Chris Sale is now the CLOSER?!/Until he's not (Update)

[mcgrad70]

Yep, and said he's 100% behind the decision

 

To have him disagree with management would be real news..but of course if goes Harry on them, he's out the door.

 

Edited May 5, 2012 by mcgrad70

[caulfield12]

"Some can and some can't," Sale said of the transition. "I wouldn’t say that I can't, but this year it’s not in the cards. It’s something I’d like to get back to doing.

 

Sounds pretty darned definitive that this is not just a temporary situation.

 

Maybe he's been talking to his family and they suggested he do something before he suffered the same fate as Peavy.

[jamesdiego]

Maybe they want to give him time to work on his mechanics. Try and get rid of his inverted W like Brandon McCarthy was able to. And if he can, maybe they'll give him another shot at starting. And if he can't, then he's a reliever for good.

[justBLAZE]

Maybe they want to give him time to work on his mechanics. Try and get rid of his inverted W like Brandon McCarthy was able to. And if he can, maybe they'll give him another shot at starting. And if he can't, then he's a reliever for good.

 

You want him to work his mechanics you send him to AAA, I don' think you want this guy practicing in the 9th with 2 outs, bases loaded and Miggy Cabrera in the batter box

[Reddy]

this is the first time, in my 15 years of sox fan-dom, that i'm officially angry and pissed at the management. it's an idiotic decision from every standpoint. You think they moved Strasburg to the pen because of injury concerns? No. They let him get hurt, fixed it, and now he's super strasburg. If that had to happen with Sale so be it. We're not competing this and next year ANYWAY. Moving him to the pen destroys whatever value he had, because now what do we do with Reed? Waste HIM as a set up guy? Relievers are a dime a dozen. Ace starters to replace your face of the franchise guy who just left don't come along very often.

 

And lastly if you KNEW he was prone to injury, why not TRADE THE f***ER instead of destroy his value like this? You could've gotten a HAUL for Chris Sale, but no. This organization is run by a bunch of idiots, and now I'm really not interested in watching us this year and especially next year. The return of Danny Wright.

[Reddy]

"Some can and some can't," Sale said of the transition. "I wouldn’t say that I can't, but this year it’s not in the cards. It’s something I’d like to get back to doing.

 

Sounds pretty darned definitive that this is not just a temporary situation.

 

Maybe he's been talking to his family and they suggested he do something before he suffered the same fate as Peavy.

you mean the best pitcher in the AL this year?

[caulfield12]

this is the first time, in my 15 years of sox fan-dom, that i'm officially angry and pissed at the management. it's an idiotic decision from every standpoint. You think they moved Strasburg to the pen because of injury concerns? No. They let him get hurt, fixed it, and now he's super strasburg. If that had to happen with Sale so be it. We're not competing this and next year ANYWAY. Moving him to the pen destroys whatever value he had, because now what do we do with Reed? Waste HIM as a set up guy? Relievers are a dime a dozen. Ace starters to replace your face of the franchise guy who just left don't come along very often.

 

And lastly if you KNEW he was prone to injury, why not TRADE THE f***ER instead of destroy his value like this? You could've gotten a HAUL for Chris Sale, but no. This organization is run by a bunch of idiots, and now I'm really not interested in watching us this year and especially next year. The return of Danny Wright.

 

 

Don't forget James Baldwin, Jim Parque, Jon Adkins, Josh Stewart, Mike Porzio, Arnie Munoz, Felix Diaz and the Curse of the Missing 5th Starter (see 2003).

Edited May 5, 2012 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

you mean the best pitcher in the AL this year?

 

 

While we're at it, we might as well take the Pujols contract from the Angels. We wouldn't want CJ Wilson.

[Reddy]

While we're at it, we might as well take the Pujols contract from the Angels. We wouldn't want CJ Wilson.

i wouldn't put it past our joke of a GM.

 

yep. I've been a KW supporter all along, but I'm done with it. He needs to be gone. Reinsdorf needs to be gone. We need to blow it up. Yes, the sky is falling.

[caulfield12]

“It’s not disappointing to us; it’s disappointing to him because this was something he’s always wanted to do,’’ pitching coach Don Cooper said. “We’re not making this decision based on what’s best for the team because obviously he’s starting and doing well. ... We feel we’re doing what’s best for him, his career and his health. It’s the best way to keep him healthy and strong.’’

 

Sale has been the Sox’ second-best starter behind American League pitcher of the month Jake Peavy (4-1, 1.99 ERA), who gave up three runs in 72/3 innings and left with a 4-3 lead.

 

Sale pitched in the bullpen last year and saved eight games.

 

“Chris is going to be fine,’’ Cooper said. “He was upset. He wanted to continue to do this. But sometimes we have to make decisions based upon what we feel is best for that individual, and that’s what we did.”

 

Sale tried to make a case to stay in the rotation.

 

“I tried, but when you got professional guys who have been there and done that and know what’s going on, there’s really not much to fight,’’ Sale said. “I was more upset with myself and more disappointed in myself letting the team down. They kept reassuring me I wasn’t letting the team down.

 

“It’s a tough pill to swallow.”

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports

Edited May 5, 2012 by caulfield12

[Dick Allen]

If he has a bad arm, he has a bad arm. Shut him down and keep him at starter. How the hell will all the work a closer does help his arm??

Stone went over this last night. As a starter he throws 4 or 5 different pitches. He really only needs to throw 2 as a closer.

 

 

Its hard to understand how people can be up in arms the White Sox have decided to protect one of their players. Doesn't everyone realize the White Sox would rather keep him in the rotation and have him throw 200 innings every year? The bottom line is they don't think, like many other teams thought, he'll be able to hold up, and pushing it to find out for sure could ruin the kid's career. Let him be a great closer. Its not a wasted draft pick.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Dick Allen

[caulfield12]

Stone went over this last night. As a starter he throws 4 or 5 different pitches. He really only needs to throw 2 as a closer.

 

 

Its hard to understand how people can be up in arms the White Sox have decided to protect one of their players.

 

Because our two best young pitchers (Reed and Sale) are more or less worth (at least to our genius GM) one Nestor Molina. Maybe not even Molina, because we just raised a giant RED (not white this time) FLAG for all to see for any team who was potentially intrigued by acquiring him for something decent.

 

And, because we have no hope of contending with our rotation from here on out this season.

 

Other than that, everthing's great.

[Reddy]

Stone went over this last night. As a starter he throws 4 or 5 different pitches. He really only needs to throw 2 as a closer.

 

 

Its hard to understand how people can be up in arms the White Sox have decided to protect one of their players. Doesn't everyone realize the White Sox would rather keep him in the rotation and have him throw 200 innings every year? The bottom line is they don't think, like many other teams thought, he'll be able to hold up, and pushing it to find out for sure could ruin the kid's career. Let him be a great closer. Its not a wasted draft pick.

hahahaha this MAKES HIM A WASTED DRAFT PICK!

 

you don't draft closers in the first damn round and rush them to the major leagues. you just don't. and if all those other teams saw it and Kenny Williams DIDN'T, well then he deserves to be gone. Last straw, camels back, all that.

 

and you know what? TJ surgery wouldn't ruin his career. go take a look at mr. Strasburg's stats and get back to me.

[Dick Allen]

Because our two best young pitchers (Reed and Sale) are more or less worth (at least to our genius GM) one Nestor Molina. Maybe not even Molina, because we just raised a giant RED (not white this time) FLAG for all to see for any team who was potentially intrigued by acquiring him for something decent.

 

And, because we have no hope of contending with our rotation from here on out this season.

 

Other than that, everthing's great.

The Sox can have Sale close and Reed work in the 7th and 8th innings. You're making no sense BTW. You claim the Sox need Sale in the rotation to be any good, yet you seem more concerned with what other teams would be interested in giving up to acquire him. Who cares what other teams value him at? Closers are extremely valuable. The giant RED FLAG would have been Chris Sale undergoing surgery.

[Milkman delivers]

Yikes.

[Reddy]

The Sox can have Sale close and Reed work in the 7th and 8th innings. You're making no sense BTW. You claim the Sox need Sale in the rotation to be any good, yet you seem more concerned with what other teams would be interested in giving up to acquire him. Who cares what other teams value him at? Closers are extremely valuable. The giant RED FLAG would have been Chris Sale undergoing surgery.

 

this is the opposite of true. the very. complete. opposite. of. true.

 

[TaylorStSox]

Because our two best young pitchers (Reed and Sale) are more or less worth (at least to our genius GM) one Nestor Molina. Maybe not even Molina, because we just raised a giant RED (not white this time) FLAG for all to see for any team who was potentially intrigued by acquiring him for something decent.

 

And, because we have no hope of contending with our rotation from here on out this season.

 

Other than that, everthing's great.

You want KW to hide the problem, run the kid out there and further risk ruining his career, and then, trade damaged goods. Great f***ing idea. Step away from the computer, dude.

[Reddy]

You want KW to hide the problem, run the kid out there and further risk ruining his career, and then, trade damaged goods. Great f***ing idea. Step away from the computer, dude.

you have no idea how baseball works.

[caulfield12]

The Sox can have Sale close and Reed work in the 7th and 8th innings. You're making no sense BTW. You claim the Sox need Sale in the rotation to be any good, yet you seem more concerned with what other teams would be interested in giving up to acquire him. Who cares what other teams value him at? Closers are extremely valuable. The giant RED FLAG would have been Chris Sale undergoing surgery.

 

 

What starters will they be closing out any wins for this season besides Jake Peavy (and after he's traded to save cash, who then)?

 

Starters are 5-10X more important than relievers on rebuilding teams.

 

And taking Sale out of the starting rotation means we're 100% in full rebuild now. No going back. Santos was the first move, albeit idiotic. Signing Danks long-term makes even LESS sense now than it did when Sale was going to be a fixture in the rotation for years to come.

 

And Ventura doesn't even trust Reed, FWIW.

 

 

 

[Dick Allen]

hahahaha this MAKES HIM A WASTED DRAFT PICK!

 

you don't draft closers in the first damn round and rush them to the major leagues. you just don't. and if all those other teams saw it and Kenny Williams DIDN'T, well then he deserves to be gone. Last straw, camels back, all that.

 

and you know what? TJ surgery wouldn't ruin his career. go take a look at mr. Strasburg's stats and get back to me.

First off, how do you know he was headed to Tommy John surgery? We don't even know what's wrong with him exactly. If Sale spends his career closing and does well, you may call him a wasted pick, and you may say you don't draft closers in the first round, but you will also see the vast majority of teams, some who passed on Sale and some who picked in the first round after he was off the board, would have been far better off if Chris Sale, closer, was their draft choice.

 

Even if he need the TJ surgery and missed a year or so, why would that be the end of it? Do you see his motion? He was a top 3 pick that draft except for the injury concern.

 

Here are the White Sox first round picks since Larry Himes stopped drafting stars. You will see some wasted draft picks. He's already been more productive than 90% and his career has just begun.

 

 

2010 Chris Sale LHP Florida Gulf Coast University 13

2009 Jared Mitchell OF LSU 23

2008 Gordon Beckham SS Univ. of Georgia 8

2007 Aaron Poreda LHP San Francisco 25

2006 Kyle McCulloch RHP Texas 29

2005 Lance Broadway RHP TCU 15

2004 Josh Fields 3B Oklahoma State 18

2003 Brian Anderson OF U. of Arizona 15

2002 Roger Ring LHP San Diego State 18

2001 Kris Honel RHP Providence HS, New Lenox, 16

2000 Joe Borchard OF Camarillo, CA 12

1999 Jason Stumm RHP Centralia, WA 15

1999 Matt Ginter RHP Mississippi State U. 22

1998 Robert Wells RHP Baylor U. 16

1997 Jason Dellaero SS U of South Florida 15

1996 Bobby Seay LHP Sarasota, FL 12

1995 Jeff Liefer 3B Long Beach State U 25

1994 Mark Johnson C Warner Robbins, GA 26

1993 Scott Christman LHP Oregon State U 17

1992 Eddie Pearson 3B Bishop St JC 24

1991 Scott Ruffcorn RHP Baylor U 25

 

[caulfield12]

You want KW to hide the problem, run the kid out there and further risk ruining his career, and then, trade damaged goods. Great f***ing idea. Step away from the computer, dude.

 

No, if you were paying attention to your computer monitor.

 

DO NOT DRAFT PITCHERS WHO ONLY PROJECT AS RELIEVERS DUE TO THEIR MECHANICS AND/OR FRAME, NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY THROW OR IF THEY'RE LEFT-HANDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

How many major league teams do you know of that have drafted relievers in the freakin' first round THREE TIMES (Ring, Poreda and Chris Sale) in one decade, let alone ONCE? All supposedly hard throwers, all left-handed.

 

It's just stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

In fact, I'd rather they just did the TJ surgery today, and tried to get him ready to be a starter again in 2013 and 2014. He's worth pretty much nothing right now, about as much as Gordon Beckham.

Edited May 5, 2012 by caulfield12

[Dick Allen]

What starters will they be closing out any wins for this season besides Jake Peavy (and after he's traded to save cash, who then)?

 

Starters are 5-10X more important than relievers on rebuilding teams.

 

And taking Sale out of the starting rotation means we're 100% in full rebuild now. No going back. Santos was the first move, albeit idiotic. Signing Danks long-term makes even LESS sense now than it did when Sale was going to be a fixture in the rotation for years to come.

 

And Ventura doesn't even trust Reed, FWIW.

If Don Copper is the miracle worker you continously claim he is, finding a starter to take Sale's innings should be pretty easy. The fact is, Sale was going to be removed from the rotation in July or August even in the best cast scenerio.What has Don Cooper done with John Danks?

 

Sale, even if he's going to be used in the bullpen his entire career, was the best player on the board when the Sox drafted him. Look at the guys picked after him and tell me who is a better fit? The Cubs picked a college starter 3 picks later who has a 6.00 ERA for his career and he isn't out of A ball yet.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Dick Allen

[TaylorStSox]

No, if you were paying attention to your computer monitor.

 

DO NOT DRAFT PITCHERS WHO ONLY PROJECT AS RELIEVERS DUE TO THEIR MECHANICS AND/OR FRAME, NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY THROW OR IF THEY'RE LEFT-HANDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

How many major league teams do you know of that have drafted relievers in the freakin' first round TWICE in one decade, let alone ONCE?

 

It's just stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

In fact, I'd rather they just did the TJ surgery today, and tried to get him ready to be a starter again in 2013 and 2014. He's worth pretty much nothing right now, about as much as Gordon Beckham.

 

He was the 13th overall pick. It's not like he's Strasburg. The risk was worth taking and I'd take it again. Were you crying when they picked him? Most people weren't. The Sox will get more out of Sale than most teams will out of their 1st round pick.

[caulfield12]

If Don Copper is the miracle worker you continously claim he is, finding a starter to take Sale's innings should be pretty easy. The fact is, Sale was going to be removed from the rotation in July or August even in the best cast scenerio.What has Don Cooper done with John Danks?

 

 

Chris Sale has/had actual superstar talent and ability.

 

You can't take a Jeff Marquez or Dylan Axelrod or Nestor Molina and make them 1-2-3 starters in the major leagues. No pitching coach in history could pull that off.

 

Cooper has done nothing wrong with John. Danks is clearly having a dead arm period or more serious physical problems that no pitching coach could overcome.

 

 

THE ONLY hope I have for the starting rotation in the future is the possibility that Santiago and/or Castro can make it.

 

And after Zach Stewart's no longer with the White Sox, we'll see how many other teams pick him up and turn him into a 20 game winner.

 

 

[caulfield12]

He was the 13th overall pick. It's not like he's Strasburg. The risk was worth taking and I'd take it again. Were you crying when they picked him? Most people weren't. The Sox will get more out of Sale than most teams will out of their 1st round pick.

 

 

ONCE AGAIN, you have to LIKE ACTUALLY look at the future when you draft a kid.

 

KW was only looking at the short-term (as usual) time period of 2010 and 2011 when that draft pick was made, and bolstering the bullpen immediately, as well as signing someone for less money who wanted to get to the big leagues more quickly.

 

If he actually would have kept Jim Thome around, we probably would have won the ALCD in 2010 and it would have been at least somewhat logical.

 

 

As it now stands, it doesn't help us at all for 2013/2014/2015 and beyond. We already had Sergio Santos, who was cost-controlled and effective. Why do we need for our top two prospects to be relegated to the least valuable status possible for a team in rebuilding mode?

 

It's called planning and future projection.

Edited May 5, 2012 by caulfield12