Trade Chatter: Edwin Jackson to the White Sox, Cristian Guzman to the Rangers

With just about 24 hours remaining until Saturday's trade deadline, the hot stove has been fuming, and trades have been happening all day.

The first trade today involved Arizona Diamondbacks' pitcher Edwin Jackson being traded to the Chicago White Sox for young pitchers Dan Hudson and David Holmberg.

Jackson, 26, was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the three-team trade with the Yankees that sent Curtis Granderson to New York. Jackson, who threw a no-hitter this season against the Rays, will be traded for the fourth time in his young career after spending parts of eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Detroit Tigers and Dbacks. Jackson's finest season was in 2009, when he posted a 13-9 record and a 3.62 ERA while striking out 161 in 214.0 innings. Jackson has struggled this year, posting a 6-10 record with a 5.16 ERA despite throwing a no-hitter. He leads starters in the league with 77 earned runs allowed. The White Sox will pay Jackson $1.5 million more for the rest of this year and $8.35 million in 2011. The righty is scheduled to become a free agent for the 2012 off-season.

The most intriguing piece in this deal is RHP Dan Hudson. Hudson, 23, was the White Sox's top pitching prospect prior to this season. A 5th round pick in the 2008 draft, he has rapidly climbed through the farm system. BaseballAmerica says that Hudson's "three solid pitches and natural deception," have resulted in his progress and transition to a top of the rotation starter. In 2009, Hudson pitched in A, A+, AA, and AAA going a combined 14-5 with a 2.32 ERA in 26 starts (147.1 innings) while striking out 166 (!). The 66th ranked prospect in baseball, Hudson has pitched in 3 games for the White Sox this season, going 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA in 15.2 innings while spending most of his season at Triple-AAA Charlotte pitching to a line of 11-4 with a 3.47 ERA in 17 starts (93.1 innings) while striking out 108 and allowing 13 home runs, his only weakness. An ultimate power pitcher with a 10.4/9 strikeout rate, Hudson translates to a top of the rotation starter, and with a young Dbacks team rebuilding, he'll join Ian Kennedy and Joe Saunders at the top of the rotation to make for a fantastic rotation for the future.

The Dbacks also acquire LHP David Holmberg, the White Sox's 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft. Holmberg, 18, was drafted out of high school and broke into pro-ball at age 17 last year. In the rookie league this year, he's 1-1 in 8 games with a 4.46 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. He's eighth on BaseballAmerica's White Sox prospects list, and translates to a "middle of the rotation workhorse at best."

This was a fantastic trade for both sides. For the Dbacks, they get one of the best pitching prospects in baseball who will help make a powerful rotation for years to come, as well as a future solid starter. They also shed the salary of Jackson, providing some flexibility. For White Sox, this could potentially become a great deal if this goes down: It's been rumored that the White Sox are prepared to trade Jackson to the Nationals for 1B/OF Adam Dunn. The White Sox are at 57-44, 1st place and 1.5 games in front in the AL Central. Adding Dunn for the price of Jackson would be a fantastic trade for the Sox, but even if they don't get Dunn, Jackson will definitely be a boost to their rotation. This could be one of the best trades this season that will benefit both sides.

-----

Today, the Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals completed a trade today that will send SS Cristian Guzman to Texas for pitchers Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark, as well as $2 million.

Guzman, 32, has spent parts of 11 seasons with the Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals. An international signing by the New York Yankees in 1994, Guzman was traded along with pitcher Eric Milton and other prospects for Chuck Knoblauch in 1998. Guzman spent six years in Minnesota, averaging 145 hits, a .265 average with 7 home runs and 48 RBIs, and 140 games played per season over his six year span. His best season in Minnesota came in 2001, when, as a 23 year-old, he hit .302 with 10 home runs, 51 RBIs and 149 hits while stealing 25 bases. He also led the league in triples in 2000 with 20, 2001 with 14 and 2003 with 14, becoming the tenth player to lead three times in 70 years.

Guzman was a first time free agent prior to the 2005 season and signed a $16.8 million, four-year contract with the Washington Nationals. A brand spankin' new contract and at least $4 million per year, Guzman was making a name for himself. However, he proceeded to have the worst year of his career in his first year in Washington. He hit just .219 with with 4 home runs and 31 RBIs in 142 games. He wouldn't make fans any more happier the following season, as he missed the whole 2006 season due to a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery. He came back in 2007, and boy did he come back. He hit .328 over 46 games with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs. The next season, Guzman showed his 2007 resurgence was no fluke due to a small sample size and hit .316 with 9 home runs and 55 RBIs in 138 games while hitting a career-high 183 hits. He made the All-Star team for the second time in 2008 (2001 with the AL, '08 with the NL) and hit for the cycle in August of 2008. This season, since being removed from the starting shortstop job due to Ian Desmond's rise through the minors and his terrible 2009 fielding percentage of .962 (the lowest among major league shortstops) he was moved to second base. Since the move, he's hit .282 with 2 home runs and 25 RBIs over 89 games. The Rangers acquired him just a few days after 2B Ian Kinsler was placed on the DL and just a day after they acquired 1B/3B Jorge Cantu. He'll most likely start until Kinsler returns and then be an option off of the bench.

In return, the Nationals are getting 25 year-old RHP Ryan Tatusko and 23 year-old RHP Tanner Roark. Tatusko, the Rangers' 18th round pick in 2007, is currently enjoying his finest season in pro-ball. In Double-AA, he's 9-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 13 starts (but has pitched in 24 games) while striking out 58 in 100.0 innings. He translates to being mainly a reliever, but could be an occasional spot starter, kind of like Alfredo Aceves of the New York Yankees.

They also get Roark, a righty who the Rangers drafted in the 25th round of the 2008 draft, is also enjoying a great year in Double-AA, posting a 10-5 record with a 4.20 ERA in 17 starts (22 games) while striking out 75 in 105.0 innings. He broke out last year, when he went 10-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 29 games in A+.

Another aggressive trade by the Rangers, who are trying to improve all-around. In Guzman, they have a good replacement until Kinsler returns and a great off-the-bench option. I like the two pitchers the Nationals got in this deal, especially Roark. Another win-win.