LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Approximately 10 minutes after Freddy Garcia's trade to Philadelphia was announced Wednesday night, White Sox fans began to make their feelings known in regard to the return on this particular White Sox investment.

In deference to Kenny Williams and his staff, whose teams have won 189 regular-season games combined over the past two seasons and the 2005 World Series title, fans were critical at best. Some, though, were downright angry.

"I'm having a little trouble seeing why Williams made the Garcia for [Gavin] Floyd and [Gio] Gonzalez trade. We have essentially traded a very durable big-game pitcher for a potentially good reliever and our own former Minor League starter. I can't help but think that we should have gotten more in that deal; another Minor League player at least," said Peter from Chesterton, Ind.

"Tell me why I shouldn't hate this trade that brought us two Minor Leaguers -- sure, Floyd has experience in the Majors, but he was sent back down in June of last year -- in exchange for a solid innings-eater who really found his stuff at the end of last season? Because to me, this seems like Kenny spent too much time in the Florida sun," asked Kevin of Downers Grove, Ill.

"Why Gavin Floyd?" was the direct reaction of four other e-mailers.

On Thursday morning, as the White Sox contingency awaited departure from the Swan and Dolphin Resort on the Disney World grounds, both Williams and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf discussed the topic of fan perception vs. baseball reality where personnel moves are concerned. A team is driven by its fan support, whether it's through ballpark attendance, broadcast ratings or even an increase in sponsorship revenue. All three areas are at a high-water mark for the South Siders.

But just as Williams can't get caught up in becoming too attached to one of his players, preventing him from making a move, the White Sox certainly aren't seeking fan approval with each trade or free-agent signing. For Williams, it's all about putting a good team on the field consistently for the fans to celebrate.

"When clubs start worrying about whether fans are going to like or not like a deal, that's when they get in trouble," said Reinsdorf, as he stood in the lobby of the Dolphin Hotel on Thursday afternoon. "We have to do what we think is right and then be judged on the decision after a period of time. Our judgment is that you've got to continuously refresh your program."

Reinsdorf went on to highlight the importance of the Garcia deal by pointing out the tough present task of even signing a team's own free agents in the game's current state.

"With the madness that is in the market today, how could we have counted on being able to re-sign Freddy?" Reinsdorf continued. "Then, we have [Mark] Buehrle, who is a free agent who walks around wearing a Cardinals hat.

"You have to think he's going to be tough to re-sign. When you have a chance to move one guy who is close to free agency and come back with power arms, you have to go for it."

The White Sox went for it on Wednesday night. They brought back Floyd, a 23-year-old right-hander whose Major League ERA sits close to 7.00, but stands as a pitcher who Williams believes has top-of-the-rotation potential with a little refinement and a chance to simply go out and pitch.

Gonzalez, 21, returns to the White Sox after being traded to the Phillies as part of the Jim Thome deal last November. He could be one of the top young starters in the game three or four years from now.

Of course, both young pitchers could fall short of those goals and Garcia could win 17-20 games in helping a talented Phillies squad push for the NL East title. But it's a chance Williams had to take, a need to get something more tangible than draft picks before Garcia left via free agency.

Williams isn't afraid to swing and miss, which might be why his teams have been so successful. And there haven't been too many blips on his GM radar screen -- see Bobby Jenks, Jose Contreras and Matt Thornton as somewhat risky acquisitions who have emerged as team stalwarts.

E-mails already had been flowing in Williams' direction earlier this offseason for his perceived lack of big moves to improve the White Sox. He isn't worried about the public perception following Wednesday's deal as much as he's concerned about not setting up the White Sox to succeed, which is why Williams just might trade a starter again before Opening Day.

"I've tried to explain our mission statement over and over, but I'm kind of resigned to the thought that whatever we do isn't going to be good enough or understood," Williams said. "So honestly, I can't worry about it too much.

"I could go on through my roster and virtually everyone on that roster, at some point and time, whether it be through the media, writers, talk show hosts and fans, have said, 'Get rid of this guy.' In the case of a Joe Crede, how many times did you hear that? Get rid of Jon Garland. Don't bring in A.J. Pierzynski. What are you doing with Scott Podsednik? Are you nuts? Juan Uribe can't play shortstop. Aaron Rowand, he can't play center field.

"Then, when I trade Aaron Rowand they say, 'What are you doing, you're trading the best center fielder in the game.' I can't combat all of that. If you do, you're just going to be squashed by the pressure of it all. I just try and make informed decisions.

"Some of these things are unpopular, but you know what would be more unpopular?" Williams added. "It would be if we did nothing and got old and got too expensive and then had to go out scrounging for leftover talent and overpaying for mediocre talent."