How's that decision to keep Beckham looking now?

Ken Williams has certainly made his share of mistakes.

For some reason, Todd Ritchie and Billy Koch immediately come to mind.

Generally, the White Sox GM is not afraid to admit he was wrong to see something in a player that others didn't.

If you're going to manage aggressively, it's going to happen.

However, there is that other hand, and on that other hand is Gordon Beckham.

Sometime in recent months Williams decided Beckham was a chip he would not be willing to trade, not even in a deal for Toronto ace Roy Halladay, a decision which drew a fair amount of criticism.

Perhaps he made the call during the winter meetings, when Beckham's name was tossed about by other clubs.

Perhaps it was in spring training, when it was clear that Beckham could have easily broken camp with the club without hurting his development, and while playing any infield position of his choosing.

Perhaps it was in early July when it became obvious that there wasn't one thing Beckham couldn't do well on a major-league baseball field.

Regardless of when, it was a brilliant call, because the Sox landed an ace in Jake Peavy without trading Beckham, who has simply become the White Sox' best player.

Yes, he's the Sox' best player.

He's the best fielder on a bad-fielding team, at a position he's still learning, and getting better at every day.

He's their best baserunner.

And he's their best all-around hitter.

He's their best all-around baseball player, and - forgive me - maybe their most valuable commodity.

Considering his age (22), his contract status (the Sox have him under control until the end of the 2015 season), and that he's almost certain to wind up at shortstop (probably the most important position on the field), Beckham has become, pound for pound and in a matter of two months, the Sox' most valuable player.

Granted, starting pitching always is most important, and arms are the most valuable parts of any team, but like the horses they are, starting pitchers also get hurt and cost a tremendous amount of money to feed, train and maintain.

Some of them will collect a victory for every million dollars they make in a given season, and still you've no choice but to find them, secure them and pay them.

But from a cost basis standpoint, when you factor in those injuries, missed starts, wins, losses, amount of appearances on the field compared to a position player, depreciation, capital improvement and pure production, Beckham is a bargain playing every day at such a young age and with such a small salary.

Based on that, there might not be another player you'd rather protect on the White Sox today.

Good thing the GM made him untouchable.

Peavy vs. Cubs?

It wouldn't be shocking if the White Sox find a way to have Jake Peavy start at Wrigley Field in a makeup game Sept. 3, furthering the pain Cubs fans already feel about the Peavy trade to the South Side.

And some of those injured fans have taken to blaming GM Jim Hendry for failing to land Peavy, but Hendry did everything he could for the better part of eight months and is not the reason Peavy finally accepted the Sox' deal.

Sam Zell is the one to blame, as Peavy finally gave up on the notion that the Cubs sale will get done before Peavy reaches retirement.

Short stops

While the Sox were right about Gordon Beckham, it sure appears as though Ken Williams and Ozzie Guillen were wrong about Alexei Ramirez at shortstop, where he has been weak after a solid season at second base in 2008.

Beckham, it would seem, will wind up at short as soon as the Sox can find a third baseman, and Ramirez either goes back to second or gets dealt before he's completely exposed for a lack of baseball instinct.

The question

Is there a player in all of Chicago baseball right now that you'd rather protect than Gordon Beckham?

You could make a case for Carlos Zambrano, Jake Peavy, John Danks, Mark Buehrle, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Gavin Floyd and others, but most have age, salary, injury history, inconsistency or emotional trouble going against them.

No one's a bigger proponent of starting pitching, or more strongly encourages the collecting of big-time arms, but for the purpose of this argument and considering age, cost, potential, current production, baseball intellect and versatility, whom would you tag the most untouchable Chicago player?

Halas haven

Of course the Bears are staying in Bourbonnais - until they can figure out a way to add 10,000 seats at Halas Hall and charge admission to training camp.

The quote

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, on the slow drip of steroid names to be released: "It's like tearing a Band-Aid off a wound a little bit at a time. We're trying to get this era behind us and repair the game, but it doesn't seem to end. It just saddens me because I love this game and I love what players have done who have done it the right way."

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: "NHL Network's 'Shark Week' to feature San Jose's most gruesome playoff defeats."

And finally

Dan Daly of the Washington Times: "Wouldn't it be great if Congress included sports in its Cash for Clunkers program? The Tigers, I've gotta believe, would be happy to trade in Magglio Ordonez for $4,500."