Freddy Garcia, allegedly a target of the Mets and Mariners this winter, was traded by the White Sox tonight to Philadelphia in exchange for pitchers Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez. Writes the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jim Salisbury,



Gonzalez, 21, pitched last season at double-A Reading, where he went 7-12 with a 4.66 ERA in 27 starts while getting mixed reviews from organization officials. Like Rowand, Gonzalez came to the Phillies from the White Sox in a deal for Jim Thome in November 2005. He was selected 38th overall by the White Sox in the 2004 draft.

The Phils have discussed dealing Lieber to the Milwaukee Brewers for a package that could include hard-throwing reliever Derrick Turnbow. Outfielder Kevin Mench had been mentioned as a part of the proposed deal, but the Phils appeared to have cooled on him today, possibly because they could be holding on to Rowand, who is also a righthanded hitter.

Fox’s Ken Rosenthal poses an obvious reasonable question — did the White Sox get fair value for a pitcher with Garcia’s resume?

Whatever the analysis, neither pitcher acquired by Chicago is on the level of White Sox right-hander Brandon McCarthy.

Some rival executives suggested that the deal was little more than a move to reduce payroll for other moves; Garcia will earn $10 million next season. But Williams said that payroll flexibility “wasn’t a factor whatsoever.”

The question, then, is whether the White Sox got enough for a 17-game winner with a career 3.11 ERA in nine postseason starts.

Maybe Floyd and Gonzalez will make Williams look visionary. But at first glance, Freddy Garcia should have been worth more.

Lefty Ted Lilly agreed a 4-year, $10 million deal with the Cubs this evening, with the Yankees’ Brian Cashman reportedly ignoring a 6pm deadline to make an offer. “Make no mistake about it, the Yankees will go after (Andy) Pettitte hard. At the rate the pitching market is proceeding, a deal could come tomorrow,” states the Journal News’ Peter Abraham.

The Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan reports that Cubs GM Jim Hendry was hospitalized with chest pains at the time of the signing. I’m sure Hendry understands that $10 million a year is the new going rate for a starter with a career mark of 59-58 (4.60 ERA), but the head can’t always fool the heart.

Hyperbole, meet hate fuckery. Fox Sports Radio’s J.T. The Brick describes J.D. Drew as “one of the most hated players in the modern history of the game.” (link courtesy Repoz and Baseball Think Factory) By the self-appointed Guardians Of Grittiness, perhaps, but outside of Phillies fans with long memories, Tony La Russa and Ned Colletti, I suspect Drew is at worst, disliked.