Stark Says Sox Signed Van Benschoten

[elrockinMT]

They might try and make him a hitter.

 

 

He can hit when they play interleague at the NL park. Other than that we might be looking at 2 or 3 years before he might be ready for the bigs as a position player

[caulfield12]

Well, we've been in involved or similar reverse situations in the past, with Jason Dellaero (to pitcher) and Brooks Kieschnick (to pitcher)...maybe reversing the process will go our way this time.

 

If only he could catch!!!! That would be his fastest path to the major leagues.

[fathom]

Disappointing that he won't try to become a hitter. Next thing you know, people will pencil him into the #5 spot.

[Wise Master Buehrle]

I guess I read somewhere that VB had an injury to his non-throwing arm in 2005 that totally ruined his swing forever. It's a shame it happens so easily...

[DBAHO]

Disappointing that he won't try to become a hitter. Next thing you know, people will pencil him into the #5 spot.

I'd be shocked if KW doesn't add another SP from here.

 

This team would just be in a better position IMHO, if they let Richard be the swingman, and let Marquez and a FA/trade guy come in for those last 2 spots.

 

If they don't work out, you can either move Richard into the rotation, or give that spot to Contreras when he is healthy.

[scenario]

according to rotoworld it says he will NOT be a hitter. He said he will refuse to try that option. Prob. because that awesome 9 era he has sported in his career lol

 

Well... then I hope he likes Sushi.

 

 

[fathom]

I'd be shocked if KW doesn't add another SP from here.

 

This team would just be in a better position IMHO, if they let Richard be the swingman, and let Marquez and a FA/trade guy come in for those last 2 spots.

 

If they don't work out, you can either move Richard into the rotation, or give that spot to Contreras when he is healthy.

 

There's no doubt in my mind that Richard will be in the starting rotation. I really wish people would stop with this Marquez talk (such as Don Cooper). He needs to prove he can get AAA hitters out before getting a shot with the big league club.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.examiner.com/x-425-Chicago-Whit...-Van-Benschoten

 

White Sox sign former first-rounder Jon Van Benschoten

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December 5, 12:39 PM

by JJ Stankevitz, Chicago White Sox Examiner

 

 

Van Benschoten was a first-round bust for the Pirates.

The White Sox made a low-risk, possibly high-reward signing Friday when they inked Jon Van Benschoten to a minor league contract. Van Benschoten was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2001 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but never lived up to his potential thanks in part to a injuries earlier in his career.

 

His major league line is far from pretty: 2-13, 9.20 ERA, 1.40 HR/9, .330 BAA, and a 6.33 FIP tell the story of a classic draft bust. So why did the White Sox even bother giving him a roster spot?

 

Well, he doesn't have all that bad of a minor league track record. In 2008 with Triple-A Indianapolis, Van Benschoten posted a 3.92 ERA in 80.1 innings as a starter. His FIP of 3.49 with Indianapolis indicates that he still has something left in the tank, albeit at a minor league level.

 

The Pirates organization has notoriously ruined pitchers (see: Zach Duke), so maybe a change of scenery is what Van Benschoten needs. He doesn't have overwhelming stuff, featuring a low-90's fastball along with a quick slider, slow curveball, and (judging by the average speed of 84.2 mph) a poor changeup. That difference of 6 mph between his fastball and changeup won't cut it, so maybe that's a reason he doesn't throw it that often.

 

I hate to play the "Dr. Don" card, but pitching coach Don Cooper does have a decent track record of taking untapped potential like Van Benschoten still may have and turning it into major-league success. I'm not saying that's guaranteed to happen with Van Benschoten, but at least Cooper has the chance to do it with another pitcher.

 

The worst-case scenario with Van Benschoten is that he bombs in spring training and gets cut for hardly any cost. The best case is that he competes with Jeff Marquez, Clayton Richard, and Lance Broadway in March and, at the least, pushes the other three to pitch better. Keep an eye on Van Benschoten this Spring, because with a good performance in spring training, he should make the Opening Day roster.

[elrockinMT]

rotoworld said his shoulders are so f***ed up that he probably won't make it

 

I would believe it though, just because it's worth a shot.

 

 

MLB Trade Rumors says:

White Sox Sign Van Benschoten

By Tim Dierkes [December 5 at 10:22am CST]

According to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch, the White Sox signed former Pirates first-round pick John Van Benschoten to a minor league deal. JvB posted a 3.92 ERA in 80.1 Triple A innings this year, with less-than-exciting peripheral stats. His Major League trials have not gone well.

 

Van Benschoten had surgery to repair a labrum tear and remove a cyst in his pitching shoulder in January of '05, and the shoulder continued to bother him the following year.

 

 

[heirdog]

Well... then I hope he likes Sushi.

 

After one taste of sea urchin, JVB will be shaggin' fly balls in LF in no time.

[witesoxfan]

There's no doubt in my mind that Richard will be in the starting rotation. I really wish people would stop with this Marquez talk (such as Don Cooper). He needs to prove he can get AAA hitters out before getting a shot with the big league club.

 

That's the one thing I hate with Gavin Floyd comparisons (other than the fact that it appears obvious that Floyd has much better stuff). Gavin Floyd spent what was pretty much an entire year in AAA before he even made the rotation, and the only reason he was starting in September was because the Sox were terrible. Anybody penciling Marquez into the rotation at the beginning of the year really need to consider if they want a 5.50 ERA as the #5 starter.

 

Anybody that thinks the Sox are done making moves is naive, because there's no way they don't add a starting pitcher, even if it's at the expense of dealing Dye.

[chunk23]

That's the one thing I hate with Gavin Floyd comparisons (other than the fact that it appears obvious that Floyd has much better stuff). Gavin Floyd spent what was pretty much an entire year in AAA before he even made the rotation, and the only reason he was starting in September was because the Sox were terrible. Anybody penciling Marquez into the rotation at the beginning of the year really need to consider if they want a 5.50 ERA as the #5 starter.

 

Anybody that thinks the Sox are done making moves is naive, because there's no way they don't add a starting pitcher, even if it's at the expense of dealing Dye.

 

Don't forget that he turned in a quality season at AAA in 2007 too. Marquez did not have a good season in 2008 at AAA.

[caulfield12]

On the conference call, a question was posed similar to what we've been debating here for seemingly years...

 

Isn't it possible to get the same level of production (.500 record, 200 IP, 4.3-4.70 ERA) out of a cheaper pitcher?

 

Well, KW SUPPOSEDLY believes Marquez is in the best position to do that...for whatever reasons he has. I do hope we add a lot more than Van Benschoten into the mix with Marquez, Broadway, Richard, Poreda, Carrasco (will he be in pen, starting, AAA or elsewhere?) and possibly Egbert.

Edited December 6, 2008 by caulfield12

[Bubba Philips]

does the white sox coaches work with VanBenschoten in the offseason. I'm sure it is too late for most winter leagues? Previously they said he was a hell of a hitter too.

[Balta1701]

Whether we realize it or not, I think the signing of this guy is a great sign, because it shows that something I've been hoping might happen is starting to do so; we're becoming a destination for failed pitching prospects.

 

With the years we've seen guys put up under Cooper (i.e. 2005, everyone) and the number of guys who have seemingly turned around what was a struggling pitching career before reaching our organization, such as Loaiza, Contreras, Thornton, the 2005 bullpen, and now perhaps most importantly Thornton and Floyd, we've seen a number of seemingly down pitchers, some of whom have a lot of talent, blossom in our organization.

 

Now, imagine you're a high draft pick. You've got a good fastball or good repertoire but you've struggled in your early big league outings or you've gotten hurt and you've finally got released. Almost any team out there will probably give you an invite to spring training and a minor league deal, but nothing more. The difference between the contracts teams offer is like $25k. Which team do you pick? Well, if you still have any confidence at all in your stuff, you're going to try to pick a team with a reputation for turning people around. Mark Prior goes to the Padres because he's hoping the ballpark gives him an advantage, for example. All sorts of people wanted to pitch under Mazzone in Atlanta, because if they performed there, it could lead them a much bigger payday down the line.

 

If JVB is signing with us, then maybe, just maybe, people are starting to notice the success we've had turning guys around. That is the kind of trend that can open up a new talent pipeline. Not every one of them is going to be good/useful/make the big league team, but if we can start getting guys with good stuff wanting to come to our org to try to rehabilitate their careers, that's a way to get cheap young talent that we wouldn't otherwise have.

[caulfield12]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=cws