MLB Team Report – Chicago White Sox – INSIDE PITCH
A rainout Wednesday and then an off-day on Thursday didn’t stop Sox’ business from happening, specifically with the team announcing that they signed their top two draft picks and will already start getting them acclimated into the system.
While getting the draft picks — especially the high picks — up and running is important for all organizations, it was even more critical for a Sox organization that is void of top prospects, and has been ripped for a weak farm system for years.
First-year general manager Rick Hahn insisted on the day he was announced the new GM that building up the farm system was one of his top priorities, and the hope is this year’s draft — starting with first-round pick Tim Anderson — will be the start of that rebuild.
Anderson was signed to the slotted $2.164 bonus for the No. 17 pick, making it official Wednesday, and while there are still some scouts that feel the Sox will eventually have to move him to the outfield, amateur scouting director Doug Laumann said Anderson will get every chance to prove himself at shortstop, no matter what outside opinions were saying.
Anderson said on the day that he was drafted that he felt he could be a major-league shortstop at some point, and that opinion was only strengthened with his name now on the dotted line.
“It seems a lot of people doubt me as a shortstop,” Anderson said. “I’m going to prove them wrong.”
The nice thing for Anderson is he will have time, especially with Alexei Ramirez locked in for the next few seasons, and Gordon Beckham always an option to move back to shortstop from second base. Beckham was an All-American shortstop at Georgia before the Sox drafted him.
Anderson wasn’t the only Sox draft pick with something to prove, with right-hander Tyler Danish drafted to be a starting pitcher, despite some feeling his unorthodox throwing style could be better suited for the bullpen.
Laumann heard those same criticisms about Chris Sale when the Sox drafted him, and while he initially spent his first two seasons at the big-league level as a reliever, he was made into a starter last season, landing a spot in the All-Star Game.
“We are going to hope that he’s a starter,” said Laumann of Danish. “You talk to the industry, and you talk to a lot of people. Was Chris Sale a reliever or a starter? There were arm-action questions. There were durability questions. We had a belief that Sale could be a starter. I’m sure a lot of teams in the industry are saying the same thing about this guy.
“He’s a 6-foot right-hander. There’s arm action. But the kid really, really can pitch.”
Both Anderson and Danish were expected to start playing this weekend in the Appalachian Rookie League.
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MLB Team Report – Chicago White Sox – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 28-35
STREAK: Lost one
PAST 10 GAMES: 4-6
NEXT: White Sox (Chris Sale, 5-4, 2.68) at Astros (Erik Bedard, 1-3, 5.34)
PLAYER NOTES:
–OF Dewayne Wise did some running prior to the White Sox playing the Blue Jays on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. He reported no issues with his left hamstring, which landed him on the disabled list at the end of May. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said the plan is to get wise on a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte soon. “He’s getting better.” Hopefully in the next few days we can get him to Charlotte and start him back playing again.”
–LHP Jose Quintana lasted 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs (two earned) in his start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. Quintana wasn’t at his best, allowing a pair of unearned runs in the second and two more on Edwin Encarnacion’s two-run blast in the fifth before leaving with a 5-4 lead with one out in the seventh. Quintana, who’d been getting a low 3.96 run-support average coming into the game, struck out five and walked just one.
–LHP Leyson Septimo was taken off the 60-day disabled list for a left shoulder strain and outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte by the White Sox on Tuesday. Chicago’s 40-man roster only has 39 players on it currently. Septimo made 21 appearances with the White Sox last season, logging a 5.02 ERA in 14 1/3 innings and has a 15.19 in seven relief appearances (5 1/3 innings) with Charlotte.
–OF Alejandro De Aza went 1-for-4 for the White Sox on Tuesday night against the Blue Jays at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Coming into the game, the White Sox lead-off man was hitting .388 (19-for-49) in his previous 12 games, with nine RBIs, seven runs scored and six walks. Chicago manager Robin Ventura likes De Aza’s approach at the plate a lot better recently than what he used to start the season. “Once you set the table, it puts a little pressure on the pitcher to make the right pitches. I think it just becomes contagious at that point. The last few games, the contact he’s made … he’s been putting it in play and using his legs.”
–RHP Nate Jones continued to be effective out of the bullpen for the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Jones, who’s struggled this season as compared to his rookie campaign last year, is starting to find his touch again on the mound. He now hasn’t allowed a run in his last five appearances and continues to bring down the 6.45 ERA he posted in his last 16 games prior to Tuesday’s outing. “He had a rough stretch to start the season, but the faith in him to get through it and turn it around (is what did it),” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. ?He has the stuff. It’s just one of those ruts that you go through. For us, he’s big out of that bullpen. He fills a lot of different roles, and for him to come back and kind of end that little rut that he was in, he’s confident going in there now.”
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I had (an in-between) hop. I had a choice to either try to make a ‘tweener hop and look like an idiot if I miss it or try and make the higher-percentage play and short-hop it. When I shortened the hop, I shortened the distance with the runner, so it sped things up. I never had a grip on it, and when he hit me, (the ball) came out.” — White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers on a 10th-inning play where he dropped the ball on the tag.
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MLB Team Report – Chicago White Sox – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Jake Peavy (non-displaced left rib fracture) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 5. He likely will have to go on a rehab assignment before his return, which could occur in mid-July.
–OF Dewayne Wise (strained right hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 30. He might begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte in mid-June.
–RHP Gavin Floyd (Tommy John surgery in May 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list April 28, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 7. He is out for the season. Recovery time is usually 14-19 months.
ROTATION:
LHP Chris Sale
LHP Jose Quintana
RHP Dylan Axelrod
LHP Hector Santiago
LHP John Danks
BULLPEN:
RHP Addison Reed (closer)
RHP Nate Jones
RHP Jesse Crain
LHP Matt Thornton
RHP Matt Lindstrom
RHP Ramon Troncoso
RHP Deunte Heath
CATCHERS:
Tyler Flowers
Hector Gimenez
INFIELDERS:
1B Paul Konerko
2B Gordon Beckham
SS Alexei Ramirez
3B Conor Gillaspie
DH Adam Dunn
INF Jeff Keppinger
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Dayan Viciedo
CF Alejandro De Aza
RF Alex Rios
OF Jordan Danks
OF Casper Wells
