The Choice (and remember, death is not an option): The White Sox making a trade aimed at reducing payroll or the White Sox trading a starting pitcher they couldn’t afford to trade?
Sox general manager Kenny Williams said Wednesday’s deal sending starter Edwin Jackson and third baseman Mark Teahen to Toronto for reliever Jason Frasor and minor-league arm Zach Stewart was partially intended “to make a dent in the payroll.’’
Wait, isn't that what “All In’’ is all about? Yeesh.
Getting rid of the unproductive millions that Teahen would cost is a good move. But getting rid of of the innings that Jackson could eat isn’t, especially when Jake Peavy has Little League-like limits of 70 pitches before he collapses, and what’s more, he can’t throw even that many pitches without five days’ rest.
Right now, the Sox have a five-man rotation, also known as a mess. They have tailored every part of their rotiation to Peavy, which made Jackson untradeable, and then they traded him. Excuse me?
Nothing against Frasor. He’s a terrific addition to a good bullpen that is about to die under the weight of Peavy’s near-useless role. Maybe Williams adds another starter or adds another reliever and makes a starter out of someone in the pen. It seems as if he has to make such a move if a team that used to be “All In’’ is going to at least fake being a contender.
Once you get past the curious pitching moves, the Sox did something about two months too late: told Alex Rios to take a seat and stay there.
Alejandro De Aza was promoted to the big club and plopped in the starting lineup in center, where Rios used to be good. Supposedly, this is not a one-game thing with the overpaid, underperforming, defensively dogbreath Rios. But if De Aza stinks, who knows.
The Sox have needed this move for a while, back when Dayan Viciedo was healthy. Interesting how the Sox finally promote a minor-league outfielder at a time when their most explosive minor-league hitter is hurt. I don’t get it. Maybe I’m imagining a conspiracy --- no, wait, I am imagining a conspiracy, but I can’t connect all the dots.
Which kind of sums up my take on the moves the Sox made Wednesday morning.
Sox trade brings more questions than answers
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