From Baseball America's Jim Callis:

 

In actuality, McCarthy and Danks are very similar. They both throw two-seam and four-seam fastballs and top out at 93-94 mph, they both have good curveballs and they both have made a lot of progress with changeups. McCarthy has a slightly better curve, while Danks has a slightly better changeup. Their command and control are about the same.

 

There seems to be a perception that McCarthy is a can't-miss guy, perhaps fueled by his spectacular minor league numbers (37-21, 3.38, 536-92 K-BB ratio in 471 IP). But his stuff isn't overwhelming and he has been inconsistent in the majors, as is the case with most young pitchers. I think they're both No. 3 starters. If I had my pick, I'd take Danks because he's two years younger (21 vs. 23) and he's lefthanded.

 

However, because McCarthy has spent parts of the last two seasons getting acclimated to the majors, he's a better bet to make a contribution at that level in 2007 and 2008 than Danks, who has yet to make his big league debut. So the trade is more likely to help the Rangers in the short term. The White Sox seem to be straddling the fence between trying to win now while also building for the future, and that usually doesn't work out well on either end.

 

Since we originally ran our White Sox Top 10, Chicago has acquired six young pitchers: Gio Gonzalez and Gavin Floyd (in the Freddy Garcia deal with the Phillies); Andy Sisco (for Ross Gload from the Royals); and Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner in the McCarthy trade. Floyd and Sisco have too many big league innings to qualify as prospects.

 

We inserted Gonzalez as the White Sox' No. 3 prospect in the Handbook, but the McCarthy/Danks deal happened too late to be included. If it had occurred in time, I would have lined up the Chicago Top 10 like this:

 

1. Ryan Sweeney, of

2. Josh Fields, 3b

3. John Danks, lhp

4. Gio Gonzalez, lhp

5. Lance Broadway, rhp

6. Kyle McCulloch, rhp

7. Charlie Haeger, rhp

8. Nick Masset, rhp

9. Aaron Cunningham, of

10. Adam Russell, rhp

From Baseball America's Jim Callis:

Aaron Cunningham???

Aaron Cunningham???

 

I'm just the messenger.

I'm just the messenger.

20 year old OF who puts up a .305/.386/.496/.882 with 11 home runs and 19 stolen bases in A ball? Can't say I've ever seen him play or read much about him, but that's a pretty darn impressive stat line, especially considering he missed a decent chunk of the season with an ankle injury.

Yeah Cunningham is looking like the best position prospect in the lower levels. Interesting to see Gio and Danks below Fields and Sweeney. I would have expected to see both ahead of those hitters, esp. Danks. Considering most people still seem mostly high on Gio and Danks that is probably a compliment to Sweeney and Fields.

Verducci's top ten break out stars for '07 includes...

 

3. Brandon McCarthy, 23, RHP, Rangers. Chicago GM Kenny Williams has stockpiled young pitchers, but why trade McCarthy without seeing what he can do as a starter? McCarthy took the old-school route to the rotation with a year and a half apprenticeship in the Chicago bullpen. Now he gets the chance to live up to those early comparisons to fellow lanky hard throwers Jack McDowell and Bret Saberhagen, though McCarthy's changeup is the pitch that will set him apart. Left-handers hit just .197 against him last season, the seventh-lowest mark in the AL.

 

I want to believe this trade was good. I really, really do...

Two things since I'm just back from vacation and didn't want to read through 9 pages.

 

1) Getting John Danks hopefully will help us get Jordan out of Texas after 2008. We drafted him but he chose to go to Texas instead. Not sure if we retain his rights or not, but if John likes the org, than maybe we can get Jordan to sign as well. He's a hell of a hitter, although I don't know how good of a fielder he is, since he DH'd a good part of last year as a freshman.

 

2) Putting McCarthy in Texas isn't going to make it easier for him to succeed. That's one hell of a hitters park.

Two things since I'm just back from vacation and didn't want to read through 9 pages.

 

1) Getting John Danks hopefully will help us get Jordan out of Texas after 2008. We drafted him but he chose to go to Texas instead. Not sure if we retain his rights or not, but if John likes the org, than maybe we can get Jordan to sign as well. He's a hell of a hitter, although I don't know how good of a fielder he is, since he DH'd a good part of last year as a freshman.2) Putting McCarthy in Texas isn't going to make it easier for him to succeed. That's one hell of a hitters park.

 

That is all assuming that Jordan will be available for the White Sox to draft again. His family already stated how much they appreciated the White Sox organization when he decided not to sign,I dont think that is an issue

Verducci's top ten break out stars for '07 includes...

I want to believe this trade was good. I really, really do...

 

Look at McCarthy's home run rates over the past two years and then realize he'll be pitching in Arlington.

Look at McCarthy's home run rates over the past two years and then realize he'll be pitching in Arlington.

 

US Cellular actually inflates home run rates far more so than Arlington does. The notion that his home run rates will increase over what they were at US Cellular because of the ballpark he'll be playing in with the Rangers is a myth.

Here's BMac's HR splits over the past two years:

 

2005

4 HR in 21.1 IP @ USCF

9 HR in 46.2 IP on Road

13 HR in 68 IP total

 

2006

10 HR in 48.1 IP @ USCF

7 HR in 36.1 IP on road

17 HR in 84.2 IP

 

Regardless of park factors, this guy simply gives up the longball. Can't really deny that. And when you think he may pitch almost 200 innings this year, it'll be curious to see what he gives up over the course of a full season as a starter.

 

Sure Arlington may not inflate his numbers, but it sure as heck wont help them. That can't really be denied either.

boy this is quiet around here, lets get some more moves

This deal may help us more in the long run, Danks was their top pitching prospect and Masset was nice to get. But I really think Haeger should get the last spot in the rotation.

This deal may help us more in the long run, Danks was their top pitching prospect and Masset was nice to get. But I really think Haeger should get the last spot in the rotation.

 

Id say Hurley was their top pitching prospect, and they also have a guy in the lower level's who probably has more potential in Kiker.

BMac to be on ESPN 1000 at "around 8:40"...

 

I think they'll be talking more about the LSU/ND game at which he was in attendance, since they pretty much scheduled the interview about a week before he was traded.

 

I won't be able to listen. Anyone willing to recap?