Lost in the Headlines, Chris Harris And The Hard Goodbyes

Sports fans and the media get so caught up in the "x"s and "o"s of a trade or waiver that little attention is paid to the guy - and the teammates - these changes are happening to.

Yeah, it's just "bidness" but behind the headlines, there are men (and women) whose lives are being totally upended.

For example, a couple stories this week in the Chicago Tribune chronicled the difficult loss of Bears safety Chris Harris, both for Harris and the team he left behind.

Harris was in the middle of practice on Thursday when he was pulled aside and informed by coach Lovie Smith that he'd been traded to the Panthers for a second-day draft pick.

And - poof - like that, Harris was driven off the field and gone.

Augusto Pinochet couldn't have done a better job.

Nathan Vasher rushed through a crowd of autograph seekers after practice to try to find Harris before he left.

"Wow, it's tough. We didn't even get a chance to say good-bye."

Saftey Mike Brown didn't even know it was happening.

"We saw [Harris] go in on the cart, but we thought he was going in for some treatment or to go to the restroom [and] then the word sort of filtered down to us. It's a bummer, man. I'm kind of sad. He was a good dude."

Charles Tillman knew the score but it didn't lessen the loss. According to reporter David Haugh, the veteran cornerback was very emotional about Harris' departure.

"I just work here. It came from left field. It's the people upstairs' decision and we have no say-so in that. I'm going to miss Chris Harris. He was a [darn] good football player, a good teammate, a fine young man."

As for Harris, it was a real blow.

Normally one of the most accessible and affable Bears, Harris initially wasn't up for talking. He went to clear out his room in the players' dorm and pulled away about 2 p.m. without stopping, the windows of his black SUV rolled up.

I was like a deer in headlights," Harris said later. "I was really, really surprised. It's kind of bittersweet, you know. I had a lot of close friends with Chicago, some close bonds and I really loved the city."

These stories reminded me of a few weeks ago, when trade talk about Sox pitcher Mark Buerhle was at a fever pitch. One article noted that, as much as Buehrle wanted to stay, he was trying to be practical and had packed up his locker and tucked away mementos, in anticipation of a hasty departure.

And I remember thinking, "This must be what it's like for a foster child." Granted, a foster child with killer skillz, a monster bank account and free will, but you know what I mean.

These guys may make millions but they also make friends. They're compadres. Guys you play ball with by day, poker by night. They become your family. You grow to love them. Wives and kids become close too. You make a home, have neighbors, get to know the produce guy, go to your kid's little league...

Then in a moment, some suit in an office moves you to the other side of the ledger and you're history. Good friends are now just names in your address book.

Even worse, you have to walk into the next clubhouse and be the new guy again.

Think about it. One day, Tadhito Iguchi is doing jello shots with A.J., then a single phone call from his agent and he's eating cheesesteaks, trying to find a dry cleaner off Rittenhouse Square and keep Brett Myers from coldcocking him.

It's just kinda weird. And, I guess, a little sad.

Should Dye Stay Or Should Dye Go Now?

I have no idea what to think about the White Sox right now. Going into the season it was known that if the team was out of it-though nobody thought they'd be this out of it-Mark Buehrle and Jermaine Dye were the two players likely to be traded.

Tadahito Iguchi's name came up too as a free agent, but there was never any real talk about an Iguchi trade. (Well, okay, I talked.) So now we sit here on July 31st and Mark Buehrle is signed for another five years, Tadahito Iguchi is hitting home runs against the Cubs for the Phillies, and now maybe Jermaine Dye is about to sign a contract extension.

What the hell is going on?

Jermaine Dye remains a member of the White Sox, and the possibility exists that he could stay in Chicago despite strong interest from Boston.

The White Sox, according to an industry source, have made overtures about giving Dye an extension that wouldn't mortgage their long-term future. Dye can become a free agent after this season and seek a long-term extension elsewhere, even though he indicated last week that he wouldn't settle for a one-year contract.

From what I'm hearing, the Sox are offering a two-year deal, but Dye would like it to be longer. While I wouldn't be that upset if the Sox kept Dye, I still don't think it's the right move to make. As I've said before, Dye is the only valuable trade chip the Sox can afford to lose right now. It's a lot easier to replace corner outfielders than it is starters like Jon Garland and Javier Vazquez.

The White Sox were close to sending Jermaine to Boston yesterday for Wily Mo Pena and a couple of prospects, but the Red Sox aren't sure they want to hand over the prospects that Kenny Williams wants. The latest talk I hear is Pena and one prospect for Dye.

I think Kenny's just going to sit around and wait on this as long as possible in hopes that the Red Sox will relent and accept the trade. Williams is probably also fielding phone calls from the Angels who lost out on Mark Teixeira yesterday and might be a little more willing to part with young talent for Dye's proven bat. Even if it does leave a logjam in the outfield.

At this point I'd say it's 60/40 that Dye will be traded within the next two hours.

Morning Wood - White Sox Haunt The Cubs

Philadelphia Phillies 4 Chicago Cubs 1

Okay, so I think I've been pretty good this season with the Cubs. I realize they're a lot better than my White Sox this season, so I'm trying to show them the same respect my Cubs fans friends showed the Sox in 2005. Well, Silvio, anyway. The rest of you were just kind of dumb about the whole thing. Anyway, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy watching two former White Sox keep the Cubs out of a first place tie with the Brewers. Aaron Rowand hit a three-run blast and Tadahito Iguchi hit a solo shot to account for all of Philly's runs. "Yeah, I was noticing that -- Rowand and Iguchi," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Yeah. I had that flash go through my mind through the course of the ballgame. Yeah. Give 'em credit. Rowand and Iguchi." Though to be honest, all the credit for this win should go to Cole Hamels. He handcuffed the Cubbies all night.

Seattle Mariners 2 Los Angeles Angels 0

The Angels just finished a weekend in which they swept the Tigers while scoring more runs than Lindsay Lohan scores coke. Then they ran into Miguel Batista and the Mariners on Monday night and were shutout. Batista pitched seven innings and allowed only four singles. It's Batista's 11th win of the season, which matches his career high. Ichiro got the offense going with three hits, a run, and an RBI. J.J. Putz (the greatest name ever) only needed six pitches to get the Angels out in the 9th inning and move the Mariners within 3 games of LA in the AL West.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5 Toronto Blue Jays 4

I tell you, everytime the Devil Rays and Blue Jays face each other, it's life changing. Carl Crawford didn't start, but entered the game as a pinch-runner in the 9th inning. He then went ahead to score the tying run on Josh Wilson's single. A few innings later it was Crawford hitting a walk-off home run to win the game for the Rays. "It surprised me," Crawford said. "Really, I was just trying to get on base, and let the guys behind me do all the work. I definitely wasn't expecting that. There's probably not a better feeling than a walk-off. That's the best feeling you're going to get."

Elsewhere...

AL

• Twins 3 Royals 1
• Tigers 5 A's 2
  

Sayonara, Tadahito

I basically predicted it at FanHouse this morning and, thanks to my powers, it's actually happened.

The White Sox have traded Tadahito Iguchi to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Though the White Sox say they are not rebuilding, the rest of this season will be a two-month "tryout" for outfielder Jerry Owens and infielder Danny Richar.

Richar will play second base after Friday's trade of Tadahito Iguchi to the Philadelphia Phillies for Class A pitcher Michael Dubee. The Phillies wanted Iguchi after Chase Utley suffered a broken hand Thursday.

I know exactly what you're thinking. Who in the fuck is Michael Dubee? I hadn't heard of him either. Turns out he's a Single-A pitcher! He's so good he got drafted in the 18th round last season.

The good news is that Dubee is striking out 8.7 batters per 9 innings in 30 relief appearances, and has only allowed two home runs.

Either way, the trade of Iguchi marks the official surrender of the White Sox. We all knew it was going to happen anyway, so it's a bit of a relief. Danny Richar has been called up from Charlotte, and the team's liked what they've seen of him since getting him from Arizona earlier this season.

In July he reached base in all 22 games for the Knights, and is hitting .346.

"The Dleam Team!"

You haven't lived until you've watched Boston Red Sox Dice-K Matsuzaka and Chicago White Sox Tadahito Iguchi at home in Japan playing the real life version of the video hitting game, Baseball Diamond "obstacle course."

Though I am not an expert in the Edogawa-ben dialect, I'm pretty certain that at about 6:20 remaining the announcer is saying that there is no such thing as a gyroball and that Americans are complete idiots for buying into it.

And check late in the video (about 3:30 left), when two of the players pay a brief song tribute to "that toddlin' town."

Ken Williams is Brutally Honest

The last few years have taught me to just trust Kenny Williams. He made some questionable decisions in 2005, and the White Sox ended up winning the World Series.

There's just one problem with that theory.

Back in 2003, after making some brilliant deadline deals that got the Cubs to within five outs of reaching the World Series, Cubs fans felt the same way about Jim Hendry.

We all know how they feel about him now.

So, excuse me if I'm a little concerned about the state of the White Sox right now, particularly after a peculiar offseason. Dealing Freddy Garcia for minor-leaguers to open a spot for Brandon McCarthy, and then dealing McCarthy for more minor-leaguers left me scratching my head.

Williams' reasoning is that the money pitchers command these days is ridiculous (it is, no argument there), and that the White Sox need to stockpile young arms.

The problem is, now Williams seems to be of the opinion that he can let anybody he wants go and just replace them.

Take, for instance, his stance on Tadahito Iguchi, Mark Buehrle, and Jermaine Dye, three free-agents-to-be at season's end:

The White Sox' general manager continued to be brutally honest about the futures of free agents-to-be Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye and Tadahito Iguchi, reiterating what he told the Sun-Times on Saturday about letting the three walk into free agency.

''You never say never, but I don't foresee it, no,'' Williams responded when asked if he thought a deal could be struck during the season with any of the three. ''There comes a point where you have to take a step back before taking two steps forward, and we're at that point with all of these contracts.''

Williams said the only reason it is still a hot topic in camp is because he's still being asked about it. While that likely won't stop, Williams did say he plans on giving out the same rehearsed answer very soon.

''You try answering [the media] questions as openly and honestly as possible and give the people the most accurate information,'' Williams said. ''I hope the questions stop, but as long as people continue to ask, I'll continue to answer.

''At this point, it's probably going to be the same answer from here on out, where we'll continue to take a long look at it. If the agents of the respective players want to bring something to the table for us to look at, we'll do that. But in our assessment, it seems everyone has agreed to look at this in the offseason and make the best determination on where we're going to go then. The smartest thing to do for both the player and the club is to wait until the end of the season.''

I think it's pretty obvious that Buehrle is gone at season's end. After a sub-par season in 2006, and then popping up on the internet in his Cardinals gear during the World Series, he's done little to endear himself to Williams and the White Sox brass lately.

This season is kind of a no-win situation for Buehrle and the White Sox. If he has another bad season, the Sox won't want to re-sign him. If he returns to the All-Star form of 2005, he'll command too much money on the free-agent market, and the Sox won't re-sign him.

As far as Dye, I'm not sure what's going to happen. If Dye has another season like 2006 (.315 44HR 120RBI) he'll probably price himself out of the range the Sox are willing to go for an outfielder that will turn 34 in 2008.