Finally, now that President-elect Barack Obama has spoken out in favor of college football playoffs, the BCS system might finally, and thankfully, disappear. Now, back to issues involving Obama's favorite baseball team.

Scott, you have to help me out, here because I am a bit confused. We just traded Nick Swisher to get three unproven Minor Leaguers. To get Swisher, we gave away a good pitcher in Gio Gonzalez, as well as a rising young star in Ryan Sweeney. What was the point to that? We could still have Sweeney, as well as another option to start in 2009, but instead have unloaded the man we got for those guys to get three Minor Leaguers that frankly will probably never see much playing time. What is the point?
-- Rick, Aurora, Ill.

In last Monday's mailbag, I mentioned how one of the four from the group of Swisher, Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome had to be moved before the 2009 season began. Swisher clearly was the odd man out if the White Sox decided that he would not start next year, and Ken Williams' opening conference-call comments following the trade seemed to support that decision.

"Well, very simply, we assessed where we stood today and where we finished the season," Williams said. "Although we love the guy [Swisher] and the energy he brings and we believe he will have a bounce-back season, the fit wasn't good enough to continue on down this road."

It was no secret that Swisher was more than a bit frustrated when he lost his starting job during the final couple weeks of the 2008 season and into the playoffs, and his high-octane personality seemed to disappear. It's clear that he would not be a good fit as a bench player, with so much talent still to maximize and at this early point of his career.

The White Sox certainly received more in return than three "unproven Minor Leaguers," Rick. Wilson Betemit hasn't exactly posted Hall of Fame numbers, but he will serve as a strong utility presence, as he has for the past six seasons in the Majors. Williams believes Jeff Marquez will compete for the rotation's fifth-starter spot in 2009 and that Jhonny Nunez should become a Major League reliever sooner than later.

One final point: I appreciate the talent possessed by Sweeney, but it might be a bit premature to call him a rising young star. Basically, Williams has an extremely solid track record in moving and acquiring Major League-ready young talent, so I'll give him a strong benefit of the doubt on both deals involving Swisher.

Other respected media outlets have viewed this move as a prelude to bigger action set up by Williams, clearing payroll space, which might play out as true. In and of itself, though, I don't think this trade was a bad one.

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What do you think the odds are that the White Sox sign Dayan Viciedo, the highly praised, 19-year-old third baseman out of Cuba? I think it'd be a great move, considering he and Alexei Ramirez know each other and Ramirez praises his talent.
-- Kyle, Minneapolis

Having Ramirez and Jose Contreras on the roster certainly gives the White Sox a built-in edge. It also doesn't hurt that Viciedo watched the White Sox not only stand by Ramirez during his early-season struggles but also gave him the opportunity to become a standout, everyday contributor. Of course, if the contractual bidding war escalates to out-of-control levels, the White Sox could drop out.

I don't believe Viciedo will break camp with any Major League team in '09. That's not to say the 19-year-old won't make a contribution at some point as soon as next year, but to view him as the next Alex Rodriguez or Ken Griffey Jr. leads to unfair expectations.

Any chance of the White Sox going after Kerry Wood? I think he would really add some depth to the bullpen.
-- Johnny, Chicago

Wood would be a difference-making, late-inning addition to any bullpen. But the hard-throwing right-hander probably is going to be looking for a multiyear deal for significant money. With Bobby Jenks, Octavio Dotel, Scott Linebrink and Matt Thornton already in place, I doubt the White Sox would make that sort of commitment.

Why do I keep on seeing Williams say that we have all that we need? Remember '06? How did that work out?
-- Chris, Emmett, Ill.

Williams never has said to me that the White Sox have all they need, and I haven't seen that quote anywhere else. He has shown strong support for his young talent such as Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Jayson Nix, Clayton Richard, Brian Anderson and Jerry Owens, who all could play featured roles on the 2009 roster. Some of them -- I'm guessing Fields and the Getz/Nix combination -- could play starting roles.

Supporting his charges certainly doesn't mean Williams has stopped looking for ways to improve the team. Not by a long shot. Even when Williams has assembled what he thinks is a championship-caliber team, he doesn't stop searching for ways to tweak and improve.

If the White Sox trade Bobby Jenks, what would they do for a closer?
-- Nathan, Raleigh, N.C.

Dotel has 83 career saves and that ninth-inning sort of mentality, so he would seem to be the next in line. Prospect Aaron Poreda has closer-like stuff, but the White Sox seem to envision him more as a starter of the future.

With that point made, I don't think Jenks is going anywhere. He is one of the steadiest closers in the game. He is only 27, and Jenks just understands and thrives in this spot. This is the role he was destined to handle.

I've seen a great deal of talk concerning his strikeout ratio dropping in each of the past four seasons being some sort of red flag. That might be an indication of trouble if Jenks' ERA hadn't dropped in each of his three full seasons as a closer and he wasn't still regularly getting the job done in the ninth. He's simply a better overall pitcher and doesn't rely as much on the 95-98-mph fastball.

If there's any doubt as to Jenks' importance as the anchor of the strong late-inning White Sox quartet, take a look at how the bullpen dynamic changed last year when Jenks missed almost one month due to injury.

After reading more than a couple of reports linking the White Sox to Colorado center fielder Willy Taveras, I have to wonder if that's such a good idea. His on-base percentage is too low for him to be a reliable leadoff hitter. I feel that a year of Owens would be no less productive, possibly more actually, than Taveras, and would come at a cheaper price.
-- Russell, Chicago

Taveras had his worst statistical season, both overall and on-base percentage-wise, last year with Colorado, following three pretty strong performances as a leadoff man. He did lead the Majors with 68 stolen bases, but the leadoff spot is more about getting on base and making things happen than simply thefts on the basepaths.

Remember, though, how Scott Podsednik wasn't exactly coming off of a stellar 2004 season with Milwaukee when the White Sox traded for him. In fact, Podsednik's .314 average in '03 was higher than his .313 on-base percentage in '04. With that statistical breakdown in mind, I agree that a healthy Owens can handle the leadoff role. He never really has had the chance to show off his abilities, aside from when the team was out of contention in '07.

Scott, do you think Minor League pitcher John Ely could see any big league action soon?
-- Jarrett, Frankfort, Ill.

Ely, a fellow Homewood-Flossmoor High School graduate like me and my two brothers, probably is three years away from challenging for a Major League roster spot. But he is considered a prospect in play following two strong Minor League seasons coming on the heels of his third-round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.