The All-Star break is suddenly approaching, which for many signifies the upcoming trade deadline on July 31.
With the recent trade of perennial Cy Young candidate Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers, many teams will open the floodgates after determining if they are going to make the push for October glory, or pack it in for 2010.
One team that will not be giving up is the Chicago White Sox, who with a resurgence that almost no one predicted over the last 40 days, have put themselves near the top of the American League Central.
The White Sox’ glaring weakness for the entirety of the season has been the lack of a left-handed power hitter.
Many suggest that with the season-ending injury to Jake Peavy that they should go after players such as Arizona’s Dan Haren or Astros’ Roy Oswalt. I think neither of the two is necessary.
Oswalt is a fine pitcher, but I think that someone will step up to be the fifth starter for the club. Pitchers like Dan Hudson or Matt Zaleski should and will be given the opportunity to step up and help the team.
Making a trade for a starter will not help in the pennant chase because both Haren and Oswalt would be transitioning from the National League, and that usually does not fare well for starting pitchers.
Need for Lance Berkman
The need for a left-handed bat is paramount in continuing the successes the Sox have had recently.
Adding a switch hitter like Lance Berkman would give protection to Paul Konerko in the lineup, which would make him even more dangerous, as well as give him rest as a DH.
It would also allow the team to not have to rely on Mark Kotsay, whose .229 batting average is not what the team needs when they get into the dog days of September.
Berkman would flourish in the launching pad of U.S. Cellular Field, much like he has in his home ballpark for the Astros with his opposite-field power.
“The Big Puma,” as he is known in Houston, would no doubt raise his .259 batting average in Chicago, as he would have something to play for in hopes of winning his first ring.
Berkman is the best option
Other players who have been mentioned to go to the White Sox include Adrian Gonzalez and Adam Dunn.
Gonzalez is a fabulous player who would be a perfect fit for the White Sox for years to come. The problem with him is that he is not going to be traded.
The Padres are a legit contender to win the NL West this season, and he is the staple to their successes thus far, besides their underrated pitching.
Adam “The Big Donkey” Dunn is hitting better at this point in time than at any previous point in his career. It will take a lot to pry him away from the Nationals, and the White Sox have very little in the form of top prospects to send to Washington.
Other players such as Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, and Mark Reynolds, who have been on the rumor mill, are not going to the South Side; nor should they, since they are not what Ozzie Guillen’s team needs.
Lance Berkman may not be a “spring chicken” at 34 years old, but he is a player that could give the White Sox, joined by Konerko; a solid match in “punch” with Detroit, who have Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera; and Minnesota with Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.
In questioning if Lance would leave his home state of Texas and waive his no-trade clause he stated in May, “If we’re 20-70 and they say, ‘Hey, we’ve got a trade for a bunch of hot prospects and you’re going to go compete for a world championship,’ I would definitely consider it.”
Well Lance, your team is 35-52. White Sox GM Kenny Williams should definitely put Berkman in the position to “consider it” as soon as he can.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com