Thornton Tips His Pitches..

[TLAK]

Everyone knows this guy is a reclamation project. Did anyone expect to see him change uniforms and pull a Boone Logan?

 

I'll reserve judgment until after the sox have had him a bit. But the guy should start in AAA, not with the sox. He could easily turn a 3 run game that he's mopping up into an absolute blowout.

Wisdom.

[RockRaines]

He came out with good control over the fastball and should have been out of the inning immediately. He couldn't locate any breaking stuff so everyone easily hit the fastball. Here's the thing about him, it looks almost like the ball doesn't go as fast as the gun says. I can't explain that. He was in the mid-nineties, but it didn't seems like anyone was having any problem catching up.

That couldnt be more wrong from what I saw. Mirabelli was 10 seconds late on 2 straight fastballs. The guy who hit the bomb guessed right and won. I thought his fastball looked great, just lost some location after several pitches.

[G&T]

That couldnt be more wrong from what I saw.  Mirabelli was 10 seconds late on 2 straight fastballs.  The guy who hit the bomb guessed right and won.  I thought his fastball looked great, just lost some location after several pitches.

 

He gave up four hits pretty quick and they were all fastballs. And like I said in that post, unless he can throw a breaking ball he's in trouble.

[beck72]

Id rather have a guy like Tracey in our bullpen than this scrub.

I'd have liked to see Ray Liotta given more of a chance. He can throw strikes. Though someone posted that Phil Rogers in the new BA thinks Liotta could be called up mid yr ala Buerhle.

[GoodAsGould]

I'd have liked to see Ray Liotta given more of a chance. He can throw strikes. Though someone posted that Phil Rogers in the new BA thinks Liotta could be called up mid yr ala Buerhle.

 

Maybe mid-season but at this point I think everyone wants to see him suceed as a starter first in AA.

[RexFives]

Maybe mid-season but at this point I think everyone wants to see him suceed as a starter first in AA.

 

i would love to see liotta up with the team, hes got a bright future

[RockRaines]

i would love to see liotta up with the team, hes got a bright future

Definatley not ready yet. Its better to let him keep starting in the minors.

[bulokis]

I dont know why he is somewhat penciled to make the team? Is it because we traded for him? I dont want him to come North, he needs to work on his problems in the minors.

[RockRaines]

I dont know why he is somewhat penciled to make the team? Is it because we traded for him? I dont want him to come North, he needs to work on his problems in the minors.

Because he has no options left, and we would essentially just be giving Borchard away. Because of the promise of the kid, and the fact that Coop and KW like him, I would guess that they put him on the roster to at least get an extended look at him. Of course they could just let him go.

Edited March 22, 2006 by RockRaines

[YASNY]

He gave up four hits pretty quick and they were all fastballs. And like I said in that post, unless he can throw a breaking ball he's in trouble.

 

I wouldn't be at all shocked if Cooper instructed Thornton to just work on locating his fastball.

[SSH2005]

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

Notes: For Thornton, it's about control

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Matt Thornton doesn't hide from the wild streak that has plagued him during the course of his two-year Major League career.

 

When the newly acquired left-hander was asked on Tuesday morning about his moderately high walk total allowed over his 90 2/3 career innings, Thornton quickly corrected the reporter with a wry smile.

 

"It's an extremely high walk total," said Thornton, who issued 67 passes during his time with the Mariners. "I'm not embarrassed by it, don't worry."

 

Thornton is not bothered by the walk talk, but he also understands that pitching within the strike zone will be essential to achieving his future goals. The 6-foot-6 southpaw has been penciled into middle relief in the immediate future with the White Sox, but his ultimate target is to be part of the starting rotation.

 

The only start among Thornton's 74 career appearances came against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in 2004. He matched Mark Buehrle on that night, allowing just a home run to Paul Konerko among three hits. He also issued seven free passes over his five innings, dropping a 3-2 decision.

 

"I've always wanted to start, and I've always enjoyed setting the tone of the game," he said. "Hopefully, someday I can be back in the starting rotation. But middle relief is where I will sit until I prove I can be used in valuable roles during late innings and close games."

 

As are many of the recent pickups added to the roster by general manager Ken Williams, Thornton is a player the White Sox pursued for two years. But Thornton's situation goes one step farther, with pitching coach Don Cooper even getting film of Thornton to watch during each of the past two seasons.

 

Cooper's assessment was that Thornton needed more of a back-leg drive to finish his pitches. It's an area on which Thornton worked with Seattle pitching coach Rafael Chaves, after getting hit hard in his last outing, against San Francisco.

 

Although Thornton doesn't consider himself a "drop and drive" sort of pitcher, he believes the change will bring the ball down in the zone and give it more sink. In turn, the walk total could be reduced for a pitcher who consistently throws in the mid-90s and has fanned almost one batter per inning over his career.

 

"He's got a real good arm," said Cooper of Seattle's first-round pick in 1998. "He probably hasn't had the success that a guy with that arm would have, but we are happy to have him."

 

"The opportunity will be great, coming to an organization like the White Sox," added Thornton. "It's exciting for me."

 

Thornton's debut on Tuesday was rather inauspicious, as he allowed four unearned runs on four hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings during San Diego's 10-7 victory. But manager Ozzie Guillen had nothing but praise for Thornton, whom he classifies in the same category as Jose Contreras -- an arm full of talent, one that Cooper and the White Sox need to harness.

 

"I always liked him when he pitched against us," said Guillen. "This kid will help us. If he throws the ball over the plate, he will be fine."

 

Walk, then run: Contreras is tentatively scheduled to test his recovering right elbow with 61 pitches during a Minor League contest on Saturday afternoon in Tucson. But before Contreras returns to live game action, he has to make it through a "full-blown side session" on Wednesday, according to Cooper.

 

"We will have him throwing all of his pitches, from all angles," said Cooper. "If all goes well, he'll pitch in the Minor League game."

 

Contreras is coming off a light, 50-pitch side session on Monday, during which his fastball was fine but he was a little tentative with his slider and forkball. All of Contreras' pitches came from a high angle.

 

Of greatest importance for Cooper, though, was Contreras' ability to pitch without pain and his positive state of mind in regard to the recent soreness.

 

"I don't think he's ever had any problems, so when he runs into something like that, he was a little apprehensive the first couple of days," said Cooper. "But he felt very good about the day.

 

"Even when things are going great, I always have concerns. This is a concern right now. Until he goes out and pitches in a game and feels good the next day and the next day after that, I'll still be concerned."

 

Back in the plan: A second epidural shot was administered to Dustin Hermanson's back on Tuesday, with the reliever planning to throw a side on Wednesday. He's scheduled to pitch in a Minor League game on Thursday, along with Javier Vazquez and Thornton, as the first true test of his back pain.

 

"It's going to be a daily thing with his back," said Cooper. "We are going to have to be really convinced and sure that he's physically able to start the season. If he's not, then, well, the disabled list becomes an option."

 

Hail to the victors: Tadahito Iguchi said through a translator that he did not watch Team Japan's 10-6 victory over Cuba on Monday night in the World Baseball Classic championship game. Though he expressed happiness for his country, he said there were no regrets about his decision to focus on the White Sox and not play for Japan, after originally committing to the Classic.

 

He could make the same decision again when the Classic returns in 2009.

 

"It's totally going to depend on the circumstances," said Iguchi. "I definitely put the team ahead of anything that I do, so if the timing is right and the circumstance is right, I would like to play. If not, then I might have to make the same decision."

 

Prodigal son returns: Despite suiting up for Tuesday's opponent, Geoff Blum was greeted in the White Sox clubhouse before the game as if he were still an active teammate. After exchanging hugs with Guillen in the manager's office, Blum spoke to a number of friends who shared the three-month drive to the 2005 World Series title.

 

"This place has a certain place in my heart," said Blum. "It's always nice coming back and seeing these guys. These are good dudes. I miss these guys.

 

"It's a credit to the guys in this clubhouse that it's like I never left."

 

Blum carved a niche for himself in the annals of White Sox lore with his game-winning home run in the 14th inning of Game 3 of the World Series. It's a moment that still gives him goose bumps.

 

Third to first: Jim Thome (hamstring) is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday against Colorado. Scott Podsednik (left shoulder) will make his first Cactus League appearance since March 6 on Thursday in Surprise. Both played in a 'B' game on Tuesday. ... First-base coach Harold Baines was hit in the left ankle by a Rob Mackowiak line drive in the third inning, but sustained no serious injury. ... Third baseman Josh Fields, outfielder Darren Blakeley and pitcher Agustin Montero were reassigned to Minor League camp after the game.

[knightni]

... First-base coach Harold Baines was hit in the left ankle by a Rob Mackowiak line drive in the third inning, but sustained no serious injury. ...

 

A side note to the whole incident:

 

'It was later pointed out to Baines that his failed attempt at getting out of the way of Mackowiak's ball was the quickest that anyone had recalled him moving in quite awhile.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2006 by knightni