It looks like the Chicago White Sox will be holding auditions the next six weeks for starting pitchers.  Three of the five starters, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and Javy Vazquez will not be affected by this and have secured jobs in 2008. Of course, that's provided that Sox GM Kenny Williams doesn't trade Garland, who enters the final year of his contract in 2008, in the off season.

Among the two slots still available, the Sox probably will keep John Danks, a rookie, who despite a terrible performance yesterday and an inability to get anything down, will most likely again be the fifth starter.  The Sox concern is that Danks, only 22, will throw too many innings this year, so they want to have him miss a few starts and rest his arm. 

Danks will most likely be replaced in several starts by Pink Gavin Floyd, who the Sox want to get a good look at. Floyd, who has looked both overpowering and overwhelmed, will get as many opportunities as the Sox can give him.  The Sox believe that more innings at the big league level will position Floyd for a shot at the rotation at 2008.  Personally, I think more innings will position him to be the next Josh Stewart or Jason Grilli.

The Sox are also going to return Jose Contreras to the starting rotation after two decent stints out of the bullpen. Contreras, signed through 2009, started the season as the team's number one starter, but imploded in late May and never came out of it.  The Sox have tried a myriad of solutions to get him right, the most recent to demote him to cleanup work.  The Sox will now try to revive him as a starter, probably in an effort to increase his trade value.

Potentially, the Sox will start next season with a rotation similar to the one that started this year with Contreras, Vazquez, Buehrle, Garland and Danks.  But over the course of the past two seasons, Williams has shown he is not afraid to shake up his pitching, acquiring Vazquez from Arizona (for now all-star Chris Young), trading veteran Freddie Garcia (for Floyd and Gio Gonzalez) and then, in his most controversial move, trading potential starter Brandon McCarthy to Texas for Danks and Nick Masset.

It would be safe to assume nothing for 2008.  It is possible, that in the off season, Williams could trade Vazquez, Garland and Contreras if the right pieces are available, including a corner outfielder, shortstop and possibly a centerfielder.  It is more likely that Garland and Contreras will be moved and Vazquez, who has pitched very well as of late, will remain with the team.  This would open up two slots in the pitching rotation to be filled by either a pitcher acquired in a trade or a pool of minor leaguers including Floyd, Gonzalez, Masset, Heath Phillips, Jack Egbert and Lance "They Say The Neon Lights Are Bright On" Broadway.  While none of these pitchers listed are world beaters and all of them, like Danks, will have ups and downs, giving one if not two or three an opportunity during a September call up might not be a bad idea to assess where your needs are.

Williams has a few sign and trade options with position players and has some other assets he can leverage besides pitching, but his starting pitching is clearly the most attractive thing he can offer a trade partner.  The Sox could acquire players through free agency, but the free agents they do sign are similar to those houses on "Extreme Home Makeover" where they get a broken down, run down free agent, let him play for the Sox for a couple of years, build his stock back up and leave (Jermaine Dye, Ellis Burkes and even Darrin Jackson are examples of this.)  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

White Sox fans just need to know that the next six weeks will be a test of the emergency pitching system. Your local baseball team is conducting tests in your area to see what they need to do to compete next year.  This is only a test.  Had this been an actual pitching emergency, the Sox would have brought up Andrew Sisco and David Aardsma required Bret Prinz.  Then, you could have kissed you butt goodbye.

Lighting Round

• Ah, the indignity of losing to Jeff Weaver, a guy who was originally drafted by the Sox, but refused to sign with them because he is a head case.  The head case owned the Sox over nine innings yesterday,
  
  especially in the first inning when he pitched out a big time jam.  The reason the Sox are nine games under is because they make assclowns like this look like Pedro Martinez.
  
• Memo to Jeff Passian: I've probably seen 113 of the 117 White Sox games this year, so when I write about them, I sort of have an idea what I'm talking about.  Writing about how bad the Sox have been this season right now when there are pennant races, comebacks and broken records is piling on, pal.  It's obvious your agenda is to start the drums on Ozzie Guillen.  Stand down, it not necessary or appreciated.
• Nothing like being the big star on your day at the ballpark as Craig Biggio was yesterday against the Brewers.  Meanwhile, the Cubs sported Wood but that didn't help them win.  Brewers still lead the Cubs by 1½ games, but I'm telling you Cubs and Brewers fans, the Cardinals are only 5½ out and they will gladly take the division if neither of you want it.
• Bears rookie tight end Greg Olsen gets some high praise from someone that gets what his position is all about.
• The NFL said they never said that Michael Vick would be out all season...yet.
• As if a rite of passage for any new coach , here comes the injuries for the Arizona Cardinals.
• Jeff Gordon spins out with two laps to go as Tony Stewart drives by him to win the NASCAR road race at Watkins Glen.  Gordon finished ninth.  The highlight of the race was an altercation between Kevin harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya after Montoya was bumped by Martin Truex Jr into Harvick's car, taking both cars out of the race.  Harvick assumed Montoya was at fault and the two almost came to blows out on the track.  Later, Harvick told ESPN he wanted to "kick his ass."  Bobby Allison and Cale Yarbouragh nod approvingly.
  
• Despite his driver won yesterday, Joe Gibbs seems even more giddy about replacing boat anchor J.J. Yaley with Kyle Busch.  The #18 has been a stiff since Bobby LaBonte left Gibbs Racing a couple of years ago.  Clearly, the two best drivers in that stable are Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin.  Busch also gives Gibbs a proven, talented driver who can finish in the top ten should Tony Stewart implode or walk away.
• One of the pieces just fell out of place for the Pittsburgh Panthers and their head coach, Davewood Bumstedt.
• Does David Beckham actually play soccer or is he sort of like a hood ornament of some kind?
• Former OSU QB Troy Smith tunes up tonight for his debut in the Canadian Football League (where he will wind up shortly.)
  
• Even in the early part of the 20th century, chicks dug the long ball.  And n obody hit more homers, on or off the field, than Babe Ruth.  My question is if he played in the media fishbowl of today would be the beloved figure he is today or would he be reviled like Barry Bonds and A-Rod?
• Winners never quit: That explains why both Tommy Thompsonand Karl Rove are giving up their ships. 
  
• Today's list: Coordinators to watch in 2007.