Weekend Buzz: Add White Sox to growing arms race

The Weekend Buzz, while Scott Miller was taking a well-deserved few days off:

1. The Sox need arms: The White Sox seemed like the last team that would be searching for pitching. They have the second lowest team ERA in baseball. They have one of the best bullpens in the American League. They've been telling people for weeks that they like their team as it is.

Athletics closer Huston Street is struggling, but some teams could be interested. (Getty Images)

But you know what? The White Sox are searching for pitching. And not just one pitcher, either.

No, the White Sox want a reliever, because they're not too sure about Bobby Jenks' health. They also want a starter, because they just put Jose Contreras on the disabled list and they're not sure who they have to replace him.

"I'm afraid we're going to run out of pitching," one White Sox person said Sunday.

The Sox have talked to Oakland about Huston Street, and they've talked to Washington about Jon Rauch.

Now that Contreras is on the shelf with a sore elbow, they plan to get serious in talking about starters, too.

The Sox have been good so far this season, but they've also been fortunate. The Tigers and Indians haven't played well, and meanwhile the White Sox have been amazingly healthy.

They've played 97 games through the weekend, and 96 of them were started by the five pitchers in their season-opening rotation. The only exception was when Nick Masset made a spot start, caused by a rainout and a doubleheader.

Compare that to the Indians, who lost both Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona (and then traded CC Sabathia). Compare it to the Tigers, who have lost Jeremy Bonderman for the season and had to send Dontrelle Willis to the minor leagues.

Or compare it to the Yankees, who have already used 11 different starting pitchers.

It's a big reason why the White Sox have been in first place every day since the middle of May. But they believe they'll need help to stay there, and now they're out looking for that help.

2. The Word on the Street: Once Oakland traded Joe Blanton to the Phillies, speculation turned to where Street will end up. There are teams interested, including the White Sox, but scouts who have seen Street pitch recently aren't sure they'd want him.