One and done for Rick the quick?

One offseason after the White Sox splurged on starting pitcher extensions, and acquiring two of the bigger contracts in White Sox history (Jim Thome and Javier Vazquez), after the recent trade of Freddy Garcia, Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey is calling out the team as a bunch of cheap skates focused on cutting contracts as opposed to putting a playoff caliber team.

Until a few days ago, the Sox had the best starting rotation in baseball. Now they have a reduced-calorie staff and an immediate future that has gone from bright to partly cloudy in a matter of 48 hours.

One pitcher constitutes the White Sox as having the best rotation in the major leagues? Have you looked at many other "rotations" recently, Rick? The White Sox ranked 22nd in the majors with a .460 slugging average against, allowing the 6th most home runs at 200, bested only by the rotations of the Royals, Orioles, Reds, Cubs, and Phillies. They ranked 20th in k/9. But apparently Freddy made up for these shortcomings, and was on his way to leading the team back to postseason glory.

Garcia threw back-to-back one-hitters late last season

Rick, Rick, Rick, two games do not make for a season. What about when Freddy went 4 innings allowing 7 runs against the Indians in the second game of the season? Where was "Big Game" Freddy when the White Sox were in the middle of being swept out of New York? Well, he was giving up 6 runs. Or what about in July in August when he posted back to back 5.50+ ERA?

Mostly—and you will be shocked at this one—they were looking at money. They won't have to pay Garcia's $10 million for 2007 nor will they have to pay him in the future, when he could command a bigger salary as a free agent. Never mind that he won 17 games last season. The number with the commas and all the zeroes is the one the Sox care about most.

Again, Rick, journalists need to give facts to support their claims. Did you personally talk to Kenny Williams and his decision to trade Fredro being simply about money? Maybe he is trading Freddy Garcia because he got a 20 year old minor league pitcher in return who just struck out 166 batters in 154 innings pitched? Or maybe he has a 22 year old pitcher that has shown he's much more comfortable in a starting role and can be a strikeout pitcher (something the White Sox don't have past Vazquez), with the ability to dominate power offenses.

The thanks those people get is the re-signing of Scott Podsednik, who probably couldn't make the throw from shallow left field to home in five bounces.

Now I wasn't clamoring for the return of Scott Podsednik either, but wasn't this the same man that accomplished Chicago post-season history when he hit a walk off home run against Brad Lidge in the last World Series game this city has ever seen? Was he any less apart of the same World Series that Fred-man was? This is called a double-standard, Rickey, and it again reeks of poor journalism.

The rush to get 23-year-old Brandon McCarthy into the rotation borders on the bizarre. He has shown flashes of talent but just that—flashes. Oh, wait. It's not so bizarre. McCarthy comes cheap.

If you want to boil seasons down to two games, this trade should've happened a year before it actually did. September 5th, Brandon McCarthy started a make-up game called for rain in Boston. As a desperately needed start by a pitcher outside the 5-man rotation, McCarthy went 7 innings, striking out 7, and allowing 0 runs. This game following a 7.2 innings pitched start @Texas where he allowed 2 hits and struck out 2. It also shouldn't be scoffed at that McCarthy would finish the year making five more starts, all of which he allowed no more than three runs, and only one run in three of those five starts. But you are right on one thing, Rick; McCarthy does come cheap. So will his above-average performances throughout the 2007 season, while Freddy will continue to show the decline he has since his days in Seattle. Have you failed to recognize the success of, most notably, the A's, Indians, and Braves over the last five years? It's called integrating minor league talent into your system, using that money to fill holes you can't fill through the minor leagues. It's been going on for years, Rick. I can't imagine what you would've written had you been an Oakland journalist when Billy Beane traded Mulder and Hudson. How's Danny Haren doing in comparison to 1/3 of the "big three" Mark Mulder? While I'm not sure Gavin Floyd is anything close to Haren, Gonzalez sure could be.

The window on another championship was still open as of Wednesday, but it looks as though the Sox slammed it shut, right on your fingers, Sox fans.

And like some cheesy, freshman philosophy paper , Rick ends the article in dramatic fashion. Your season is over, White Sox fans. That's it. No reason to watch next year. Nevermind that the White Sox offense (which is also 1/3 of the game, Rick) were first in home runs, first in total bases, first in slugging percentage, first in ab/hr, and third in runs scored. But it's over, White Sox fans. Even though eight of the full-time position players are returning (assuming Crede does get traded), the White Sox are not going to make the playoffs because they traded World Series champion, Freddy Garcia.

It should also be noted that the White Sox spent $6.45 million dollars on Mike MacDougal for the next three years. Talk about a fucking steal. If MacDougal can keep the radar guns high and finally stay healthy, that is one hell of a bargain. A former proven closer who throws consistently in the high 90s with great strikeout numbers signing a 6.54 million dollar deal when reliever contracts are also spinning out of control. Just take a look at these contracts and you'll understand:

Danys Baez, 3yrs/19mil from Baltimore
Chad Bradford, 3yrs/10.5mil from Baltimore
Justin Speier, 4yrs/18mil from Anaheim
Jamie Walker, 3yrs/12mil from Balitmore

MacDougal is younger than all of these players (besides Baez), has a better performance track record than all of these players, and is on a team that has much better starters than Baltimore or Anaheim, which lessens the work load put on the relievers. I can't stress how happy I am with a deal that has so little money connected for a long period of time. The White Sox 2007 bullpen, in order of game-time appearances could look something like this;

6th - Aardsma/Logan
7th - Thornton/Tracey
8th - Thornton/MacDougal
9th - Jenks

That would make for one of the more powerful bullpens in all the league, as 4 of the 6 pitchers throw over 95 consistently. What Ozzie has also shown throughout his tenure is his incredible handling of the bullpen (although things obviously didn't come out so well last year, even though all parts were on par for easy workloads), and if he can limit MacDougal's appearances and increase Thornton's, the White Sox should already be set in the pen.

(They still aren't making the World Series, though. You know, what with Freddy and all)