White Sox Wave White Flag

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Sep 1, 2009 2:40PM

Having lost eight of their last nine games, and currently sitting six games back of the Detroit Tigers entering September, the White Sox have waved the white flag. Ahead of Monday night's deadline for players to be traded and eligible for the postseason with their new teams, White Sox GM Kenny Williams sent a memo to other teams that a number of veterans were available. As the deadline approached, the Sox announced that they had traded DH Jim Thome and pitcher Jose Contreras.

Thome joins the LA Dodgers, and in return the Sox received Class A infielder Justin Fuller. The Colorado Rockies picked up Jose Contreras for Triple-A pitcher Brandon Hynick. Contreras had recently been demoted from the starting rotation, given his 5-13 record and 5.42 ERA. Thome was batting .249 with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs. Both become free agents at the end of the season, so the Sox didn't figure to receive much in return. But a couple of prospects and some salary relief was in the team's best interests given the slim chances of making the playoffs.

With the Sox giving up on the playoffs in '09, the biggest roster question now concerns Jake Peavy. He suffered a setback in his rehab when he felt tightness in his elbow, but tests determined it to be just a bruise. Do the Sox decide to just shut him down and get him healthy for 2010? At this point, that would make sense to us.