Christmas ’06: The Texas Rangers trade pitchers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Brandon McCarthy.

Nice.

Can’t find the exact quote, but I remember Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels saying at the time that McCarthy was a couple years ahead of Danks in development.

But now? Danks has lapped him.

After an injury-riddled stint in Texas which has seen him sidelined by blisters, stress fractures and forearm soreness, McCarthy last night threw seven pitches before leaving after hearing/feeling a pop in his finger.

After a couple bullpen sessions with team president Nolan Ryan, McCarthy seemed better. But now this might just end his season at 1-1 with a 4.33 ERA. Meanwhile, on the greener side of the deal, Danks is 10-8 with a 3.32 ERA. Oh, and Chicago used Masset as bait to acquire Ken Griffey in July.

At this point I’d like to give this Rangers’ deal a grade, but I seemed to have run out of “F”s. -- Richie Whitt