Last Friday against Texas, the White Sox used this pitching combination: starter John Snyder, set-up man Chad Bradford and closer Bob Howry.
Snyder to Bradford to Howry. What were the odds?
At this time last year, Howry and Snyder were working out the kinks at Class AA Birmingham and Bradford was 3-7 at Class A Winston-Salem.
But the Sox gave them a shot in the majors, and all three have flourished. Now the Sox would like to find a few more players for the future.
Major-league rosters expand Tuesday, allowing teams to add as many as 15 players. General Manager Ron Schueler said the Sox will promote only 4-6 minor-leaguers and they’re in no major hurry to do so. The Class AAA Calgary Cannons are in the thick of a playoff run and Birmingham’s Double-A season still has almost a week to go.
But when the new crop of players arrive, their presence should address some pertinent off-season questions. Such as: If the club doesn’t re-sign Robin Ventura, who will play third base? If the Sox move Greg Norton to third, who will man first? Who will round out the starting rotation? If Mike Cameron and Jeff Abbott aren’t the answer in center field, who is?
Look to the following list for clues. The players are ranked according to their chances of spending at least part of September in Chicago.
Jim Abbott, starting pitcher: Abbott’s return to the big leagues will be the feel-good story of 1998. Abbott will not only have overcome a birth defect (his right arm is stubbed), he will have resurrected his career after a two-year sabbatical.
Abbott appeared to be finished after going 2-18 with the Angels in 1996. He inexplicably lost velocity on his fastball and the subsequent pounding shrunk his confidence. But in May, Abbott asked the Sox for a tryout and his former team obliged.
After starting slowly, the 30-year-old left-hander has thrived, going 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA in his five starts at Calgary. His fastball still averages just 86-87 m.p.h., but he has improved his changeup and developed a slow curveball.
“You can tell he has had success by the way he does his work,” said Calgary pitching coach Kirk Champion. “And with the adrenaline that comes with facing big-league hitters, I think you’ll see more velocity.”
Abbott’s sense of timing couldn’t be better. Schueler was in attendance Sunday at Oklahoma City when Abbott pitched six shutout innings. It was the same day Tom Fordham struggled against Texas and was sent back to the minors.
That means Abbott could replace Fordham in the rotation and stay on schedule. The only hang-up would be a nagging groin injury that delayed Abbott’s Sunday start by two days.
“When we signed him, we said we’d give him every opportunity,” Schueler said. “With his work ethic and attitude, there isn’t a better person around. We want to see if he has something left.”
Mark Johnson, catcher: The 22-year-old Johnson is what scouts classify as a “quiet catcher.” He’s barely noticeable behind the plate because he calls a smart game and blocks errant pitches with ease.
“He’s one of the best receivers you’ll ever come across,” said Duane Shaffer, the Sox’s director of scouting. “He has very soft hands and picks balls like an infielder.”
He also hits like an infielder: with little power but a great eye for balls and strikes. Johnson’s on-base percentage (.448) is tops among Southern League players.
“He is very patient, always looking for a good pitch to hit,” said Birmingham manager Dave Huppert.
If Johnson continues to progress, he could be in competition with Robert Machado and veteran Chad Kreuter for the starting catcher’s job next season.
Brian Simmons, center-fielder: Simmons might have been recalled sooner if not for a groin injury that sidelined him for about six weeks. Simmons, a 24-year-old switch-hitter who starred at Michigan, is regarded highly within the organization for his intensity, speed and power potential.
“He is a tremendous defensive outfielder,” Shaffer said. “He studies the game and comes to play every day.”
Simmons, hitting .290 at Calgary with 13 homers and 10 stolen bases, was named the Southern League’s “Best Hustler” last year by Baseball America.
“He has a lot of potential,” Schueler said.
Mario Valdez, first base: Considering he played 54 errorless games with the Sox last season, the 23-year-old Valdez was a surprising cut during spring training. Though he’s still better known for his glove than his bat, Valdez has excelled at Calgary, hitting a team-best .333 with 20 homers and 79 RBIs.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” said Ken Williams, the Sox’s vice president for player development. “He has been over .300 all year and he’s hitting with power. And even with a (Wil) Cordero coming in, he still maintained his concentration. A lot of guys would have let that affect their play.”
Mike Heathcott, pitcher: The Chicago native got sent back down to Calgary hours after an impressive major-league debut against Texas. If the Sox want to add a reliable right-hander down the stretch, they’ll promote Heathcott.
Olmedo Saenz, third base: Saenz has responded well from a torn Achilles’ tendon to hit .313 with 27 homers and 98 RBIs. But the 27-year-old’s defense is still considered suspect. He has committed 21 errors at Calgary and has limited range.
“He made a play to save a win in a game I saw, though,” Schueler said.
Saenz dived to his left and threw from his knees in the ninth inning to preserve a one-run victory last weekend at Oklahoma City.
Carlos Lee, third base: Lee’s bat might be ready for the big leagues, but his glove is not. The big right-hander from Panama is hitting .301 with 19 homers and 95 RBIs, but his 34 errors are tops in Birmingham.
“He has made a lot of silly errors,” Shaffer said. “And he doesn’t have a lot of range. He has to be able to make that play (charging) in. We can’t give those outs away.”
Schueler likens Lee to Los Angeles’ Bobby Bonilla, a notoriously poor defensive player who earns a spot in the lineup because of his stellar bat.
Jeff Liefer, first base: The former first-round pick in 1995 has excellent offensive numbers (.291, 21, 89) and has made strides defensively since being moved from the outfield.
“The thing I like about him,” said Huppert, his manager at Birmingham, “is his power to the opposite field.”
Kevin Beirne, starting pitcher: Tall right-hander was promoted Monday from Birmingham to Calgary as a reward for his excellent season (13-9, 3.44 ERA). Beirne went through a dead arm phase recently, but has responded by hitting 93 m.p.h. with his fastball.
