White Sox Blowing Up the Roster?

Chicago GM Kenny Williams said earlier in the week that he might just blow this thing up and start over. No one took him seriously. Why would you? The White Sox, even after losing to first-place Detroit last night, sit just 4.5 games out of first and have drastically underperfomed this year, especially offensively.

Now, it looks like maybe Williams is calling our collective bluff.

Joe Cowley is tweeting that neither Mark Teahen nor Edwin Jackson are listed on today’s lineup card. Not just not in the lineup, but not listed on the card, which lists every available player. Rumors are rampant that both players are about to be traded to Toronto for reliever Jason Frasor and a minor leaguer. Toronto, it is sad, will then deal at least Jackson, possibly both players, to St. Louis for outfielder Colby Rasmus.

Now, pitchers John Danks and Gavin Floyd are also rumored to e on the market, with a ticket out of the Windy City.

If the White Sox do indeed “blow this thing up” the Tigers chances come September just got a lot better.

UPDATE: Bob Nightengale tweets deal (Jackson & Teahen to Toronto) is official.

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here either. If this trade is the only one Williams makes, all he’s really done is jettison a spare part (Teahen) and an extra starter (Jackson) to bring in a reliever that does make his club better. The Sox had six starting pitchers anyway, with Jake Peavy, Mark Buehrle, and Phil Humber, along with the aforementioned Danks and Floyd.

We will need to see a trade of either of those two to think that Williams is doing anything but going for it this year. He is dealing from depth to add a reliever. This isn’t yet a fire sale. Don’t start popping that champaign just yet.

What I don’t get is that Williams had shown interest in getting Rasmus himself earlier this month. If Jackson winds up being the ransom for Rasmus, Williams could’ve skipped the middle man and added the bat to his club instead of Toronto’s. Chicago’s bullpen has been outstanding since May; it’s the bats that have struggled. If they would’ve added Rasmus and benched Alex Rios, the team becomes markedly better.

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