John Danks should never start for the White Sox again

[ChiSoxFanMike]

Danks has been cooked for years. The only reason why he was still around after all these abysmal years was because of the $$$.

[BlackSox13]

Shades of Jim Parque near the end...will never forget that four homer game by Mike Cameron.

Neither will I because I was at that game.

 

As for Danks, yep he's about done. Time to move on and see if one of Turner, EJ or Gonzalez can step up.

[caulfield12]

Greg, it's not a matter of getting arm strength back.

 

It's the shoulder/capsule, which isn't nearly as resilient and has proven to be an enigma for even modern medicine and improved surgical technology/techniques.

 

The weird thing is there was a period there where he was consistently throwing 89-91 last year and even touched 92/93 on a few occasions. It's like that version completely disappeared at some point in the last 12 months, never to be heard from again. It's almost like his shoulder has deteriorated or he's hurt another part of his arm/elbow and is compensating for that.

 

At any rate, the end is near. Before the season, I would have said that they would try him over Jennings as the 2nd lefty/long man, but I'm not even sure that's a realistic option at this point with how well the bullpen has been doing and how unlikely it is that Danks can re-establish any value pitching in mop up innings out of the bullpen.

 

Sunk cost. Move on. Thanks for the memories in 2008, especially that Blackout Game. He'll always have that, and 2010 was pretty sweet, too. Both Danks and Gavin Floyd ended up being pleasant surprises and were main cogs in that rotation for a number of years while we held onto our 2005 core (probably too long, in retrospect).

 

It's a sad thing neither Danks or Brandon McCarthy have been able to stay healthy. Both have been snakebitten, especially McCarthy, but he's been able to bounce back when it looked like his career was on the ropes a number of times.

[flavum]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/danksjo01.shtml

 

When you look at his first few good seasons, they look very similar to what Quintana is doing now. But then he got paid, got hurt, and is just hanging around now. Pay him, and move on.

[Jose Abreu]

His ERA from 2013-2015 was oddly consistent.

[Special K]

Clearly the injury ruined his career. Tough luck. He's financially set and there's probably a club house or commentary job for him down the road.

 

Gonzalez looked decent. Just wondering, why won't EJ get a chance? Didn't he light it up last year? And how's he doing this year?

[SCCWS]

 

 

There are some creative things the Sox can do here. First, they have to decide who takes his rotation spot and I assume it is someone at Charlotte. Once you do that:

 

1. You can stick Danks in the pen as the long relief option. or

2. You release him and see if he gets picked up or

3. You release him, he doesn't get picked up and you send him down to Charlotte if he wants. Maybe he regains some consistency and would be another option should an injury occur.

 

[Dunt]

Not sure how EJ can be any worse than what Danks has been this season. If anything, stack them together like the Cubs were doing with Travis Wood so you limit exposure for Danks. It would help save the bullpen and give EJ some time to start showing what he's got.

[Dick Allen]

He looks like he lost about 10 lbs. from last year. I wonder if that has anything to do with the couple MPH he has lost on the fastball. Obviously when you are 16-7 and one guy is 0-4, there is a big problem with the spot. If he doesn't have control and falls behind, he gets hammered and that has happened each of his starts. From Robin's tone, it seems they are resigned to the fact they can't continue to trot him out there. Would he go to Charlotte? He certainly will make it through waivers. If he could get some control, he would be what he's been. Have some real nice games with the clunkers. But if he is always behind in the count, he's batting practice.

 

It's too bad he has zero command. He's seems like the type of guy who could get by with cunning and guile.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Dick Allen

[southsider2k5]

I wouldn't be shocked to see a DL trip first, with a rehab stint to see if they can fix him.

[flavum]

I know some of these options - DL, minor rehab, bullpen, etc. fall into the Sox Loyalty Program, but sometimes it's just over.

[Dick Allen]

The White Sox basically picked pre-injury Danks over Buehrle. The logic was pretty solid. The result wasn't.

[whitesoxfan99]

The White Sox basically picked pre-injury Danks over Buehrle. The logic was pretty solid. The result wasn't.

 

Yeah, there are contracts that are bad when they are signed (Pablo Sandoval with Boston) and then there are contracts and moves which are good when they are made but then become bad through unfortunate circumstances and that is the case with Danks. He was a really good pitcher before the injury that signed a deal that was probably below market to stay with the Sox long term. Then of course he had the shoulder injury and has been terrible since.

[Hawkfan]

This thread sucks. Danks4life. Or at least one more start.

[southsider2k5]

Yeah, there are contracts that are bad when they are signed (Pablo Sandoval with Boston) and then there are contracts and moves which are good when they are made but then become bad through unfortunate circumstances and that is the case with Danks. He was a really good pitcher before the injury that signed a deal that was probably below market to stay with the Sox long term. Then of course he had the shoulder injury and has been terrible since.

 

The tough part is that he has also been the ideal teammate. He's never tried to blame anyone else for his problems. He's never pouted or thrown temper tantrums. He has always taken the kids under his wing, even when they could be potentially taking his job. He wants nothing more to win and win with the White Sox. Reading those quotes from last night just tore me up inside.

 

 

[hi8is]

Somethings up with him and the writing is on the wall... Just the eye test alone says that there is something different with him between spring training and now. He had more command and more life on his fastball. Get him out now... As much as it sucks, it's time.

[bmags]

Yeah just a sad situation. I hope we do a DL stint first. I really don't think we are improving with any of our options. Definitely one egg short right now.

[southsider2k5]

Yeah just a sad situation. I hope we do a DL stint first. I really don't think we are improving with any of our options. Definitely one egg short right now.

 

That's just it. Everyone wants a change, but we are just swapping one poo filled diaper for another. I honestly think our next big move will be for a pitcher, not a hitter.

[Princess Dye]

Some Sox players (wrongly) surely feel LaRoche was forced out or something along those lines.

 

If Danks is incredibly popular amongst teammates, that gives you pause re: what it does to chemistry.

 

Maybe they skip him again and do that a few more times when they can. Use Gonzalez.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Jose Paniagua

[Sockin]

His fastball was in the mid-80s last night. I don't know how he's going to get anyone out with that stuff especially when he can't hit his spots. The Orioles broadcasters last night thought his fastball was his changeup.

 

I agree with putting him on the DL with something, put him in Charlotte after a few weeks and see if anything has improved. Then cut your losses if there's nothing.

[Harry Chappas]

With this defense is a call to MB an option........

[southsider2k5]

With this defense is a call to MB an option........

 

Knowing Mark, I just get the feeling he is done. I can't see him wanting to put in all of the work to get back into shape to pitch for a few months. If he had wanted to pitch this year, he would have done so.

[bmags]

We know what we need...it's time for the axeman to come back.

[oldsox]

He looks like he lost about 10 lbs. from last year. I wonder if that has anything to do with the couple MPH he has lost on the fastball. Obviously when you are 16-7 and one guy is 0-4, there is a big problem with the spot. If he doesn't have control and falls behind, he gets hammered and that has happened each of his starts. From Robin's tone, it seems they are resigned to the fact they can't continue to trot him out there. Would he go to Charlotte? He certainly will make it through waivers. If he could get some control, he would be what he's been. Have some real nice games with the clunkers. But if he is always behind in the count, he's batting practice.

 

It's too bad he has zero command. He's seems like the type of guy who could get by with cunning and guile.

You're right. He does look much thinner. Anorexia maybe?

[Texsox]

Knowing Mark, I just get the feeling he is done. I can't see him wanting to put in all of the work to get back into shape to pitch for a few months. If he had wanted to pitch this year, he would have done so.

 

Under the usual expectations that the team had going into this season I agree. Maybe that record makes MB start humming glory days* . . .

 

 

 

 

* leave me my dream.