Professor Gump Says--

Stupid is as stupid does. With the White Sox, that applies ever so many ways, even when they win. Last night, Lucas Giolito was pretty much in control from the start, picking up a 4-2 win in Kansas City. Giolito gave up two runs in six innings, actually keeping his team in the game until Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Vaughn could hit two very long homeruns good for three runs. So, of course, there are stories circulating that the Sox are shopping Giolito. Keep in mind the righthander has gone six-plus innings in six of his eight starts this season. No other Sox starter comes close to Giolito’s 3.59 ERA or 1.11 WHIP. Why the rumors, then? Because this is Giolito’s walk year, and the Sox don’t like signing pitchers to long-term deals (see Jack McDowell, Mark Buehrle and just about any other above-average young Sox pitcher developed by the organization). Bob Nightengale of USA Today is pretty much a Jerry Reinsdorf/Sox front office mouthpiece, so, if he says the Sox are shopping Giolito—which he did this week—that means they’re shopping Giolito. Never mind they only have Dylan “What, Me Worry?” Cease and Michael “Gopher” Kopech signed for next year. Nightengale also reported the Sox are considering trading at least one of their core players to shake up the clubhouse. Many of us humble fans out there—OK, me—thought that the team should’ve done that a year ago. A package of Yoan Moncada and Giolito back then could’ve netted who-knows-what in return. A year later, that deal won’t get anywhere near the same level of talent back. By the way, if I’m manager Pedro Grifol (perish the thought), I’m showing greater awareness of how things operate around 35th and Shields. I definitely wouldn’t be saying, as Grifol did after last night’s game, about Giolito, “He’s been our horse, man.” [today’s Tribune story on newspaper website]. Pedro, get with the program. In the weeks ahead, Rick Hahn will address the media and blow copious amounts of smoke on Giolito’s immediate and long-term status with the club. Then comes the trade. It’s the White Sox way.