Results tagged ‘ Chicago White Sox ’
Heisler to the DL, De Pinto back
Adam Heisler is headed to the DL with a knee injury (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
The Chicago White Sox have announced a pair of roster moves affecting the Winston-Salem Dash this afternoon which will shuffle around the Dash’s outfield a bit.
Outfielder Adam Heisler has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to May 20 with a knee injury. Heisler boasts the longest active on-base streak in Minor League Baseball, which sits at 41 games. Heisler reached in his final three games of 2012 while with rookie-level Great Falls before finding his way on base in all 38 games this year (19 with Low-A Kannapolis and 19 with Winston-Salem). Heisler has hit safely in 32 of these 41 games, during which he owns a .304 average (48-for-158) with 16 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
Heisler was injured while making a diving catch on May 12 in Potomac and has missed several games since, as Brian chronicled earlier today. The Dash’s primary center fielder since Courtney Hawkins landed on the DL earlier this month, Heisler has hit .280 with six stolen bases in 19 games following his promotion from Kannapolis on April 25.
To replace Heisler on the Dash’s 25-man roster, outfielder Joe De Pinto has been transferred back to Winston-Salem from Double-A Birmingham. In five games for the Barons, the former USC Trojan hit .375 (6-for-16) with a pair of RBIs. De Pinto started the season with the Dash and hit .158 in 10 games while playing all three outfield positions at least once.
The Dash will be looking to earn a series victory over the Salem Red Sox as they continue their three-game set from LewisGale Field tonight at 7:05. Join Brian here at 6:50 for the Pregame Dash.
- Rob
Updates on Hawkins, Heisler, others
Courtney Hawkins is slowly working his way back from a left shoulder injury (Dan Barber/W-S Dash).
Winston-Salem rolled the Salem Red Sox 11-1 last night in a series opener at LewisGale Field for their fourth straight win, which matches the Dash’s longest winning streak of the campaign. We touch on that blowout, along with a pair of important injury updates, today in the Dots.
DASH DOTS:
- Dash outfielder Courtney Hawkins, who has been on the disabled list since injuring his left shoulder on May 1 at Lynchburg, does not yet have an official timetable for his return. However, Hawkins has spent most of the last few weeks with the Dash, and he is slowly resuming baseball activities. The White Sox first-round pick in 2012, Hawkins has begun throwing and taking dry swings, but he has not hit in the cage yet.
- Hawkins, who hurt his shoulder while making a diving catch in left-center field, is going through his first full season in professional baseball, and this is obviously a setback. Still, the 19-year-old remains in good spirits and in the middle of the Dash’s activities. He is always at the cage during batting practice and near the coaches during each game. You can be sure that Hawkins is getting the itch to return to the field, but he is also soaking up as much as he can while absorbing the game from a different perspective.
- Another Winston-Salem outfielder is banged up a bit. Adam Heisler hurt his knee on a diving catch last Sunday in Potomac. He finished the game but then missed the following three games. The Mobile, Ala., native then played from Thursday through Saturday before missing the last two games as the knee injury continues to bother him. Dash skipper Ryan Newman says Heisler is day-to-day, so we will keep track of his progress.
- Heisler’s injury is noteworthy throughout the Minor League Baseball landscape thanks to his 41-game on-base streak, which is the longest current run in the minors. Barring a disabled list trip, Heisler will have the longest such streak until it ends because he has a pretty safe lead on his closest competitors.
- Rangel Ravelo has been on fire at the High-A level despite a trip to the DL. In his five games with Winston-Salem, Ravelo is hitting .625 (10-for-16) with eight RBIs and four runs scored. He is also a ridiculous 7-for-9 (.778) with men in scoring position.
- The Dash reached, matched or approached plenty of season highs in Tuesday’s thumping of the Red Sox. Jeremy Farrell became the first Dash swinger with four extra-base hits in a single game. The Dash have matched a season high with four straight victories. Joey DeMichele was the fourth man to swipe a pair of bases in one game. Winston won by 10 runs, which is the second-largest margin of victory this season.
- Don’t forget about the pitching side of Tuesday’s victory. Starter Chris Bassitt rebounded from his worst start of the season with one of his best. Bassitt now owns a share of the Carolina League’s wins lead with five. He and three relievers (J.R. Ballinger, Jarrett Casey and Jeremy Erben) combined on a three-hitter in the series opener.
The Dash are back at it tonight at 7:05 in Salem. Join me for the Pregame Dash at 6:50 here. Talk to you then.
- Brian
Roster moves and Community Build photos
This afternoon, the White Sox have announced a pair of roster moves affecting the Winston-Salem Dash. Infielder Rangel Ravelo has been activated from the disabled list after having recovered from a left thumb laceration that landed him on the DL back on May 5. Prior to his injury, the Miami, Fla., native went 4-for-5 in two games with Winston-Salem after starting the season with Low-A Kannapolis.
To make room on the roster for Ravelo, infielder Brent Tanner his been transferred back to the Intimidators. The former South Alabama Jaguar will be making his second trip to Kannapolis after Ravelo’s initial call-up from the Intimidators saw Tanner go the other way back on May 2. In his two stints in Winston so far this year, Tanner is hitting .333 with three RBIs in 13 games.
In other news, the Dash held their annual Community build in conjunction with Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County today. Several Dash players were on hand to pitch in for a great cause. Here are some photos from their efforts:
Being on the disabled list didn’t stop Courtney Hawkins from helping out this morning.
Last night’s winning pitcher, Terance Marin, hammers away at a piece of sheet metal.
Right-hander Cody Winiarski showed off his handiwork this morning, too.
Righty Jason Van Skike lends a helping hand with some flooring panels.
The Dash continue their three-game series with the Potomac Nationals tonight, with first pitch set for 7 at BB&T Ballpark. Join me here at 6:45 for the Pregame Dash. Talk you to then!
- Rob
(Thanks to Nikki Caldwell for the photos from today’s event)
Dash to a million: Notable players
Since it opened in April of 2010, there have been numerous great players to play on BB&T Ballpark’s field. Here we have compiled a list of the some of the greatest players to play here in the park’s short history:
Jackie Bradley, Jr.: A member of the 2012 Salem Red Sox and the 2012 Carolina League All-Star team, Bradley was the Opening Day left fielder for the Boston Red Sox this year.
Dylan Bundy represented the Frederick Keys at last year’s All-Star Game (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
Dylan Bundy: The right-hander made 12 starts for the Frederick Keys last year, and tossed a scoreless inning for the Carolina League in last year’s All-Star Game. He came into 2013 as the number two rated prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America.
Adam Dunn: The slugger came with the White Sox when they played the Dash at BB&T Ballpark in an exhibition game prior to the 2011 season. Mostly a designated hitter the last several years, Dunn had a string of five consecutive seasons with 40 or more home runs from 2004-2008 and is fifth among active players with 413 career home runs.
Billy Hamilton: The speedster represented the Bakersfield Blaze on the California League All-Star team last season and stole two bases in the first inning of the All-Star Game. Hamilton set a record for stolen bases in a minor league season in 2012 with 147 swipes.
Eric Hosmer: Now in his third season as the everyday first baseman for the Kansas City Royals, Hosmer played in the Carolina League with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2009 and 2010. In 2010, he won the league’s batting title after posting a .354 average.
Paul Konerko, who played against the Dash here in 2011, is one of the best hitters of his generation.
Paul Konerko: Now in his 17th season in the big leagues, Konerko was another member of that 2011 White Sox squad that played at BB&T Ballpark in March of that year. The first baseman has 1,352 RBIs in his career, ranking him fifth among all active players.
Manny Machado: A shortstop while coming through the Baltimore Orioles’ system, the 2011 Key alum made the big leagues late last season where he played down the stretch and in the playoffs at third base. Now in his first full season with the Orioles, Machado is the team’s regular third baseman.
Wil Myers: The 2012 Minor League Player of the Year, Myers applied his trade for a long time in the Kansas City system before being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays this past off-season. Considered one of the best hitting prospects in the game, Myers hit .346 in 58 games for the Blue Rocks in 2010.
Addison Reed: Now the closer for the White Sox, the hard-throwing righty had a brief stint with the Dash during the 2011 season. Reed appeared in 15 games out of the Winston-Salem bullpen, posting a 1.59 ERA in 28.1 IP.
Anthony Rizzo: Now the proud owner of a new contract extension that will keep him with the Chicago Cubs through at least 2019, Rizzo was once a Red Sox farmhand. The first baseman played for Salem in 2009 and 2010 before being traded to San Diego in the Adrian Gonzalez deal, and eventually to the Cubs prior to 2012.
A record-setting crowd watched Chris Sale make his professional debut on July 2, 2010.
Chris Sale: On July 2, 2010 the southpaw made his professional debut here at BB&T Ballpark in front of what was then the highest attendance in the park’s history at 7,268. Sale would reach the big leagues later in the 2010 season, and is now the ace of the White Sox rotation. In his most recent outing, he nearly threw a perfect game against the Angels.
Andrelton Simmons: The shortstop hit .311 during the 2011 campaign as a Lynchburg Hillcat, and also did some damage as a Hillcat in the 2012 Carolina League Playoffs while on a rehab assignment. Simmons hit two home runs in the playoffs including one against the Dash in the Mills Cup Finals. He is now the regular starting shortstop for the Atlanta Braves.
Come join us tonight as we celebrate the one millionth fan in BB&T Ballpark’s history! One lucky fan will be randomly selected to play a game of chance to win either one million dollars, a two-year lease on a vehicle from Flow Auto, or two Dash tickets for life!
If you can’t make it to the park, join me here at 6:45 for the Pregame Dash with first pitch to follow at 7. Tonight’s game will also be broadcast on 600-AM WSJS in the Winston-Salem area. Talk to you then!
- Rob
Roster moves shuffle pitching staff
Myles Jaye has been called up from Kannapolis to start tonight (Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images).
The Chicago White Sox have announced four roster moves today that will affect the Dash’s roster. With Winston-Salem having an open spot in the rotation after both Terance Marin and Justin Collop were removed late last week, the Dash didn’t have a scheduled starter for today’s series opener against Myrtle Beach. To fix that, right-hander Myles Jaye is being called up from Low-A Kannapolis to start tonight and fill one of those two spots.
So far this year with the Intimidators, Jaye has pitched very well. The Fayetteville, Ga. native has compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.20 ERA in seven starts. In April, Jaye went 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA over 30 innings. Tonight will mark the former Toronto farmhand’s first career appearance in High-A ball.
The other new pitcher coming to Winston-Salem is not new to Dash fans at all, as righty Ryan Buch makes his way back to the Carolina League after spending parts of each of the last two seasons here in Winston-Salem. Buch was transferred from Double-A Birmingham, where he had a 4.91 ERA in five appearances out of the Barons’ bullpen. In his career with the Dash, the Monmouth University product has a 8-9 record and a 5.60 ERA in 33 appearances, 21 of which have been starts.
To make room for these moves, the Dash have sent right-hander Stew Brase back down to Kannapolis, where he appeared in 38 games last season. Brase started this season at extended spring training before making his way to Winston-Salem. In his time with the Dash, the La Grange, Ill., native sported a 5.19 ERA in six efforts out of the bullpen.
In addition to Brase’s departure to the South Atlantic League, Collop has been released by the White Sox. The former Toledo Rocket started six games for Winston this season, going 2-3 with a 5.79 ERA. He was Chicago’s sixth-round pick in 2009.
Join Brian and I here for the Pregame Dash at 6:45 p.m. as the Dash open up a three-game series against first-place Myrtle Beach. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Talk to you then!
- Rob
Busy Saturday brings four roster moves
The Chicago White Sox announced four roster moves today affecting the Winston-Salem Dash on a busy Saturday throughout the organization:
Daniel Webb earned his first promotion to Double-A on Saturday. (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash)
Right-hander Daniel Webb earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham, making him the third player from the Dash’s Opening Day roster to earn a promotion.
In his time with the Dash, the righty went 1-0 with two saves. He led the Carolina League in innings pitched (15.0) among pitchers who had not allowed an earned run. The Paducah, Ky., native will be making his first career trip to the Double-A level and will join the Barons’ bullpen upon his arrival.
As a result, side-arming righty J.R. Ballinger is heading back to Winston-Salem. Ballinger was promoted to Birmingham back on April 22. In his time with the Barons, the Moss Point, Miss., native made one appearance, striking out four in two and a third innings against Montgomery on April 25. Upon his return to the Triad, Ballinger will rejoin the Winston bullpen, where he only surrendered one earned run in four and two-thirds innings of work prior to his promotion.
A pair of former Kannapolis Intimidators, right-hander Brandon Hardin and outfielder Yoandy Barroso, are heading to the Carolina League for the first time in their careers. Hardin comes to Winston-Salem after pitching extremely well for the Intimidators in 2013. The former 10th-round pick has a 1-0 record with a microscopic 0.71 ERA in 2013 and will join a Winston-Salem bullpen which owns a strong 3.13 ERA so far this year.
Barroso will join Winston-Salem’s outfield to help fill the void left by Courtney Hawkins’ trip to the disabled list. A year ago with rookie-level Great Falls, Barroso hit .300, tying him for the third-best average among White Sox farmhands. This season, Barroso posted a .204 average and four RBIs in 17 games with Low-A Kannapolis.
The Dash continue their series against the Salem Red Sox tonight at 7:00 with Chris Beck on the bump for Winston. Join me for the Pregame Dash here at 6:45, or catch the live telecast on My 48 beginning at 7.
- Rob
Dashing to 600
While BB&T Ballpark approaches its one millionth fan, the Dash hit a different milestone last night in Lynchburg. For the 600th time, Winston-Salem’s franchise suited up with the Dash nickname.
The team became the Dash prior to the 2009 season, and the club boasts a 331-268-1 (.553) record in the Dash’s 600 total games (regular season and playoffs).
Here are some of the many accomplishments for Winston-Salem during the Dash era:
- The Dash lead the Carolina League in winning percentage (.553) and total wins (331) since Opening Day 2009.
- Winston-Salem has qualified for the playoffs in three of its four full seasons under the Dash nickname (2009, 2010, 2012). The Dash have also played in a pair of Mills Cup Championship Series (2010, 2012).
- The Dash finished the 2012 campaign with the best regular season record in full-season Minor League Baseball (87-51-1).
- Among Winston-Salem nicknames, the Dash have the second-best winning percentage. Only the Cardinals (.585, 1945-53) recorded a better one.
- A total of 13 Dash alums have played in Major League Baseball. So, Winston-Salem has churned out a big leaguer every 46 games since 2009.
- The Dash have also hosted an All-Star Game and an exhibition against the Chicago White Sox, both of which resulted in victories for the home team.
The only current Carolina League squad with a winning record against the Dash invades BB&T Ballpark for the first of a three-game weekend set tonight at 7. Join Rob and me for the Pregame Dash at 6:45 here. Here’s to 600 more!
- Brian
Hawkins to the DL and two other moves
Courtney Hawkins has been placed on the seven-day DL (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
While the Dash cruised to a 15-6 blowout over Lynchburg last night, the news was not all good for Winston-Salem. White Sox top prospect Courtney Hawkins made a diving catch in left center field to end the third inning. He was slow to get up, but the 19-year-old jogged off the field and into the Dash’s dugout.
However, David Herbek pinch hit for Hawkins in the top of the fourth. The White Sox have not disclosed Hawkins’ injury, but he has been placed on the seven-day disabled list, the team announced this afternoon.
In 23 games with Winston-Salem thus far this season, Hawkins is hitting .177 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs. His seven homers are one shy of the Carolina League’s lead. However, the former first-round pick leads Minor League Baseball with 45 strikeouts. Hawkins had been improving on his strikeout rate, though. He only whiffed four times in his last five games.
The Dash’s roster only contains two players who have been in the outfield for the majority of their minor league careers–Mark Haddow and Adam Heisler. For the time being, Dash fans should expect to see Grant Buckner, who has played 35 of his 174 minor league games in left field, shift from the infield to the outfield.
TWO MORE ROSTER MOVES:
The White Sox also announced that Brent Tanner has been assigned to Low-A Kannapolis in a move that will likely yield the Mississippi native some more at-bats. In eight games with the Dash this year, Tanner hit .417 (10-for-24) with three RBIs. Of his 10 hits, five of them were doubles. The former 32nd round pick had four multi-hit games in his seven starts, including a career-high tying four knocks last night.
Infielder Rangel Ravelo takes Tanner’s spot on the roster. Ravelo comes to the Dash from Kannapolis, where he hit .226 in 17 games before landing on the disabled list. A year ago, Ravelo was one of four Intimidators to make the midseason All-Star Team in the South Atlantic League.
The Miami, Fla. native was drafted by Chicago in the sixth round in 2010 out of Hialeah High School (FL). Born in Cuba, Ravelo has played both corner infield positions throughout his minor league career.
DASH ALUMS IN THE NEWS:
Chris Sale had a 2.25 ERA in four appearances for the Dash in 2010.
- Chris Sale picked up his third win of the campaign as helped the White Sox snap a three-game skid last night, giving up just two runs in seven innings of work against Texas. The southpaw struck out seven on the night, tying a season-high. Sale has now gone at least seven innings in all but one of his six starts in 2013.
- Despite the recent struggles of the Chicago bullpen, closer Addison Reed has just kept on rolling. After picking up the save last night, he is now a perfect nine for nine in save opportunities and his ERA is down to just 1.50.
- Dylan Axelrod continues to pitch well and have nothing to show for it. Back on Sunday, Axelrod turned in his third consecutive quality start for the South Siders, but he did not factor into the decision and the White Sox fell to the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite giving up three runs or less in four of his five starts, the righty has yet to earn a victory this season.
- After winning Carolina League MVP honors in 2012, Dan Black has picked up right where he left off this season for Double-A Birmingham. As a team, the Barons are leading the Southern League in batting average, and a big reason is Black, who sits fourth in the league with a .312 mark. Marcus Semien is not too far behind, currently sixth in the league in average at .303. In addition, Black leads the circuit in RBIs with 21 and Semien leads in hits with 30.
- The pitching staff has also been very good for Birmingham. The staff has been led by Baseball America’s number four prospect in the organization, Erik Johnson. The righty sits fifth in the league in ERA at 1.44 and is tied for second in the Southern League in strikeouts with 32. Another pair of Dash alums, Stephen McCray and Scott Snodgress, are tied for the circuit’s lead in wins with four apiece.
- Also, Jared Mitchell did this last week week for the Barons:
- While he hasn’t made it to Winston-Salem yet, Low-A Kannapolis right-hander Myles Jaye could soon be making his way to the Triad. Jaye is one of just nine starting pitchers in all of Minor League Baseball to sport an ERA under 1.00. Through five starts, he is 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in 30 innings of work.
The Dash are set to return to BB&T Ballpark for a six-game homestand tomorrow night, but first they wrap up their seven game road swing tonight as they go for a series split against the Lynchburg Hillcats at 6:05. Join Brian here for the Pregame Dash starting at 5:50.
- Brian and Rob
Roster moves and Dash alum update
Adam Heisler is the newest member of the Dash (Intimidating Insight blog).
The White Sox have announced a pair of roster moves this afternoon, affecting the Winston-Salem Dash. The White Sox promoted outfielder Adam Heisler to Winston-Salem from Low-A Kannapolis. In 19 games with the Intimidators, Heisler hit .324 with a home run, nine RBIs and nine stolen bases. The former University of South Alabama product, who was college teammates with Dash catcher Brent Tanner, is leading off tonight and will play left field.
To make room for Heisler, Chicago released outfielder Billy Rice. Rice hit .171 in 12 games with Winston-Salem in 2013.
It has been a busy week all around baseball, and there have been several Dash alums making their marks all across the baseball landscape. Let’s take a swing around the system to check in some of these former Dash players:
- Dylan Axelrod gave up just one run on three hits in six innings of work for his second straight quality start on Monday. He left the game with the lead, but the White Sox bullpen could not hold it, and Axelrod ended up with a no decision. Although he doesn’t have any wins yet, Axelrod is proving he belongs in the big leagues as Monday’s outing dropped his ERA down to 3.80. His next scheduled start is Sunday against Tampa Bay.
- Last Wednesday, outfielder Jordan Danks was recalled to Chicago from Triple-A Charlotte, where he was off to a hot start, hitting .333. Since his recall, the 2009 Dash alum is 2-for-7 (.286) at the plate in four games played. With Dayan Viciedo now on the disabled list, Danks figures to be getting even more starts for the South Siders in the coming weeks.
McCray went 9-3 with a 3.30 ERA for Winston in 2012. (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
- Dash alums have had a great week so far for Double-A Birmingham, as Erik Johnson, Scott Snodgress and Stephen McCray all pitched well over the last three days in Barons victories. It started on Monday, with Johnson twirling seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out 10 in a 3-1 win. Johnson is now 2-0 with a 1.07 ERA in 25.1 innings so far this year.
- Snodgress kept things going with a victory of his own on Tuesday. The former Stanford Cardinal worked seven innings as well, giving up just one run on his way to his third win of the 2013 season. The southpaw’s ERA is now down to 3.38 this year.
- McCray was the final member of the trio to pick up a victory, giving up just one run in six innings of work yesterday afternoon. McCray’s ERA is down to 2.57, and he has given up just two earned runs in his last three starts, covering 17 innings of work. He has picked up the victory in each of those three starts.
The Dash wrap up their eight game homestand tonight, with their series finale against the Lynchburg Hillcats at 7. Join Brian and me on 600 AM-WSJS at 6:45 p.m. for the Pregame Dash starting at 6:45!
- Rob
Winston-Salem bullpen changes a bit
J.R. Ballinger has made 52 appearances in his career for the Dash (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
The Chicago White Sox have announced two roster moves this afternoon that directly affect the Dash ahead of tonight’s series opener with the Lynchburg Hillcats.
Right-hander J.R. Ballinger has been promoted to Double-A Birmingham. Ballinger appeared in three games for Winston-Salem this year prior to his promotion. In those three games, he gave up one run in four and two-thirds innings while striking out three. He will join the Barons’ bullpen upon his arrival in Birmingham.
Ballinger has never pitched in Double-A even though he spent a short stint with Triple-A Charlotte in both 2011 and 2012. He joins a Barons’ squad that has 12 pitchers on its roster who played in Winston-Salem last season.
Another righty will take Ballinger’s spot on the Dash’s roster. Stew Brase comes to Winston from extended spring training in Arizona. Last year, the Charleston Southern University product went 4-7 in 38 appearances for Low-A Kannapolis. Brase holds a career ERA of 4.86 in the minors and will join the Dash’s bullpen when he arrives in the Triad.
Winston-Salem’s bullpen has been tremendous thus far this season. Dash relievers have a combined 2.28 earned run average in 51.1 innings. The ‘pen also boasts a strikeouts-per-nine-innings ratio of 10.5 (59 total whiffs).
The Dash open up a four game series with the defending Mills Cup Champion Lynchburg Hillcats tonight at 7. Brian and I will be on the air at 6:45 with the Pregame Dash here. Talk to you then!
- Rob
