Back in July, I said that I liked Dayton Moore's moves to stock his farm system with arms. But today's trade of Andy Sisco to the White Sox for Ross Gload, is the third trade of a hard throwing reliever for a player of lesser impact. That's not exactly a recipe for success.
Andy Sisco became a Royal through the 2004 Rule 5 draft (first pick) from the Cubs. For some reason the Cubs saw no reason to protect the 6'9" lefty who had struck out about 10 batters per 9 innings on his career as a minor league starter. The Royals gladly took the 21 year old Sisco off the Cubs hands and stashed him in the back of their bullpen. He pitched about as well as could be expected in '05, his first season in the bigs, but regressed last year.
I can't give a good scouting report on Sisco other than to say that he has nasty stuff but little control. When I've seen him in the past, I dreaded him entering a game against the Sox, but prayed that he couldn't find the strikezone.
Like Gavin Floyd, Sisco has options remaining. He won't be guaranteed a spot in the Sox pen. In fact, I'd be ecstatic if he lost out on LOOGY duties to Boone Logan in spring training. It would give the Sox the option to turn the high-upside Sisco back into a starter.
I like what the Sox are doing with their pen. Jenks, Thornton, MacDougal, Aardsma, & Sisco can really bring the heat. Add in the former first rounder Floyd, the baffling knuckler of Haeger, or even the high-strikeout potential of Logan, and you've got one heckuva bullpen built for nothing (Sorry they couldn't spend more, Randy.) locked up for years to come.