Buerhle is a nice pitcher- age 28 with a career ERA+ of 124. But Crede is a no-hit, no-glove, past his prime infielder.

It makes no sense to take a chance on two about-to-be free agents in a going-nowhere year. If the Yankees can't win with the current squad and decide to blow up the team, it better be for multiple young players around whom a nucleus can be built. Even if A-Rod agrees to the trade and Buerhle signs an extension, the Yankees have now gotten much worse at third base.

With how thin the White Sox minor leagues are, I don't see a trade happening, since the Yankees need position player prospects, especially at C and 1B. A struggling right fielder swap of Abreu for Dye might make more sense.

He is 29 years old.

He has a career OPS of .753, with in 2006 it being .828.

In his career he has been much better during the second half, with an .805 post all break compared to a .710 before it.

He is considered the best defensive third baseman in the AL, behind only Eric Chavez.

He has battled back problems and seems to be suffering from them this year, but the same was the case the past 2 years, when he was one of the best overall players at third MLB.

I'm sure you would make the Abreu versus Dye trade. No way would the Sox do it, as Dye is the better all-around player at this point, plus Abreu's contract is an albatross.

Oh. Really? Well that's too bad. Um, how about the National League?

Oh.

wow.

I find myself wondering, since the weight of objective evidence is against you, what exactly is your reasoning for calling strikeouts "not that important"? The best bullpens in the league consistently strike a lot of men out; the relievers who are consistently the best also strike a lot of men out. Strikeout rate in isolation, just like any other stat, is not that useful. But it remains predictive at a better rate than other easily-calculated statistics. The White Sox, with their schitzoid defense -- stellar on the left side of the infield, butchers on the right, a lost-a-step former gold glover in Center and a good fielder in right -- certainly can't afford to rely on pitching to contact.

It's also worth noting that none of the three men you mentioned -- Sisco, Aardsma, Masset -- have had exceptionally high strikeout rates for relievers, that one (Masset) has almost no service time in the majors in addition to not particularly inspiring strikeout rates, that another (Sisco) is a nutbag with more control problems than Lindsay Lohan on Quaaludes, and that the third is already a journeyman with gopherball problems as well as less-than-stellar walk rates. They were all gambles, and they all went the wrong way. Unfortunately, the vast majority of relievers are gambles. The ones that turn out well are, more often than not, the ones that miss bats. Sure, because of the nature of relief pitching, one could point to a million guys with low strikeout rates who have a good season here and there. But other than Dan Quisenberry, it hasn't really been sustained, not by a reliever, not in the free agent era. (At least that I'm aware of.)

is it out of the question Sox general manager Ken Williams would package Joe Crede and Mark Buehrle to the Yankees for Rodriguez, outfielder Melky Cabrera and a live arm or two?

It's as if the trade is a steal for the Yankees, and that the only hitch would be getting the White Sox to go along with it.

Now let's not get too far out ahead on the ARod part of it, though.

ARod has been the target for most New York media and many fans.

He doesn't seem to have complete support by many teammates and even his manager.

He has an enormous contract, which the Yankees might want to finally be rid of.

Most importantly. If you haven't noticed, the Yankees have been dismal and making a major move which shakes up the team's chemistry might be what the Doctor ordered.

By the way, I think trading Buehrle would piss a lot of White Sox fans, as he is the team's second most popular player, behind Konerko. Depending on if Clemens ever makes it back and if he is Clemens in his 40's of the National League or Clemens in his 40's of the American League, Buerhle would become the best pitcher on the Yankees staff.

(for some Yankee fans) Buerhle vs Pettitte

Buerhle turned 29 in March, Pettitte turns 35 in June.
Over past 4 seasons,Buerhle has started 145 games, Pettitte has pitched 98.
Career ERA. Pettitte 3.79 Buerhle 3.82
Career WHIP Pettitte 1.34 Buerhle 1.25

The only guy I see that could be available to them right now who is in Buerhle's class is Zambrano, who I don't think will do a lot for helping the team's chemistry. Buerhle and Crede are great clubhouse guys.

Truthfully, I'm not sure I would make the deal, if I'm either team, as there are so many factors which make it difficult to go with, but I did think it was an interesting proposal.

that is like saying

"One of breakfast's healthier choices, Lucky Charms..."

And 11 -- heh. Phil's okay, but he latches tightly onto some really weird notions now and then, especially around correlation and causality. A few years back he predicated great success for the (pre-'05) White Sox based on the fact that they had three or four starting pitchers who had each pitched an average of 200+ innings over the past several years and all enjoyed ice cream and long walks in that park, or something like that....