Results tagged ‘ Chris Sale ’
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
Dash to a million: BB&T Ballpark in pictures
Since BB&T Ballpark opened on April 13, 2010, nearly one million fans have made their way through its gates. As we approach this milestone, we decided to take a look back at some of the best moments in this young park’s history.
The first fans make their way through BB&T Ballpark’s gates ahead of the first game in the park’s history.
Kenny Williams, the former White Sox GM and father of 2010 Dash alum Kenny Williams Jr., throws out the first pitch in BB&T Ballpark history.
Fans packed the seats and the left field berm for the park’s inaugural night with 7,111 in attendance.
The Dash and Myrtle Beach Pelicans played a 20-inning affair in the second game of a doubleheader on May 19, 2010, prevailing 4-3 when Ozzie Lewis scored the game winning run.
A tremendous crowd of 7,268 fans (the highest in the park’s history to that point) packed BB&T Ballpark on July 2, 2010 as Chris Sale made his professional debut. Sale is now shining in the big leagues.
Prior to the 2011 season, Winston-Salem entertained its parent club at BB&T Ballpark. The Dash bested the White Sox 3-0 in an exhibition game.
On July 5 and 6, 2011, Dash outfielder Nick Ciolli robbed a pair of home runs from Salem and Myrtle Beach, the latter of which would have been a grand slam. See both grabs here and here. (Photo via Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash)
BB&T Ballpark was jam packed again for the All-Star Game between the California League and Carolina League on June 19, 2012. (Photo via Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash)
Bolt got together with several of his friends to put on quite a show during last year’s All-Star festivities. (Photo via Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash)
After the Carolina League finished thrashing the California League 9-1, fans enjoyed a great fireworks show to cap off the week’s festivities. (Photo via Jody Stewart/W-S Dash)
Dash fans came out in droves on July 4, 2012, setting a BB&T Ballpark record with 7,285 watching the Dash take on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. (Photo via Jody Stewart/W-S Dash)
The Dash posted full-season Minor League Baseball’s top record in 2012, and Winston-Salem advanced all the way to the Mills Cup Finals. Kevan Smith clubbed a go-ahead homer in the Dash’s Game 2 win, and Daniel Wagner’s reaction in the middle said it all. (Photo via Dan Barber/W-S Dash).
Thank you to the best fans in Minor League Baseball for helping BB&T Ballpark become the fastest High-A facility to reach one million fans! Check back tomorrow for more BB&T Ballpark history.
- Rob
Chris Sale’s perfect game bid on Twitter
Dash alum Chris Sale had himself quite an outing tonight on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. If you know about it, relive the fun. If you have not heard about his effort, learn about it below.
Chris Sale: 11-3 with a 2.26 ERA in 17 career starts at home. 8-0, 3.12 ERA in career vs AL West #LAAvsCHW on ESPN
— Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) May 13, 2013
Chris Sale has a special message for all you moms out there. #SoxPride twitter.com/whitesox/statu…
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 12, 2013
#White Sox LHP Chris Sale perfect through four innings vs. #Angels. 0-0 tie.
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) May 13, 2013
Chris Sale has five perfect innings against the Angels and has thrown only 46 pitches. Has been as dominant as those numbers suggest.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 13, 2013
Chris Sale is straight dealing right now. He’s currently perfect through six.
— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2013
If Chris Sale completes the perfect game tonight, it would be the 3rd in the last 4 years for the #WhiteSox.
— Jonathon Shipman (@The_Ship_Show) May 13, 2013
Gotta love no one near Chris Sale but yet there’s a teammate on the bench with a catchers mask on. Superstition 1st…Clowning close 2nd.
— Paul Lo Duca (@paulloduca16) May 13, 2013
Perfect through six, Chris Sale getting plenty of space in the dugout.
— jon greenberg (@espnchijon) May 13, 2013
Former @wsdashbaseball pitcher Chris Sale is pitching well through six innings. #IDidntActuallySayIt
— Russell Parmele (@RParmele3) May 13, 2013
Ramirez saves the perfect game on a great play ranging up the middle and perfect throw to Konerko to get Callaspo
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) May 13, 2013
BREAKING: @trouty20 breaks up @whitesox LHP Chris Sale’s bid for a perfect game with a 1-out single in the 7th.
— MLB (@MLB) May 13, 2013
Fun while it lasted for Chris Sale.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) May 13, 2013
The 19 consecutive hitters retired by Chris Sale is a season-high for a CWS starter. Previous was 18 by Jose Quintana spanning two starts
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) May 13, 2013
Chris Sale is 24 years old. He’ll have plenty of opportunities at the elusive perfect game. What a phenom. #WhiteSox
— Mick Carlson (@M1cKmAcK) May 13, 2013
Great effort, Chris. Here’s hoping the White Sox can pull off the victory over the Angels.
- 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
March Madness and the week in Dash tweets
It’s been a busy week for Dash alums, players and fans on Twitter. Let’s see what everyone is talking about.
March Madness for Sale: In the same month that he signed a shiny new extension and was named the White Sox Opening Day starter, Chris Sale’s alma mater, Florida Gulf Coast, is making noise in the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles upset Georgetown and San Diego State during the tournament’s first weekend, becoming the first 15-seed to make it to the Sweet Sixteen in tournament history. With the two upsets, Sale believes Florida Gulf Coast will now be more respected in all sports, telling White Sox insider Dan Hayes:
“It’s awesome. I had nothing to do with it, obviously, but it just feels good. You come from a small school like that and everyone just kind of looks at us like a midweek prep game. ‘All right, we’ll get our win midweek and then we’ll get ready for conference play.’ I don’t think that’s the way it’s going to be from here on out.”
Making the victory extra sweet for Sale? Bragging rights over teammate Addison Reed and Hayes, both San Diego State alums. Hayes seems to be holding the loss against Sale a bit:
Will be tough to write nice things about Chris Sale after his school (FGCU) crushed mine. Ex: “Sale throws ugliest no-hitter in history.”
— Dan Hayes (@DanHayesCSN) March 25, 2013
Next up for Sale’s Eagles are the Florida Gators in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday night in Arlington, Tex.
Courtney Hawkins autograph error: A few days ago a funny picture made the rounds on Twitter depicting a Courtney Hawkins card that the young outfielder signed…backwards:
“@prospectinstnct: @chawkins10 you really sign this reversed?? twitter.com/prospectINSTNC…”<<lmao yea when you sign thousands you mess us some
— Courtney Hawkins (@CHawkins10) March 25, 2013
Surely the White Sox top prospect will get several chances to correct his mistake in the near future.
Tweets of the week: With the home opener against the Carolina Mudcats just 15 days away, Dash fans are getting excited for the season to being! Check out these Tweets from some fans!
A sure sign that summer is quickly approaching..@wsdashbaseball twitter.com/SheaMusing/sta…
— Kristin (@SheaMusing) March 27, 2013
Playing at the Winston Salem Dash field! 👌 #NotBad
— Spencer Odell (@spencer_tootall) March 20, 2013
There’s no Winston Salem Dash home game on my birthday this year :,( #21stBirthdayFantasyShatteted
— John Childers (@johngchilders) March 20, 2013
It’s great to see that the fans are as excited as we are for the 2013 campaign to get underway!
- Rob and Erika
Sale-ing through spring training
As we near the halfway point of spring training, many Dash alums are grabbing the headlines at White Sox camp in Glendale, Ariz.
Chris Sale had a 2.25 ERA in four appearances for the Dash in 2010, his first professional season.
Sale dominates in first outing since signing extension: Late last week, Chris Sale signed a $32.5 million contract extension that will keep him with the White Sox until at least 2017 and includes team options for 2018 and 2019. Sale followed that up with a win in his second outing of the spring Monday against Colorado.
The southpaw was efficient, allowing just one run on three hits, while needing only 58 pitches to get through five plus innings. The longest at-bat of the day was a seven pitch duel with catcher Yorvit Torrealba, who hit the seventh pitch out of the yard. Despite the home run, Torrealba had a lot of praise for the young lefty, telling MLB.com’s Scott Merkin:
“He throws almost sidearm, and his delivery is kind of weird, too. You’ve got to give credit to the guy. He’s got a good changeup and a nasty slider. The ball’s moving a lot, especially when he goes away to righties. It seems the ball keeps running away.”
Through two starts this spring, Sale is now 1-0 with a 1.23 earned run average.
Marcus Semien spent all of 2012 in Winston-Salem. (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
White Sox make 10 roster moves on busy Monday: Following yesterday’s 3-1 win over Colorado, the White Sox made 10 roster moves. Among the moves, Winston-Salem alums Stefan Gartrell, Erik Johnson, Seth Loman, Marcus Semien, Scott Snodgress, Trayce Thompson and Keenyn Walker were all reassigned to minor league camp. Here are their stats with the White Sox in spring training:
- Gartrell: 3-13 (.231), 1 HR, 3RBIs
- Johnson: 3 outings, 6.1 IP,4 Ks, 8.53 ERA
- Loman: 7-20 (.350), 2 HRs, 9 RBIs
- Semien: 5-11 (.455), 1 HR, 4RBIs
- Snodgress: 3 outings, 5.0 IP, 3 Ks, 5.40 ERA
- Thompson: 0-14 (.000), 1 RBI, 1 SB
- Walker: 5-20 (.250), 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 SB
The White Sox also optioned RHP Nestor Molina to Double-A Birmingham and RHP Simon Castro and LHP Santos Rodriguez to Triple-A Charlotte. Rodriguez, a member of the Dash in both 2010 and 2011, appeared in four games and tossed two and two-thirds innings for the White Sox this spring.
Mitchell standing out for White Sox: In 11 games for the White Sox this spring, outfielder Jared Mitchell is hitting .393 with one home run and five RBIs. His speed his also been a major weapon, notes White Sox insider Dan Hayes:
Jared Mitchell with a triple. He ended last inning with a diving catch. #WhiteSox have liked what they’ve seen from his this spring.
— Dan Hayes (@DanHayesCSN) March 9, 2013
Despite his impressive play this spring, Mitchell will be starting the season with Triple-A Charlotte, according to new White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn. Hahn did tell CBS Chicago’s Adam Hoge he doesn’t believe Mitchell’s time is too far away:
“The key for him will be when he gets to Charlotte to keep doing what he’s doing here. And if he’s able to put together a solid first half, it’s conceivable he could help us in the second half of this year and certainly he’s on track to help us in 2014.”
Whether or not Mitchell does make it to the South Side this summer, it certainly will not be too long before the Dash can count him among their big league alums.
- Rob
Spring Training Updates
Andre Rienzo and a few other former Dash hurlers are getting a longer look in spring training (Kevin Hartley/W-S Dash).
Baseball is certainly in the air. Single-game tickets for the Dash’s 2013 season went on sale today, and White Sox pitchers and catchers have made their way to spring training, with position players slowly trickling in each day.
Here are a few stories of interest for White Sox and Dash fans coming out of Glendale, Ariz.:
Extended look for Dash pitching alums: Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune wrote about White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper’s plan to space out the work of the club’s rotation early on in spring training. Former Winston-Salem southpaw Chris Sale will make his first spring start March 1, which is six days after the Sox first exhibition affair. As a result, a few Winston-Salem alums will benefit, per Gonzales:
The planned delay allows Cooper and the Sox staff to take a longer look at prospects Erik Johnson, Scott Snodgress, Andre Rienzo and Simon Castro, as well as left-hander Hector Santiago, who currently is being viewed as more of a reliever but could start if Danks isn’t ready.
Gonzales also tweeted this about Johnson and Snodgress Tuesday:
Snodgress and johnson made favorable impressions on Cooper in first pens
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) February 12, 2013
It certainly is great to see a handful of former Winston-Salem arms receive some praise and attention in big league camp.
Mitchell likely ticketed for Triple-A: According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, former Dash outfielder Jared Mitchell will probably begin the season in Triple-A Charlotte. However, the former first-round pick has improved with the offensive side of his game, and White Sox officials have noticed. Still, it looks like a return to the International League is in store for Mitchell:
“Stranger things have happened, but I don’t see us taking him come the end of spring,” said White Sox general manager Rick Hahn, who agreed with Mitchell in that simple repetition at the plate has helped him improve. “Instead, he’ll be playing on an everyday basis at [Triple-A] Charlotte, pushing us to hopefully bring him up based on his performance as the season goes on.”
Mitchell’s batting average climbed a bit over the last two seasons. He hit .222 in 129 games with Winston-Salem in 2011, while the LSU product mustered a .237 mark in 130 games between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte in 2012.
Gearing up for Arizona: A few other familiar faces to Dash fans are ready for their trip to spring training.
2 days left.. Arizona see you soon.!!
— Carlos Sanchez (@CarlosSan29) February 13, 2013
Couple days and I’ll be in Arizona for my first spring training can’t wait @whitesox @mlb #southside
— Courtney Hawkins (@CHawkins10) February 13, 2013
21 days and counting til I’m back in Arizona on the #grind guess ill see where I stand soon. #believe in urself
— brady shoemaker (@this_is_BS21) February 13, 2013
The season opens in exactly 50 days in Zebulon, with the home opener seven days later. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Enjoy your time with that special someone.
- Brian
Counting Down To The Home Opener
If you follow our social media accounts (especially our new Instagram feed), you have probably noticed that we have begun a countdown in advance of the Dash’s home opener Friday, April 12. We are now 86 days away from the first game at BB&T Ballpark in 2013.
We have spun each day in the countdown to something in Winston-Salem baseball history. Occasionally on the blog, we will rehash the recent numbers, and here is our first look back at the countdown.
100 – Instead of a stat, we provided the picture below (and here on Instagram).
99 – After missing the 2011 campaign due to injury, Kyle Bellamy returned to Winston-Salem at the beginning of 2012. Opponents hit just .182 against Bellamy in 99 at bats.
98 – Scott Snodgress dominated the Carolina League after a July promotion from Low-A Kannapolis. He posted a 4-0 record and a 1.50 ERA to go along with a 0.98 WHIP.
97 – Carlos Lee is one of two Winston-Salem alums who is both currently in the big leagues and has made an All-Star Game (Chris Sale is the other). Lee played with the Warthogs in 1997.
96 – In his MVP season of 2011, Ian Gac drove in 96 runs for the Dash.
The Spirits won the CL crown in 1993.
95 – In 1995, the Winston-Salem franchise became the “Warthogs,” a nickname that stuck until the team became the Dash in 2009.
94 – All-Star Brady Shoemaker notched 94 hits in Winston-Salem before his midseason promotion to Double-A Birmingham.
93 – The Winston-Salem Spirits won the Carolina League title in 1993.
92 – From last season’s team, the only player who was born in 1992 was Carlos Sanchez, who proved to be one of the CL’s top prospects.
91 – The Carolina League rolled the Carolina California League 9-1 in the 2012 Midsummer Classic at BB&T Ballpark.
90 – Speaking of scores, the Dash took the deciding Game 3 of the Southern Division Championship Series 9-0 against Myrtle Beach.
89 – Brent Morel, who returned to Winston-Salem for a rehab assignment this season, wore number 8 while with the Dash in 2009.
88 – The CL’s MVP this season, Dash first baseman Dan Black, drove in 88 runs.
87 – Winston-Salem posted the best record in full-season minor league baseball last year (87-51).
86 – Cyle Hankerd mustered 86 hits in just 71 games with the Dash this past season.
Those are 15 of our Dash-themed numbers. Do you have any ideas for numbers 85 to 1? Let us know in the comments or via Twitter. Baseball will be back before you know it!
- Brian
From Draft to Dash
The MLB First-Year Player Draft is an interesting entity. The sheer quantity of players taken and lack of immediate impact on the major league level makes it difficult for fans to become invested in an organization’s picks once they are drafted. Where the majority of players do have an impact is at the minor league level. The 2012 draft currently in progress is the first one affected by rule changes that could expedite the path of players drafted through the lower levels of the minor leagues and potentially allow 2012 draft picks to spend time with the Dash this season.
Signing Deadline Moved Up-From 2007 through last year, the deadline to sign draft picks was August 15, two-and-a-half months after the draft and at essentially at the end of the minor league season. A draftee who waited until the deadline to sign most times did not even play that year. That was the situation for the fourth overall pick in 2011 Dylan Bundy, who we spoke to last week. The deadline is now July 13, around one month after the draft and with plenty of time left in the minor league season.
Last year all of the White Sox top seven draft picks had signed by July 20. However, they avoided taking any high school players. This year the White Sox top two picks are both high school players. Even if they sign, the high school players will not be with the Dash this season but early round college players certainly might end up in Winston-Salem by the end of the year.
Marcus Semien (right) has climbed through Chicago’s system quickly, which may become more of a trend (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
Current Dash infielder Marcus Semien was drafted in the sixth round last season and signed on June 30. He played in 60 games last season for Kannapolis. The rookie ball teams and Kannapolis are the likely destinations for players in their first seasons, but a successful run could make for a late call up to the Dash.
Draft Bonus Penalties-The 2012 draft is the first that features excessive penalties for teams that overspend on signing bonuses. Each team is allotted a set amount of money to sign picks in the first 10 rounds of the draft. Team that overspend or fail to sign a pick are hit with restrictions, including fines and loss of future first round picks.
This had led to some teams shying away from risky selections in the early rounds. The White Sox drafted 14 players on day two, with 10 of the picks coming from the college ranks. The Sporting News article laid out this potential trend:
“Individual player signability is also likely to be a heightened factor on many team draft boards, a marked change after many years in which the league’s slot recommendations were widely ignored.”
So how does this affect the Dash? More college players mean older guys whose skill sets enable them to move through the organizational ranks quicker. The penalty for not signing early round draft picks ensures a team has done its homework on guys who are likely to sign early. This gets them onto the field sooner and potentially onto the Dash by year’s end.
Chris Sale set the model of the Draft-to-Dash-in-the-same-season process, signing on June 22, 2010, and pitching in Winston-Salem 10 days later. Sale did not have the typical minor league experience, but he did illustrate the road from the draft to impacting the minor leagues in the same season.
The 2012 draft concludes today. Within the next couple of months we will see who could be on the Dash by year’s end.
-Mike
Former Dash arms Sale, Doyle record big outings
Chris Sale compiled a 2.25 ERA in four innings with the Dash in 2010. (Dave Bilbrough/WS-Dash).
The White Sox organization is starting to reap the benefits of Dash alums who are making significant impact in Chicago and across the higher levels of the system. Two former Winston-Salem hurlers turned in spectacular outings on Memorial Day. Chris Sale and Terry Doyle both picked up wins in impressive fashion on Monday.
Sale’s blink-and-you-missed-him appearance in Winston-Salem during the 2010 season characterized his meteoric rise to the majors, becoming the first player from the 2010 MLB Draft to reach the big leagues. The White Sox moved him out of the bullpen and into the rotation to begin the 2012 season. On Monday, Sale delivered his finest performance to date, striking out 15 Rays batters in seven and one-third innings of work. The 15 punchouts are one shy of a franchise record 16 by Jack Harshman in 1954 against Boston. Even more special for Sale is that fact he grew up in Lakeland, Fla., and became a Tampa Bay fan when the team joined MLB.
Terry Doyle pitched in 31 games with the Dash over the course of the 2010 and 2011 seasons (Kevin Hartley/WS-Dash).
Doyle’s performance Monday was equally impressive but might have been lost on the national landscape because it occurred at the Triple-A level. A member of the Dash in 2010 and 2011, Doyle took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before yielding a one-out double. He exited after giving up the hit, leaving after seven and one-third innings and getting the win for Charlotte against Minnesota’s Triple-A squad, the Rochester Red Wings.
It is a bit of redemption for Doyle, who was not protected by the White Sox and selected by the Twins in the Rule 5 draft in the offseason but was shipped back to Chicago after he didn’t make Minnesota’s major league roster. Doyle is 4-3 with a 3.05 ERA in nine starts this season with the Knights.
Speaking of good pitching, Matt Heidenreich is on the mound tonight for the Dash. The right-hander has been Winston-Salem’s most effective starter this season and brings a streak of 16 scoreless innings into the game.
Pregame coverage starts at 6:45 with the Pre-Game Dash, and first pitch is slated for 7:00.
-Mike
