ChiSox trade Garcia to Phillies for Floyd

The Chicago White Sox traded starting pitcher Freddy Garcia to the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night for right-hander Gavin Floyd and a player to be named.

White Sox manager Kenny Williams let slip during the announcement at baseball’s winter meetings that the other player is pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

“It’s 11 o’clock at night, what do you want?” Williams said.

Garcia was 17-9 with a 4.53 ERA for Chicago last season.

The deal reconnects Garcia with his former general manager from Seattle, Pat Gillick, who has been working to upgrade the team’s pitching staff.

Floyd was 4-3 with a 7.29 ERA in 11 starts for the Phillies last season.

Giants sign Molina

The San Francisco Giants finalized a $16 million, three-year contract with catcher Bengie Molina to replace Mike Matheny, who might not play again because of a concussion.

Molina, a two-time All-Star, is scheduled to make $4 million next season, $6 million in 2008 and $6 million in ‘09. He batted .284 with a career-high 19 home runs and 57 RBIs in 117 games for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006.

Busy day for Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are apparently on the verge of signing free agent pitcher Jason Schmidt.

Schmidt reportedly told former Giants teammates he accepted a three-year, $47 million contract to pitch in Los Angeles. Neither the Dodgers nor Schmidt’s agent confirmed the deal.

Los Angeles also agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal with free agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez.

The Dodgers also reached an agreement with catcher Mike Lieberthal, who agreed to a $1.25 million, one-year contract to be the backup to Russell Martin.

Clearing the bases

The Oakland Athletics and left-handed reliever Alan Embree agreed to terms on a two-year contract and the club agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million contract with Mike Piazza to be designated hitter. … Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Freddy Sanchez, who reached the majors despite childhood foot problems and a diagnosis that he might never walk, won the 17th Tony Conigliaro Award for overcoming adversity through spirit, determination and courage. … Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a former Pulitzer Prize nominee who has come to be known as “The Commissioner” during 33 years of baseball coverage, won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from the Baseball Writers Association of America. … In a swap of promising young pitchers, the New York Mets acquired hard-throwing reliever Ambiorix Burgos from the Kansas City Royals for starter Brian Bannister. … Left-hander Ted Lilly and the Chicago Cubs reached a preliminary agreement on a four-year contract worth about $40 million. The deal was contingent on Lilly passing a physical. … Cubs general manager Jim Hendry was hospitalized at the winter meetings after he said he wasn’t feeling well. He was to remain hospitalized overnight. … The Cleveland Indians signed free agent closer Joe Borowski to a $4.25 million, one-year contract, with a club option for 2008. … The Indians also completed their $11.5 million, three-year contract with free-agent outfielder David Dellucci. … Barry Bonds put in an appearance at the meetings hoping to find a new place to play.