This winter, Kenny Williams may shop three hard-throwing, recently acquired White Sox pitchers. Nick Masset, David Aardsma, and Andy Sisco have disappointed the Sox in their first seasons in the organization, and none earned September call-ups. Aardsma and Masset are out of options, so the Sox will probably lose them if they fail to earn spots with the big club next spring. Once a player is out of options he must clear waivers before he can be sent to the minors.
Masset will turn 26 next season. He came over from Texas in the Brandon McCarthy trade. The right has good command and can touch 96 on the gun. Masset struggled as a reliever with the Sox, and has been working as a starter in Triple A since July. He hasn’t impressed in that role either.
Aardsma was acquired from the Cubs in November for Neal Cotts, a trade that worked out for neither team. Aardsma turns 26 in December; he’s posted massive strikeout rates at both Triple A and the Majors this year. He was lights out for the Sox in April, whiffing 23 in 15.2 innings before it all fell apart. He’s been closing for Charlotte. I’m surprised the Sox soured on him so easily, especially after since they’ve fallen out of contention.
Sisco, a southpaw, will turn 25 in January. He’s among the tallest men ever to take a big league mound at 6-9. Like Masset, he failed in the Major League pen and was switched to starting this summer. His control has been a problem so far. "Wild Thing" came up in the Cubs’ system, gaining notoriety when he broke his left hand punching a clubhouse wall in anger in ’03. The Royals pilfered him in the Rule 5 draft in December of ’04. He made the jump from A ball to the bigs in ’05 and did a respectable job despite too many walks. But he bombed in ’06 and the Royals saw fit to ship him to Chicago for Ross Gload.
Masset, Aardsma, and Sisco form an interesting albeit disappointing trio. I imagine many teams will be willing to take a shot on them.
