southsider2k5 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...sp&c_id=cws White Sox add five to 40-man roster Triple-A star pitcher Phillips has a shot to make team in '07 By Scott Merkin / MLB.com CHICAGO -- The projected 2006 Opening Day roster for the White Sox did not include the name of Boone Logan when pitchers and catchers reported to Arizona last February. In fact, Logan wasn't even part of the 40-man roster. It was hard to even imagine the left-hander who had never pitched significant innings above the Rookie ball level emerging as a Major League prospect during only six weeks of Spring Training. By the time the team broke camp at the end of March, it was impossible for the White Sox not to take Logan back to Chicago. Logan enters Spring Training 2007 as one of the internal favorites to fill the bullpen void created by the trade of Neal Cotts to the Cubs last Thursday. But if Logan's ascension proved anything last year, it's that the team certainly is willing to take a look at players who have worked their way into roster contention -- regardless of their prospect status. A few of those possible challengers for Logan were added to the White Sox 40-man roster on Monday, with pitchers Heath Phillips, Carlos Vasquez, Oneli Perez and Dewon Day and infielder Andy Gonzalez bringing the roster to its limit. The contracts of Phillips, Vasquez and Gonzalez were purchased from Triple-A Charlotte, while Perez was added from Double-A Birmingham and Day was added from Class A Winston-Salem. Vasquez, a 23-year-old southpaw, came over to the White Sox along with reliever David Aardsma in exchange for Cotts. While the team is excited by his future upside, Vasquez would be a bit more of a long shot to be part of the 2007 bullpen. Phillips, 24, was selected International League Most Valuable Pitcher in 2006, following a 13-5 effort with a 2.96 ERA. Phillips, also a left-hander, featured a scoreless streak of 27 1/3 innings last year as part of the Knights' starting rotation. But Phillips, 24, a member of the USA Regional Olympic qualifying team in August 2006, could compete with Logan and Paulino Reynoso for a spot in middle relief. "Right now, as we sit here today, without anything else being down, pitchers such as Logan and Reynoso are looking at an opportunity coming their way," White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. "Boone Logan is the guy I've seen a little bit more. He has a good live arm out of the bullpen now. "We aren't handing anything to our young kids, but Boone has a leg up on the other guys. If they don't get the job done, we can go another direction. We could take another righty if they can't help us win. We aren't forced to have another lefty." Perez, 22, put together an extremely impressive 2006 campaign between stops at Class A Kannapolis, Winston-Salem and Birmingham, producing a 4-3 record with a 0.82 ERA. Perez yielded a mere seven earned runs in 76 2/3 innings, and the right-hander limited opponents to a .158 average. He struck out 89 in 52 relief appearances for an average of 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Much like Vasquez, the Major League chances for Perez in 2007 seem a bit remote. The same certainly could have been said for Logan eight months ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilMonkey Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I like the line "We could take another righty if they can't help us win. We aren't forced to have another lefty." Unfortunatly, Ozzie doesn't always think that way when selecting which pitcher to bring in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoSox05 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 (edited) Why doesnt any one mention Phillips as one of are top prospects with the numbers he put up? Is he just a good minor league pitcher? Edited November 21, 2006 by GoSox05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggsmaggs Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 QUOTE(GoSox05 @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 08:51 AM) Why doesnt any one mention Phillips as one of are top prospects with the numbers he put up? Is he just a good minor league pitcher? He is older for a prospect, doesnt have great stuff and doesnt throw hard. That's why. But as long as he keeps producing like he has done basically everywhere, I don't know why people underrate him so much. There was a point last season where I thought he could do better than Buerhle. Just watching him in the AAA All-Star game, it looked like he could be a solid big league pitcher. At worst, he is a lefty reliever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So the big question: is there anyone of note that this leaves unprotected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I am a bit confused as far as how we determine or rate prospects. He doesn't throw hard comes up quite a bit. But, Buerhle and many others don't throw hard. I am thinking any pitcher with a 13-5 record and an ERA under 3.00 in a bandbox the Knights play in may very well be a starting option or possibility. Plus he is a lefty, which can't be all bad even thought they are left out of the right world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggliopipe Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 11:10 AM) So the big question: is there anyone of note that this leaves unprotected? Nanita is the biggest name. From today's Trib: Left unprotected and exposed to the Rule 5 draft were outfielder Ricardo Nanita, who batted .286 for Double-A Birmingham, and left-hander Jay Marshall, who was 5-1 with a 1.02 ERA in 58 games and limited left-handed batters to an 0.96 batting average at Class A Winston-Salem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I'm glad we did this. Nanita ain't going in the major league portion of the draft and I doubt Marshall will either, but none of them are Fabio Castro. Last year we had extra space and still had Castro unprotected and this year the Sox realized they can always dump these guys from the 40 if they need to, so why not protect them (especially in the case of Phillips). That said I don't expect them to all stick around, I just think it gives Kenny time to move some of them as throw ins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggsmaggs Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I would really have no problem trading two of our current starters and inserting B-Mac and Phillips in if we used the money to get a major upgrade in LF and SS. I may be one of the few, but I believe Heath could win 12 games and have a 4.5 ERA in the bigs next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 11:13 AM) I would really have no problem trading two of our current starters and inserting B-Mac and Phillips in if we used the money to get a major upgrade in LF and SS. I may be one of the few, but I believe Heath could win 12 games and have a 4.5 ERA in the bigs next season. I'd have a HUGE problem with Heath in the rotation next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelasDaddy0427 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Yet you have no problem with trading an established starter for a minor leaguer who had a 4.6 ERA and projects as a career minor leaguer to anyone with a clue... HAHA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 QUOTE(Jeckle2000 @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 12:57 PM) Yet you have no problem with trading an established starter for a minor leaguer who had a 4.6 ERA and projects as a career minor leaguer to anyone with a clue... HAHA! -1 if that's exaggeration, -10 if that's just stupidity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 QUOTE(Jeckle2000 @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 12:57 PM) Yet you have no problem with trading an established starter for a minor leaguer who had a 4.6 ERA and projects as a career minor leaguer to anyone with a clue... HAHA! To be able to tell if anyone has a clue, you first have to have a clue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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