White Sox Trade For Ramon Castro

For the second time in the last two weeks the White Sox have agreed to a trade, except this time, unlike the Jake Peavy deal, the player they traded for doesn't have a no trade clause.  So he has to come here whether he wants to or not.  Ha!

Of course, this deal isn't as big a move as the Peavy trade would have been, but it does improve the team.  The Sox sent former first round pick Lance Broadway to the New York Mets for journeyman backup catcher Ramon Castro. 

Castro could be a rather valuable addition to the Sox, even if this deal lacks a certain sex appeal.  His bat isn't amazing or anything, but he has hit .256 against lefties so he'll be able to give A.J. Pierzynski a day off against tough lefties.  More important than anything Castro does while in the batter's box is the work he does behind the plate.

While PIerzynski has been an invaluable member of the White Sox, it's not exactly a secret that he has a very tough time throwing out runners.  Now it's not entirely A.J.'s fault as the Sox pitchers need to do a better job of holding runners, but it has been a consistent problem for the Sox and it needed to be addressed.

Enter Castro who has thrown out 42.9% of the runners trying to steal on him, which is about 42% better than what the Sox are currently doing.

Current backup backstop Corky Miller has been designated for assignment and the Sox have called up lefty Wes Whisler to replace Broadway in the bullpen.  

Broadway never really lived up to the expectations of his high draft selection while here in Chicago, and he'll probably be better off with a new team and a fresh start.

As for what this Castro trade means to the White Sox in the long run, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune thinks this could be the first step in Pierzynski's eventual departure from Chicago.  Pierzynski is in the first year of a two-year contract extension, but as Gonzales points out, Pierzynski will earn ten and five rights about a third of the way through the 2010 season.

That means he's spent ten years in the Majors, and five with his current team.  That would give him a full no trade clause, and Pierzynski could get all Jake Peavy should the Sox try to trade him.  With much heralded prospect Tyler Flowers waiting in the minor leagues, who the White Sox absolutely love, it's starting to look like 2009 may be Pierzynski's last season annoying opponents while in a Sox jersey.

Along with writing for NBCCHICAGO.com, Tom Fornelli can also be found contributing at FanHouse, SPORTSbyBROOKS, and his own Chicago sports blog Foul Balls.

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