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The big news yesterday was not the game, but the trade. The White Sox picked up Ken Griffey, Jr., from the Reds in exchange for pitcher Nick Masset and minor league second baseman, Danny Richar. Masset (who shares a birthday with Carlos May) has pitched in long relief and even started a game this year, compiling a 1-0 record and 4.63 ERA over 44.7 innings pitched. Richar failed to distinguish himself last year when he was handed the second-base job for 56 games at the end of the 2007 season. Nothing in those 56 games made anyone think of Joe DiMaggio, as Richar batted .230 and hit 6 home runs.

We're not sure those two will be missed too much, but the real question is where will Griffey play? At 38 years old, George Kenneth Griffey, Jr., no longer patrols the outfield like the ten-time (1990-1999) Gold Glove center fielder he was for Seattle. In fact, he hasn't even played center since 2006. We can't see Junior displacing either Carlos Quentin or Jermaine Dye in the outfield or even Jim Thome at DH (they're both lefties), so that means Nick Swisher will have to move to first base and the highly paid Paul Konerko will see his playing time cut. That's just sad. Not inappropriate, but sad just the same. Anyway, lets hope this Ken makes the other Ken (Williams) look like a genius.

As for the game, it was a stinker. The Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead against the arch-rival Twins, and then John Danks and the bullpen proceeded to blow it. Danks gave up three runs and left after walking Denard Span to open the bottom of the seventh inning. That at-bat took longer than usual, as the Twins manager got booted for arguing a strike called aganst Span, and the fans reacted by throwing things onto the field. Ozzie pulled the Sox into the dugout to keep them out of harm's way, and visions of a Disco Demolition Night kind of forfeit danced in our head. It didn't happen, and when Danks returned five minutes later to finish off Span -- the count was 1-2 -- he walked him. A series of relievers allowed six runs to score, making the bullpen's total 44 earned runs in the last 72 innings pitched. It looks like the trade that was really needed was the much-rumored Huston Street of Oakland deal.

Anyway, the Magic Number remains the same and the lead is back down to a half-game. At least they escaped Minnesota still in first place. The streak of being in first place since May 17 is in jeopardy, but the Sox finish up this road trip with three games in KC starting tonight. Games against the Royals (on the road and at home) may be the only ones against a sub-.500 team until Seattle comes to town on August 18. So, Go Sox!