The poll regarding who will make way for Carlos Torres is essentially split between Dayan Viciedo, Mark Kotsay, Brent Lillibridge and Erick Threets, with Kotsay getting the most votes. The reason I put up the poll is because I'm really not sure what the White Sox are going to do. Each of the players have reasons for and against them (logical or not).
I voted for Threets because I think it kicks down the road a bit the really tough decision - which position player goes when Mark Teahen comes back. Assuming he starts the night game, the roster move for Torres needs to be made after the day game on Tuesday. Torres will, in all likelihood, be immediately sent back to Charlotte and a corresponding move will be made prior to Wednesday's game. Teahen could be ready on Wednesday but, since he has yet to play the field for Charlotte on his rehab assignment, I think his return is more likely in the Baltimore series.
If Threets goes, he'll have to be placed on waivers since he's out of options. Threets has pitched okay but he's no great shakes. He may well get through waivers and, even if he doesn't, it's probably not a great loss. Chris Sale has put up good numbers for Charlotte and this may be the opportunity to bring him up.
So the White Sox may well use the Torres spot start to swap Threets for Sale. At worst, that's a lateral move. But that leaves the real decision: what to do when Teahen is ready?
The rumor is that Teahen isn't going to simply be re-taking his former job at third base. This is obviously a good thing. While he's hit about what you'd expect, he's also fielded about what you'd expect. And that combination isn't up to specifications for a contending team. As noted by OSFIB, the combination of Omar Vizquel and Viciedo has done very well offensively recently. Ozzie has used Vizquel primarily against righties, while leveraging Viciedo's ability to hit lefties by starting him against them and then covering for the Cuban's defensive weakness by using Vizquel as a later inning defensive replacement, when the lefty has generally departed the game.
While I think using him in this manner probably is impeding his long term development - Viciedo is going to have to learn to hit righties at some point and he'd get more regular PAs in the minors - if you're in a win now mode, as the White Sox certainly are, I don't see much reason to throw away something that's working pretty well.
That brings us to Brent Lillibridge. Lillibridge has hit very well since his recall in June. He can reasonably play any of the up the middle positions (and has added LF to his repertoire) and he gives Ozzie a plus speed option off the bench to use as a pinch runner. While none of these contributions scream "Keep me!", he provides uses - and uses that Teahen doesn't.
So who on the roster currently does fill the roles Teahen would in a utility role. He's left-handed. Is a below average hitter. Plays right field. Can play first base. This is starting to sound like Mark Kotsay.
And, indeed, one could certainly argue that logic suggests that Kotsay should be the one to go when Teahen returns. If Teahen isn't going to be given a position home, off the bench, he's pretty much a somewhat better Kotsay. The question is, what sort of logic will the White Sox be using when they make this not so easy decision.