Let's move on to the White Sox, with SoxFest sitting just five days away and the start of Spring Training coming in less than one month. The wind chills probably won't get below zero in Tucson.

I'm concerned that the White Sox aren't able to attract the big name players. Do you know why this is?
-- Gina, Lockport, Ill.

Gina probably is referring to the White Sox coming up short in their offseason pursuit of big-ticket free agents such as Torii Hunter, Aaron Rowand and even Kosuke Fukudome. But I don't think these rejections stand out as statements against the White Sox as much as the chosen team simply being a better fit for the respective player.

We've gone over this situation numerous times during the offseason mailbags, but I really believe Hunter becomes a member of the White Sox if not for the Angels' mind-boggling, 11th-hour offer. It's more what the Angels did, as opposed to what the White Sox didn't do.

Brooks Boyer made a very salient point about the current White Sox at Sunday night's 62nd annual Pitch & Hit Club of Chicago awards evening in Rosemont, Ill., during which Boyer was named White Sox Executive of the Year. Boyer has handled his position as the vice president of marketing for the White Sox with great innovation and skill, but it always surprises me when someone who attended Notre Dame makes a pertinent observation. I kid because, well, I didn't go to Notre Dame.

Boyer talked about focusing on what the White Sox have moving into 2008 and not focusing what they don't have. When you look at this team on paper, it could be a surprise in the American League if the pitching comes through. And when talking about big-name players and the White Sox, remember Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye, A.J. Pierzynski and Paul Konerko all left more potential money on the table to stay in Chicago.

What do you expect the fans' reaction to be toward Ken Williams this weekend at SoxFest?
-- Debra, Chicago, Ill.

The daily town hall meetings at SoxFest always provide the weekend's highest level of entertainment. I remember one clever fan at SoxFest 2004, after a number of free agents had left the White Sox during that offseason and the Cubs were coming off the 2003 playoff experience, asked Williams, "Now that the 2004 season is over, what are your plans for 2005?" Williams and the White Sox answered that question fairly definitively with a World Series title, and SoxFest 2006 became a revival session, of sorts.

If you would have asked me this same question one month ago, I would have guessed that the White Sox fans had their claws sharpened for Williams. With the addition of Nick Swisher and the possible addition of Octavio Dotel, I get a sense of cautious optimism permeating throughout the White Sox faithful.

Regardless of the reaction, neither Williams nor manager Ozzie Guillen back down from any questions. Like a good fighter, they can take a verbal punch and keep going.

In regard to SoxFest, I encourage mailbag contributors and other whitesox.com readers to come up and introduce themselves. I'll be there all weekend and look forward to meeting everyone -- even those of you who disagree with my opinions

Have a question about the White Sox? E-mail your query to MLB.com White Sox beat reporter Scott Merkin for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content. First Name, Last Initial: Hometown: Email Address: Question:

Do you think Williams believes in the, "We're going for the championship in 2008" mantra, or is he really looking beyond that season?
-- Derek, Iowa City, Iowa

Williams clearly is working for a title in the present, as always, as shown by trading three top prospects for Swisher. But Williams has developed a solid core of young-and-promising players to go with his more seasoned pros. I expect Williams to address the system's depth with a couple of moves before the end of Spring Training.

It seems like Williams has given up a lot of prospects this offseason for the same player type (Carlos Quentin and Swisher)-- outfielders with high on-base percentage but no speed. I thought speed was what Ozzie wanted. What happened?
-- Mike, Manteno, Ill.

The White Sox are never going to field a lineup full of burners on the basepaths, not with Konerko, Pierzynski and Jim Thome hitting in the middle. They have added Orlando Cabrera and figure to use Jerry Owens in a more prominent role, but they've also added workable speed in the form of Quentin and Swisher. These are players who might not pick up a great deal of stolen bases but can go from first to third on a single or score from first on a double, much like Dye's game.

Much was made of Ozzie Ball in 2005, but the only speed guy in the lineup was Scott Podsednik, with Aaron Rowand and Tadahito Iguchi standing out as the other possible stolen-base threats. In a ballpark such as U.S. Cellular Field, speed alone won't do the job.

Where is Scotty Pods going to end up?
-- Bob, Homewood, Ill.

I was talking about this exact topic with a few higher-ups in the White Sox organization recently, and there really doesn't seem to be any current buzz surrounding Podsednik. It could come down to a Minor League deal for Podsednik, although for those of you who asked, it won't be with the White Sox. When healthy, Podsednik still is one of the few elite leadoff hitters in the game.

Do you see Charlie Haeger making the White Sox roster this year?
-- Steve, Plainfield, Ill.

With his durability through the presence of his knuckleball, Haeger remains an intriguing roster option. He came into Spring Training last year as one of the fifth starter candidates, but he enters 2008 as a long shot in any capacity. Haeger could catch on if the White Sox decided to break with 12 pitchers and need a long reliever, which seems unlikely at the season's outset.

Your Jan. 14, 2008, mailbag was right on -- except Joe Crede. While I agree with you that the White Sox will wait until well into Spring Training to make up their minds, I'm hoping that the only option is to play Crede at third base for 140 games and let Josh Fields play 22 at third, 22 at first, and 22 at designated hitter, if needed.

Fields strikes out too much and to move Crede, if healthy, will cost us any chance at the division title -- and Williams wants to win this year. Our best lineup has Crede hitting sixth and playing as much as possible.
-- Mike, Kankakee, Ill.

I agree a healthy Crede gives the White Sox, or any other team, for that matter, a greater chance for success. But in the big picture, with the likelihood that Crede will be gone after 2008 and Fields being ready for everyday work, Crede seems to be the most logical candidate to be moved.

I've received numerous suggestions as to where to play Fields during the past few months, while keeping Crede, suggesting every position aside from catcher and pitcher. Here's the bottom line, though -- barring an unexpected trade, Fields will be playing third base for the White Sox or for Triple-A Charlotte in 2008.

As for Fields' strikeouts, that statistic is overrated, in my opinion, if Fields produces solid results when he makes contact. Take Curtis Granderson, as an example. He has 315 strikeouts over the past two seasons but still has emerged as one of the best all-around talents in the game.