Sox spring training Catch All thread

[caulfield12]

You mean like the guy Molina was traded for, right?

 

Sergio Santos, cumulative minor league statistics, 2009 - 8.16 ERA, 1.99 WHIP - 26 G, 28.2 IP, 37 H, 2 HR, 20 BB, 37 K

Sergio Santos, spring training statistics, 2010 - 3.48 ERA, 1.55 WHIP - 10 G, 10.1 IP, 9 H, 0 HR, 7 BB, 16 K

 

I'm not advocating using Molina out of the bullpen, and I'm comparing Santos and Molina on the basis that Molina is (probably) more MLB ready than you are giving him credit for. And, simply put, taking anything from a Spring Training performance, especially their first performance of the entire season, is asinine. Freddy Garcia put up an ERA of 10.38 and a WHIP of 2.03 in the Spring of 2010 and he was pretty damn good for a minor league signing. To expect a young pitcher who is admittedly inexperienced to come out firing bullets right away is absurd.

 

 

Molina admitted he was very nervous, too much adrenaline...trying to prove something right off the bat to his new teammates.

[Balta1701]

Merk

Make it three up, three down for Robin Ventura as White Sox manager in Cactus League competition. Here’s a look at the important factors behind the 10-6 final in favor of Milwaukee at Camelback Ranch Wednesday.

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Jake Peavy felt good.

 

Yes, I repeat, the White Sox right-hander, scheduled to make the second start of the 2012 regular season in Texas, felt no pain—anywhere.

 

“I did, I did, I really did,” said Peavy of feeling good during his two innings of work. “I can’t help but have a big smile on my face.”

 

“You want to win the game,” said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of one of the silver linings from Wednesday’s setback. “But it’s good seeing Jake go out … . Good velocity.”

 

Brent Lillibridge continues to show himself as the utility infield favorite by playing a solid second base and knocking out one hit. He also swiped a base, presenting a solid right-handed hitting alternative at the top of the White Sox lineup.

 

Jared Mitchell launched his first Cactus League home run during the White Sox three-run fifth inning, and Brent Morel finished with two hits.

 

“He has had good at-bats,” said Ventura of Mitchell. “His confidence level coming in his at-bats, you like what you see. He’s making a good impression.”

 

WHAT WENT WRONG: Sure, it’s only three games into Cactus League play, but the White Sox middle relief spots could end up being a war of attrition. Nestor Molina, who is a long shot to break camp with the team, got hit hard Monday by the Dodgers, while Dylan Axelrod and Zach Stewart combined to give up six runs on six hits over four innings Wednesday, with three walks and two strikeouts. Eric Stults helped his cause with a scoreless frame against the Brewers.

 

WHAT’S NEXT: Hector Santiago can strengthen his case for a middle relief job during a start against the Rangers Thursday afternoon in Surprise. Gavin Floyd, Will Ohman and Addison Reed all will pitch during a morning B game, also in Surprise.

[MiddleCoastBias]

Merk

 

What's the news on Stults? Strengths/weaknesses/chances? I can honestly say I've never heard that name.

[caulfield12]

What's the news on Stults? Strengths/weaknesses/chances? I can honestly say I've never heard that name.

 

 

Seems most of his time was spent with the Dodgers.

 

I remember he even started against us once, can't remember which team he was with, probably LA.

 

It might have been with the Rockies.

 

He has the equivalent of about one year of major league experience (he's a true journeyman at age 32 already) and nothing particularly sticks out about his stuff, other than his being tall and left-handed, he wouldn't still be hanging around on the periphery of the game.

[GoodAsGould]

It's hard to tell in gamethreads if people are being sarcastic or taking the results of 2-3 games for hitters and a couple innings from pitchers serious... I just hope it isn't a sign of things to come in regular season gamethreads.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/11134419-57...loser-role.html

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The players can be the last to know. Left-hander Matt Thornton knows he’s in the mix to be the White Sox’ closer, but that’s about it.

 

“Nobody has said a thing,’’ Thornton said. “All I know is, they’ll do what’s best for the team.’’

 

Manager Robin Ventura has said Thornton and Jesse Crain, whose careers have been successfully shaped as seventh- and eighth-inning relievers, might step into the high-stakes ninth-inning role. Rookie Addison Reed, who pitched a perfect inning in the Sox’ Cactus League opener Monday against the Dodgers that included striking out Matt Kemp and getting Andre Ethier to pop up, has done nothing in camp but impress.

 

Reed has the stuff, and he appears to have the makeup to close but has pitched only 71/3 innings in the majors.

 

“Sergio [santos] was young last year, too,’’ Thornton said. “He got an opportunity and ran with it because of my failure in the closer role.’’

 

Reed struck out 12 and walked one in those 71/3 innings, picking up where he left off with his 155-20 strikeouts-to-walks ratio in the minors.

 

“They haven’t said anything to me about my role,’’ Reed said Wednesday. “I’ll be happy if I’m pitching in the seventh, eighth or ninth. If I’m closing in the middle of the season or whatever, so be it. I’ll do whatever to the best of my ability.’’

 

Thornton and Crain are signed through next season, at $5.5 million and $4.5 million, respectively, for each year. Crain wants to close.

 

“They know how I feel about getting an opportunity, but I can’t control that,’’ he said.

 

Thornton, who blew four consecutive save opportunities from April 6 to April 13, finished the season with three saves and a 3.32 ERA.

 

He has been diplomatic about the job, saying he’d gladly accept another opportunity if offered. If not, he handles the setup role knowing he has been an All-Star in that spot.

 

“If it’s Jesse or me or Addison, so be it,’’ Thornton said. “Jesse and I have had success in the seventh and eighth over the years. I’ve had some success and some failure in the closer role. Jesse hasn’t had many opportunities in the closer role. They’ll assess it as we go along.’’

 

Thornton wasn’t used during the ninth inning in Cactus League games last spring, but he dismisses that as contributing to his bad April.

 

Ventura has said he’d like to put Thornton and Crain in ninth-inning situations. But spring ninths seldom reflect the ninths of the real world because the final innings of Cactus games are often played by prospects.

 

“Frankie Rodriguez, when he was a closer, he wanted to throw the ninth inning in spring training every time to get the feel of that situation,’’ Thornton said. “Mariano [Rivera], he’s the first one out of the bullpen every time. No big deal.’’

 

Thornton pitched a scoreless fourth inning Tuesday against the Angels despite ­allowing a double in the gap to Albert Pujols.

 

Crain, scratched from his first appearance Monday because of a migraine headache, pitched the third inning Wednesday against the Brewers. He gave up a run, two singles and a walk and struck out two.

 

“You’d prefer to face big-league hitters,’’ Thornton said, ‘‘but at the same time, those young guys can be more ready to go than the big-leaguers are. They want to make an impression. It’s a challenge, too. They’re ­always aggressive.’’

[flavum]

B game at 11am. Regular game at 2.

 

Lineups:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,6001232.story

 

Neal Cotts will get an inning for the Rangers this afternoon.

[elrockinMT]

It's hard to tell in gamethreads if people are being sarcastic or taking the results of 2-3 games for hitters and a couple innings from pitchers serious... I just hope it isn't a sign of things to come in regular season gamethreads.

 

It probably is. Most live and die off one game reagrdless of when it's played. Emotions run high here

[Harry Chappas]

It's hard to tell in gamethreads if people are being sarcastic or taking the results of 2-3 games for hitters and a couple innings from pitchers serious... I just hope it isn't a sign of things to come in regular season gamethreads.

 

The last two years the team was terrible in the spring and then started the season out very slow....

 

This year they are having a terrible spring thus far...

 

[southsider2k5]

The last two years the team was terrible in the spring and then started the season out very slow....

 

This year they are having a terrible spring thus far...

 

It isn't all about record. KC led baseball in spring wins, and won 67 regular season games.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...rce=twitterfeed

 

Mitchell off to a fast start for Sox

 

The ankle injury Jared Mitchell suffered in spring training two years ago significantly affected his performance in 2011. (AP)

 

March 8, 2012, 11:39 am

 

JJ STANKEVITZ

csnchicago.png

It's just six at-bats, but Jared Mitchell's spring is off to a fantastic start. He has three hits -- one double, one homer, one single -- but more importantly, he's looked healthy. In Monday's spring training opener, Mitchell hit a liner that caromed off the second base bag into short right field, and he legged out the play for a double.

 

Yes, his three outs this spring have all been strikeouts. Given that's been a problem for him in the past, those whiffs are something to note.

 

But really, the results aren't the most important thing for Mitchell. The ankle injury he suffered in spring training two years ago lingered through 2011, which saw him hit .222 with a .304 OBP while striking out 183 times. Perhaps more telling was that Mitchell only stole 14 of 20 bases -- this after swiping 41 bases in 53 tries between LSU and Kannapolis in 2009.

 

Consequently, Mitchell didn't crack Baseball America's top 10 White Sox prospects list and averaged a No. 11 ranking among four other major prospect lists. And that's in a White Sox farm system that's generally regarded as thin.

 

If Mitchell is healthy, maybe these six at-bats are what we can expect: Flashes of power, impressive speed and a lot of strikeouts. And some walks, too -- to Mitchell's credit, even in his struggles last year, he walked about once every 10 trips to the plate.

 

The White Sox don't know if he'll start 2012 at Single-A Winston-Salem or Double-A Birmingham. A handful of spring training at-bats, no matter how impressive, shouldn't be the deciding factor in the decision of the White Sox.

 

But if he's healthy, sending him to Double-A could be the call.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...mp;feedID=10338

 

A brief history of reliever-to-starter conversions

 

In two years pitching out of the bullpen, Chris Sale has been worth 2 WAR, a number he could double with some success as a starter in 2012. (US Presswire)

 

March 7, 2012, 10:15 pm

 

JJ STANKEVITZ

csnchicago.png

The White Sox decision to move Chris Sale to the starting rotation is clearly the right one. If Sale succeeds in the rotation, he'll provide at least double the value he would've as a reliever. But what are his chances of success?

 

Grantland's Jonah Keri looked at a dozen pitchers who spent at least two straight years pitching exclusively out of the bullpen before making no fewer than 20 starts the next season. And what he found was a mixed bag of results.

 

Seven of the pitchers were better as starters, while five were worse. But only two -- Braden Looper and Brian Tallet -- bombed in their moves to the rotation. And in the case of C.J> Wilson and John Smoltz, while they were worse, they still were very effective as starters.

 

And because they were effective as starters, they were much more valuable to their respective teams. In 2009, Wilson's last year as a reliever, he was worth 2 WAR to Texas (per FanGraphs). In 2010, his first year as a starter, Wilson was worth 4.6 WAR, and he followed that up with a 5.9 WAR in 2011.

 

Wilson had better results as a reliever, but when you're throwing three times the innings, you're going to provide much more value to a team.

 

While Sale may not triple his 2011 innings total of 71, he should at least double it. And while he probably won't have a 2.79 ERA as a starter, even an ERA in the high-three range could double or triple his value.

[Balta1701]

Ok Brooks, you win.

 

[Balta1701]

[Balta1701]

Phil Rogers rights the "Dunn Fresh start" article after his HR yesterday.

 

I wonder how much of that he had written 2 months ago.

[Balta1701]

Gonzo.

Left-hander Hector Santiago passed another test Thursday in his quest to land a middle relief role with the White Sox.

 

Santiago started and pitched two scoreless innings against a veteran-filled Rangers lineup in the Sox's 6-3 win. Santiago struck out three, including slugger Nelson Cruz on a screwball with runners at first and second to end the first inning.

 

"From seeing some of the swings and some of the faces on these guys after they saw it, it was something they haven't seen or was odd to them," Santiago said of the screwball, a pitch that breaks away from right-handers when thrown by a lefty.

 

Santiago has impressed since the start of spring training but isn't consumed with his roster status.

 

"He's a bulldog," manager Robin Ventura said after earning his first exhibition win. "I've seen him a few times now. He doesn't back down."

Also some Dan Johnson talk in ther.e

[southsider2k5]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/11158635-45...of-passage.html

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Three guys from Nike were handing A.J. Pierzynski various pieces of apparel for his ­consideration Thursday morning. It looked like bridal-shop employees converging on someone who had asked if there was anything available in white.

 

The men were long-time acquaintances of the White Sox catcher, and this had become something of a yearly ritual: They would show him prototypes of shirts, shorts and sunglasses, and he would tell them what worked and what didn’t from the perspective of someone who makes a living in a squat position.

 

It’s one of the nice things about being 35. The opinions of a guy who has seen it all tend to be in ­demand. In the Sox’ spring-training clubhouse, a few younger players sneaked looks as he talked with the Nike people. They want to be like him. Actually, they’d like his roster spot.

 

But Pierzynski hasn’t lost the memory of what it was like to be one of them, a wide-eyed ­newcomer to a big-league camp. You might grow out of the intense feelings of excitement, possibility and ­trepidation, but they never completely leave you.

 

In 1998, Pierzynski was a 21-year-old catcher who had spent three years working his way up from rookie ball to low Single-A to high Single-A in the Twins’ farm system. Getting an invitation to spring training in Ft. Myers, Fla., was the first solid evidence that baseball on the biggest stage was a real possibility.

 

“I remember the first few days being pretty nervous and not ­really knowing what was going on,’’ he said. “I was young. They still had veterans like [Paul] Molitor and [Terry] Steinbach and [bob] Tewksbury. Mike Morgan had been in the big leagues longer than I had been alive. The veterans were like, ‘Don’t talk, just watch the way we go about it.’

 

“It was exciting. Your first big-league camp, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m close to making it to the big leagues.’ That’s the dream of every kid who plays baseball. That was cool.’’

 

He played in his first spring-training game against the Orioles in Ft. Lauderdale. The memory is in high-def and surround sound. He replaced an injured catcher in the third inning. When he got behind the plate, the stadium ­announcer said, “Now batting, Cal Ripken Jr.’’ At that point, Ripken had played in 2,543 regular-season games.

 

“It was amazing,’’ Pierzynski said. “You’re like, ‘Oh, man, he’s standing right here.’ He came up and said, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ ’’

 

Well, seeing as how a future Hall of Famer had just said hello to a guy who had spent much of his minor-league career on buses headed for small towns, it was ­going smashingly.

 

Pierzynski’s confidence ­underwent non-elective surgery that spring.

 

“I was young and dumb and didn’t know any better,’’ he said. “I was like, yeah, I can play with these guys. Then you go out and see how good the veteran guys are and how much they knew and how hard they worked.’’

 

That was the epiphany. He saw what it took to be a big-league player. Not lots of free Nike ­apparel. Lots of sweat.

 

“I saw how hard you have to work to keep coming back to these camps, how hard each day is and how much you have to put into each day,’’ he said. “I didn’t know. When you’re young, you think it’ll all just work out. You learn how hard it is to get here and to stay here. It’s a 24-hour-a-day job now. You can never stop. You have to stay on top of everything.’’

 

This is Pierzynski’s 15th big-league camp as he heads for his 12th big-league season. He wants to play for as long as he can, but he also wants to help younger players along the way. It’s what might be considered an inherent conflict. Those same players he’s helping — they want his job, correct?

 

“When I was in Minnesota, they had Joe Mauer, and he was right behind me,’’ he said. “Here it’s [Tyler] Flowers and [Michael] Blanke and [Josh] Phegley. There’s a cycle, and you try to teach them as much as you can.

 

“People say, ‘Oh, it’s a fine line.’ No, you want to help these young kids get better because if they’re not on this team, they can help another team. As long as they go about their business right, you want to see people succeed.’’

 

Pierzynski split his time in the minors in 1998 between Double-A and Triple-A and was a September call-up for the Twins. He made it to the majors for good in 2001. He brought the lessons of his first spring training with him.

[YASNY]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/11158635-45...of-passage.html

 

Great read.

[sunofgold]

Santiago would be a good fit for our bullpen. A lefty to replace the departure of Sale from the bullpen. And able to get a righties out. Would allow Ventura to use him in different situations. Concur?

 

[southsider2k5]

Santiago would be a good fit for our bullpen. A lefty to replace the departure of Sale from the bullpen. And able to get a righties out. Would allow Ventura to use him in different situations. Concur?

 

The Sox have already been quoted as saying they want their last guy out of the pen to be a multi inning guy. Santiago fits that mold.

[sunofgold]

Love the screwball!

Edited March 9, 2012 by sunofgold

[103 mph screwball]

Love the screwball!

Thanks man!

[caulfield12]

The Sox have already been quoted as saying they want their last guy out of the pen to be a multi inning guy. Santiago fits that mold.

 

 

Two of them, with the other possibly being Axelrod or Castro, and uncertainty surrounding Zach Stewart's future as a starter/reliever.

 

 

[Springfield Soxfan]

Phil Rogers tweet that there were twelve scouts watching Gavin Floyd today......

[caulfield12]

Well, we started out 0-4 in the spring of 2007.

 

That was certainly not a positive harbinger of things to come. Let's hope there is no correlation this time.