--RF Jermaine Dye said there is no animosity toward general manager Ken Williams about all the trade talk concerning the outfielder. For right now, the rumors surrounding Dye have cooled. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the last team that showed any interest in Dye was the Angels, but talks never escalated beyond feelers. Williams joked recently that Dye must be angry with him since they hadn't really talked much this offseason. "Kenny lives literally from here to the other side of that pole (in the interview room)," Dye explained. "Honestly, I've been traveling, I was at my cabin, and then he was gone and traveling himself. It's tough in the offseason."
--Manager Ozzie Guillen already warned 3B prospect Dayan Viciedo that he had better get in shape this offseason, and now he has started on his veteran players -- specifically RHP Octavio Dotel. "Last year, he showed up in shape, he left (for the winter) out of shape," Guillen said. "The one thing I worry about Dotel is make sure he's healthy. One guy asked me about (pitcher Bartolo) Colon and being fat. Well, Colon was fat when he was winning the Cy Young Award. (Dotel) needs to just make sure he's ready to perform. He's a big key for us." --3B Josh Fields seems to be the one player who has a leg up in his run at getting a starting job, and manager Ozzie Guillen says that third base if Fields' to lose. The same cannot be said for center field and second base, where Guillen wants an all-out competition.
--C Tyler Flowers, who was acquired in the deal for RHP Javy Vazquez, was hoping to get a big-league call-up as early as this season, but general manager Ken Williams set the record straight recently even though the club is in love with the youngster's potential. "Unless A.J. (Pierzynski) gets hurt, you won't see (Flowers) because he's an everyday-type player," Williams said. The plan is to let Flowers play every day at the minor league level and improve his catching ability.
--LHP John Danks is serious about taking another step forward and becoming a dominant pitcher, as he demonstrated when he showed up for the recent annual SoxFest with 15 pounds of muscle on his frame. Danks said he knows the spotlight will shine even brighter on him now, and he wants to be prepared.
BY THE NUMBERS: 23 -- The number of home runs hit by Josh Fields during the 2007 season, when the then rookie got a majority of the playing time because of Joe Crede's injury.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "If someone is to pick Kansas City right now, they're not crazy ... they're not. Certainly if you pick any other team they can do it as well. It's a tough Central Division, period." -- 1B Paul Konerko on what can be expected from the American League Central Division this season.
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