Dealing appealing to Williams Sox GM not about to panic but knows team has key needs

General manager Ken Williams will head south this week in anattempt to move the White Sox up in the standings, and he is ready todeal at a moment's notice.

With the winter meetings set to kick off Friday in New Orleans,Williams is prepared to consummate a transaction at the airport, athis hotel, in a room full of baseball executives or on BourbonStreet.

It isn't so much that a number of other teams already have addedkey components to their 2004 rosters. It's just the feelingsurrounding the winter meetings that gets Williams ready to makedeals.

It creates a sense of urgency," he said, but we're always ready todo something that makes sense at any time."

At last year's meetings in Nashville, Tenn., Williams appearedanimated after a late-night and early-morning swap of ideas with ahandful of other unidentified general managers. Two days later,Montreal Expos GM Omar Minaya admitted the Sox were among the teamshe was in discussions with. A month after that, the Sox obtainedBartolo Colon from the Expos.

Williams once again will head into the meetings searching forpitching help after Colon ended his one-year stay with the Sox bysigning with the Anaheim Angels on Tuesday.

The Sox' fourth-year GM could be close to adding a front-linestarter as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees already have done,or he could lay the groundwork for something to happen in the nearfuture.

Our seeds are planted long before you get to the winter meetings,"Williams said. You never know when you'll match up with a club. Younever know when you'll match up with a free agent."

Williams was optimistic about the 2003 club even before themidseason acquisitions of Roberto Alomar and Carl Everett. While theSox failed to make the playoffs -- and Alomar and Everett will go theway of Colon and sign with another team -- Williams isn't about topanic.

We felt good about the team even though we didn't accomplish ourseason-ending goal," he said. At this point, you can only spend somuch time being disappointed or being discouraged. You have to moveforward."

Here are the Sox' top five priorities for the winter meetings:

Starting pitching

The Sox could use two new starters heading into spring training.They were in the same position a year ago and came away with Colonand Esteban Loaiza, the find of the offseason.

While it might not be realistic to land a pitcher the caliber ofGreg Maddux, other available free agents include Shawn Estes, SidneyPonson and Pedro Astacio, who is coming off shoulder surgery in June.

Former Sox left-hander Wilson Alvarez, who had a mini-resurgencelast season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, also is available.Acquiring Odalis Perez from the Dodgers no longer seems likely,despite persistent rumors.

Relief pitching

Billy Koch will get the first crack at the closer job with DamasoMarte waiting in the wings. Marte expressed a desire last season toeventually become a starter, but that isn't likely to happen in 2004.

That leaves the Sox looking for a setup man now that Tom Gordonand Scott Sullivan have signed elsewhere. The Diamondbacks' MikeMyers, the Royals' Graeme Lloyd, the Dodgers' Paul Quantrill and theBraves' Darren Holmes are free agents who could provide the answer.

Outfield help

The Sox are prepared to let a healthy Aaron Rowand take over incenter field, but it couldn't hurt to have somebody in waiting if hefalters. Available free agents include Todd Hollandsworth, MarvinBenard and Orlando Palmeiro.

Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordonez are expected to remain in left andright field, respectively, though both have been involved in traderumors. The Sox hope Joe Borchard finally is ready, but he struggledoffensively at Class AAA Charlotte last season. Minor-leaguesensation Jeremy Reed is only 22 and at least another year away.

Utility infielder

Recently acquired Juan Uribe is expected to take over TonyGraffanino's utility role, but he could be busy elsewhere if he beatsout Willie Harris for the second-base job.

Because Harris doesn't play any infield position except second,another utility player isn't a bad idea. Obtaining the Dodgers' AlexCora via trade would unite him with brother Joey Cora, the Sox' newthird-base coach. The Angels' Adam Kennedy also is rumored to beavailable, while free agent Todd Walker has said he is open toplaying multiple positions.

Bench power

Power hitters eyeing a spot on the Sox bench, beware. With theteam committed to Joe Crede at third, Lee in left and Ordonez inright, playing time is hard to come by. Jeff Liefer didn't like hislimited action two years ago, and Brian Daubach and Armando Rios wereunhappy last season.

Time will tell if Ozzie Guillen can find more playing time for hisbench than Jerry Manuel did. With Daubach being placed on waiversWednesday and Rios turned loose after the season ended, the Sox againwill be on the prowl for bench help.