Sox Machine: Chicago White Sox blog

Kenny pops two dents

I didn't necessarily agree with Kenny Williams as far as whom he acquired, but he at least fulfilled the need of two of three target areas by trading for Mike MacDougal and Sandy Alomar Jr. 

On some levels, it's frustrating to watch the Yankees get two quality players gift-wrapped for them (Bobby Abreu and Craig Wilson), while the Twins have young players who step in and immediately start producing (Francisco Liriano, Jason Kubel), while the Sox are basically stuck with the team they have.

However, it was even more frustrating last year when the Sox needed a bat -- a bat of any size, shape or handedness -- and all Kenny came up with was Geoff Blum. Even though Hawk would repeatedly say "Where would he play?" there were plenty of places the Sox needed help.

This year, the Sox have no holes.  They have some dents, particularly in the pitching staff, but there was nothing close to a guarantee that the Sox could replace what they had with somebody of equal talent without giving up an inordinate amount of prospects of cash.

Considering some of the players who have been thrown around this offseason, Kenny did alright to upgrade the team's biggest weaknesses by only surrendering Tyler Lumsden as the player closest to breaking into the big leagues.  I'm still unhappy with the Sandy Alomar Jr. re-re-acquisition, but it was a step in the right direction, and if Alomar tanks like I fear he might, an upgrade is still possible through waivers (as long as Ozzie Guillen and Williams are able to divorce themselves from the idea of Alomar as Mark Buehrle's savior).

Otherwise, Kenny did all his heavy lifting in the offseason.  Williams not only has major-league talent at every position, but he has nearly all of it under team control.  As The Cheat at South Side Sox notes, the only two players who are free agents at the end of this year are David Riske and Alomar.

If I were to grade Kenny, I'd give him a B for his deadline work. He could've done better in the catcher department, but at least he was efficient, addressing the only true needs with only one player at a time.  The team is better than it was on May 1, which is better than it was on October 27th.  Kenny is doing his job; now it's the players' turn to do theirs. 

Leadoff ideas, out of left field

Today's lineup confused me for a number of reasons, and all of them had to do with Rob Mackowiak. 

While I was glad to see him starting, he was doing so in the wrong place, and at the wrong time.  He was slotted sixth, in between Jermaine Dye and Joe Crede -- against a lefty -- and in place of Brian Anderson instead of Scott Podsednik -- against a lefty.

Take into consideration the guys he could have possibly replaced:

1) Scott Podsednik.  Pods had a terrible game yesterday, of which I relayed the "highlights" in the post below.  In the last seven days, his on-base percentage is .190, and his defense has been a net minus so far this season.  He also hasn't stolen a base since the All-Star break, so he's not doing one particular thing well.  Against lefties, his OBP is below .300.

2) Brian Anderson.  Anderson had two hits yesterday, and Corey Patterson robbed him of a possible third.  In his last seven days, his OPS is 1.108, and his defense has aided pitching staffs more than numbers can quantify -- though the numbers add up, too.  He has stolen a base since the All-Star break.  Against lefties, his OBP is below .300.

The choice is obvious -- so obvious that Ozzie made the opposite decision, benching Anderson in favor of somebody who has actually been worse against lefties (OPS of .509 to Anderson's .563), and far worse defensively. 

Pods played better than he did yesterday (although it wasn't hard) and actually "stole a base" when he was picked off and the throw got away.  But we're beginning to see why Mackowiak can't get into games at the position at which he's best suited -- because if he's there, then Pablo Ozuna isn't there.  And if neither Ozuna nor Podsednik are in the game, then the Sox don't have a "leadoff hitter."

Either Ozuna or Podsednik have batted leadoff every single day of the year, and they've turned into a crutch for Ozzie Guillen.  Ozzie has no problem messing around the rest of the lineup (Pierzynski batted third today, Mackowiak sixth against a lefty), but that top spot is not to be trifled with.  And because it's locked in, it severely limits Mackowiak's usability.  This isn't to say Ozzie's without reason, because when both are playing their average games, both Ozuna and Pods are capable of causing some mayhem out of that top spot. 

Getting a leadoff man from somewhere other than left field isn't hard to accomplish on paper, but requires messing up the middle of the infield.  The natural place to look is upgrading Tadahito Iguchi and his .218 average against lefties -- either Pablo Ozuna or Alex Cintron constitutes an improvement.  But if you get the leadoff man from there, then you need a new No. 2 hitter -- and Mackowiak isn't that against southpaws either.  He's best off hitting eighth, just ahead of Anderson. 

So to get a new No. 2 hitter, Cintron would have to replace Juan Uribe to get an appropriate on-base percentage against lefties.  And while that'd be a large improvement as well against lefties, a strength that was there in up-the-middle defense is now suspect, and it could hurt the pitching as much as having Mackowiak playing center. 

As I've said before, my lineup construction doesn't emphasize righty-lefty balance and circular speed as much as it does getting the best hitters as many at-bats as possible without robbing them of run-scoring situations.  My best solution would have Joe Crede hitting second on these odd days with Uribe remaining in the lineup, but that would be highly unusual not just for Ozzie, but for any manager.  Tony LaRussa may be the only exception, since he's batted a pitcher eighth before. 

The underlying issue is that baseball players are creatures of habit, and all managers are former players at some level or another.  I'm still an advocate of Mack getting more playing time, but in light of this, I may have to be more resigned while doing so.  It may be Ozzie's fault, but I doubt 95 percent of managers would act any differently.

Charm City indeed

Here's the shot of the day:



For the first time in awhile, Rob Mackowiak replaced Scott Podsednik in left field late in the game.   After an awful game in which he followed up the only thing he did right (a single) by wiping it out (caught stealing), I'd be surprised if he started tomorrow.  In spite of him, the Sox helped me to break my personal three-game losing streak.

In the meantime, there are Game 2 photos posted in a new photo gallery. 

On a side note, I shared an elevator in my hotel with Herm Schneider and Greg Walker this evening.  They seemed to be otherwise occupied in a crowded area, so I didn't get to ask about Mark Buehrle's arm, or about Joe Crede's improvement.  If I see them in the morning, I'll see what I can do.

Splash landings

Ross Gload's unlikely go-ahead, ninth-inning grand slam not only marked his first homer of the season, but it marked the fourth time a reserve's first big fly of the year came in a crucial late-inning situation that either tied the game or put the Sox ahead. 

In order...

Pablo Ozuna:  Hits the game-tying homer off then-Seattle closer Eddie Guardado on May 3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tie up the game.  It's Ozuna's first major-league homer in 334 at-bats.

Rob Mackowiak:  On May 22, with the Sox down 4-2, hits a pinch-hit, game-tying home run off Oakland closer Huston Street with two outs in the eighth.  He went homerless in his first 79 at-bats of the season.

Alex Cintron:  Hits a go-ahead three-run homer with one out in the eighth inning off Fernando Rodney on June 6.  Rodney entered the game with a 1.03 ERA, and Cintron hadn't gone deep even once in his first 92 at-bats.

Ross Gload:  Hits a go-ahead grand slam off Chris Ray with one out in the ninth and the Sox down two on July 28.  Gload hadn't homered since 2004.

If Chris Widger hadn't been DFA'd, he would've screwed up the perfect home-run cycle (one-run, two-run, three-run, grand slam).  Widge was the second bench player to hit a homer, but it was another solo shot in the second inning of a game against the Twins on May 15.

Instead, the responsibility now rests on Sandy Alomar Jr.'s shoulders, as he needs a five-run homer to keep this phenomenon going.  We'll see if his veteran presence pays off.

UPDATE:  Since bench usage has been a somewhat popular topic here and elsewhere, a fella who goes by the handle "dumonk" posted a very interesting study at South Side Sox of  win-loss records based on how many subs started the game.  Its significance can be debated, but no matter what, it's worth a look.

Off-night news

You'd think that 186 wins would be enough for Billy Pierce to earn a free White Sox eye patch like the one Hawk Harrelson wore last year. 

Anyway, three things:

1) The rest of the photos my parents (happy birthday, Mom) took from the Luis Aparicio/Nellie Fox statue unveiling are now in the photo gallery.  This installment has more people, including Pierce, Aparicio himself, Joanne Fox, and some other notables. 

2) I'm heading to Baltimore tonight after work, meaning I'll be on the road during the opener against the Orioles.  If you'd like to write the State of the Sox recap, shoot me an email with what you got.  I'll be there for the second and third games, and I'll try to stop my personal three-game losing streak.  I'm 3-4 this season on the whole.  Plenty of photos and posts to follow.

3) Kenny Williams says he's done dealing before the trade deadline.  I'll believe it when I see it, but it's welcome news here if it's true.

Oh, the humanity

Mark Buehrle is worse than Jaime Navarro.

Or, to put it less sensationally, Jaime Navarro has never been as bad as Mark Buehrle is right now. 

Over his last five starts, Buehrle has put up this line:

IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA
26.2	47	34	8	5	15	11.47

And here is Navarro's worst five, from July 31, 1997 to August 22, 1997:

IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA
30.0	48	31	5	11	17	9.30

Yep.  Our former ace has managed to achieve something the most disappointing pitcher in recent Sox history couldn't accomplish.  And that's all that really needs to be said. 

The disuse of a utility man

Rob Mackowiak's various misadventures in center field have overshadowed the fact that he's having some sort of season at the plate.  In his season preview, I went over his monthly lines and found that only once in his career had he put two above-average months in a row.  The rest of his career has been defined by one great month followed by mediocrity or worse.

But as July comes to a close, Mackowiak is closing out his third straight above-average month.  Not only that, but July has been even better than the two months preceding it.  He's posted a line of .444/.516/.519 entering today, has walked as many times as he's struck out, and is even 3-for-3 in stolen bases (and he hit a homer today, so watch that slugging percentage go up.)

Take out his abysmal April, during which he went 5-for-35, and here are the numbers he's put up:

AB	R	H	XBH	RBI	BB	K	BA	OBP	SLG
137	18	48	9	10	17	25	.350	.427	.453

The strange thing about Mackowiak's run is that while his averages are going up, his playing time is going down.  Mack had 64 at-bats in May, 46 in June, and he's on pace to finish with far fewer plate appearances in July -- all while having an OBP nearly 50 points higher than Jim Thome during this period. 

Part of the "problem" has been Brian Anderson's emergence as a major-league hitter.  Since Anderson's hitting .314 in July, Mack isn't forced to play square peg in a round hole as often.  As one of Anderson's more steadfast supporters, this is considered an absolute positive on this site. 

However, the other part of the equation is that Ozzie has abided to the depth chart by the book, and as a result, Mack is not being employed in situations where he has a better chance of succeeding than others. 

When Ozzie needs a left-handed bat off the bench in a key situation, he isn't going for the best left-handed bat.  He's going for the left-handed bat who can take over for that position in the next half-inning.  That being the case, Scott Podsednik always pinch-hits for Pablo Ozuna, Alex Cintron always pinch-hits for Juan Uribe, and Mackowiak always pinch-hits for Anderson.

That's all well and good, except that because Anderson always hits ninth, Mackowiak always has the fewest chances of making an impact off the bench.  In three games the past week, Podsednik has entered a game to pinch-hit for Ozuna.  He's 0-for-4, and the Sox have dropped all three games.  Cintron is 0-for-3 in similar situations, again all Sox losses.  During that stretch, Mack hasn't entered the game as a pinch-hitter.  He did have a single at-bat after pinch-running a couple innings earlier, but that's not the same thing. 

With Anderson no longer in need of training wheels, you'd think Mackowiak would be able to explore the studio space and make use of his greatest asset: versatility.  Instead, he's somehow become more confined.

He's not being used as a pinch-hitter, despite being 5-for-11 in that situation with a homer (Pods is 1-for-7, Cintron 1-for-9).  He's not being used as a defensive replacement in left field, even though he was Ozzie's preferred late-inning choice earlier in the season.  He's not being used as a third baseman, where he could easily become the Sox's second most capable man on the hot corner with a few more reps.  He could be giving Jermaine Dye or Paul Konerko a day off, but he may see only a handful of starts the rest of the season at either position. 

Instead, we only see Mackowiak in center, getting playing time against righties even though Anderson has hit righties with much more authority so far this year (.686 OPS, compared to .585 against southpaws).  And of course, there's also the defensive discrepancies.

I'm not all that frustrated with Ozzie's handling of the pitching staff, which has become a whack-a-mole game with a different pitcher struggling every day, and I don't care what he says as long as 1) it's not illegal and 2) he doesn't make his team turn against him. 

I do get frustrated, however, when I see the team's hottest hitter only used in a role for which he's the least-equipped.  This 2-10 stretch is a time where Ozzie should be pulling out all the stops, but in this case, he's too occupied keeping them in order. 

Here we go again

Andy Van Slyke -- maybe because Don Slaught was busy -- decided to weigh in on the Ozzie Guillen-Jon Garland dugout argument during Sunday's win against the Rangers. 

“(Guillen’s) a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve,” Van Slyke told the radio network.  “He is, if you want to call it, an atypical Latin baseball player.

“I don’t believe that it’s true for all Latinos, but a lot of people’s perception is that Latinos are hot-headed. He has certainly shown that he gets a little upset and a little excited about the littlest, silliest things.”

Then Van Slyke goes on to say he would've punched Guillen if he were Garland.  Pot, meet Kettle.

I'm hoping Ozzie has heard about Van Slyke's comments and will make a measured, even-handed response that could make Andy look like the loudmouthed moron.  I'd start by pointing out that the guy who started for Van Slyke's team tonight, Kenny Rogers, shoved a cameraman to the ground for no apparent reason last year.  Rogers, as you know, is white.  And unlike Guillen, Rogers has actually inflicted physical harm.

I'd leave it at that, but there are countless other white players and managers who have earned the title of "hothead."  If Ozzie goes that route, he can put Van Slyke in his place.  If he doesn't, then he might run the risk of proving Van Slyke true to some audiences, even if Van Slyke provoked him.

And speaking of a white hothead, Hawk Harrelson showed an unusual amount of reserve tonight during some close calls that didn't go the Sox's way during tonight's game against Minnesota. Hawk had earlier expressed his disgust with the crew while the home plate umpire appeared to be giving Johan Santana a larger strike zone.

When Tadahito Iguchi was thrown out by Mike Cuddyer trying to go from first to third, Darrin Jackson immediately jumped on Laz Diaz for blowing his second call in two games, and that Iguchi was safe and the Sox should've had runners on first and third.  However, when Harrelson spoke, he only complimented Cuddyer's throw, and Nick Punto's catch and tag on a difficult short hop.  That was it.  Jackson went on to say Diaz was in bad position, blah blah blah, Hawk was silent. 

Then when Tim Tschida called Jason Tyner safe on his bunt single when he appeared to be thrown out, DJ went off on the umpiring again.  Hawk, though, said that call could've gone either way, and that when you have the benefit of three angles and slow-motion, it's easy to declare the ump bad at his job.  DJ toned it down, even though that call set up Jason Bartlett's three-run homer that gave the Twins the lead. 

Hawk would later criticize the strike zone again, but it was interesting -- and somewhat tense -- to hear the difference in opinion.  It's just such a rarity I didn't know how to handle it. 

What the... Phil?

I did not read Phil Rogers' most recent column on Kenny Williams' possibilities before writing the last sentence of my last post.  It ended up being a somewhat self-fulfilling prophecy, considering the doozy of the idea he throws up/out today:

Rodriguez, the Yankees' beleaguered third baseman, would qualify. It's unlikely that New York will trade him, but his stock has dropped so low with Yankees fans that you can't rule it out.

The Sox have a third baseman to send back to New York. Because they have Josh Fields at Triple A, they could consider moving Joe Crede, though Ozzie Guillen said this month that Crede is better than Rodriguez.

You know, I laughed at Hawk Harrelson when he said last year, before Crede's breakout September, that he'd take Crede over Alex Rodriguez regardless of price.  However, if he said the same thing this year, I'd agree with him.   Bat alone, Rodriguez has a significant advantage, but when you combine the gloves and the fact that Rodriguez may or may not be a head case, I'd rather stick with Joe. 

Rogers continues:

If Crede is as good as Rodriguez, what's the point of getting Rodriguez? Long range you'd be moving Rodriguez back to shortstop and opening a spot for Fields, hitting .322 with 14 homers and 55 RBIs for Triple-A Charlotte. And Rodriguez would feast on the hitter-friendly conditions at the Cell. The Yankees and Sox don't seem ideal trading partners, as they could wind up facing each other in October.

Having YES on my basic cable, I've gotten to see Rodriguez play plenty this year.  While he still might be one of the best athletes in baseball, this year he looks big and clumsy at third, while Crede looks lean and mean.  Rodriguez has 19 errors, Crede has eight, and Crede also has superior range factors and zone ratings.  That basically means not only is he making a higher percentage of players, but he's making more plays period. 

Not only is Crede playing a far superior third base in comparison to Rodriguez, but judging by aesthetics, it's not out of the range of possibility that Crede would be the better shortstop.  After all, the Devil Rays just moved B.J. Upton from short to third because he couldn't gain a grasp of the position.  Why is it so easy to believe that Rodriguez could go the other way without a problem?  Put him next to Josh Fields, and the left side of the Comiskey Park infield would be known as the place where singles go to thrive. 

And then there's also the fact that Crede is slugging .539 to Rodriguez's .500 and hitting nearly 20 points higher.  Man.

Honestly, I would've not pointed this column out if Rogers didn't make a nice analysis of the Soriano rumors.  This is the second time where he's followed up a sensible, well-written argument with outrageously hallucinatory speculation out of left field.  Hell, he had A-Rod possibly going to the Cubs yesterday.  I'm beginning to think he writes his columns with a permanent marker, and after 10 minutes the fumes start getting to him.

Soriano: Yes or no?

The scariest part to me about the White Sox being "close" to dealing Brandon McCarthy to Washington for Alfonso Soriano is that I don't think that's all there is to it.

In Kenny Williams' history of making "big splash" trades, I can't recall one where the Sox received an equal number of bodies to what they traded away.  The Podsednik-for-Lee trade comes the closest, but only because Lee was clearly the more talented player.  When Williams dealt Keith Foulke, Mark Johnson and Joe Valentine to Oakland for Billy Koch, Neal Cotts and Daylon Holt, Williams threw cash in with the deal to make it uneven.  More embarrassing was the one in which Williams had to throw in cash to give Ray Durham to Billy Beane for Jon Adkins.

Whether it was Todd Ritchie, David Wells, Freddy Garcia, Carl Everett, Roberto Alomar, Bartolo Colon or Javier Vazquez, Williams has not been afraid to sweeten the deal with extra bodies, none of whom have yet panned out, fortunately.

In this trade, however, Brandon McCarthy can't possibly be enough for Soriano.  Soriano is having the season of his life, while McCarthy is having an up-and-down season in the bullpen.  While he did have a tremendous couple months last year, it's not like he was in Francisco Liriano territory, dominating in such a fashion that future success in nearly guaranteed.

From the White Sox's perspective, I think it's fair -- what they're giving up is just about equal to what they'd be getting (assuming it's more than two months).  It's a question of proven production and money versus unproven potential and value, and an argument could be made either way.  I think it'd be a fantastic "baseball trade," not just a salary/contract dump.

But one would think the Nationals can do better.  The Tigers seem to have more to offer -- a pitcher as talented as McCarthy plus a semi-capable outfielder, which they need since Jose Guillen's days are numbered.  The only one who would fit that bill on the Sox is Brian Anderson, and a package of McCarthy and Anderson would be way too much to give up.

I don't think Kenny is going to do this; it appears to be gamesmanship more than anything else.   But I'll be a lot more comfortable when the headline "ChiSox extremely close to Soriano" given his history of tossing in fringe major-league talent.  Here's hoping the "source close to the team" is Phil Rogers.

Mac attack

When I went to Opening Day of the 2003 season in Kansas City, the White Sox were stymied, predictably, by a couple of no-name pitchers.

One was Runelvys Hernandez, who has since nearly eaten himself out of the league.  But the Sox hadn’t seen him before, so of course they couldn’t square him up. 

But there was a good reason the second pitcher was untouchable – he actually had great stuff. 

His name?  Mike MacDougal.  He retired the Sox 1-2-3 on 10 pitches, one of those a backwards K of Frank Thomas on a curveball that made his knees buckle almost audibly, and “Mac the Ninth” was born. 

The sell-out crowd went bonkers on that hook he threw to Thomas – Kauffman Stadium reverberated from that moment through the last out of the game, when Magglio Ordonez grounded out to short to start the Royals’ season on a good note with a 3-0 victory.  Kansas City swept the Sox, then went on to win 11 of its first 12 games. 

That curve, along with the pitch Kerry Wood threw to strike out his 20th batter against Houston in 1998, ranks as the most unbelievable breaking pitches I've witnessed real-time.  Unfortunately, like Wood, MacDougal has had a string of injury problems since his debut.  Actually, since he suffered a stomach virus that took a toll on him for most of the 2004 season, perhaps he's more like Mark Prior.

At any rate, that pitch is what came to mind when I read that the Sox acquired MacDougal for Tyler Lumsden and Dan Cortes.  Perhaps Kenny paid too much, given MacDougal's pertually iffy health.  Lumsden alone might've been enough, considering he can hit 95 from the left-hand side.  Listening to the other teams' broadcast feeds on Extra Innings, they can't believe that the Mariners would let go of Matt Thornton since hard-throwing lefties don't grow on trees.  Cortes is an interesting arm as well.

But if MacDougal proves to last through the season, I think this is ultimately a plus move. Kenny Williams has picked up some oft-injured players (El Duque, Jim Thome, Bobby Jenks to name a few) and has gotten what he's needed out of them.  MacDougal might be another one of those guys.

If he does get injured again, I'm not going to hold this move against him like I would the acquisition for Sandy Alomar Jr., where better options were available for the same cost, if not less.  For instance, Sal Fasano was DFA'd today, and he would've fit the bill for the Sox for maybe a player to be named later.

Luis and Nellie, together again

Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox joined Charles Comiskey, Carlton Fisk and Minnie Minoso as the next two to be honored in the form of a statue on the outfield concourse of U.S. Celllular Field.  Their statues were unveiled today, and my parents, huge fans of the Sox double-play combination like thousands of other South Siders, attended the ceremony before the game.

My dad was kind enough to send me some photos he took of the statues today, and you can see the gallery by clicking on the above picture.  When I get the rest of the photos, likely next week, I'll be posting more. You'll be notified.

A Widger by any other name

For a trade that attempts to shore up the second least glamorous spot on any major-league roster (with only second LOOGY beating it out), the acquisition of Sandy Alomar Jr. sure brings up a lot of interesting issues.  At least interesting enough to me that it's sparked a three-part series.

Kenny Williams needed to bring in a catcher who would 1) hit left-handed pitching, 2) diminish the threat of stolen bases and 3) handle pitchers better.  I'm afraid he just might've acquired Widger again, except this one's six years older and born in Puerto Rico.

No. 1:  Hitting left-handed pitchers. 

So far this season, Alomar has done exactly that.  He's 9-for-18 with three doubles, and righties haven't crippled him either.  For the season, Alomar is .323/.323/.403, superior to Widger's .184/.264/.263.  I'm with this move so far. 

The problem is that for 62 at-bats last year, Widger looked pretty good, too.  His line up to that point -- .303/.353/.476 -- exceeded Alomar's, and Widger, the softball/independent-league player was a credible big leaguer once again.  The feel-good hit of the summer didn't last long, though.  If you look it up, Widger has been this bad since June 23, 2005. 

That's not to say the wheels will surely fall off Alomar's game like it did Widger's, but the guy is 40 freakin' years old.

No. 2:  Throwing out baserunners.

Widger's throwing issues reached a soaring climax when he spiked a throw to second off a pitchout against Detroit.  Once a guy who could throw out 1 out of every 3 potential basestealers, Widge finished his White Sox career only throwing out 5 of 46...

...and yet he's still better than Alomar, who in the same period of time is 1-for-31 in that department.  One. For. Thirty-one.  Team him up with Freddy Garcia, and you might see a guy go from first-to-third by himself ... on one pitch.

No. 3:  Calling a game. 

Remember the big deal I made about Widger's ERA being over 5.00?  Alomar's is over 6.00 -- it's like he's catching Jaime Navarro every day!  Going through his game logs, here are the starting pitchers he's caught this season:

• Derek Lowe (7-7, 4.19 ERA)
• Odalis Perez (4-4, 6.83) -- two times
  
• Brad Penny (10-4, 3.24) -- three times
  
• Brett Tomko (6-6, 5.12) -- three times
  
• Aaron Sele (6-4, 3.77) -- two times
  
• Jae Seo (2-8, 5.44)

Perez is a fairly apt comparison to Navarro, so there's part of the reason.  But he's also caught the starting pitcher for the National League All-Stars three times, and yet his record as a starting catcher is 1-12.  By my count, the Sox went 9-11 in games Widger started. 

For some context, L.A.'s starting catcher Russell Martin has a catcher's ERA of 4.11 this season; Dioner Navarro, who was the backup before being traded to Tampa a couple weeks ago, had a 3.88 CERA in 23 starts.  All these numbers don't necessarily mean anything, but it's just interesting to note.

**********************

What perhaps is the most puzzling about this move is what Alomar has been worth the last two times he was traded. 

When the Sox traded him to the Colorado Rockies in 2002, they received 23-year-old Enemencio Pacheco, who had been a pro for four years but hadn't progressed above advanced A-ball.  Pacheco didn't appear to be anything special with the Rockies, with a mediocre strikeout rate combined with control issues, but he actually turned in a nice season with Birmingham and appeared to be a fifth starter candidate before injuries took their toll. 

To re-re-acquire Alomar, the Sox dealt B.J. LaMura, who is having his finest season in the minors to date.  He owns a 1.69 ERA in 53 innings scattered over 34 appearances, and has struck out 67 batters against 31 walks -- still a high walk rate, but better than it has been.  He's 24, and is in his second year of Double-A. 

Neither of the two pitchers is a hot prospect, but LaMura definitely seems to own more exciting stuff.  Somehow, Alomar brought in a bigger return at age 40 than when he was 36 and coming off a similar first half offensively.

I credited Kenny Williams for picking up Javier Lopez off the scrap heap and using him to bring in a credible right-handed reliever.  This time, Kenny was on the other end.  Dodgers GM Ned Colletti was the only one who'd offer Alomar a job, and after Alomar becomes the third-stringer, he spins him off for a minor-leaguer who stands a greater chance of being useful. 

At least Widger didn't cost us anybody.

The bad news

Wazzup!

If I were the Scott Reifert, the PR guy for the White Sox, here's how I would try to spin the trade that re-acquired Sandy Alomar Jr. in the press release:

"For five years, the Chicago White Sox have worked with The Alomar Family, LLC., to find job placement opportunities for unemployed Alomars around the globe.  Today's trade, which brought Sandy Alomar Jr. to the South Side for Double-A reliever B.J. LaMura, marks the fifth time a downtrodden Alomar has found refuge with the White Sox.  The Chicago White Sox and the The Alomar Family: A winning combination -- occasionally."

Nevertheless, if I were going to The Cell this week, I'd want to pack a sign that says "Enough with the Alomars, already."  If somebody wants to carry this flag for me, by all means.  I'll gladly post your picture.

Kenny Williams doesn't need my help trying to frame this trade in a positive light, though, employing what I will call the Matt Thornton Defense.  Read these quotes side by side:

On Alomar	On Thornton
"Our coaching staff has been after me for the last month to acquire Sandy Alomar, so it is my responsibility as general manager to add pieces to the puzzle that my coaches feel they need to win another championship." -- July 23, 2006	When the pitching coach tells you 'I want this guy,' and 'Don't worry about his ability to throw strikes,' and my scouts want the guy as well, I'm going to do everything I can to get him -- March 26, 2006

Because of how wrong I was when I called the Thornton-for-Borchard trade nothing for nothing, I paused before tearing into this "solution."  After re-evaluation, I came to the conclusion that I still don't buy this trade being anything better than a net neutral.  Somebody's wrong here, and here's the cases against both sides:

Kenny Williams:  Maybe he might've misunderstood the Sox coaching staff a little bit.  Maybe Ozzie Guillen, Don Cooper, Greg Walker and Co. were saying that they wanted to acquire Alomar to serve as a coach.  After all, he's 40, not doing much in Los Angeles and on his last knees as a catcher -- what else is he going to do later this year?  He's the guy who traded James Baldwin for Jeff Barry when he wanted Jonathan Berry, so anything's possible. 

In fact, that trade was also with the Dodgers.  Considering Kenny nearly traded Jon Garland for Darin Erstad before the Angels axed the deal, maybe he should stay away from L.A. entirely.

The coaching staff:  Alomar is a former All-Star, a guy who's been around, a guy who respects the game and from all indications is an excellent teammate -- so in other words, he's simply saturated with Veteran Presence. 

The problem is, what is now Veteran Presence was once a part of what Ozzie Guillen summed up last year as a prevalent "bad attitude."  Alomar had been on the Sox for parts or the entirety of the 2001-04 seasons, some of the most disappointing in White Sox history.  The Sox won a division title the year before he arrived, and they won the World Series the year after he departed -- so why were they so eager to get him back? 

This is not to say Alomar is responsible for any of these problems himself, but while Alomar was on the team, a handful of hardships popped up.  Pitching prospects like Kip Wells, Dan Wright and even Garland didn't pan out, All-Stars like David Wells and Bartolo Colon underachieved, and the Sox offense was considered all-or-nothing.  With veteran pitchers not earning their salaries and the offense sputtering, I don't see why Alomar has received the status of, "If you acquire only one position player this season, make this the one!"

Maybe the Thornton story serves as a reminder that I don't always know what I'm talking about, but I'm thinking Kenny's going to the well once too many times with this line of reasoning.  

The good news

Chris Widger was handed his walking papers today, as the Sox designated him for free agency shortly after today's 5-0 victory over the Texas Rangers. 

There's an interesting contrast between the departures of Widger and Politte, who were just about equally capable of handling their respective duties this year.  Politte took his about as well as one could be expected to, per this Scott Merkin article:

"You've got to perform at this level.  It's unfortunate, but like I said, you have to perform at this level and be consistent and I had not been that this year. It's a great place to play and I was treated very well. They kept running me out there in situations for me to succeed and it didn't happen. For some reason, it didn't. I feel bad. I let these guys down."

Widger could have used the same words, but instead the former backup catcher responded rather brusquely to the terminology used as the reason for his departure -- "lack of game preparation."  Here's a quote again from a Merkin article:

"If you want to tell me I'm a bad ballplayer, not good enough for your team, you aren't producing enough, I could take it," an emotional Widger said after being informed of the roster move. "But to tell me that I'm not trying, it's tough.

"I come in here after a game and all of a sudden I'm lazy? I just don't get it. Nothing was said about it before today."

When Williams told Widger of the reason questioned by the catcher, he also told Widger to talk to both pitching coach Don Cooper and hitting coach Greg Walker. Widger told the media that Cooper's lone complaint was that he was tough to find for a meeting or two they have at the beginning of each series, while Walker's problem, again according to Widger, was that he followed a different philosophy in preparing offensively for each game.

Widger admitted that he didn't take pregame flips in the cage, instead choosing to hit off a tee when everyone had cleared out. Widger said that he had heard a few comments along the way about not taking flips, but he also said that his approach was no different than last season, when he hit .241 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 141 at-bats.

"Last year was good and this year, it's not," Widger said. "That's what happens when there's a difference between being 10 games up and being in second place. When you are not in first place, all those little things aren't overlooked anymore."

And from the AP notes:

"I thought this was home.  I thought I did a good job for these guys. It's the first time I've ever been released (for reasons) I don't get."

The reasons are rather easy to understand, and I already listed them all a couple of days ago.  The difference in batting practice rituals is new to me, but the coaches may have a point that has nothing to do with how hard Widger works. 

If Walker and Cooper are seeing no discernable effort to change things in the middle of a massive, soul-sucking slump with both the bat and the glove, that could easily be identified as a lack of preparation.  Preparation is partly work ethic, but it's about working smart, not working hard.  Widger could practice yoga for five hours instead of taking batting practice if it would help him hit better, but if the ends don't justify the means beyond the realm of a typical slump, then a change needs to be made.

The Sox made a change, maybe because they felt Widger wouldn't.  The on-field results seem to side with the Sox on this one. 

I guess what confuses me the most about Widger's indignance is that last quote, coming from a guy who had played for five different teams in his last five MLB seasons.  Catchers who can't hit and can't field are as interchangeable as LOOGYs.  If somebody feels like he's secured his spot with a season of .241/.296/.383 while throwing out 7 percent of all runners, then it could be construed that that person has been delusional about a bunch of other things.

When, me worry?

From what I can gather, that's how a lot of Sox fans are feeling right now.  However, I would like to encourage everybody to keep a cooler head.  If we survived last September, then we can survive anything. 

Keep in mind that last September:

• The trade deadlines had passed, so we were stuck with the team we had.
• The Indians' lineup looked a whole lot scarier than ours.
• We had a handful of guys having career years, and they might not be enough.
• We had very little depth.
• We hadn't won anything in 88 years.

If we're 6 1/2 back of the Tigers in the Central and neck-and-neck in the Wild Card race, then I'll get a little antsy.  Right now, there are a lot of ways this team can improve, and Kenny Williams will make a move when that's the case.  The team had holes last year, but the overall performance was hard to top, as the rest of baseball found out.  Kenny stayed put, except for acquring Geoff Blum for Ryan Meaux.  Ryan Wing?  I think it was Meaux. 

Geoff Blum.  That one worked out.

For lefties, it's as easy as 1-2-3

Watching such future Hall of Famers as Ron Mahay and C.J. Wilson cut through the top of the lineup like a hot knife through butter, perhaps it's time to recalibrate the Sox lineup a little bit.  Scott Podsednik, Tadahito Iguchi and Jim Thome have done more harm than good, but that's mainly because 90 percent of the human population is right-handed.

Here's what the top of the order looks like:

vs. Righties		vs. Lefties
Podsednik Iguchi Thome	.293 | .376 | .423 .333 | .386 | .458 .326 | .436 | .805	Podsednik Iguchi Thome	.229 | .292 | .312 .211 | .271 | .324 .248 | .368 | .372

Iguchi's the one who screws it up, because by being righty, he's supposed to hit lefties well naturally.  The baffling thing is that he hit lefties better last year (.274/.353/.459), and it's not like he made vast changes with his swing.  Maybe scouts figured out a weakness after his first big-league season, or maybe it's just some sort of mental block.

Whatever the case may be, opposing teams have been presented a hole in the White Sox lineups, and smart managers like Joe Torre, Jim Leyland and Buck Showalter have taken advantage of it.  Since the All-Star break, the 1-2-3 spots have been 8-for-36 against southpaws.  Eliminate Scott Podsednik from the equation (he's 4-for-9, even with an 0-for-4 against Nate Robertson), and Sox hitters are 4-for-27 against lefties. 

Then when you throw in Paul Konerko, who has been 2-for-21 in the White Sox's six post-break losses, nearly half the Sox lineup is caving in on itself when lefties take the mound. 

So what can be done to remedy this situation?  Let's list the possibilities from most possible to least:

Solution No. 1:  Flip Konerko and Thome in the batting order.

Pros:	Assuming Konerko starts hitting, a situational lefty can't last an entire inning with Pods leading off. No increase in double play possibilites, as Thome and Konerko are both slow. Preserves rest of lineup.
Cons:	Iguchi and Pods are still two holes in a row. There's something comforting about having Thome disrupt a pitcher's first inning every ballgame.  Konerko doesn't provide the same scare.

Solution No. 2:  Dump Iguchi to seventh, push the rest of the lineup up one spot with Konerko hitting second.

Pros:	The best hitters are up the soonest. Good righty-lefty balance: Pods-PK-Thome-Dye-A.J.-Crede-Gooch-Uribe-Anderson Speed is dispersed the same. Thome is still up in the first inning.
Cons:	Paulie isn't a traditional "No. 2" hitter -- works on paper, but new role could make him uncomfortable. Alters approach, as far as run manufacturing goes (this is a con assuming Iguchi remembers how to bunt).

Solution No. 3:  Be more aggressive in deploying Pablo Ozuna and Alex Cintron.

Pros:	It doesn't disrupt batting order. Speed/bunting game is still there. Good lefty-righty balance. On-base percentages favor this highly.
Cons:	Pisses off Iguchi, who believes he's an everyday player -- and he has a right to believe that. It's a downgrade defensively. Increases chances of Ozzie overmanaging later in the game, takes away bench flexibility. Ozuna's crashing down to Earth.

UPDATE: Solution No. 4:  Switch Dye and Thome, bump Crede ahead of A.J.
(courtesy thndrstrck at South Side Sox).

Pros:	Lefties would not last an entire inning in any way. Highly effective at the start of the game. Prevents A.J. from killing rallies.
Cons:	That's a big clump of slow guys. If a righty comes in, does Thome see as many pitches? Needs Ozuna for optimal usage.

The second option actually excites me a great deal, and I think it makes a lot of sense in the American League.  In the National League, the 1-2 hitters don't only start the game, but they often have to make up ground with an automatic out in front of them.  But in the AL, after the first pitches are thrown, "leadoff man" never really re-enters the equation.  Good hitters are good hitters, and the Sox would be pushing theirs towards the top of the lineup.

However, with respect to the people who actually have to play the game, Ozzie has to use them in manners in which they feel comfortable. Flipping the 3-4 spots doesn't make much difference because 1) both Thome and Konerko have hit there before, and 2) Jermaine Dye is bringing up the rear either way.  That's probably the best place to start.  If Konerko rebounds from this slump, then you can see what happens to the offense before making any more drastic changes.

Feel free to drop any other ideas you have.  I feel like I'm missing an option, but I can't quite think of what it might be.

Heeeeere, Yorvit, Yorvit, Yorvit...

It's time to give Widge the nudge.

In case you need additional convincing that Chris Widger is no longer useful to this team, let me remind you that Widger:

1. Hasn't had a hit in over a month
2. Is 0-for-his last 25
3. Has struck out eight times during that stretch
4. Is batting .149 against lefties
5. Is slugging under .200 against lefties
6. Is putting A.J. Pierzynski on pace for a personal record amount of games.

And that's just his offense.  Today's game wasn't just indicative of Widger's season on the whole offensively (0-for-3, two strikeouts) -- but he also was able to showcase his defensive talents on an Ivan Rodriguez steal attempt.  Rodriguez swiped second as Widger's throw two-hopped Tadahito Iguchi and pulled him off the bag...

...on a pitchout.  I was at work during the game, so the television had the sound off, but ESPN cameras were focusing on Widger for an inordinate amount of time afterwards.  I would've loved to hear what they were saying -- drop a note if you can fill me in.

Widger did some nice things for the Sox last year, but there was a reason why he was playing softball before Kenny came calling.  It's getting to the point where I think I might be surprised if Widger were to start another game in a Chicago uniform, because I don't know how the Sox can continue to operate with nothing behind A.J. -- especially if a decent backup is just a mid-level prospect away.

I still like Yorvit Torrealba -- especially since I put his name through an anagram generator and discovered his name can be re-arranged to spell "Boo tartar verily" and "Try a vibrator, Leo."  And given the way the other Rockies-Sox trade worked out, Kenny should be inquiring about his services.

But Widger isn't the only one having trouble as of late.  Pablo Ozuna has hit a wall in July, hitless in 13 at-bats this month and even failing at tasks he normally does well.  Today, he blew a bunt that would've moved Brian Anderson to third base with one out; he also struck out and grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.

This shouldn't come to anyone as a surprise, but the Sox have to adjust accordingly.  If they can pick up a spare outfielder who can cover all three outfield spots even if he can't hit a lick (we'll call him Marlon Byrd, just because), imagine the balance that would bring to the Sox lineup.  When Ozuna's not hitting, he's best deployed as a pinch runner/utility infielder, and a "Marlon Byrd" could help Ozuna towards that end.

A spare outfielder would make the depth chart look something like this, and one can even go deeper:

Left field	Center Field	Right Field
Scott Podsednik Rob Mackowiak "Marlon Byrd"	Brian Anderson "Marlon Byrd"	Jermaine Dye Rob Mackowiak "Marlon Byrd"

Third base	Shortstop	Second base	First base
Joe Crede Rob Mackowiak Pablo Ozuna Alex Cintron	Juan Uribe Alex Cintron Pablo Ozuna	Tadahito Iguchi Pablo Ozuna Alex Cintron	Paul Konerko Rob Mackowiak Jim Thome Pablo Ozuna

Quit while you're behind

If Javier Vazquez's actions weren't enough Wednesday night....here are his words:

Vazquez noticed that Monroe took great delight in his grand slam. 

"That's part of baseball," Vazquez said. "Now, guys who have hit 10 homers in the big leagues feel they can do that. But that's something we see every day, not only him." 

Monroe, who is batting .333 with three home runs and seven RBIs against the Sox this season, high-fived his teammates as he crossed home plate and then bumped into catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

Javy, this is coming from a guy who really, really wants to see you suceed:  Grow a pair. 

In the Tigers' biggest game of the year, a guy hits a go-ahead grand slam off you -- and I mean really hits it, because it was a terrible pitch -- and you're complaining because he stayed too long in the moment? 

Unless you're suggesting that Monroe's shot was no great feat -- and considering your ERA is over 7.00 in your last seven starts, you may have a point there.  He may have a point if Monroe's homer was a solo shot that came after the game was out of hand, but it wasn't.  Not even close. 

A.J., on the other hand, had a more reasonable reaction, even if he had greater right to be offended.

The two sides exchanged words, but Pierzynski said Monroe apologized in his next at-bat. 

"It was an exciting part of the game, and he didn't see me," Pierzynski said. "What can you do?  "He hit a grand slam. You like to see excitement and guys run around the bases, especially at home, but you don't like guys bumping into you. At the same time, he didn't mean to do it, and it wasn't that big of a deal."

Granted, A.J. doesn't have room to talk when it comes to somewhat excessive celebration, but at least he's aware of it.

Orel examination

I've used this space to rail on ESPN in the past, and rightfully so.  Yet I have to be fair and commend their broadcast booth tonight on a job well done. 

Maybe not the entire booth, but at least Orel Hershiser.  He had an incredibly detailed and smart breakdown of Javier Vazquez as he broke down on the mound tonight -- criticizing his pitch selection and mechanics well before Craig Monroe's grand slam.

It started on the 0-2 single allowed to Ivan Rodriguez, and it carried over to the next batter when Magglio Ordonez poked a fastball up in the zone into left field.  Hershiser pointed out that Vazquez doesn't pitch well from the stretch -- something any one of us could've pointed out -- but didn't say it was only because of his mentality, like so many "analysts" are apt to do.

Instead, he compared Javy's delivery from the windup and from the stretch, noting that his leg kick is pretty high when no runners are on.  From the stretch, he had no leg kick, and thus his arm didn't have the same amount of time to clear his body.  The timing issue messed with the natural movement on his pitches -- if his arm was late, he left pitches up; if he threw too hard to compensate, he missed the zone or robbed himself of some cut. 

It certainly worked out that way two batters later, when Monroe followed up two batters later.  And in between, he even pointed out that Javy should've been covering second base on that shallow pop-up Rob Mackowiak misplayed.  It would've helped him to make up an out instead of having to throw the long way to third. 

That's what happens when you get a pitcher who was also a pitching coach -- he gets used to seeing problems as they happen, instead of waiting for the results and deciding it was a product of that pitcher's attitude or mindset.  I'm looking at you, Jeff Brantley.

Unfortunately, we'll probably have guys like Brantley and Rick Sutcliffe around far longer than Hershiser, who was vying for a GM position before going into the booth.  He'll probably end up there some way, while the Brantley/Sutcliffe types have nothing better to do.  We've seen what they do when they're not calling games. 

Photos, phinally

A few items of note:

1) The photos from Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium are now up.  I did bring my camera to Saturday's game, but forgot it was out of batteries.  Whoops.

2) I've made a few Yankee Stadium-related posts on my Road Games blog.  Barring an unforeseen minor-league stop, Baltimore is next.

3) I'm a day late in getting to this, but Vince at Exile in Wrigleyville has posted an interesting preview of the Tigers-Sox series, in which he goes back and forth with a Detroit blogger.  It's always nice to see fans of rival teams giving fair assessments of the opposition.

4) The Braves pounded Jason Marquis to the tune of 12 runs over five innings.  After he left, the Braves only scored two.  Hmm...sounds familiar.  I wonder if the Cardinals think Marquis sucks now -- or were the Braves stealing signs, too?

Help us, Obi-Jon...

Jon Garland won his fifth straight decision tonight, pitching seven satisfactory innings of one-run ball for an important rout of the Detroit Tigers in the opener of the series.

Over those last six starts, during which he has not allowed a homer after serving up 19 gopher balls in his first 11 starts, here are his numbers:

5-0, 2.82 ERA, 38 2/3 IP, 36 H, 12 ER, 9 BB, 17 K

The strikeout-to-walk ratio could use some work, but otherwise we have Jon right where we want him.  And there's no doubt that he's been the best pitcher during a stretch in which every other starter has struggled.  He's removed his name from the trading block -- if it ever was on it -- a place now occupied by Javier Vazquez and Freddy Garcia. 

During this time, he's lowered his ERA by more than a full run and put himself in a tie for second place on the team in wins.  Meanwhile, here's what the other pitchers on the staff have "accomplished" in the last month:

Jose Contreras:  Has seen his ERA rise by nearly a run in the last month, posting an ERA just under 5.  He's surrendered six more homers, thrown five more wild pitches, allowed more hits than innings pitched, and that's mainly why he doesn't have a winning streak anymore.

Mark Buehrle:  He's now early Jon Garland.  His ERA is an even 6.50 since June 9, and he's giving up an absurd number of hits.  With eight homers, he's coming dangerously close to tying Garland (16 on the season) despite having an 11-homer lead on him just a month ago.

Freddy Garcia:  Thanks to a couple unearned runs, he's been spared having the highest ERA on the staff -- but he's one bad turn away from taking that title.  Thanks to 10 homers allowed in his last seven starts, he's given up 22 on the season, earning him a different dubious distinction.

Javier Vazquez:  Three Mile Javy takes the cake when it comes to opening the floodgates.  Since Garland went on his tear, Vazquez has posted a 7.20 ERA over that stretch -- and he too has a couple of unearned runs saving his hide (like Garcia, he has a 5.07 ERA on the season).  The gopher ball hasn't been his problem -- but hits in clumps (50 in 35 innings, plus 13 BB+HBP) bite him in the butt every time.

Garland rescued the Sox, even if only temporarily, from their worst stretch of the season, and thank goodness for that.  Otherwise, we'd already be hearing more about shifting starters at the deadline than we already are. Fortunately, Yahoo!'s Jeff Passan offers some comfort with his well-written profile of Kenny Williams published today: 

Thus, the trade talks. And that's all they are. With the starting-pitching market on Fen-Phen, teams asked Williams about his starters, seeing as with Jose Contreras, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Garcia, Vazquez and Brandon McCarthy, he's got six candidates for a five-man rotation. Williams, as he customarily does, said: "Make an offer."

Hello, rumor.

Look who's talking .200

Lost in the fray of an ugly series against the New York Yankees this past weekend is that Brian Anderson, with his 1-for-1 day on Sunday, has finally reached .200.

That's right: .200.  Our boy's finally Mendoza material!  I feel like a proud father.

Since going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts againt Cleveland on June 10, Brian's hitting .292/.347/.462 over that stretch of 65 at-bats, with nearly half his hits (9 for 19) going for extra bases.  He's also only fanned seven times, owns a modest seven-game hitting streak, and it's been more than a month since he's had two straight hitless games. 

That being the case, it's fair to say that Anderson needs to start playing every day. 

It is a tough committment, because over the same period of time, Rob Mackowiak has a line of .415/.467/.491 in 53 at-bats.  If you take him back to the start of May, he's batting .353 from then to now, with an OBP of .433.  It's hard to argue with those results. 

But unless the pitcher on the mound is a righty with a sweeping slider, Anderson should start game-in and game-out.  The team needs his defense, and his presence, out there in center field.  Anderson, like Juan Uribe in the infield, shows a superb amount of command of flyballs and pop-ups in his jurisdiction.  On the other hand, I hold my breath every time there's a pop-up between Scott Podsednik, Mackowiak and Alex Cintron, because normally one's going to be late, one's going to defer, and one's going to do both things.

And that's not to mention the pitchers need all the help they can get, especially Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia.  Their starts are such fragile entities that anything can start the snowball, and a Mackowiak misplay in center is often the culprit.

If I were drawing up the lineup card, I'd get in the habit of penciling Brian Anderson in the ninth spot every day, barring a slump or mechanic-related funk.  In the meantime, I'd give Mack some glove oil to help break in his third baseman's mitt to help give dinged-up Joe Crede a break, and, as the deadline nears, try to acquire a legitimate, right-handed fourth outfielder via a small deal to put all position players in their natural places.

Mystery meat

That was odd.

I went to New York City this weekend expecting to see the White Sox and Yankees play.  Instead, the Yankees had a two-game set with some semi-pro team.  I didn't catch where they were from -- Frontier League, maybe?

It was strange, because every other team in baseball resumed major-league action, and the White Sox and Yankees played a game on Friday -- why would they interrupt their schedules for exhibition play?  And who did the White Sox end up playing?

I spent most of the time confused and saddened.  The seats were great, and the weather held up, but I wanted to see the White Sox play.  At any rate, I'll be using Monday to catch up with game recaps and to post a photo gallery. 

All points bulletins

1) When/if I ever have kids, I can tell them I saw the last game Cliff Politte pitched with the White Sox.  The team has DFA'd him, and it's about time -- for whatever reason, he has nothing left.  I'll write more about him when I get a chance; perhaps he gets a eulogy.

2) During tomorrow's broadcast, if you happen to see a guy with a gray shirt, goatee, sunglasses and White Sox World Series hat sitting behind home plate who isn't waving, then it might be me.  If he is waving, then it's just some random douchebag.

Shopping list

It's the most nerve-wracking tiiiiiiiiime of the year!

That time, specifically, is the three weeks in between the All-Star Break and the trade deadline, and with Kenny Williams, anything seems possible.  He's never afraid to ask, and while I admire that about him, it also drives me up a wall.  Mainly because I never know what he's thinking, I only know what baseball writers are telling me he's thinking.  And here's a brief rundown:

• Ken Rosenthal:  Williams asked about Dontrelle Willis and Andruw Jones, but were laughed away -- trading Brandon McCarthy and Brian Anderson would make sense.
  
• Jon Heyman:  Freddy Garcia or Javier Vazquez may be dealt for a reliever.  Possibilites include Jonathan Broxton, Duaner Sanchez and the possible return of Tom Gordon.
• Mark Gonzalez:  An affordable target might be Roberto Hernandez.  Jason Schmidt would cost a lot.  In his mailbag, he thinks Bob Wickman could be a good fit.

None of these ideas excite me, at least for what they cost.  I would take a Hernandez or Gordon if they were salary dumps, but I don't see the point of exchanging any real talent.

Kenny should know this well.  Not only did he just acquire a solid reliever for a AAAA LOOGY in the Javy Lopez-for-David Riske trade, but last year, the Sox managed to win the World Series when Geoff Blum was the only deadline acquisition.  The Sox are more talented this year, so why is a radical move necessary? 

If I'm Kenny Williams, here's my shopping list.

---

No. 1:  Backup catcher, specifically one who can hit lefties. 

Possible targets: Yorvit Torrealba, Colorado.  Jason LaRue, Cincinnati. 

Chris Widger has an OPS of under .500 against lefties, and he's thrown out approximately 15 percent of runners.  If we can get a .750 OPS against lefties and a 25 percent gun-down rate, it's an upgrade.

Torrealba is the kind of catcher who'd fit the bill, and he might be had since the Rockies have a glut of catchers -- Danny Ardoin and J.D. Closser on the major-league level, and Chris Iannetta waiting in Triple-A.  Torrealba's only 27, making under $1 million, owns an .856 OPS against lefties over the past three seasons, and has thrown out 50 percent of runners.  But because of the Rockies' depth, he's only seen 20 games of action, and hasn't done much in that time.  This might make his price rather palatable.

LaRue could be had because he's struggling, expensive ($9 million over the next two years), and the third catcher on Cincinnati's roster.  But he's proven (28 homers in 2004-05), has hit lefties in the past, and is on the right side of 30.  He's also decent defensively.  Wayne Krivsky just got hosed on a trade, so LaRue + cash might be worth shooting for. 

No. 2:  Right-handed, versatile fourth outfielder.

Possible targets: Marlon Byrd/Alex Escobar, Washington. Shane Victorino/Aaron Rowand, Philadelphia, Brady Clark, Milwaukee.

These guys are a dime a dozen -- at least righties who can cover ground in the outfield.  There aren't many that can hit, but defense is a bigger priority. 

Byrd would be the easiest to get, because the Nationals just demoted him.  He wouldn't wow anybody, but he can hit lefties decently (.290 average, .758 OPS last three seasons) while playing all three outfield positions well.  Escobar has returned to the majors with a 10-for-23 streak, so he might've inflated his value too much by the deadline to be worth any sort of investment.

Chances are the Phillies are shopping Aaron Rowand more than Victorino, because Rowand's making 10 times more for the same offensive production.  Victorino isn't an everyday player, but he can fill in anywhere and carries a decent bat.  He'd be hard to get, but he's worth asking about. 

Clark might not be moved because the Brewers are in contention in a weak division, and the organization trusts him.  But his power has disappeared (.331 slugging percentage), he's making $3 million for the next two seasons, and Milwaukee has some interesting outfield prospects. 

Then again, if you're going to try him, you may as well look at Rowand, too.  But re-acquiring Rowand concerns me because he could stunt the progress of Brian Anderson, and I think Anderson has a brighter future at this point.  It's odd because I felt the same way about Rowand when the Sox acquired Carl Everett and blocked him for half a season.  Life moves in funny ways, I guess. 

No. 3: Another righty reliever.

Possible targets: Anybody in Pittsburgh's bullpen.  Brendan Donnelly, Anaheim. 

Solomon Torres and Roberto Hernandez have been mentioned for about a month now as possible additions to the White Sox bullpen, and I wouldn't mind their presence if the price was right -- a single, mid-level prospect sounds right to me. 

Donnelly interests me because he seems to be out of a spot in the Angel bullpen.  He's pitched only twice in the last 11 games, mainly because he's given up six runs in his last two outings (1 inning combined).  Before July, his ERA was 2.78.  It's now up to 4.32. 

He might be available because he's a free agent after the season, and at 35, he's not getting any younger.  But at 35, that makes him younger than either Torres or Hernandez.  Since he's making less money than either of them, why not give him a look?

---

None of these guys I've mentioned are going to set the world on fire, but they're