So apparently it's clear to everyone but me why Joe Crede absolutely must be traded to the Giants within the next month.

He has a bad back, he's a $5 million sink hole and his replacement is likely to have a better offensive year than him anyway.

And yes, I understand Crede is in his walk year, and that super villain Scott Boras is his agent. So a contract extension is about as likely as an Ozzie Guillen post-loss news conference airing on the Hallmark channel.

To that end, Ken Williams, never one to refrain from authoritative comments, has gone on record several times as saying he will not carry Josh Fields and Joe Crede on the same roster. It's not a stretch to believe a brown and orange "Crede" jersey is already made up and hanging next to Aaron Rowand's locker in Giants' camp.

But amid all the flurry of good byes I have to ask, why?

Though superficially a trade seems best for all parties, a look at the details reveals that the White Sox-a supposed contender in 2008-just might be better off keeping Crede after all.

Over the course of a full season, I agree that Josh Fields would put up better offensive numbers than Crede, and at a fraction of the price. But it's not Fields I'm concerned about-it's injuries, match ups and defense I have in mind.

Remember the freak torn labrum Toby Hall suffered in spring training last year? What if a similar accident befalls a starter this year like Fields or Paul Konerko? Who would be in line to pick up the slack for this supposed contender?

Have we learned nothing from the Andy Gonzalez days?

Aside from freak injuries, the Sox have two players who need frequent rest anyway in Jermaine Dye and especially Jim Thome. While Carlos Quentin could spell Dye in right field (actually, Quentin is a superior defender than Dye anyway), a Crede/Fields combo would be perfect as a Thome fill in.

Jim Thome-as much as I admire him-is not an everyday player anymore. It's a double whammy: he can't hit lefties, and he's bound to get injured. Starting Fields at DH and Crede at third base once or twice a week would improve the Sox defense and offense against southpaws. As a side effect, Thome would stay fresher and more effective in the dog days of August and September.

Heck, Ozzie Guillen could match up crazy with Thome, Crede and Fields interchangeable at DH/3B, Quentin, Dye and Owens in the OF, and Danny Richar, Juan Uribe and Pablo Ozuna or Alexei Ramirez (there's no need to carry both Ozuna and Ramirez) at 2B.

To those who say it is better to get something-anything-for Crede now instead of losing him for nothing after the season again I ask, why?

We're not looking at a return Matt Cain here, folks. At this point, media reports suggest Noah Lowry, who is of questionable value to the Sox himself, is even out of reach. Ask anybody and they'll tell you, emphatically, that Crede has literally no trade value. So are two unexciting prospects really more valuable than one year of major league third baseman Joe Crede?

And if he's in such low demand right now anyway, and 29 other major league teams are fearful of his back, who exactly will be offering him a big money contract for '09?

To me it's clear: unless Crede (or Fields) can be worked into a package that nets the Sox a bona fide top-to-middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, just don't trade 'em. Over the course of the long season, Crede will prove to be more valuable, possibly adding a few wins that could make the difference in the AL Wildcard race.

After all, this team is trying to compete in '08, right?