Mon, Mar 20, 2006 at 1:00pm

WHITE SOX LAND LEFTY FOR FORMER TOP PROSPECT

The Chicago White Sox acquired pitcher Matt Thornton from the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Joe Borchard.

What does it give the Chicago White Sox
The off-season trade of Damaso Marte left the White Sox with only one reliable bullpen lefty in Neal Cotts, so Thornton will try to fill that void. The big southpaw throws hard, but he's prone to wildness and hasn't yet proven he can consistently retire big-league left-handed hitters.

What does it give the Seattle Mariners
Borchard completes this deal of promising players who may be past the point of making a big impact in the majors. Like Thornton, Borchard is a former first-round pick and was one of the top hitting prospects in baseball a few years ago. But despite his strong power potential, he hasn't been able to hang in against big-league pitching. With the Mariners, he'll provide some outfield depth and will only make the roster if they take five outfielders.

Fantasy impact

Player focus

Chicago White Sox

Matt Thornton P

Seattle Mariners

Joe Borchard OF