Future of the Sox released.....

from the mexican league team he was playing for this winter. That's right, Joe Borchard, who once was considered the top prospect in the White Sox system, was released from his winter league team the Mazatlan Deer today. He reportedly was batting under .150 and half of his at-bats ending in strikeouts in just over 50 AB's. This is a pretty down note for the Sox, who were hoping he would be able to find a groove this winter and then compete for the starting RF job next spring. This release looks like a final nail in the coffin for Borchard, and unless a miracle happens in the next 6 months it looks like this former Stanford QB recruit will be done in baseball, or at least with the White Sox anyway. He was paid $5.3 million back in 2001 to stop playing football at Stanford, which i believe was a record bonus for a non-first round pick, but unfortunely for the Sox he has never lived up to the initial hype which he came with back then.

On another note it appears as if the Sox are trying to deal Paul Konerko to get rid of his $8.75 mil. salary ($9.25 if traded) and will go after Carlos Delgado to fill his spot. This is coming off last season in which Delgado turned down a trade at the deadline to come to the Sox, so i dont know good the legs are underneath this rumor. Without dealing Konerko the Sox have little over $20 million or so to sign free agents and pay raises for thier arbitration eligible players. They still are rumored to be the leaders for Omar Vizquel (2yr/$8 mil offer) and this signing may pan out as the Indians have said they are going to go young at SS, while other teams interested in him like Boston and Texas have supposedly stop focusing on Vizquel. The Sox appear to be hoping the close relationship between him and Manager Ozzie Guillen, both Venezuelans, will close the deal.