Results tagged ‘ Hector Santiago ’
Taking an axe to spring training
With the White Sox wrapping up spring training on Wednesday before heading north, let’s check in with some Dash alums as the MLB season gets ready to begin next week.
Axelrod ready to join White Sox rotation: With left-hander John Danks set to begin the year on the disabled list, Dylan Axelrod has been named the White Sox fifth starter to start the season. He and lefty Hector Santiago, both Dash alums, had been the two favorites, but the White Sox have decided to go with Axelrod in the rotation and Santiago in the bullpen.
Axelrod is excited about the opportunity, telling MLB.com’s Scott Merkin:
“Going through the Minor Leagues every fifth day, I got a lot of innings in and I feel durable and take care of myself. So it works to my advantage. I have a good routine, so If I get that opportunity, I think it will be beneficial for me going every five days.”
Santiago, on the other hand, is ready to embrace his role in the bullpen:
“[Axelrod] has done it for so long, and I’ve gotten half a season at it two years ago, and last year four starts at it. All around, he’s been equipped for a starting role and I’m getting back and building up to it. I understand completely.”
Axelrod went 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in five appearances in Cactus League play, while Santiago sported a 4.15 ERA and struck out 11 in 13 innings of work. Both are scheduled for one more tune-up this weekend when the White Sox play two exhibition games in Milwaukee.
Johnson pitched very well once joining the Dash in late July of 2012. (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
Johnson shines in spot start: With Dylan Axelrod scheduled to start, but the White Sox not wanting him to face a division opponent this close to the regular season, former Dash righty Erik Johnson took the hill against Kansas City on Sunday. Johnson thrived in the spot start, going four innings, giving up one unearned and striking out three.
Johnson began spring training in big league camp but was sent to minor league camp a few weeks later. In Cactus League action, he has been very good, giving up one earned run or less in three of his four outings. Former scout Bernie Pleskoff has noticed the former California Golden Bear:
The mound presence of #WhiteSox Erik Johnson is well beyond his MLB experience level. Commanding pitches with late life and sink. Impressive
— Bernie Pleskoff (@BerniePleskoff) March 24, 2013
The impression that Johnson has made on Pleskoff and others could lead to an earlier-than-anticipated debut for Johnson with the South Siders.
Jordan Danks uses WBC to his advantage: With two-thirds of the White Sox starting outfield making deep runs in the World Baseball Classic (Alejandro De Aza for the Dominican Republic’s Championship winning team and Alex Rios for runner-up Puerto Rico), Dash alum Jordan Danks has taken advantage of the extra playing time this spring. Before being optioned to Triple-A Charlotte late last week, Danks had 12 hits in his last 19 Cactus League at-bats. White Sox manager Robin Ventura is glad that Danks and some other young outfielders were able to take advantage of the situation:.
“In a normal spring, they wouldn’t get that kind of playing time, so it’s good for them. It’s good for their development, and it’s good for us to see them. You never know how it’s going to shake out when the season starts.”
Danks finished spring training with a .351 average, two home runs and nine RBIs in 16 games.
Hawkins talks to MiLB.com: If you haven’t seen the great interview Sam Dykstra did for MiLB.com with Chicago’s top prospect Courtney Hawkins earlier this week, you can check it out here. There is a good chance that Hawkins returns to Winston-Salem to begin the 2013 season.
- Rob
More Countdown Fun
I’ve had a blast coming up with the daily countdown to the 2013 season. Every number from 100 to 53 has been represented, and we went through some of them a few weeks back.
If you have missed any, 100-86 can be found here, and 85-53 is available below:
85 – In ’85, Winston-Salem won the CL title despite a regular season record of just 58-81. (Still counts!)
Keenyn Walker is a speedster with some gaudy stolen base numbers.
84 – This past season, right-handed pitching prospect Jake Petricka struck out 84 men while with the Dash.
83 – 1983 was the final year of the Winston-Salem Red Sox, the team with the most wins (1635) & Carolina League titles (5) in Winston-Salem history.
82 – Five years after playing in Winston-Salem, Hall of Famer Wade Boggs made his MLB debut in 1982.
81 – Mike Blanke, who earned a non-roster invite to spring training, had 81 hits a year ago in Winston.
80 – In the Dash’s 80th PA of the game, Chase Blackwood’s RBI single gave the Dash a 4-3, 20-inning win on May 19, 2010, against Myrtle Beach.
79 – Bill Slack, the winningest manager in W-S and CL history, was the 1979 Manager of the Year.
78 – Winston-Salem hit a league-best .278 in 2012.
77 – 2011 first rounder Keenyn Walker has 77 stolen bases in just 165 minor league games.
The Dash played 76 games on this beautiful field last year.
76 – The Dash played 76 total games at beautiful BB&T Ballpark last season.
75 – Chris Bassitt struck out 75 in his 91 innings last season in Winston-Salem.
74 – Fan-favorite Dan Black led the Dash with 74 hits at BB&T Ballpark in his MVP season.
73 – All-Star Michael Earley drove in 73 runs with the Dash in 2012 (T-4th in the CL).
72 – On July 4th, 2012, a single-game record 7,285 fans enjoyed a Dash game at BB&T Ballpark.
71 – MLB Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson started 71 games in 1956, the final season of his amazing 10-year career (this was the fact on January 31, Robinson’s birthday).
BB&T Ballpark hosted a record crowd on July 4 of last season.
70 – In 70 innings pitched with the White Sox last year, rookie Hector Santiago posted a 3.33 ERA.
69 – In game 69 of 2012, the Dash clinched the 1st-half title with a 9-5 win at Wilmington June 16.
68 – On July 17, 1968, Ed Phillips tossed the first perfect game in CL history. It is still Winston-Salem’s only perfecto in franchise history.
67 – In 67 innings in Winston-Salem last season, Terance Marin recorded an impressive 2.42 earned run average.
66 – Reliever Kevin Vance boasted a 1.66 ERA in 11 outings with Winston-Salem in 2012.
65 – Winston-Salem was 65-23 when hitting at least one home run in 2012. This record was the best on the circuit.
64 – If you attended every regular season game at BB&T Ballpark in 2012, you watched an even 640 innings of baseball!
63 – Winston-Salem’s single-season batting average record is .363, set by 8-year MLB vet Ray Jablonski in 1951.
62 – All-Star Matt Heidenreich whiffed 62 batters with the Dash before a July trade to the Houston organization.
The Dash’s offense did plenty of this in 2012.
61 – Winston led the Carolina League with a 61-22 mark when scoring first in 2012.
60 – In 1960, Ed Olivares hit 35 home runs for Winston-Salem, which still remains a single-season franchise record
59 – Both Marcus Semien and Brady Shoemaker drove in 59 runs for Winston-Salem last season.
58 – Carlos Sanchez, who is currently in big league camp with the White Sox, scored 58 times for the Dash in ’12.
57 – 57 different players suited up for the Dash in 2012, and they posted full-season Minor League Baseball’s best mark (87-51)!
56 – Outfielder Keenyn Walker led all White Sox farmhands with a combined 56 stolen bases between Low-A Kannapolis and Winston-Salem last year.
55 – Since becoming the Dash prior to the ’09 season, Winston boasts a .554 winning percentage (317-255). This includes regular season and postseason games.
54 – Trayce Thompson hit .254 with CL-bests in homers (22) and RBI (90) with the Dash a year ago.
53 – The Dash boasted 5 year-end All-Stars (Dan Black, Michael Earley, Carlos Sanchez, Brady Shoemaker and Trayce Thompson) and 3 midseason All-Stars (Earley, Shoemaker and Matt Heidenreich).
That’s another installment of “Countdown Catch-Up.” Stay tuned to our social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for the rest of our daily countdowns. The home opener is only 52 days away!
- Brian
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
Dashing Around Baseball – May 9
Dan Black is batting .322 with 7 home runs and 22 RBI (Ray Marsden/W-S Dash)
Before we take our weekly look around the Carolina League and the White Sox system, there is one important note about Dan Black. The first baseman was profiled in a story on MiLB and the Carolina League websites about his hot start to the season. Black leads active members of the Carolina League with 7 home runs, is tied for first for the most hits in the league (38), and has played in every game this season for the Dash.
Black and the Dash are scheduled to play their first twin bill of the season Thursday in Frederick. Winston-Salem also has not played an extra-inning game this year, and for all parties involved, it’s best if the status quo remains the same on Thursday.
Why do I bring this up today? Tuesday night the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low-A, San Diego) and Dayton Dragons (Low-A, Cincinnati) played 16 innings in GAME 1 of a double-header. Game 2 started around 11 p.m. but mercifully ended in seven innings. It also happened to be getaway day for the TinCaps who arrived back in Fort Wayne at 3:30 in the morning…oh, and they have an 11 a.m. game today.
Southern Division Dominance-Nearly halfway through the first-half of the season, the Carolina League divisions have shown distinct shifts in the balance of power in the league. The Southern Division is clearly the better division (and I’m not just saying that because the Dash are leading that division) with three teams above .500 and Myrtle Beach with a 15-15 record. That parity should make for an exciting end to the first half of the season for the Dash.
Meanwhile, only Lynchburg has a winning record in the Northern Division. The Hillcats are a comfortable four games up on the division and are chugging along even after losing Evan Gattis to Double-A Mississippi last week.
Constant Consistency-The Dash’s Marcus Semien is on a 14-game hit streak, the longest in the Carolina League this season. There are two active hit streaks in minor league baseball that are longer. The longest streak in Minor League baseball goes to Paul Hoilman of the Peoria Chiefs. Hoilman’s streak currently sits at 21 after he kept it alive in his final at-bat Tuesday night. Elsewhere, the Texas Rangers highly-touted shortstop prospect Jurickson Profar is on a 19-game run for the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.
Around the Farm
2011 Dash alum Addison Reed recorded his first two Major League saves this past week for the White Sox (Kevin Hartley/W-S Dash).
- The White Sox are in the midst of a 15-game stretch against division foes. Chicago has only won 3 games out of the 9 played so far but received big contributions from Dash alums in a 3-2 win over the Tigers on Saturday. 2010 Dash member Nate Jones picked up his first Major League win, and 2011 alum Addison Reed recorded his first Major League save. Jones joked about splitting the game ball in half, but Reed opted to give it to the winning pitcher.
- In fact, Reed recorded his second save Tuesday, a 5-3 extra-inning affair that saw veteran Dash member Hector Santiago pick up his first Major League win of his career.
- 2011 Dash alum Jared Mitchell was profiled on the Southern League website after his torrid start to the 2012 season for Birmingham. Mitchell is batting .310 and leads the Southern League with six triples and 24 RBI.
- Ross Wilson has found his power in Kannapolis. His .613 slugging percentage ranks third best in the South Atlantic League. Wilson is batting .306 with 4 home runs and 16 RBI in 17 games with the Intimidators.
After a rainout last night, the Dash are back in action tonight at 7:00 p.m. against Frederick. Pregame coverage starts at 6:45 p.m. Be sure to tune in Thursday morning as well when the Dash play a double-header against the Keys. First pitch is set for 11:00 a.m.
-Mike
Dashing Around Baseball – April 9
I’m sure you followed our coverage all weekend and know that the Dash are 1-2 after the opening weekend with a three game set in Frederick starting tomorrow. But, there were plenty of highlights around the Carolina League and in the White Sox system. Each week I’ll recap the noteworthy news going on in the league and on the farm.
Lynchburg Perfection-The Hillcats are the lone unbeaten in the league after a sweep of Potomac. Tommy LaStella, one of the top prospects in the Braves organization, drove in all three runs Sunday in Lynchburg’s 3-2 win. He’s batting a pretty solid .556, with 7 RBI and a homer after three games.
Potomac Panic-Potomac lost Saturday night’s game but experienced a much more jarring scare when Anthony Rendon left the game with a sprained ankle. Injuries plagued Rendon’s spectacular collegiate accomplishments throughout his three seasons at Rice.
Anthony Rendon was the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft (Toni L. Sandys/Washington Post).
He was named Freshman of the Year in 2009, followed by College Player of the Year in 2010. But Rendon tore ligaments in his right ankle in 2009 and broke the same ankle the next season. The Nationals were wowed by Rendon in big league camp at spring training but will proceed with caution after this setback. If healthy, the Dash will see him and Potomac for the first time April 23 at BB&T Ballpark.
Frederick Reloads-The defending Mills Cup Champions lost a number of emerging superstars to the Double-A level but plenty of talent remains with the Keys. Frederick won two of three from Salem behind superb performances from the mound Saturday and Sunday. Scott Copeland threw five shutout innings Saturday, and highly-touted prospect Mike Wright made his Advanced-A debut Sunday and surrendered only three hits over six scoreless innings.
Stocked in Salem-The Sox are 1-2 after the opening weekend, but expect the wins to pile up as a young offense adjusts to Advanced-A pitching. Salem is loaded because three of the top 10 prospects in the Red Sox organization all playing for the first time in the Carolina League. Number two prospect Xander Bogaerts is only 19, but has shown off the charts potential. He opened 2-for-5 with an RBI on Friday but did not get a hit the rest of the series. Outfielders Brandon Jacobs and Jackie Bradley struggled at the plate but are known for their defensive ability to cover all the green in the outfield.
Around the Farm
- The White Sox lost two of three to the defending AL Champion Texas Rangers, but former Dash players played prominent roles in the series. Hector Santiago picked up his first major league save, locking down a 4-3 win Saturday.
- 2010 Dash member Eduardo Escobar was one of the final roster spots named to the White Sox roster. He made his first appearance of the season Sunday night at shortstop with a 1-4 outing, the one hit being a triple.
- Nate Jones, the surprise nod on the final roster, made his major league debut Sunday night. Jones pitched the seventh inning, walking two Rangers before inducing a double play. He struck out 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton to end the inning.
Nate Jones pitched a scoreless seventh inning in his Major League debut Sunday.
- The Birmingham Barons got their first win of the season Sunday with a 9-2 throttling of the Jackson Generals. 2011 Dash members provided the highlights. Andy Wilkins hit his first home run of the season, Jared Mitchell had an RBI triple and Tyler Saladino also had an RBI. The Barons roughed up Generals starter Danny Hultzen, the #2 overall draft pick in 2011.
- The most exciting game in the organization Sunday occurred in Kannapolis, where the Intimidators rallied from down five runs to walk-off for their first win of the season. 2011 top draft pick Keenyn Walker went 2-6 with an RBI and scored the game tying run in the ninth.
That’s a look back at some of the highlights from opening weekend around baseball. In addition to our daily updates, I’ll be here with a comprehensive look around the league and the White Sox organization every Monday.
- Mike
An Impressive Win, A Dangerous Towel, and More
We’ll get into the White Sox’s victory over the defending American League champions in a bit, but we have to start with a DANGEROUS TOWEL ALERT.
Tampa Bay All-Star David Price tweaked his neck yesterday…while toweling off! My favorite part of this story is the quote from Price inside the FoxSports.com article:
They may look harmless, but dangerous towels are on the loose in Rays camp.
“It’s happened to me two times before. The towel just catches the back of my head and it pulls my neck forward.”
It sounds like this towel is a Red Sox or Yankees fan. Rays skipper Joe Maddon, one of the most fascinating men in the game, responded properly:
“David might need better technique when it comes to toweling himself down…He’s been doing it for 20-some years now, but apparently doesn’t have it down yet.”
Thanks to Nikki for pointing out the story. Fortunately, there are no towel victims in White Sox camp yet, but there are some notes from Arizona. Let’s get to those in today’s Dots.
DASH DOTS:
- A White Sox farmhand who has really paid his dues is making quite an early impression. Hector Santiago posted a pair of scoreless innings in Chicago’s 6-3 victory over Texas yesterday in Surprise. This efforts follows two scoreless frames in his spring debut a few days ago. As discussed yesterday, the Rangers had eight likely starters in their lineup, and Santiago tossed the first two innings. So, he had to face all of them.
- Santiago is only 24 years old, but he was drafted back in 2006. The lefty has logged 153 appearances in the minor leagues. Winston-Salem knows him better than everyone else in the Sox’s system. He spent parts of 2009, 2010 and 2011 with the Dash.
- A former 30th round selection, Santiago isn’t a pitcher who can rely solely on his talent. He has never truly overpowered a level in the minors, but he is steady. Look at his earned run averages since joining full-season ball in 2008: 4.06, 3.88, 4.15, 3.60. While he has never pitched in Triple-A Charlotte, Santiago is a viable bullpen candidate in the Windy City this year.
- What does set Santiago apart? A screwball. According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, Santiago threw around 12 screwballs in his two innings yesterday. The southpaw used that rare pitch to strike out the likes of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, who are pretty good at hitting a baseball really hard.
Trayce Thompson's brother Klay is a rookie with the Golden State Warriors (San Francisco Chronicle).
- A likely 2012 Dash member, Trayce Thompson, is the star of this feature from Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Thompson is a baseball player within a basketball family. His father Mychal played in the NBA for 12 seasons and is now a color analyst for the Lakers. His brother Klay is a rookie with Golden State, and his other brother Mychel began this season with Cleveland before heading to the NBA Development League. If and when Trayce arrives in Winston during the 2012 season, I promise this will be a topic on the blog. I wonder how many games a Thompson plays in or broadcasts during the season?
- Stay tuned to our social media on Twitter and Facebook for details on a new ticket opportunity for Dash fans. It includes a chance to purchase All-Star Game tickets, which are running out quickly. We’ll have this information up sometime this morning or early afternoon.
- An official announcement will be going out later this month, but the Dash are on Pinterest. Be sure to check us out here. Everyone in the office has helped get us started, and I’m even learning how to use Pinterest, which is kind of scary!
We’ll be back tomorrow with some more news and notes. Have a great Friday!
- Brian
Early Measuring Stick
The American League is absolutely loaded this season. The American League East’s trio in New York, Boston and Tampa Bay is as strong as ever. The Tigers made one of the biggest splashes in free agency by picking up former Brewer basher Prince Fielder, and they still have that Justin Verlander guy. The Angels went from a “darkhorse” team to the team for Albert Pujols. And don’t forget about possible sleepers like Toronto, Kansas City and Cleveland.
However, the team to beat for the second straight season is the Texas Rangers, and the White Sox play them today at 3:05 p.m. ET in Surprise. We hit on that and more in today’s Dots.
DASH DOTS:
- Spring training games normally lack the widespread star power of regular season showdowns, but the Rangers will be fairly close to their typical lineup. Per Richard Durrett, the Rangers’ tremendous beat writer on ESPNDallas.com, eight everyday players on Texas’ 2011 pennant-winning club will be in the lineup today, including sluggers Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton. The only minor leaguer is Mike Olt, who played in the Carolina League last year with Myrtle Beach. Winston-Salem fans will be glad to know Olt, one of the minors’ best prospects, should start in Double-A this year.
Hector Santiago spent 3 years in Winston-Salem. Now, he's getting his chance in big league camp.
- Four former Winston-Salem hurlers are slated to face off against this lineup today. Anthony Carter, Gregory Infante, Brian Omogrosso and Hector Santiago will toe the rubber at some point this afternoon. A positive showing could go a long way in them making an impression in camp.
- Former Dash hurler Chris Sale was the White Sox’s representative on a CBS 30-for-30 countdown of young players in the big leagues. In the article, writer David Heck discusses the transition by former pitchers from the bullpen to the rotation. It worked out well for guys like C.J. Wilson or Alexi Ogando, and Sale certainly has plenty of potential.
- Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune had a brief piece on Jared Mitchell, who spent 2011 in Winston-Salem. From the story, Chicago skipper Robin Ventura said, “You just look at him as an athlete. You see a lot of potential.” Gonzales says that Mitchell impressed Ventura during the 2009 College World Series, when Mitchell was with LSU and Ventura was working as an analyst.
Here's some true documentation of a championship (Chicago Tribune).
- There are some baseball games closer to home in the month of March. High school baseball is back at BB&T Ballpark, and one game is already in the books. Congrats to Carver, who defeated Forsyth Country Day 7-5 Tuesday. The star of the show was Chris Hutchins, who had the game-winning two-run double and picked up the win on the mound. Tomorrow at 6:30 p.m., Forsyth Home Educators and Asheville take to the field.
- Switching gears, we have a response video to the Cubs’ World Series ad we showed you yesterday. Chuck Garfien of CSN Chicago gives us the slogan: “So Real. It Actually Happened.” Check out the link. Good stuff.
- Finally, this may not appeal to folks in Winston-Salem, but it will put a smile on many Chicago readers’ faces. Derrick Rose is good at basketball. Enjoy the final play by Rose and the final call by Bulls radio voice Chuck Swirsky, one of the best and nicest in the broadcasting business (plus, he’s a fellow Ohio University alum).
Thanks for reading, and enjoy all the basketball this week! We’ll talk tomorrow.
- Brian
Winston-White Sox Updates
The White Sox opened up the 2012 exhibition slate with a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers yesterday afternoon. Here are some notes and numbers from the game that intrigue me.
DASH DOTS:
- In all, 19 position players and seven pitchers appeared for the White Sox. As a result, plenty of former Winston-Salem players saw some action.
- Three former Dash hurlers combined to toss four shutout innings. Addison Reed, a September call up last year, worked a perfect fourth inning. Sure, it was spring training, but the young righty had to face Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in the frame. Hector Santiago, who made a pair of appearances in the bigs last year, impressed with a scoreless seventh and eighth. And Charles Leesman, who very well could open 2012 in Triple-A Charlotte, worked around a walk in the ninth.
- Santiago, fellow Winston-Salem alum Dylan Axelrod and Zach Stewart are in the mix for one of the final few spots in the White Sox bullpen, that according to Chris Silva of ESPNChicago.com. Pitching coach Don Cooper hopes to find a few guys who can pitch more than one inning, and all three of these men project as solid hopefuls in that type of role in the middle innings. While spring training efforts aren’t all that important to guys like Paul Konerko or A.J. Pierzynski, this trio will have plenty on the line during the month of March.
Jared Mitchell doubled and scored for the White Sox Monday afternoon (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
- Offensively, six former Winston whackers (I stole this phrase from former “Voice of the Dash,” Alex Vispoli. I hope he doesn’t mind!) appeared in the spring training showdown. Jared Mitchell doubled and scored in his 1-for-2 effort. Brent Morel started at third base and also went 1-for-2. Jim Gallagher scored twice, once as a pinch runner and once following a walk. Mike Blanke, Jordan Danks, and Eduardo Escobar combined to go 0-for-4.
- 2010 Dash alum Chris Sale will start for the Sox Friday against their city rivals, the Cubs. According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Sale does not have any special restrictions because of his age and experience level. The 22-year-old threw 22 pitches in an intrasquad game Saturday, 15 of which were strikes.
- Chicago is back in action this afternoon at 3:05 ET against the kings of the offseason, the Los Angeles Angels. Left-hander John Danks will make his 2012 Cactus League debut for the Sox.
- Baseball is back at BB&T Ballpark tonight at 6:30 with the beginning of our amateur baseball program. Forsyth Country Day, a state champion last year, squares off with Carver. Check out the full schedule here.
- Stay tuned for some exciting news about Bolt. Let’s just say that “March Madness” will not be reserved for college basketball teams this year.
- Finally, I’m excited to be a part of a media forum today at BB&T Ballpark. Several members of the media will discuss some candidates for the 2012 Honorary Coach of the Year honor. There are certainly many viable candidates.
The regular season starts in exactly one month. Hard to believe it is almost here. I can’t wait to be in Zebulon for the Mudcats and the Dash April 6! Have a great day.
- Brian
160 Days
Let’s rewind to September 28, 2011. It was 160 days ago, and the White Sox’s 2011 season came to an end with a 3-2 loss at home against the Blue Jays.
Since then, the White Sox lost their most recognizable face–manager Ozzie Guillen–to the Miami Marlins. Arguably their most consistent player in the last decade–left-handed starter Mark Buehrle–followed Guillen to South Beach.
This afternoon at 3:05 ET, the Sox begin a new era under first-time skipper Robin Ventura. 160 days after the 2011 season ended, the White Sox are back on the field against their Camelback Ranch buddies, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The White Sox have 59 players in Spring Training at this point, and 19 of them made a stop at some point in Winston-Salem. Here’s a list:
Chris Sale is one of the most notable Dash alums in White Sox camp this year.
PITCHERS:
- Dylan Axelrod (2009 and 2010)
- Anthony Carter (2008 and 2009)
- Gregory Infante (2009 and 2010)
- Nate Jones (2008, 2009, and 2010)
- Charles Leesman (2010)
- Brian Omogrosso (2007)*
- Jake Petricka (2011)*
- Addison Reed (2011)
- Chris Sale (2010)
- Hector Santiago (2009, 2010, and 2011)
CATCHERS:
- Mike Blanke (2011)*
- Josh Phegley (2010)*
INFIELDERS:
- Eduardo Escobar (2010)
- Jim Gallagher (2009)*
- Tyler Kuhn (2009)*
- Brent Morel (2009)
OUTFIELDERS:
- Jordan Danks (2009)*
- Jared Mitchell (2011)*
- Brandon Short (2010)*
* = non-roster invitee
So, what’s the take away from this? Only three of the 19 players on this list played in Winston-Salem as Warthogs. It means that the 40-man roster is largely made up of free agent signings or trade acquisitions.
For example, seven of the nine offensive players above are non-roster invitees. The White Sox’s 40-man roster is loaded with offensive pieces that were developed, to some extent, outside the organization.
However, this is an exciting time for the prospects in White Sox camp. With the change in scenery, this could be a new era, and any production from the organization’s youth will be a huge bonus. The Dash have provided a solid chunk of that youth in the Chicago’s system.
Over the next few days, we will take a look at these 19 players and what their expectations are during camp. Let us know in the comments which former Winston-Salem players you think will make the 25-man roster when the big league club heads to Arlington for Opening Day against the Rangers April 6. It’s 32 days away!
- Brian
