Cover Your Ears

According to mlb.com, which I always place 100 % trust in, the Angels are pursuing one Mr. Paul Konerko.

This could be a blockbuster trade for us if it goes through. Blockbuster, I say, because it could possibly be our worst since the Rowand deal.

The Angels are considering sending starting pitcher Ervin Santana and second baseman Howie Kendrick here for Paulie. If this deal goes through then Swishy could possibly be our starting first baseman (with Quentin playing left and Alexei Ramirez or Jerry Owens in center).

The Sox are in dire need of a starting pitcher for the #5 slot with three pitchers battling for the job in spring training. Ervin Santana is young still, but his 2007 season left a bitter taste in the mouths of Angels fans. He went 7-14 with an ERA of 5.76. He started 28 games, pitched 150 innings and struck out 126.

This would also leave a bit to be desired with White Sox fans.

Howie Kendrick, however, contributed to the Angels' success going into the 2007 playoffs. I know you could get stats anywhere else on the net, but I'll give 'em anyway. In 88 games (338 AB's) he hit .322, drove in 38 runs and hit 5 homers. He doesn't have Jose Reyes like speed (only 5 stolen bases) but he can swipe some bags when needed.

I see this trade as one sided in the Angels' favor. They would be getting a sure power hitter for their lineup and we would be getting two sub-par farm hands, fine Kendrick isn't a farmhand, in return.

This would also take a HUGE bat out of our lineup that we could possibly need to make a run for the playoffs this year. We would be replacing it with an equally big bat in the form of Nick Swisher, but I still would like to see him in left field.

Hopefully we will stop dumping off all of our good players to the Angels. We're starting to look a little red around the infield and I'm seeing a good bit of black in theirs...

A Swishy Situation

Our left field problems are cleared thanks to a deal that brought switch-hitting Nick Swisher to the South Side.

The 27 year-old outfielder/infielder slammed 22 home runs this past season for Oakland and drove in 78 runs. Theres a little niche on his stat sheet that bothers me and thats the 131 strike outs. Hopefully (hitting coach) Greg Walker can help him stay away from those pitches.

Swisher has played a little first base as well as in the outfield, so that ca provide Konerko with a little rest when needed.

The lineup now is getting a little... awkward, for lack of a better word. We got Quentin who will most likely platoon with Owens in center and also play a little left field. Now that we got Swisher, he may become our everyday left fielder.

How is our batting order going to stack up?

1. Owens/Quentin - CF
   
2. Cabrera or Swisher - SS or LF
   
3. Thome - DH
   
4. Konerko - 1B
   
5. Dye - RF
   
6. Pierzynski/Hall - CF
   
7. Swisher or Cabrera - LF or SS
8. Fields - 3B
9. Richar - 2B

Now, an angle I didn't take into consideration was that Swisher could possibly DH at some point whenever Thome needs to sit. So that could become a possibility.

The talent we gave up to acquire Swishy, however, did not please me. We sent over Ryan Sweeney, Gio Gonzalez and Fautino De Los Santos. Gonzalez and De Los Santos are both pitchers while Sweeney is an outfielder.

I have mentioned before that I'd love to see Gonzalez somehow make it into the starting rotation but obviously that can't happen now.

I had never heard of De Los Santos before, which makes me a bad organizational scout, so I'll give him his dues when I write about the trade on my minor league blog.

Sweeney was supposed to play all three of the outfield positions this year, which I would've loved to have seen, but now is loving the opportunity for more playing time over in California.

Will Swisher possibly wear Rowand's lucky #33?

We'll have to see when he gets introduced at some point (Cabrera still hasn't been).