OT: Tigers' rubber match at 2:00 today; ChiSox giving up?

They got anybody we want?

This is not a white flag trade in the slightest. I am a White Sox fan. I will try to illuminate the situation for you.

The White Sox have been running a 6-man rotation to the mound for the greater part of the year (since Peavy returned). With the emergence of Humber, it has worked out pretty well, though, Peavy is still leaving much to be desired. However, even with the trade of Jackson, the White Sox will still run Buehrle, Danks, Floyd, Peavy and Humber as their five-man rotation. That is still pretty stellar, especially the way most of them have been pitching. Jackson had been pitching well of late, but he has still been a highly inconsistent pitcher in his short tenure on the Sox.

This may also be addition from subtraction, because the way this deal works is they have added a pitcher to the bullpen and subtracted one from the rotation, yielding a net loss of zero pitchers. The prospect will likely go to the minors (Stewart). With the addition of salary suck, Mark Teahen, to the trade, it frees up a roster spot to finally bring up Dayan Viciedo, who has been killing the ball in AAA. The Sox offense needs a jolt, and Kenny probably thought it better to shed some salary and add the offense from within.

I think this is a good move, and is most assuredly not a white flag move. An efficient shedding of salary allowing for a good move, that has been long awaited, from within.

Seems awfully premature. They're only 4.5 back. That's a manageable number. And while they do have the Red Sox and Yankees coming in next -- Chicago will be lucky to go 4-4 -- the Tigers don't exactly have it easy over the next week, either: Angels and Rangers. So I don't see the Sox folding now, unless there's something we're missing.

Edwin Jackson's going to give Mike Morgan a run for his money before it's all said and done.

Edwin Jackson is an inconsistent plug in a 6-man rotation.  They basically picked up a reliever without harming their team.

Not a white flag.

Boy, Jackson sure does get tossed around the league like rag-doll. I know he faded down the stretch when he was in Detroit. But I really liked him. He pitched well for much of the season, and he ate up innings. He was said to be a good clubhouse guy, too. Or no?

I dont think this is the Sox giving up but I dont think the Sox will win the division. I still see it as Tigers-Indians.

They were already making noises about wanting another righty for the pen, and Jackson was always the starter that was going to be traded.  And they got someone to take Teahen's contract (he's signed for next year too at another 5 million, was an idiotic extension when Williams did it a couple years ago).  Even after the trade, the Sox have 4 starters better than either the Tigers' or Indians #2 starters, it's a much deeper rotation still, and their bullpen is markedly better (at least by fWAR) than either the Tribe's or Tigers' as well.

Also, they finally called up someone to take a bunch of Rios' at bats.  If they were giving up they'd just let Rios flail out there for the rest of the year since they're already paying him anyway.

Jackson is going to be traded from Toronto to St. Louis in a deal that will net the Blue Jays Colby Rasmus. What a great deal for the Blue Jays. 

The Sox bullpen is not markedly better than Detroit's. Granted, Detroit's middle-relief is middling. But their closer is an All-Star who leads the league in saves (27 for 27) and one of their two set-up guys (AA) has been pretty lights-out. Only Benoit has struggled, but less so lately. I'll take Detroit's 7-8-9 guys over pretty much anyone's.