think Ring, Rupe and Miles all could have been in the top 10. I'm a huge Miles guy. I think he's going to have a very good year in Colorado, with a chance to score 100 runs if he beats out Damian Jackson to play every day. Rupe is a high-ceiling guy who took a big step forward in 2003. I've always like Hummel but he'd probably be a 20-30 guy as he's getting older. On Ring, I'd say he might have been five or six, which is about as high as a minor-league reliever could be in my book.

Phil Rogers: Nanita will be in the Prospect Handbook, for sure. You could argue for him against Young, for instance, but I think there's some question because he has done it for only a short time. The Pioneer League is a hitter's league, so you've got to be careful. But there's nothing not to like about him.

Phil Rogers: The reports I hear on Reed defensively are that he's all right. Those I talk to think he can be adequate in center and a plus on the corners. I don't think power is a prerequisite for the corners, not when you're talking about a pure hitter. The Sox have certainly had plenty of power in recent years but not enough pure hitting.

Phil Rogers: As mentioned earlier, when asked about Clinton King, I love Gray. I do not know what scouts missed about him in college. He played third at Southern -- because Weeks was the second baseman -- so he might not have had as much value as he could have at second. He's very big for a second baseman but the Sox believe he can improve his fielding to stay there. If he does, he could be a Carlos Baerga type. Second basemen who can hit have value, and that is what it appears Gray can offer.

Phil Rogers: If I could, I'd get Kenny Williams to put Borchard, Anderson and Ryan Sweeney in a batting cage at the same time. That would be a good way to measure them. But, to answer this question, I'd say Anderson is hurt, Borchard isn't. We're told that Anderson will return from his wrist problems without any lasting effects but we'll have to see. I know that a lot of people are down on Borchard, and deservedly so. He's had back-to-back poor years. But, to me, there's something special about the guy. I don't see him just fading away. And if he gets it right, he's a switch hitter with power, speed and great presence.

Phil Rogers: Hey fellow home-officer. Even though I still like Borchard, he's looking like the biggest disappointment since Dellaero. Rauch, Gonzalez and Malone got their hype based off their play; Borchard goes his with the $5.3 million contract. That contract has been a big burden.

Phil Rogers: Good thought, Kevin. Down the line, I think the Sox have to look at Munoz as a starter. They are right to be careful about his arm now, but that will change as he ages. I think he could be like a young Kenny Rogers. He was used strictly as a reliever, in past because he was a smallish guy, but over time grew into starting. I don't see any reason that can't happen with Munoz.

Phil Rogers: We've talked about a couple of guys already, Gray and Fabio Castro. But I'll give you another -- Ryan Meaux, the lefty the Sox got from SF in the Lofton deal. He will be in spring training and could make an immediate impression. He doesn't have eye-popping stuff but is a strike-throwing machine. He pitched some winter ball this year, doing fairly well, and adds to the bullpen depth the Sox have the port side.

Phil Rogers: One more quick thought on Rauch: The Sox messed him up by giving him the fifth starter's job in 2002. He was coming off an injury and needed to be pitching in Double-A, not sitting in Jerry Manuel's bullpen. That was one of the worst decisions I've seen. I'm not sure why they didn't give him a look last season but I know people in the Sox organization who wonder if he'll have to go somewhere else to get a chance.

Phil Rogers: Borchard does have a higher ceiling, in my opinion. If he ever figures out how to swing at strikes and take balls, he'll be a 30-plus homer guy. But that's not to knock Reid. In my book, complete hitters are high-ceiling guys, too.

Phil Rogers: Peru, Ind., or Peru, South America? I'll picture you in the warmer of the two. West wouldn't have made the top 30 this year, I don't think. He seemed to be running out of chances and might have lost his spot on the 40-man roster. He just never seemed to do enough with his stuff.

Phil Rogers: I'm not sure about Marte, to tell you the truth. I think one good trivia-type question is who has the most saves for the Sox over the last two years -- it's Marte. I think the Sox just want a proven type to go along with Marte but it would be easy to see Marte becoming the save guy and the bullpen still having plenty of situation lefties with Wunsch, Munoz, Sanders. Meaux or even Schoeneweis (who I probably would have axed to save money). I can't really say about Takatsu but the Sox are counting on him to help if Koch doesn't receive a miracle cure.

Phil Rogers: Sure, Corwin is still a prospect but this is a big year for him. He'll have to earn a starting job -- back at Birmingham again, I'd guess -- and needs to cut down his walks. I know, tell you something you don't know.

Phil Rogers: Congratulations, Rex. You hit on a sleeper I should mentioned earlier. Bajenaru could come quick. He's got the best velocity in the organization and seems to have recovered from the injury that had slowed him. That's a good name to put in the mix.

Phil Rogers: Pete, sorry, first let me finish answering Rex. I don't get to see the Sox minor-leaguers very often. I wish they still had the Midwest League affiliate. I rely mostly on statistical analysis and input from others. I do try to spend time in the minor-league camp in spring training, though, and love watching the kids in big-league exhibitions ... I've got Marte as the closer.

Phil Rogers: I wouldn't say there's been a reshuffling because of failure, Ryan. But the system has gone the wrong way, in part because of the Kenny Williams has traded away as well as the stalling of guys like Borchard, Malone and Rauch. I still really don't understand the reassignment of Doug Laumann. The drafts he ran look pretty good to me.

Phil Rogers: Sure, the Sox can be good, but (tell you something you don't know, right?) they don't have the margin for error that the Cubs do. They've really got to be about drafting and developing the right people. That piece hasn't come through in a great way the last couple of years, which has left Williams making so many trades. They will have to live and die with their farm system unless they find a way to open up some Cubbie-like revenue streams. Maybe they can get kids to pay money to sit along the railroad tracks. (Not that I'm suggesting kids sit along those tracks, you understand).

Phil Rogers: Birmingham's going to have a strong pitching staff again, led by Kris Honel, Ryan Wing and maybe Brian Miller. Ruddy Yan, the speedster second baseman, should be ready to make the jump, along with shortstop Mike Morse. That could be quite an exciting middle infield combo, although neither are extremely projectable. Morse is learning to hit but pitchers still knock the bat out of Yan's hands. When he makes contact, he's a threat to turn groundouts into singles.

Phil Rogers: I'm not sure how that logjam will work out but you could be right about Anderson and Nanita. Brice seems like the only guy who was at Kannapolis that's ready to move. That could mean that a guy like Chris Young or Clint King could get in the picture as well. I think Ryan Sweeney's going to start the year at Kannapolis.

Phil Rogers: Lightning round time: Hard to tell but he's the type who could move quick. Reed got to Birmingham in his first season; there's no reason Anderson cannot.

Phil Rogers: I thought Kannapolis was gonna be loaded last year and it didn't work out. I like Gray, Valido and Schnurstein but I'm not sure about Bounds. He was old for the Pioneer League but I do like that he played at UT-Arlington, near my old stomping grounds.

Phil Rogers: Sorry, the crystal ball is foggy. I'm thinking college pitching but I really haven't looked at it yet.

Phil Rogers: I'm not the guy to answer the question about the others but believe you could be right at this moment. I think the Sox will rank ahead of Detroit in the rankings done for the Prospect Handbook but don't know for sure. The Tigers had a nice draft in 2002.

Phil Rogers: Hello neighbor. Love that Riverwalk. One more to mention is Daniel Haigwood, the Arkansas high-school lefthander from the 2002 draft. He didn't pitch last year because of an injury after doing great in the Rookie League. If he's healthy, he's got a chance to move fast because he seems to know how to pitch with average velocity.

Phil Rogers: Eichhorn? I like that. It reminds me of the time I gave Eichhorn a third-place vote for Rookie of the Year. If Takatsu is that good, he'll be a find even if he isn't the closer.

Phil Rogers: I think Brandon McCarthy and Fabio Castro will be the aces. Maybe Sean Tracey and Tim Tisch, too. It could be a pretty good staff.

Phil Rogers: I just addressed this in an upcoming organization report. The White Sox haven't gotten a Dominican player they signed to the big leagues since Luis Andujar in 1994. The guys I really like are Pedro Lopez, Munoz and Fabio Castro. Two converted pitchers from the Dominican, Paulino Reynoso and Julio Castro, are coming, too. But the lack of a talent flow from the Dominican has been a problem.

Phil Rogers: I just think Kenny Williams' hands were tied by the long-term contracts, many of which he handed out. There was little flexibility to get guys. With that said, it is harder for them to recruit free agent because the Reinsdorf regime is viewed as cheap. Players don't see the commitment to winning that you see in other teams from large markets.

Phil Rogers: I think Honel is regarded as a future ace. He doesn't make radar guns dance but he's never not been the best pitcher on his team. Until that's true, I'll continue to consider him a future ace.

Phil Rogers: Miller has huge upside. He's one of the organization's top pitching prospects. Deininger was older so he should get to the big leagues quicker. I'm intrigued by Reynoso, a converted first baseman, and honestly don't know enough about LaMura.

Phil Rogers: Easy: Cubs (I'd say so even if I didn't work for Team Tribune).

Phil Rogers: I think Sweeney is a great prospect. If he has a good first full year as a pro, he might immediately become the organization's top prospect and a guy who is raved about by publications like BA. He's a five-tool guy who can really hit. I can't wait to see what he does in a full year.

Phil Rogers: Wouldn't disagree with you. But I would say that Reed might be capable of that on his own. He hits lefties as well as righties. I wouldn't mind seeing a RowandBorchard platoon, however (either in center or in right after the inevitable Magglio trade).

Phil Rogers: Reyes is essentially finished. He just hasn't hit. I rate the other guys this rate: Valido, Morse and Gonzalez.

Phil Rogers: Hard to say until Meaux gets a chance. By the way, I'm not sure Ginter couldn't still be a big-league pitcher. He froze up at U.S. Cellular but still pitches solid in the minors.

Phil Rogers: There was significant debate on which way to rank Anderson and Sweeney because everybody likes them both. In the end I went with Sweeney first for two reasons -- his age (that is, he's ahead of where Anderson was coming out of high school) and his health. Anderson has to answer questions about his wrist. Some do believe Anderson is already the best fielding outfielder in the Sox system and power-hitting center fielders are rare. Honestly, you couldn't go wrong either way, I don't think.

Phil Rogers: The Sox are watching Nachreiner's health closely after a disturbing performance out of the box at Great Falls. He shows why teams shy away from high school pitchers, especially those with health problems. High ceiling but a winding path to reach it.

Phil Rogers: Wow, 96 questions. Leave it to the Sox guys to count. Luckily, I'm having fun, too, so I'll give it a shot ... Sure there's a chance Gonzalez will develop. He has good toolsbut should have hit better than he did at Kannapolis. Keep in mind that he's still a kid. This will be a big season for him given the competition he faces.

Phil Rogers: Tough crowd. Cotts was pitching in A ball a year ago. Sometimes we expect too much and that was the case with Cotts. There's no way his 2003 season should be looked on as anything but a huge success. He might need time at Triple-A but I think he will establish himself as a big-league starter in relatively short order.

Phil Rogers: Haigwood was hurt -- a knee, I think. He was a definite sleeper in the 2002 draft after a great high school career in Arkansas. As a lefthander with command, I think he's got a great chance. It will be a good sign if he can earn a spot on the staff at Kannapolis out of the chute in 2004.

Phil Rogers: David, do you have $17.5 million you don't need? If so, send it to Mr. Jerry Reinsdorf, and then he'll be happy to consider the proposition. The Sox aren't going to release a possible Hall of Famer when they owe him almost $20 million.

Phil Rogers: Well, they're both on the tall side and right-handed. Both are workhorses. But not only does McCarthy not throw as hard, he doesn't have as good of a curveball or command. Think of Mark Prior as Tiger Woods. That makes McCarthy either Matt Kuchar or Notah Begay III.

Phil Rogers: If my last reply made it seem differently, let me say again I like McCarthy a lot. Tracey is in the pack of guys who can assert themselves with a good 2004.

Phil Rogers: Scouts would probably say Anderson has a higher ceiling but I'm gonna go with the guy who hit .400 for almost 70 games his first year in Double-A. And I'm not really sure who Anderson compares to. I can't wait to see more of him -- and, yes, I'm kicking myself for not going to U of Arizona games last spring.

Phil Rogers: I think Tisch has the higher ceiling but both opened eyes last year. Both ranked in the 25-30 range although Tisch might have gotten cheated. His fastball jumped into the low-90s last year. If that's a preview of things to come, he's got a big upside. Lopez is an interesting pitcher. He doesn't have great velocity but gets strikeout. He seems skilled for such a young age.

Phil Rogers: Ginter stuck on the 40-man, so they haven't given up on him. He could benefit from having a new manager judging him. I wouldn't be shocked if he landed a bullpen job this spring, especially if Rule 5 pick Jason Grilli doesn't click.

Phil Rogers: I like Olivo too but I don't see Mauer going into the long funks Olivo was in at times last year. With that said, I think Olivo will do much better in 2004. But look at Mauer's minor-league numbers. Olivo's weren't close to those.

Phil Rogers: Hello Lee Anne. I hear good things about Meaux. Unbelievable command, a good breaking pitch and a somewhat deceptive delivery. He doesn't throw hard but guys don't seem to get good swings off him. If he can throw strikes to big-league hitters, I think he can fit in. But the Sox do have a crowd of left-handed relievers.

Phil Rogers: Nobody seems too excited about An. He does not throw hard but seems to get results. He's the kind of guy who will have to prove himself. It will be interesting to see if he can jump right to Charlotte after splitting last year between W-Salem and Birmingham.

Phil Rogers: I'd agree, especially on Castro. He seems gifted.

Phil Rogers: Allen hit the mid-90s at Tennessee but he never maintained it. The Sox knew they were drafting a project, because of his complicated mechanics, and it has turned out they are right. He's got a good arm, though, and will get a chance at Birmingham, which is a good place to pitch. No knock on anyone else in the organization, but Birmingham pitching coach Juan Nieves brings a nice set of eyes.

Phil Rogers: Nanita was a college player going against some raw pitching, and that is a hitting league. But .384 does get your attention. He'll be tested this year, especially if he jumps to the Carolina League. Varela was drafted as a college senior, by the way. He and Reed were teammates.

Phil Rogers: They were all business in September with that playoff spot in sight. I think they just didn't want any players around that couldn't help right now. I certainly wouldn't rule him out of the mix for the two openings in the rotation. It should be his time. If he doesn't win a job, I won't be surprised if he's traded to fill a need.

Phil Rogers: When he learns how to get the ball out of the infield. The guy is as fast as Cool Papa Bell and he can't ever get a double? What's that about? I'm not sure the Sox needed to put him on the 40-man roster this winter. He's gonna be some kind of overmatched in a big-league camp.

Phil Rogers: The White Sox want to win, so I believe they'll give him a fair shot. They badly need left-handed hitting, which is in his favor. It could come down largely to whether he's healthy this spring and how he handles himself, both on the field and in the clubhouse. I think they're leaning toward having him open the year at Charlotte, so that's the way they'll go if he looks the least bit timid. If he has a good spring, and Aaron Rowand has a bad spring, he could be hitting high in the order on Opening Day.

Phil Rogers: I don't know Sullivan but if he can catch and has a pulse he'll have a chance in the Sox organization. They have a major lack of catching.

Phil Rogers: Hey Pick, thanks a lot for the kind words. I don't think so. They liked Lisk but he's been a disaster behind the plate. Stewart bears some watching. He's a college catcher who has handled himself well. Carlos Maldonado, who is going to be in spring training, might be a sleeper candidate. But why they have four catchers on the 40-man is a mystery to me. I would have thought they'd let Michael Rivera back up Olivo but they re-signed Sandy Jr. (who is a great guy, by the way, so good for him). I have no idea why Chris Burke is on the 40-man roster.

Phil Rogers: Phillips had a series of nagging injuries last year and, I believe, should be OK for this year. I've always compared him as a mini-Buehrle. He's gotten results throughout his career.

Phil Rogers: I've addressed Yan already but I want to say this -- as well as he runs, he wouldn't have to hit a whole lot. But his second year at Winston-Salem was a disappointment. It's hard to see him doing better in the Southern League, which is where he should play in 2004. Maybe he's got a future as the next Herb Washington.

Phil Rogers: Very close. His ceiling will be determined by how he hits against better pitching. He is off to a great start because there seems little question he's a big-league fielder.

Phil Rogers: Yes, it was the injury. And I think Sweeney could be a very big stud.

Phil Rogers: Don't forget Meaux, either. At some point the White Sox might have to trade one of two of those guys. But it's good to have that problem in at least one area, right?

Phil Rogers: Hey Jim. Dinner's calling but I'll hang in a little longer (trying to match Callis). Fields still counts as a sleeper. He is among the guys I considered but didn't put in the top 30. It's partly a bias against minor-league relievers. He not only had a great season but went 5-for-5 in saves during the playoffs. That's awesome. If he keeps getting results, he'll certainly get a chance, perhaps in the not-too-distant future.

Phil Rogers: The Sox like Rodriguez a lot. Like Haigwood, he missed 2003 but is expected to pitch this year. He rated even with McCarthy coming into last season.

Phil Rogers: For the sheer heck of it, let's call Anderson September, 2005, and Sweeney 2007.

Phil Rogers: There was talk of the dreaded concentration lapses last season. The Sox will be watching his coachability and willingness to make adjustments. But they're aware he was young for a full-season league last year. He might just need to go back to Kannapolis and build some confidence.

Phil Rogers: Corwin did have a good Instructional League. If he throws more strikes, there's no reason he can't be a big-leaguer. The exhibition game he pitched at Pac Bell Park in 2002 was a thing of beauty.

Phil Rogers: I'm not sure I see him as either. If I was picking an old Blue Jay, I'd say Devon White. Speed is his best tool but the ball jumps off his bat. He is a plus center fielder. He's very, very raw. Let's see what he looks like a year from now.

Phil Rogers: I think there's a good chance Munoz pitches this year -- probably not out of spring training but it could be very soon. He appears ready.

Phil Rogers: Fair point, Randar, but I'm saying he was a disappointment for the money. The Sox sold him as a switch-hitting shortstop with power. Turns out they would have been better off making him a pitcher on Day One.

Phil Rogers: Stewart, yes; Ulacia, only if he has a good 2004. The question with Stewart is his health. If he gets the circulation problem worked out, he could put himself in the picture again. I'm surprised he wasn't picked in the Rule 5 draft.

Phil Rogers: Only in the NFL. He played second-string linebacker for LSU this season after leaving Birmingham in midseason.

Phil Rogers: Honel has a slight edge because of his command but Wing is a lefty. It would make a good bet to say who will have the better career. Could go either way.

Phil Rogers: As a special thank you for your persistance, here is the capsule that was bumped off the page: Background: McCarthy is a blue-collar version of former White Sox star Jack McDowell. He stands tall, challenges hitters and wins games, going 25-8 over the last two seasons, including the 12-0 run at Lamar Community CC that drew the attention of Sox scouts Joe Butler and John Kazanas. In his two pro seasons, McCarthy led his leagues (Arizona rookie and Pioneer) in both innings and strikeouts. That's impressive. Strengths: McCarthy does not blow the ball past hitters, getting his fastball only up to about 91 mph, but has a hard curveball with diving action and an improving changeup. The best thing he does is throw strikes. He's averaged 10.3 strikeouts and 1.5 walks per nine innings as a pro. Manager Chris Cron says he has "a huge heart.'' Weaknesses: McCarthy doesn't get a lot of movement on his fastball. He allowed opponents to hit .263 last year. He needs to work on commanding the inside part of the plate as hitters sometimes get comfortable against him. The future: McCarthy should gain some velocity as he continues to fill out his frame. He'll probably advance a step to low-A Kannapolis but is polished enough to be considered for high-A Winston-Salem. He's a workhorse who could throw 175 innings as he moves into full-season leagues.

Phil Rogers: Juan Uribe is the guy. Mike Morse can put himself into the picture with a strong 2004 at Birmingham.

Phil Rogers: The Indians? Yeah, I remember them. Goofy park with a giant scoreboard? Kind of a shaky downtown. Lots of hitters and not enough pitching. Good losers in the postseason ... Yep, that's the Indians. Seriously, I like Sizemore a lot but don't know that I know him well enough to compare and contrast. The Futures Game is the only time I've seen him. It seems most scouts think Reed will hit for a bigger average but both should be very good players. Sizemore is probably more of a true center fielder. Would you agree?

Phil Rogers: This draft could be like the 1999 draft, heavy on pitchers. But the Sox aren't so well stocked wit hitters that they can turn up their noses.

Phil Rogers: Chris, that would be a great game to cover for the Tribune, I know that. Pignatiello is climbing through the Cubs system but gets overshadowed by the other prospects. Honel has a clearer path to the big leagues. But maybe after Honel's been around a year or two, Pignatiello will join him.

Phil Rogers: My guess: Schoeneweis and Rauch. I do hope they take a look at Campos, who has dominated this winter, but he wasn't among the guys they invited to big-league camp. Dan Wright seems headed for the bullpen but I think the Sox should be careful in writing him off. I still see him as a 15-win, 200-inning guy.

Phil Rogers: No doubt Kenny Williams likes Willie Harris (who he traded for) more than Miles, who his minor-league people stole in the Rule 5 draft years ago. I'm a huge Miles guy. I would have loved to see him get a chance in Chicago but I believe he's gone to the perfect place for his game. I wish him well. This deal will look really bad if the Sox do not give Uribe a chance to play.

Phil Rogers: I hadn't heard he was throwing sidearm.

Phil Rogers: Marshall's the only guy I haven't touched on. He pitched well last year and bears watching. I wish we could talk about this over enchiladas and cerveza at Joe T. Garcia's.

Phil Rogers: Dan, you're right. We haven't given Bullard much love. I think he's in that tier of prospects who just missed. I did see him pitch once, at the Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown in 2002. It seems like he was solid at Birmingham this year and should get a chance to open eyes at Charlotte. It's probably too bad for him that there are so many other lefties in the organization at this time. I will keep an eye out for him this spring.

Phil Rogers: I do agree. I think Reed is the kind of guy you want coming up with somebody on because he's going to put the ball in play and put pressure on the other team to make a play. I see him as being as much of a run-producer as an igniter type. Like I said, I bet he develops some power and migrates to the middle of the order.

Phil Rogers: Ah, Matt, good question to end this one on. I am due for a raise, now that you mention it, but I don't think it's related to the price of the paper or the Cubs' 2003 rise in the standings. It's just that time of year. Thanks to everyone for putting up with me so long. I hope I came near the Callis count. It was fun.