The clock is ticking toward the 3pm Saturday trading deadline and although the Chicago White Sox are involved in a lot of rumors, there have been no trades consummated yet.  The rumors suggest the key to any trade is pitching prospect Daniel Hudson, which means it's probable that the Sox probably won't make any moves until after Hudson's start tonight against Oakland.  Why mess your current rotation up if you don't have to.

Let's consider that a trade for the Sox would take on a Chinese menu like feel (one from column "A" and two from column "B") and whatever combination Kenny can come up with will snag the fish.  Here are some thoughts on what Kenny might want to consider:

• Assume that Hudson is the entire column "A".  That makes it a tough, tough call. True, the kid has been inconsistent in his three starts and has what may be his final one tonight.  Is he someone who in a year or two will be pitching like what you have now (Floyd, Danks) or will he turn into Brandon McCarthy?  These are the kinds of things that the Sox are meeting about right now.  You've already given up several top pitching prospects in the last year, do you really want to give up more?  If this kid can do the job, it might be best to walk away from the table.
• The Sox need pitching more than hitting.  Freddie Garcia is not going to pitch forever and no one knows what kind of shape Jake Peavy is going to be in next year.  He may not be able to pitch and if he does, it may not be until around the all-star break.  Forget all the optimism of his doctors, this is an unprecedented injury and no one knows if Peavy will come back whole or with nothing. 
• Would Kenny go for a free agent  to be (Ted Lilly) or someone under team control longer (Edwin Jackson)?  Jackson makes much more sense than any of the names I've heard bandied about. A rent a player is a bad idea, considering as how, as we illustrated above, you may lose two fiftth of your rotation next year.
• The Sox do not need a left handed power stick.  Adam Dunn is a defensive nightmare, Prince Fielder is off the table and Lance Berkman jumped the shark three years ago.  Why throw valuable prospects down the well for something you don't need?  I believe strongly that when they really need him, Mark Kotsay will stand and deliver.  It's not gaudy numbers or high batting averages that win you championships, it's a clutch hit at the right time (right Jeff Blum?)
• If column "B" includes the Cuban Sandwich, walk away from the table.  I've seen enough of him to convince myself that at least offensively the big boy will be pretty good.  I would move Tyler Flowers and Bret Morel though, even though Morel is one of the few Sox farmhands that can actually play defense.
• Is the best deal often the one you don't make?  You betcha. 

Of course, Kenny is known for coming up with a player no one ever figured on.  Junior Griffey?  Didn't see that one coming.  Jake Peavy?  Didn't see that one coming, either.  So who knows?  I'll just be glad when it's over so we can talk about what's happening on the field again.