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White Sox Starter Trade Possibilities

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Here’s the action regarding those oh-so-available White Sox starters.

While the Sox have some interest in Rocco Baldelli, it doesn’t seem that their veteran starters would interest Tampa Bay.  In addition to the Baldelli rumor, the Tribune said today that the Astros could be after Freddy Garcia or Javier Vazquez.  What could the Astros offer up?  Hunter Pence and then some, perhaps?

MLB.com has both New York teams as possible suitors for Mark Buehrle.  If the Sox want young pitching in return, maybe Mike Pelfrey, Phillip Humber, or Humberto Sanchez would be involved.

White Sox To Reacquire Rowand?

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The White Sox surely don’t regret using Aaron Rowand to help them obtain Jim Thome last winter.  But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t like to have their scrappy CF back in the fold.

According to Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald:

"According to multiple reports out of Philadelphia, Phillies GM Pat Gillick would be willing to deal Rowand and a pitcher – either reliever Ryan Madson or starter Gavin Floyd – to the White Sox in exchange for starting pitcher Freddy Garcia."

Ultimately I think the White Sox would win such a deal.  The Phils would then have the surplus of starters instead of Chicago.

Buehrle For Milledge?

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Here’s a new one, courtesy of Scott Merkin of MLB.com.

The White Sox could send Mark Buehrle to the Mets for Lastings Milledge.  An interesting idea, kind of the opposite of Kenny Williams’s Chris Young for Javier Vazquez deal last winter.

However, Merkin quotes Williams as desiring young pitching as the return for one of his veteran starters.  Would the Mets entertain Mike Pelfrey for Buehrle?  Just throwing it out there.

Kenny Williams has made a couple of deals with Omar Minaya in the past.  In January of 2003, the Sox sent Rocky Biddle, Orlando Hernandez, Jeff Liefer, and cash to Montreal for Bartolo Colon and Jorge Nunoz.  And in July of 2004, Williams acquired Carl Everett for Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski.

White Sox Discuss Vernon Wells

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Vernon Wells, the possible $20 Million Man, could be a target for the White Sox.

This kind of acquisition is just the kind of splash we’ve come to expect from Kenny Williams.  The Jays are said to want a starter and a center field prospect in return.  It doesn’t seem that the White Sox would have the best package to offer, but you never know. 

As far as I can tell, Kenny Williams has never made a trade with J.P. Ricciardi.  His most frequent trading partner has been Jim Bowden.

MLB.com on Rowand, LaRoche

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Rumors weren’t flying around the White Sox today.  The best we have is a mild indication that the Sox could have interest in Aaron Rowand.  It’s a stretch.

On the Braves side, even if an Adam LaRoche/Mike Gonzalez agreement can’t be met, the Pirates could send over second baseman Jose Castillo to replace Marcus Giles.  There’s also some Andruw Jones speculation here, but it sounds like a long shot.

Oh, and Jason Jennings is not "hot and bothered" by trade rumors.  Ummm yeah. 

Gleeman: Crede In Play

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Aaron Gleeman reports from Orlando that White Sox third baseman Joe Crede "continues to be in play, regardless of whether the Angels remain the destination."

As a Scott Boras client with two years left of service time, now might be the time to cash in for Kenny Williams.  The feeling seems to be that Josh Fields is ready to step in at third base after posting an .894 OPS at Triple A as a 23 year-old.  Of course, no one knows what kind of overall dropoff the Sox would experience in making that substitution.

Williams, of course, holds other important cards in his starting rotation.  It makes sense to deal a pitcher separately rather than package one with Crede.

White Sox Retain Podsednik

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The White Sox decided to hang onto Scott Podsednik for the time being, re-signing him for one year and $2.9MM.  I think it’s the right choice even with his lackluster 2006.  In an environment where Juan Pierre is worth 5/44, Pods should have some trade value for his age 31 season on a cheap one-year deal.

Perhaps the Braves or Nats would have interest at the right price.  And, of course, the White Sox could just keep him for one more season.  Their offense isn’t hurting for a big bat, and using Podsednik as a fourth outfielder wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Pitchers on the move

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Jason Schmidt has been offered $45 million over three years to join the Cubs.  If that offer has been leaked already, $60M/4 seems within the realm of possibility.  Strangely, Schmidt has already said he’s not interested in the East Coast–you’d think he’d wait until Cashman made an offer and drove up his price before saying no.  Once Schmidt signs, it’ll be fun to watch Scott Boras conduct the sure-to-be-insane bidding for Barry Zito.

Some team (to be announced tonight) won the bidding for Kei Igawa for $25 million.  Hanshin has accepted.  That’s the second largest posting fee ever–somebody must think Igawa is pretty good, definitely on the high side of the typical #3/#4 projection he’s gotten.  I’m guessing it’s not the Cubs, or we wouldn’t be hearing so much about the other pitchers they’re after.  That leaves plenty of other possibilities, though.

The Baltimore Orioles are continuing their quest to build the most expensive bullpen of all time: Chad Bradford is close to a three-year deal with them.  Anybody think it’s a little odd that the O’s traded Chris Britton for a reclamation project and are now probably spending about $8M a year for Bradford and Danys Baez?  (Odd?  Yes.  In character? Absolutely.)

And, this just in: the O’s are also adding Scott Williamson.  He’s cheap–only $900K for the year.  Oddly enough, he could be the best of their new additions.  I’m a little surprised nobody else was willing to go higher for him on a one-year deal.

Many of you have emailed me about a possible Angels-White Sox trade involving Ervin Santana and Chone Figgins for Freddy Garcia and Joe Crede.   As Rotoworld points out, this could be a recycled rumor; regardless, Kenny Williams says no.  And there’s no way Bill Stoneman deals Santana for Garcia without getting a lot more in return.  Five years of a good pitcher under the team’s control for one year of Garcia?  Right.

By Jeff Sackmann

Roberts to the Giants, and more

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It looks like Dave Roberts is going to be a Giant.  This will save San Francisco fans from self-immolation over their front office’s apparent inability to make stupid deals, and ensure that the Giants theme of "oldsters in the outfield" remains intact even with Steve Finley and possibly Barry Bonds on their way out.

In other news: Woody Williams got a two-year deal with the Astros for $12.5M.  That seems remarkably sane, though I wouldn’t plan on drafting Woody for your fantasy team.  He had an okay year in Petco, but he’s moving to one of the unfriendliest parks in baseball for pitching.  If the short porch in left is going to do wonders for Carlos Lee, it’s going to hurt Williams nearly as much.

Phil Rogers offers a plethora of random thoughts: the Cubs want to move Jacque Jones; Jones or Geoff Jenkins would be an improvement for the White Sox (so he says); and the Sox could send Scott Podsednik and Juan Uribe to San Fran for Omar Vizquel (much less likely after the Roberts signing, I’d imagine).  Emphasis on "could": he’s obviously just making stuff up. 

Speaking of making stuff up: now that most of the center fielders out there have found homes, it’s time for the second basemen to start falling into place.  There’s been more news lately of Adam Kennedy, who is likely to land in St. Louis, or possibly Toronto.  The market for Kennedy, Ronnie Belliard, and others may depend on whether Julio Lugo and/or Ray Durham end up as outfielders, which would shrink the market for those teams who need second basemen.

By Jeff Sackmann

Assorted updates: Alou, Hudson, Garland, Okajima

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Earlier today, we found a report that Moises Alou was about to sign with the Mets.  Now Rosenthal is saying that it could be a two-year deal.  With Carlos Gomez right behind Lastings Milledge, putting two established vets in the outfield through 2008 would seem to make Milledge expendable. 

Yesterday, Phil Rogers speculated that Mark Buehrle could be headed to Texas.  Rosenthal says it’s Jon Garland, and hints (as Rogers did) that John Danks and Brian Anderson could be part of the package, especially if the deal gets bigger.

And, Buster Olney is reporting chatter about Tim Hudson heading to the Orioles.  If, as Olney speculates, the return could include Adam Loewen or Hayden Penn, it would seem to be ideal for Atlanta: free up payroll for Tom Glavine, and get another (cheap) potentially decent starter in the deal as well.

And here’s something out of nowhere: Hideki Okajima, a lefty reliever, may be coming to the states.  Okajima, a longtime Yomiuri Giant and recently a Nippon Ham Fighter, had a great 2006 but a mediocre ’05.  Sounds like your typical middle-bullpen fodder.

By Jeff Sackmann

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