Selling Season is Upon Us

After tonight's loss, I think it's getting close to that time that we all accept that our White Sox aren't competing this year. We all know the candidates to be traded, but I think the most obvious is our old friend AJ. He has his 10-5 rights coming up (10 years service time, 5 years with the same team) which gives him an immediate no-trade clause. He's also an impending free agent. And we also have Tyler Flowers, who despite having massive struggles since the start of May, is still our catcher of the future.

So who exactly do we target?

Well, the Rangers have been rumoured to be interested. This is strange, given what looked like an embarrassment of young catching talent a couple years ago. But anyways, Chris Davis strikes me as an obvious candidate. He has the capability of playing 3B, an immediate need given Teahen's surgery, and also profiles as a long-term 1B, which will be a nice commodity when Konerko leaves. He strikes out way too much, and that's what has held him back from taking the final leap from AAA to MLB. It's been a struggle for Davis, and he's become a forgotten player far too quickly given his power potential. Michael Young is entrenched at 3B, and Justin Smoak is the Rangers' new 1B of the future. He looked like a potential breakout star after his 2008 season, but he struggled mightily in 2009, hitting .238/.284/.442 in 2009. What people forget is that he was 23 years old. He's just a few months younger than Gordon Beckham. As a 24 year old in 2005 Morneau put up a .239/.304/.437 line. Very comparable to Davis' line as a 23 year old. I'm not suggesting Davis is a future MVP, but I am suggesting he could still live up to that 40 HR potential.

There's other possibilities, sure. Jake McGee from Tampa Bay strikes me as one off the top of my head, but Davis was the one that stands out. I know some people will argue we could get more for AJ, but really...I have some serious doubts. He's a catcher getting up there in years with limited defensive value, who's slumping offensively, who is an impending free agent, and who has questionable makeup. I love him, as do most Sox fans, but it's that same love for him that makes up overrate his value. I think an AJ/Davis deal would be a great one for both teams.