Brandon McCarthy To Make Major League Debut

[Chisoxfn]

On a sidenote, as far as I know whatever station reported he was starting on Saturday was a bit premature. He's still slated for Sundays start, although things could change.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Going by what I read in the thread, it was the Score who said Saturday. Either way it's pressure. Todya is national tv, tomorrow is still in wrigley against "the messiah". I personally would start Garland on Sunday on 4 days rest (normal for most) and then have B-Mac face Anaheim on Monday night in a more relaxed atmosphere. But then again I wasn't responsible for the 5th starter carousel so I'm sure they'll find a way to screw it up

[Chisoxfn]

Going by what I read in the thread, it was the Score who said Saturday. Either way it's pressure. Todya is national tv, tomorrow is still in wrigley against "the messiah". I personally would start Garland on Sunday on 4 days rest (normal for most) and then have B-Mac face Anaheim on Monday night in a more relaxed atmosphere. But then again I wasn't responsible for the 5th starter carousel so I'm sure they'll find a way to screw it up

I think the issue with that is Brandon would be pitching on about 7 days rest (3 more than usual) and it could have a negative effect on him. If he goes on Sunday at least its 1 less day.

 

The Sox think the world of Brandon and because of that they are going to give him that shot. He's so mentally tough that if he can do semi decent in this start against the Cubs, he will be able to take a lot of that and pitch in mostly lesser pressure games for the rest of the regular season.

 

If Brandon pitches like I feel he can, he won't be moving down to the minors again this year (especially if Duque is going to miss 5 or 6 starts as opposed to 1 or 2). Brandon is ready for the show.

[SoxFan562004]

Yeah, a lot of pitchers don't like a lot of extra rest unless they really need it. Like when MB was hurt in spring this year and missed a start, his first game back he had some trouble because he felt too strong and was overthrowing.

[Jabroni]

Going by what I read in the thread, it was the Score who said Saturday. Either way it's pressure. Todya is national tv, tomorrow is still in wrigley against "the messiah". I personally would start Garland on Sunday on 4 days rest (normal for most) and then have B-Mac face Anaheim on Monday night in a more relaxed atmosphere. But then again I wasn't responsible for the 5th starter carousel so I'm sure they'll find a way to screw it up

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you ever think that they may not want to mess with Garland's mojo by starting him a day early?

[whitesoxin']

*In my best Hawk voice* I love it when you guys analyze.

 

Personally, I'd like to see us pitch B-Mac on Monday. Especially if we lose today, we should move Garland up so we can take the series. But if we win, I wouldn't mind seeing Brandon on Sunday because then our chances of winning in Anaheim would be better with Garland on the mound, and we all know how bad we play out west. Either way, I can't wait to see him pitch!

[Chisoxfn]

Did you ever think that they may not want to mess with Garland's mojo by starting him a day early?

Technically it woudln't be a day early. He will be pitching on Monday with an extra days rest. I don't think thtas a problem though because over the course of the season you like being able to give a guy an extra day every once in a while.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Did you ever think that they may not want to mess with Garland's mojo by starting him a day early?

 

I don't think it's asking too much for a pitcher to throw on 4 days rest. If that is going to mess him up, then it was more of a fluke than reality. I think most around here scretly believe that because I am constantly hearing about Jon not being moved up one spot to separate the cuban Connection. If you guys though Garland was legit, you wouldn't mind. Again, 4 days rest is normal. The pressure difference between in Wrigley against Prior and against Anaheim is night and day

[ISF]

Today. Wind is supposed to be blowing out tomorrow. That isn't the environment I want B-Mac in. I want him to have every advantage we can give him.

[Chisoxfn]

Good job Jason with all your work in FutureSox. I 'd like to publicly thank you for the Sox/Angels tix for Monday. If I manage to go to another game during the series I'll tell u which one so I can shake your hand and thank u in person.

 

Best Regards

 

Ron

Thanks Ron. On a sidenote, I'll be at the rest of them for sure. Hopefully for the first time in what seems like forever the Sox can at least split a series in Anaheim (I'm not greedy).

[YASNY]

I think It's more than just Garland getting normal rest. They are considering the rest factors for Contreras and BMac. We don't want to stretch BMac's time too much, as he'll be "too rested" if we do.

[letsgoarow]

he has been placed on the 15 day dl with shoulder problems

Edited May 21, 2005 by letsgoarow

[Gene Honda Civic]

WOW

[bjm676]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

El Duque to go on disabled list

McCarthy to start Sunday in crosstown finale

CHICAGO -- This much is known about the White Sox starting pitcher for Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field: It won't be Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez.

 

Prior to Saturday afternoon's contest, general manager Ken Williams announced that the right-hander would be placed on the disabled list, effective Sunday, retroactive to his last start Monday against Texas. Hernandez suffers from a slight case of soreness in the back of his pitching shoulder.

 

So, who will replace Hernandez, taking on Mark Prior and the Cubs? Even Columbo, on his worst day of detective work, could figure out that Brandon McCarthy will make his much-anticipated Major League debut.

 

But in this instance, the White Sox elected not to state the obvious.

 

"We will have a replacement in tow and announced officially tomorrow," said Williams, during his opening statement to the assembled media.

 

"Who told you it was McCarthy?" responded White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen with a smile, when asked by a radio reporter what advice he would give to McCarthy concerning his debut.

 

"I read in the paper that he was coming and we haven't discussed it in here," added White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper, who made his comments before Williams' official announcement.

 

The decision on Hernandez was made following a 30-minute closed-door meeting with the pitcher, Williams, Guillen and Cooper two hours before game time. Hernandez, who elected not to talk to the media before the game, pleaded his case to even pitch Sunday against the Cubs, but the White Sox elected to err on the side of caution.

 

Hernandez underwent surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff on May 12, 2003, causing him to miss the entire season. Since 2000, the right-hander has never made more than 22 starts in a season, with only 15 trips to the mound for the Yankees during the 2004 campaign.

 

It was understood that the White Sox would give Hernandez a little break at some point in this current season in order to reach his desired goal of 30 starts. According to Williams, the schedule works in Hernandez's favor, even upon his return, as there will be many starts where he has five days off and on one occasion, even six days off.

 

That situation was figured out during Saturday morning's meeting, with Cooper leaving at one point to retrieve his master pitching grid from his locker.

 

"He fought tooth and nail not to go on the disabled list but ultimately, he acquiesced, with the understanding that we are interested in the long haul for him," Williams said of Hernandez. "Sometimes you have to protect players against themselves. He's a fighter and he wants to be out there [sumday] and get a little bit of revenge against Texas, but we have 162 ballgames and we need him to make about 30 starts."

 

"It's our job to protect them because obviously we need him ready later," Guillen added. "We want him right now but we want him later in the season. He was a little bothered but you have to understand, we try to protect him."

 

Williams mentioned two or three times during his talk that this was not remotely close to anything serious involving Hernandez. The tiredness and soreness started right before his last start, when El Duque allowed six earned runs on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings against the Rangers. After his worst effort of the season, the 5-1 Hernandez probably will miss two starts.

 

But according to on-the-record comments from the White Sox, his replacement still was undecided. Of course, when Williams was asked why McCarthy was scratched from his start for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday in Ottawa and replaced by Arnie Munoz, the general manager smiled and said he would have to check with the Knights' staff to find out the reason.

 

McCarthy was expected to arrive in Chicago on Saturday afternoon, although he was not expected to make an appearance at Wrigley Field. The 21-year-old already had left in indelible imprint of his skills through a combined 17-6 effort last year between three Minor League stops, including a Minor League-best 202 strikeouts and 30 walks allowed over 172 innings. But the right-hander's dominance during Spring Training, against solid lineups such as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Texas, moved him to the top of the organization's pitching list.

 

His style is somewhat akin to that of Prior, his mound opponent on Sunday, in that he throws strikes and is not afraid to challenge hitters. The great composure shown consistently on the mound also left the White Sox with little fear in using him as part of the crosstown series, even though Jon Garland and his perfect 8-0 mark would be available Sunday on regular rest.

 

"It is not the ideal environment that you want to break someone into the Major Leagues should that occur," Williams said, speaking in the hypothetical regarding McCarthy. "However, if he ultimately is the one who gets the phone call, then he's very well equipped just as all the others are to handle it emotionally."

 

"Relax and go do your thing," added Cooper of advice for McCarthy. "If and when he does pitch, there's nothing he can do good or bad that will higher or lower our thoughts about him. We love him. He's our best young prospect."

 

Ultimately, the nod went to the International League's leader in strikeouts over other veteran Charlotte hurlers such as Jon Adkins, Robert Person or even Felix Diaz. It was Diaz who outpitched Carlos Zambrano last year at U.S. Cellular Field, helping produce the White Sox's first win in the six head-to-head matchups.

 

Guillen knows that with the possibility of a Wrigley sweep on the line, or even taking the series, McCarthy will not be intimidated. The young right-hander would probably agree, if the job officially belonged to him.

 

"He has great concentration and throws really good," Guillen said. "You know, McCarthy pitched against pretty good hitting teams. I think the best thing about it is that he never loses his concentration and throws strikes.

 

"Whoever is coming up, I'm not going to move my guys. Not because we play in Wrigley Field, not because we play the Cubs. They are a good team and we have to pitch good against them but I'm not going to change my rotation."

[whitesoxjr27]

what i get from whitesox.com is that there just resting him and waiting for the soreness to go away. or is it worse then it seems?

[doUrememberwhen]

what i get from whitesox.com is that there just resting him and waiting for the soreness to go away. or is it worse then it seems?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No this would make sense as I fully expected this to happen, just not this early. It is a good thing to have BMAC come in now and give Duke a rest to have his arm in the playoffs. It is also possible BMAC tears up the league and gives us that extra arm to get us to the promised land. We would never know unless we try.

[Brian]

Kudos to Brandon on one hell of a debut. Pulled before he should of been.

[Rowand44]

Kudos to Brandon on one hell of a debut. Pulled before he should of been.

Bmac, great f***in job. I think we all just witnessed the beginning of something special.

[Chisoxfn]

Way to go Brandon

 

Hell of an outing. Funny thing is it could of been even better, but he must not of had much of a feel for his changeup down in the pen before the start today.

 

Still, fanfreakingtastic Brandon. May it be the 1st of many starts with the Sox

[qwerty]

Way to go Brandon

 

Hell of an outing.  Funny thing is it could of been even better, but he must not of had much of a feel for his changeup down in the pen before the start today.

 

Still, fanfreakingtastic Brandon.  May it be the 1st of many starts with the Sox

 

How many times you think he threw his change up? Seemed like only a handful of times to me.

[Chisoxfn]

How many times you think he threw his change up? Seemed like only a handful of times to me.

Only one time stuck out in my head and it was a changeup he threw to Dlee. It was a good one too, but aside from that he didn't throw any others for strikes that I saw.

 

The funny thing is he was throwing his changeup so much more than the curve down in Tuscon, but I think part of the reason for that is that the curve ball just doesn't break as well in Tuscon.

 

Brandon does have a plus curve and he definately showed it. Hell, just watching him and Prior you can see some sort of semblance. I don't know if Bmac will be able to be as good as Prior, but I think he's got a shot to be close and he has the tools to succeed quickly in the majors (and not have a long adjustment period...ie good control, very sharp/mentally tough, repeats his delivery).

[WHarris1]

Hawk said something about him only throwing fastballs and curves.

[Rowand44]

mentally tough

That's what's going to make him so special. It seems like he's got Buehrle's head with a better fastball and a better curve, though obviously Buehrle has more pitches that he can throw for strikes. The only word that comes to my mind about Bmac is special, he's going to be outstanding imo.