Thome, can you hear me?

The White Sox today traded Aaron Rowand and two minor leaguers to the Phillies for Jim Thome and enough money to re-stock Fort Knox. The two minor leaguers are apparently Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood, who are lefthanded pitchers and top-ten prospects. What this means for the Konerko re-signing effort, I don't know; rumor has it the Orioles have entered the bidding with a really stupid gesture.

Internet analysts have mostly gone ballistic on the Thome trade. They quite properly focus on Thome's health history, and also on the insanity of parting with two highly regarded prospects.

On the last one, well, give me a break.

In acquiring Freddy Garcia, Carl Everett, Royce Clayton, Bartolo Colon, and Roberto Alomar, the White Sox parted with:

• Jeremy Reed, who started in center for the Mariners last year and played poorly,
• Miguel Olivo, who played his way off the Mariners and is now in San Diego,
• Michael Morse, who was busted for steroids and is a marginal player with Seattle,
• Frank Francisco, who threw a chair at a fan in Oakland, narrowly avoided prosecution, and is currently rehabbing an injury that cost him a season
• Josh Rupe, who is a borderline middle relief prospect with the Rangers,
• Anthony Webster, who can't get out of A ball
• Gary Majewski, a decent setup pitcher with Washington
• Jon Rauch, who can't stay healthy with Washington
• Edwin Almonte, who spilled his cup of coffee and is back in AA ball
• Royce Ring, who is a marginal reliever with the Mets,
• Andrew Salvo, who is in the independent leagues now,
• Brad Murray, who is out of baseball,
• Rocky Biddle, who didn't pitch last year, and
• Jeff Liefer, who got stuck in a bathroom in AAA ball.

Is it just me, or was this outflux of "talent" considered a disaster for each and every trade?

Why is it that we should believe that Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood will come back to haunt Kenny?