According to Joe Strauss, the Cardinals are getting serious about trading Colby Rasmus:
MLB Trade Rumors: White Sox Talking To Cardinals About Colby Rasmus
Publicly insistent that they are not seeking a destination for center fielder Colby Rasmus, the Cardinals have made the struggling 24-year-old talent available for the right deal with the Chicago White Sox, according to several sources familiar with the situation.
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Negotiations with White Sox general manager Kenny Williams have accelerated in recent days, according to sources, with the Sox able to make available pending free agent pitcher Edwin Jackson or high-salary lefthanded reliever Matt Thornton.
Whatever you think about the Cardinals and their relationship with Rasmus, it’s become crystal clear that Tony La Russa isn’t ever going to become the President (or even Chief Bottle Washer) of the Colby Rasmus Fan Club. Of course it’s not helping the situation, that Rasmus has gotten progressively worse with each month this season, after a strong April.
Rasmus did start against the Pirates Sunday afternoon, but Jon Jay had been the Cardinals' starting center fielder in six of the club's last nine games. Both players bat left-handed and there's really nowhere else for Jay to play; not with Matt Holliday in left field and Lance Berkman in right.
So if management really wants to trade for pitching, the obvious move is trading one of the center fielders. And perhaps trading the one who’s not in the manager’s doghouse, even if he’s the younger and (probably) more talented of the two.
Needless to say, Edwin Jackson would represent a huge upgrade over Kyle McClellan in the rotation. And while the six-man rotation's been a ton of fun, it's probably a luxury the White Sox can no longer afford. Plus, acquiring Rasmus could pay off for years, as he still projects as a pretty good major leaguer and won't get truly expensive for another three or four years.
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