John Danks

[Kyyle23]

Look, I'm not one to point at spring training numbers and say we need to panic, but holy christ he has been getting worse throughout spring training, and he just got lit up by the Knights. And he gave up a home run to Leury Garcia(that is really bad in case you don't know).

 

How much rope does he get before the Sox have to shut him down or send him down. Or put him down. The team can't afford to let their fifth starter obliterate the bullpen because he can't get through 5 innings.

 

What say you?

[flavum]

At minimum, give him 6 starts. Sale, Shark, and Q are the three we're relying on.

 

Anything before May 10th is a panic move.

 

edit--one caveat...unless his velocity is so low that a DL stint is needed.

Edited April 4, 2015 by flavum

[spiderman]

They're going to be patient with him. If he's bad early, they can probably find ways to skip a start here or there and work on any mechanical issues in a side session. They can also hide him on the DL if he's really struggling. Chances are, he'll mix in a few good starts with his usual stink bombs though. Ideally, he'll be a #5 starter, and bite the bullet in some of his starts to save the bullpen. I'm at a point with him where if he can pitch around 200 IP in that slot of the rotation, I'll take it.

[caulfield12]

Chacin, McGowan, Penny, Wandy Rodriguez, dumpster diving time.

 

I'd ALMOST say just throw Beck out there and see what he can do...but you just know that's not going to happen with Danks' contract.

 

Or Drabek. Or Carroll.

 

Or even Viciedo or Leury pitching.

 

 

I heard Adam Dunn's available as well...

 

 

[caulfield12]

They're going to be patient with him. If he's bad early, they can probably find ways to skip a start here or there and work on any mechanical issues in a side session. They can also hide him on the DL if he's really struggling. Chances are, he'll mix in a few good starts with his usual stink bombs though. Ideally, he'll be a #5 starter, and bite the bullet in some of his starts to save the bullpen. I'm at a point with him where if he can pitch around 200 IP in that slot of the rotation, I'll take it.

 

 

Except the problems, as we all know, really aren't mechanical ones.

[Vance Law]

Chacin, McGowan, Penny, Wandy Rodriguez, dumpster diving time.

 

I'd ALMOST say just throw Beck out there and see what he can do...but you just know that's not going to happen with Danks' contract.

 

Or Drabek. Or Carroll.

 

Or even Viciedo or Leury pitching.

 

 

I heard Adam Dunn's available as well...

 

Carlos Rodon

[Kyyle23]

Chacin, McGowan, Penny, Wandy Rodriguez, dumpster diving time.

 

I'd ALMOST say just throw Beck out there and see what he can do...but you just know that's not going to happen with Danks' contract.

 

Or Drabek. Or Carroll.

 

Or even Viciedo or Leury pitching.

 

 

I heard Adam Dunn's available as well...

 

All this name dropping bs isn't cute or funny, and adds little to the discussion

[AlSoxfan]

''And he gave up a home run to Leury Garcia(that is really bad in case you don't know)''...lol to funny

Good for Leury. I'm probably the only sox fan that likes him.

I'm not sure what you can do with Danks. I don't think the team will eat his contract so start him a few games an see what happens. Maybe by then we'll have Rodon ready to go and we can use Danks for long relief. I don't think Shark had such a good spring either. Maybe they would eat half his salary. I hear the Twins are looking for another starter.

[Dick Allen]

If it's time to talk about Danks it's time to talk about the rest of the rotation. Who cares about tonight? Abreu went hitless. A couple of relievers were terrible. THE GAME DIDN'T COUNT.Relax.

[Kyyle23]

If it's time to talk about Danks it's time to talk about the rest of the rotation. Who cares about tonight? Abreu went hitless. A couple of relievers were terrible. THE GAME DIDN'T COUNT.Relax.

 

K thx.

[RaySox]

I usually try not to worry about spring performances either but can't help but to worry about John Danks... He just doesn't seem to have it at all. I know these games don't count but I think this is still a relevant topic.

[caulfield12]

All this name dropping bs isn't cute or funny, and adds little to the discussion

 

 

Okay, fine, who's to say he wasn't working 100% on change-ups, cutters, slurves and all of his offspeed pitches? Or that he was working on pitching to one side of the plate or the other in terms of his command and mechanics?

 

Unless you watched every pitch of his entire outing, there's just no way to make any kind of determination.

 

Was it clear he was in "max" effort mode?

 

Is he going through the proverbial dead arm period?

 

We keep saying over and over again that spring training results don't count, and yet a lot of writers are super hyped about Courtney Hawkins because of his spring performance, just like Wilson Betemit or Ryan Sweeney in the past.

 

Was the strike zone tight? Was he falling behind hitters and having to come with his fastball?

 

There's no point in worrying until we know that he had any other goal than just reaching his pitch count.

 

 

I mean, why don't we keep Junior Guerra over Javy Guerra if we're going to evaluate the roster based on a game or two?

 

Why aren't we concerned about Jose Quintana after his last outing?

Edited April 4, 2015 by caulfield12

[Dick Allen]

K thx.

I can't see a veteran being too fired up about pitching or playing an exhibition game against the AAA

Affiliate after 6 weeks of spring training. No reason for your dick response. The bullpen was worse than Danks tonight.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Jerksticks]

I agree you can't lump Danks in with the "it's just ST" group of guys without at least a little hesitation.

 

Perhaps he's throwing crapballs all spring so no team can gauge him and hopefully he will be under-scouted for the first few games. I dunno, crossing my fingers he becomes Mr. Slowball.

[LDF]

At minimum, give him 6 starts. Sale, Shark, and Q are the three we're relying on.

 

Anything before May 10th is a panic move.

 

edit--one caveat...unless his velocity is so low that a DL stint is needed.

 

i agree with what you are proposing. KyYlE23 brought up a good point, as much as we, the fans hate to admit it, he may be a problem in the rotation.

 

he is a pro, so being motivated to pitch his best should always be on his mind, even if he was working on things during these spring games. but to use others performances to make a point, nah, if he got lit up, that is a problem.

 

again, he is a professional and should pitch his best. btw, i am a Danks fan and it is hard to keep rooting for him.

[maggsmaggs]

i agree with what you are proposing. KyYlE23 brought up a good point, as much as we, the fans hate to admit it, he may be a problem in the rotation.

 

he is a pro, so being motivated to pitch his best should always be on his mind, even if he was working on things during these spring games. but to use others performances to make a point, nah, if he got lit up, that is a problem.

 

again, he is a professional and should pitch his best. btw, i am a Danks fan and it is hard to keep rooting for him.

 

I don't think he may, he definitely is. He is the only one in the rotation that really doesn't bring anything to the table. Sale-Shark-Q are obviously top-of-the-rotation arms. Noesi, while still learning to harness his stuff, has stuff. He can reach the mid-90s, has a decent change-up, etc. Danks, meanwhile, does not have stuff anymore. His terrific change change-up that he used to have is mitigated by the 4-6 MPH he has lost on his fastball. He basically has become Mark Buehrle without the command. And Mark Buehrle without command is a reliever.

 

Unfortunately, the Sox hands are tied. He is due $28 million and he still is better than anything they have in Charlotte except for Rodon who not only needs to work on some aspects of his game in Charlotte, but also has a service-time issue. We are stuck with Danks for at least a month in the rotation.

 

If both him and Noesi suck, we have big problems. If just Danks sucks, then I do not think the Sox will hesitate to swap Rodon and Danks.

Edited April 4, 2015 by maggsmaggs

[LDF]

I don't think he may, he definitely is. He is the only one in the rotation that really doesn't bring anything to the table. Sale-Shark-Q are obviously top-of-the-rotation arms. Noesi, while still learning to harness his stuff, has stuff. He can reach the mid-90s, has a decent change-up, etc. Danks, meanwhile, does not have stuff anymore. His terrific change change-up that he used to have is mitigated by the 4-6 MPH he has lost on his fastball. He basically has become Mark Buehrle without the command. And Mark Buehrle without command is a reliever.

 

Unfortunately, the Sox hands are tied. He is due $28 million and he still is better than anything they have in Charlotte except for Rodon who not only needs to work on some aspects of his game in Charlotte, but also has a service-time issue. We are stuck with Danks for at least a month in the rotation.

 

If both him and Noesi suck, we have big problems. If just Danks sucks, then I do not think the Sox will hesitate to swap Rodon and Danks.

i totally agree with everything you said. i would keep him on a short, tight lease. this yr is not the yr to fvvck around with loyalty, but to put the best up there to make the playoff. this all goes back to my big arse rant of not being prepare, underestimating the team and that is for what ....... well i won't finish my point.

 

lets wait a few games and i can talk when i see results in a game situation.

[Dick Allen]

i totally agree with everything you said. i would keep him on a short, tight lease. this yr is not the yr to fvvck around with loyalty, but to put the best up there to make the playoff. this all goes back to my big arse rant of not being prepare, underestimating the team and that is for what ....... well i won't finish my point.

 

lets wait a few games and i can talk when i see results in a game situation.

The start before last, Danks was real good until he ran out of gas. Last night was a glorified intrasquad game. Taking anything out of it is crazy. He obviously isn't perfect, but he should be OK at the bottom of the rotation.

 

He gave up 4 runs in 4 innings last night prompting this thread. White Sox pitching gave up 6 runs the other 4 innings. The offense was terrible against AAA foder. The team was not thinking beat Charlotte last night.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Boopa1219]

Hope he pitches will enough that the Sox can trade him at the deadline, if they eat a good enough portion of his salary they could get a decent prospect, not Chicago "decent" but like a 10 to 15 system guy or INTL cap space.

[LDF]

The start before last, Danks was real good until he ran out of gas. Last night was a glorified intrasquad game. Taking anything out of it is crazy. He obviously isn't perfect, but he should be OK at the bottom of the rotation.

 

i hope that you are right about being ok.

 

my thing is, a pro athlete gives his best, and whether it is a glorified game or not, he should have done his best, that therein lie this problem was that his best???

[LDF]

Hope he pitches will enough that the Sox can trade him at the deadline, if they eat a good enough portion of his salary they could get a decent prospect, not Chicago "decent" but like a 10 to 15 system guy or INTL cap space.

 

still have faith in that trade.

[GreatScott82]

I think its safe to say that we are all worried about Danks. He has become the blackhole of this rotation. Every time I see him pitching these days, he is getting rocked. Its difficult to go from a mid-high velocity guy to a converted junk ball pitcher. Some pitchers can do this successfully, but John is having a very difficult time adjusting. I hope he figures it out. If not, upper management NEEDS to figure something out. I do get it about their hands being tied with his $28 million owed over this year and next, but they can't keep sending him out there if he continues to perform poorly.

 

My realistic prediction: He starts off the season going 1-6 and has a 5.56 ERA. The Sox will blame it on shoulder soreness and he will be put on the disabled list at some point, mid-May. This will be the green light to bring Rodon up for good.

 

My hopeful prediction: He figures it out at the start of the season, proves many wrong. Goes 3-3 and keeps his ERA at a respectable 4.00 which is okay for a 4th/5th starter. At this point, we all know he will not be earning the value of his contract so we will take what we can get from the dude.

[LittleHurt05]

I refuse to take much serious stock in any minor league performance. I think you have to give Danks the month of April to see what he can do. If he isn't a MLB pitcher at that point, then Hahn is gonna have to head up to Jerry's office and beg to waste a good chunk of money.

[Kyyle23]

I can't see a veteran being too fired up about pitching or playing an exhibition game against the AAA

Affiliate after 6 weeks of spring training. No reason for your dick response. The bullpen was worse than Danks tonight.

 

K thx

[Dick Allen]

K thx

Nice, a 3 year old on the site.