WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JUNE 14, 2017 Gonzalez seeking form for matchup with Bundy Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com Avisail locked in race for OF spot in ASG Scott Merkin, MLB.com McClure follows Bears QB to Chicago Scott Merkin, MLB.com Shields, Rodon nearing return from Triple-A Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox draft power bats on Day 2 Scott Merkin, MLB.com Davidson slams Orioles to back Holland Scott Merkin and Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com Matt Davidson's Grand Slam Powers White Sox Past Orioles Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago How the White Sox Plan to Convert Two College Closers into Starting Pitchers Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago A White Sox Draft Pick Has Close Ties to Bears Quarterback Mitch Trubisky CSN Chicago Triumph Over Tragedy: Tim Anderson's Leadership Skills Go Beyond Baseball Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago The Cubs and Sox Made Chicago Baseball History Tuesday Night Tony Andracki, CSN Chicago Jerry Reinsdorf: 'I'm not loyal to people who don't deserve it' Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune White Sox like potential of 7th-round pick, Libertyville product Evan Skoug Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune White Sox arrivals, departures should provide intrigue over next two months Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune White Sox's Tim Anderson starts youth outreach program in Chicago Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune Public invited to memorial service for Jimmy Piersall on June 23 Chicago Tribune Staff Rick Hahn seeing signs Yoan Moncada getting back on track Brian Sandalow, Chicago Sun-Times Bats a clear priority for White Sox in MLB draft Brian Sandalow, Chicago Sun-Times Davidson, Garcia get help from Holland in White Sox win Brian Sandalow, Chicago Sun-Times Public invited to Jimmy Piersall s memorial service in West Chicago Madeline Kenney, Chicago Sun-Times Matt Davidson's slam powers White Sox over Orioles, 6-1 John Jackson, Associated Press White Sox load up on 'polished bats' in draft Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Davidson s first career grand slam lifts White Sox over Orioles Scot Gregor, Daily Herald MLB Draft 2017: Five players we'll likely see in the majors quickly Sporting News White Sox Select New Mexico OF Luis Gonzalez In 3rd Round Of MLB Draft CBS Chicago Levine: White Sox Look For A Different Type Of Hitter Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago Levine: Matt Davidson s Boom-Or-Bust Results Marked By Grand Slam In Win Over Orioles Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago Gonzalez seeking form for matchup with Bundy By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com June 13, 2017 Baltimore will send out its most reliable arm in young right-hander Dylan Bundy (6-5, 3.05 ERA) in the third game of a four-game set against the White Sox, who counter with Miguel Gonzalez (4-7, 4.89 ERA), on Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. Bundy is the only Orioles starter in the last week to work six innings, doing just that in holding the Yankees to three runs in a loss on Friday. "We're not doing our jobs right now," left-hander Wade Miley said after he struggled Monday. "It's embarrassing on all of us. It's definitely embarrassing for the starting staff. Other than Dylan Bundy, he's kind of holding us alive right now. We've got to pick him up, we've got to take some of the load off of him." Bundy has gone at least six innings in all but one of his starts this season. He has limited the damage, too, holding opponents to three runs or fewer in all but one of his starts. Gonzalez had issues with his control in his last outing, walking four Indians batters and allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings while taking the loss for the seventh time in his last eight starts. His monthly ERA has grown exponentially from month to month, going from 3.27 in April to 5.40 in May to 8.44 ERA in two June starts.
Gonzalez pitched well in his only other outing against Baltimore this season. The right-hander lasted 6 2/3 innings at Camden Yards on May 5, giving up two runs on six hits against his former team. Bundy has done well against the White Sox for his career, going 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three outings. Gonzalez is 0-2 with a 3.55 career ERA in two starts against the Orioles. Three things to know about the game The Orioles will not have the services of first baseman Chris Davis, who is headed to the 10-day DL with a Grade 1 right oblique strain. He dealt with a similar injury to his left side during the 2014 season. Trey Mancini earned the start at first base on Tuesday, but Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't commit to Mancini as his everyday first baseman in Davis' absence. "I've got options," Showalter said. "Some that are here, and some that aren't currently here." The Orioles have been scuffling on the road. Tuesday's 6-1 loss at Chicago marked the team's 11th consecutive loss on the road, the longest such losing streak in the Majors this season. Of the 12 home runs Gonzalez has allowed this year, half have come on his slider, including three over his past two starts. Those six homers on sliders are tied for the most against any pitcher. Avisail locked in race for OF spot in ASG By Scott Merkin / MLB.com June 13, 2017 CHICAGO -- The hits and RBIs keep coming for White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia. And so do the All-Star votes. In the third week of voting, with American League results released Tuesday, Garcia sits sixth among AL All-Star outfielders with 698,876 votes. He trails Aaron Judge (1,893,260), Mike Trout (1,582,782) and George Springer (804,826), as well as Michael Brantley (776,487) and Mookie Betts (714,185) in the outfield. Garcia stands as the lone White Sox position player among the Top 15 in the outfield or the Top 5 anywhere else among the voting. For his part, Garcia won't yet allow himself to think about a first All-Star experience. "No. Long season, man," said Garcia after his two-hit, three-rbi performance during Monday's 10-7 win over the Orioles raised his average to.333 and his RBI total to 45. "It's a plus. Lots of games is a plus. You just gotta keep working, focus on what's to come." Garcia ranks second in the AL in batting average, trailing Judge, and fourth in RBIs. He also sits ninth with a.921 OPS, and Garcia has never gone more than three straight hitless games in starts this season. He has 24 multihit games and is batting.458 against left-handed pitchers. "Focus and keep working at it every day and every at-bat trying to do my best and trying to help my team win," said Garcia of his 2017 breakout. "I have more experience right now, I've been in the league for a little bit, and you just gotta keep working." Fans may cast votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, June 29, at 10:59 p.m. CT. On smartphones and tablets, fans can also access the ballot via the MLB.com At Bat and MLB.com Ballpark mobile apps. Vote up to five times in any 24-hour period for a maximum of 35 ballots cast. Following the announcement of the 2017 All-Star starters, reserves and pitchers, fans should return to MLB.com and cast their 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player on each league's All-Star roster. Then on Tuesday, July 11, while watching the 2017 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, fans may visit MLB.com to submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet with the 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 88th Midsummer Classic, at Marlins Park in Miami, will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM will have comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @AllStarGame on social media. McClure follows Bears QB to Chicago Louisville pitcher a former youth teammate of Trubisky
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com June 13, 2017 CHICAGO -- Kade McClure was selected Tuesday by the White Sox in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft. But the right-hander still runs second to the most famous Chicago draft pick coming from Mentor, Ohio, this year. That honor goes to Mitch Trubisky, the standout quarterback out of North Carolina who was taken second overall by the Bears in the NFL draft. McClure and Trubisky happen to be good friends and former teammates. "We grew up playing youth football together," McClure said of Trubisky during a phone interview Tuesday. "He's one of my best friends. We were FaceTiming last night talking about the Draft and what was going to happen. "He said it would be cool if I was drafted by the Cubs or Sox and I said, 'Yeah that would be awesome.' It panned out that way today." McClure stood as one of two White Sox picks in Day 2 of the Draft coming from Louisville. Right-hander Lincoln Henzman went in the fourth round, so these friends and former roommates with the Cardinals will be starting their professional baseball life together. The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 12 p.m. ET. Before the Louisville duo can think about the White Sox, they first have the College World Series to consider. Play begins Saturday in Omaha, Neb., with McClure carrying an 8-3 record and 102 strikeouts over 97 innings and Henzman standing as the team's closer with 16 saves. Henzman followed Zack Burdi, the 26th pick overall by the White Sox in the '16 Draft, in that late-innings role for Louisville. "I'm excited to play with him, maybe, one day," said Henzman, who received a congratulatory text from Burdi. "It's awesome. It's always a dream as a little kid to get drafted." "Man, it's crazy," McClure said of getting drafted and taking part in the College World Series. "I'm just very thankful and appreciative of the White Sox for giving me this opportunity. I'm excited to see what Louisville can do out there in Omaha. I'm very excited to hopefully end up on top out there." Louisville was practicing when both players were drafted. Henzman's family celebrated in the stands when his name was announced, while Louisville coach Dan McDonnell called McClure to second base and joked with him how apparently he couldn't be separated from Henzman. "I didn't know what he was talking about," said McClure, who has roomed with Henzman for three years on the road and stayed in the same host house during a summer competition in New Hampshire. "He told me about the White Sox drafting me." Before the pick was announced, McClure texted the news to Trubisky. The hope is McClure, Trubisky's backup quarterback in high school, can join his friend someday as a pro athlete in Chicago. "Good dude, and he gets things done on and off the field," McClure said of Trubisky. "I don't know why anyone would doubt that guy. There's no doubt in my mind, friend or not, he's going to get the job done as an NFL quarterback." Shields, Rodon nearing return from Triple-A Hahn provides updates on rehabbing White Sox players By Scott Merkin / MLB.com June 13, 2017 CHICAGO -- White Sox general manager Rick Hahn updated the status of numerous injured players in the organization on Tuesday. Right-hander James Shields (right lat strain) made a third rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday night, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings and 90 pitches, striking out six and walking three. The hope is that it was his last rehab start and the White Sox can activate him soon. Left-hander Carlos Rodon (left biceps bursitis) will start for Charlotte on Saturday, marking his second rehab start for the Knights and third overall. He's building his pitch count with each start, and although the White Sox have not set a target date, Rodon could return by the end of June or early July if he stays in rotation.
Reliever Michael Ynoa (right hip flexor strain) is progressing nicely and might not even need a rehab assignment. If he does, it could be a short one beginning this weekend. Relievers Nate Jones (right elbow neuritis) and Zach Putnam (right elbow inflammation) essentially have been slowed because their respective symptoms aren't resolving as quickly as the White Sox hoped. Hahn didn't have a return-to-throwing date for Jones but thought he could ramp things up again in the next 10 days once he gets to a 100 percent pain-free standpoint. "Putnam is also having a little bit of trouble becoming pain-free," Hahn said. "But he is climbing right now, and we hope this weekend to have him back progressing on a throwing program again." Infielder Tyler Saladino (back spasms) is progressing, but the White Sox know how tricky the injury can be and won't rush him after he dealt with back issues in '16. At some point during the next road trip, Saladino will go to the White Sox training complex in Arizona to increase activity. Outfielder Charlie Tilson (right foot stress reaction) continues to progress with baseball activity, playing in some controlled environment intrasquad games at extended spring workouts. By the end of June or early July, Hahn is optimistic they can get Tilson on a rehab assignment. "He continues to climb," Hahn said. "But now we're getting to the point where it's been about 11 months since he's been in a competitive game, so we have a build that is going to take place before he's back out there." Second baseman Yoan Moncada (sore left thumb), the No. 1 prospect in baseball per MLBPipeline.com, is starting to shake off the rust for the Knights after missing action from May 16-25. "It took a little bit. He was a little rusty when he got back," Hahn said. "He's fortunately pain-free, and we think with some padding issues with the batting glove, we've been able to resolve that from recurring. Although he initially was a little bit rusty, he has gotten back to form now in the last few days." White Sox draft power bats on Day 2 Two-way player Gonzalez to be developed as center fielder By Scott Merkin / MLB.com June 13, 2017 CHICAGO -- A distinct plan stood behind the picks made by White Sox director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler over the first two days of the 2017 MLB Draft. "What we did is go down the whole home run total and said, 'Let's take them all. One of them is going to hit them,'" Hostetler said Tuesday in the Guaranteed Rate Field press box as he spoke about Day 2 of the Draft. There certainly was no power shortage in either of the White Sox first two selections Monday or among their eight picks Tuesday. The organization followed the plan of looking for polished hitters who make good contact in regard to their outlook on offense. The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 11 a.m. CT. Here's a look at the White Sox Day 2 picks. Third round: Luis Gonzalez, CF, University of New Mexico The two-way player from New Mexico was rated at the 106th best prospect in MLB.com's pre-draft rankings. He hit.361 with 14 stolen bases as a junior, and struck out only 71 times against 124 walks over 598 at-bats in his New Mexico career. Gonzalez is 35-of-36 in stolen-base attempts for the Lobos. Gonzalez, 21, is from Hermosillo, Mexico, and played at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Ariz. As a pitcher, Gonzalez posted an 11-6 record and 6.12 ERA over 36 games, 22 starts. According to his bio on golobos.com, Gonzalez's favorite athlete is Mike Trout. The slot value at No. 87 overall is $636,500. "Luis is a five-tool-type center fielder. He's going to stay in center field. He can really play out there. He can run," Hostetler said. "Our analytics, they have their own metrics and ways to shape different things ballpark-weighted, so I wouldn't read too much into altitude and playing in that conference.
"But he can really swing the bat. It's an advanced approach. Again like the other two guys yesterday, he's more walks than strikeouts. That was one of our themes this year." Fourth round, Lincoln Henzman, RHP, Louisville The White Sox listed the 21-year-old right-hander as a starting pitcher, although he has worked almost exclusively out of the bullpen as the closer for Louisville. Henzman has recorded 16 saves in 25 games this season for Louisville, and he is headed to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Henzman, who had Tommy John Surgery in high school in 2013, struck out 36 and walked nine over 35 2/3 innings this season. He's a Louisville roommate and good friends with Kade McClure, the team's sixth-round selection. "They know I can come out of the bullpen if they need me to, and they watched me this past summer in the Cape [Cod League] through seven or eight starts and I guess they liked what they saw," Henzman said. "So I will give them what they want." Fifth round, Tyler Johnson, RHP, South Carolina Johnson worked a mere seven games and 7 2/3 innings as a freshman for South Carolina, but the right-hander has served as the team's closer over the past two seasons and amassed 19 saves with 99 strikeouts over 78 1/3 innings. Much like Henzman, the White Sox announced Johnson as a starting pitcher. MLB.com's scouting report on Johnson, which had him listed as the No. 97 prospect pre-draft, mentioned Johnson is well-equipped to handle the late innings with a 92-97 mph fastball reaching 99 mph. He commands it well with 23 walks issued over the past two seasons. He also features a slider peaking at 85 mph with nice bite. "Johnson has big, big stuff," Hostetler said. "His stuff is better than Lincoln's. Lincoln has a little bit more feel and pitchability, but Tyler has the mechanics that can start. He just needs to be stretched out. He had a long little layoff from an injury and came back guns ablazing. He has looked great since." Sixth round, Kade McClure, RHP, Louisville Henzman and McClure currently are teammates on a Cardinals squad fighting for the College World Series title, and soon they will be part of the same White Sox organization. The 6-foot-7 McClure has excelled as a starting pitcher over the past two seasons, producing a 20-3 record as well as 189 strikeouts against 55 walks in 175 innings. McClure stands as the third straight college pitcher selected on Day 2 by the White Sox. "My goal is to attack with the fastball and try to get ahead in counts," said McClure, a former high school teammate and good friend of Mitch Trubisky, the quarterback selected No. 2 overall by the Bears in the 2017 NFL draft. "A lot of people look at me at 6-foot-7 and don't think I'm athletic as smaller guys. "Being a basketball player and football player in high school, I feel I'm pretty athletic for my size. I like to control the running game and field my own position and do a lot of stuff that most people my size don't do as well. I'm still very much so growing into my body." More >> Seventh round, Evan Skoug, C, TCU One of the true surprises of the Draft, the No. 48 prospect out of Libertyville, Ill., and College World Series-bound TCU slipped to 207. The left-handed-hitting catcher had 20 home runs and 67 RBIs for the Horned Frogs in '17, although he did strike out 87 times in 242 at-bats. "Those strikeouts didn't help this year, but if you look back at the history, they weren't there," Hostetler said. "We're taking it as a little bit of an anomaly. We don't think this is the norm with him. "Guys have questioned his catch and throw. We do as well. We're not telling you, 'I'm 100 percent he stays behind the plate.' But after talking with him and as aggressive as he was in the conversation with his belief in his ability, I'm not going to tell him he's not going to. "He's a very driven kid. He's using this as a little bit of a slap in the face. He's excited to come back home. There's going to be a little chip on his shoulder." Eighth round, Sam Abbott, 1B, Curtis High School
With Abbott still in school, his parents had to get him out of class and take him to the athletic director's office so he could hear his name announced. Abbott is a power-packed project, who flew in from Washington to work out for the White Sox and impressed none other than Jim Thome with some of his blasts. "Jim told me 'Who is this kid?' I even had to pull out the roster to look and realized it was Sam Abbott," Hostetler said. "It's going to be a long process for Sam. "He's going to be a two-year Rookie ball guy. He's new to baseball, he wasn't on the circuit.... This is one of those high risk, high rewards, where if this hits, it's a story good enough for a movie." Abbott was deemed by Hostetler as one of the most unique stories ever drafted by the White Sox. "He's a U.S. Junior National water polo player. He has a scholarship to Long Beach State," Hostetler said. "His mom was an Olympian, his dad was in the military. He was born in Kuwait City. The kid's backstory is some kind of tremendous and when you see the kid physically, it is some physical specimen. His shoulders are really big and broad." Ninth round, Craig Dedelow, OF, Indiana University The left-handed-hitting outfielder knocked out 19 home runs for Indiana this past season. He's a senior sign who will stay in center field. "Another big power kid," Hostetler said. "We had interest in him last year. The numbers money-wise didn't fit. We are excited to get him." 10th round, JB Olson, RHP, University of Oklahoma Olson finished 5-1 with eight saves and a 1.99 ERA over 31 games this past season. He had a 2.03 ERA over 21 games in '16. Hostetler said both the team's TrackMan data/analytics and scouts loved Olson. "It's always nice when those two match up with each other," Hostetler said. Davidson slams Orioles to back Holland By Scott Merkin and Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com June 13, 2017 CHICAGO -- Matt Davidson's first career grand slam and Derek Holland's quality start were more than enough for the White Sox to roll to a 6-1 win Tuesday and extend the Orioles' road losing streak to 11 games and overall skid to six straight losses. It knocked the Orioles (31-32) below.500 for the first time all season. Holland navigated through traffic on the basepaths to put together a solid outing at Guaranteed Rate Field after allowing 14 runs over his two previous outings. He scattered eight hits to allow an earned run over six innings, marking the first quality start for Chicago in 13 games. According to STATS, that was the longest drought between quality starts in franchise history. "We've been working on this, obviously a little bit of a struggle," Holland said. "But the main thing is to bounce back." Orioles right-hander Alec Asher got off to a strong start until the fourth, when he allowed his first hit of the game to Melky Cabrera. Jose Abreu followed Cabrera's hit with another single, and each would score on Avisail Garcia's two-run double. Asher's troubles arose again in the sixth, loading the bases on a single, hit batter and a walk before allowing Davidson's grand slam. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the decision to let Asher go out in the sixth was in part due to a taxed bullpen. Showalter had seen his starters go fewer than three innings in three consecutive games, and Tuesday marked just the second time in a week an Orioles starter had pitched into the sixth. "We're just a little short down there, always having to have a long piece down there for the next day," Showalter said. "A lot of short starts, and that's a byproduct of it. [Asher] pitched well here and there. He wasn't the issue. The issue was one run."
It was the first grand slam for the White Sox this season, traveling a Statcast-projected 435 feet with an exit velocity of 112.2 mph -- the hardest-hit ball Davidson has had in the Statcast era. "That one felt pretty good," said Davidson, who joked that he did an involuntary hop after connecting. "I knew it when I hit it. You don't really feel anything when you hit balls like that." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Melk is the Man: Cabrera's defense was significant in what was a close game early on, as his throw was good enough to nail Manny Machado trying to stretch an RBI single into a double in the first inning and earn his third outfield assist of the season. His most important play came in the sixth, as he robbed Orioles designated hitter Welington Castillo of a potential extra-base hit that would have scored Trey Mancini from second and tied the game at two apiece. He's new at this: The Orioles threatened Chicago's slim 2-1 lead in the fifth, as Joey Rickard led off with a single, advanced to second on a Willy Garcia error and moved to third on an Adam Jones single. After Machado popped out, White Sox second baseman Alen Hanson -- making his first start since being claimed off waivers June 9 -- got Holland out of the inning by taking a grounder to second base himself and nailing Mark Trumbo for an inning-ending double play to keep the White Sox ahead. "You've got to make the situations as small as possible and make the pitches when you need to," Holland said. "My defense was what makes the bigger picture of that. Made a key pitch to Machado and kind of continue to go from there." "It was just one of those times we weren't able to produce," Machado said. "I got mad because I missed a pitch. I was sitting on it, and then I missed it so I got frustrated. But every run counts. He got out of two innings that we should have had a couple runs. That's just how things are going for us right now." QUOTABLE "This is part of the game. We know there's ups and downs, and we've got to stay positive. We're going to snap out of this, and when we do, you better hold onto your seats because we're coming." -- Machado SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Tuesday marked the 12th time in franchise history the White Sox struck out no more than once, and the first time since May 9, 2015, that the team didn't strike out after its second batter of the game. The franchise has won all but one of those 12 games. DELAYED MILESTONE The White Sox celebrated with Rick Renteria following Tuesday's victory, which marked the 101st of his managerial career. Renteria picked up 73 wins in 2014 during his one season with the Cubs and earned his 100th victory on Monday night. WHAT'S NEXT Orioles: Dylan Bundy (6-5, 3.05 ERA) heads to the mound Wednesday night (8:10 ET) in the third game of a four-game set. Bundy has gone at least six innings in all but one of his starts this season, including Friday, when he allowed three runs in six frames in an eventual loss to the Yankees. White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez (4-7, 4.89) will look to regain his command after a four-walk outing in a loss to the Indians in his last start. He has lost seven of his last eight decisions and has an 8.44 June ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. Matt Davidson's Grand Slam Powers White Sox Past Orioles By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago June 13, 2017 Matt Davidson has never been able to pimp one of his home runs. The White Sox slugger said that not once in a lengthy pro career has he believed he got enough of a ball to enjoy the view as it exits a stadium. But that practice concluded in the sixth inning on Tuesday night and it ended with a little hop.
It was natural, Davidson said. The third baseman s late grand slam helped the White Sox pull away and down the Baltimore Orioles 6-1 in front of 15,038 at Guaranteed Rate Field. Davidson s homer was his team-leading 12th and Avisail Garcia also had a two-run double in support of Derek Holland, who pitched six solid innings for his first win since May 21. I knew it when I hit it, Davidson said. You don t really feel anything when you hit balls like that. Davidson who also homered in Monday night s victory over the Orioles stepped to the plate with the White Sox ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Baltimore starter Alec Asher had loaded the bases ahead of Davidson by hitting Avisail Garcia and walking Todd Frazier after Jose Abreu led off with a single. Davidson barely missed on a 2-2 fastball, hitting a deep drive foul into the left-field corner. But he wouldn t miss the 3-2 offering, blasting it 15 rows beyond the bullpen in left field to put the White Sox up by five runs. The ball exited Davidson s bat at 112 mph and traveled 435 feet. He put a great at-bat together, said manager Rick Renteria, who Tuesday was treated to a belated beer shower for his 100th victory, which occurred on Monday. Obviously, that was a tremendous battle. I know he fouled off -- hit the one foul, into the dugout or something. He left one up and put a really good swing on it. Obviously was able to drive it out of the ballpark. He hit it pretty well. Obviously those four runs were pretty big. He's done a nice job taking whatever opportunities we've given him and that's just a total credit to him. The White Sox pulled ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning on Garcia s two-run steamroller to left-center field. Melky Cabrera and Abreu, who had three hits, each singled ahead of Garcia. That was all the support Holland needed as he worked out of a number of stressful situations. Holland allowed eight hits and walked two in six innings. The Orioles had two men reach base in four of those six innings but Holland only allowed a first-inning run on Manny Machado s one-out RBI single. Holland struck out five and walked two. You ve got to make the situations as small as possible and make the pitches when you need to, Holland said. Made a key pitch to Machado (in the fifth) and kind of continue to go from there. Stuck in the minors the previous three seasons, Davidson has made the most of his first crack at the majors since 2013. While he s striking out in nearly 38 percent of his at-bats, the rookie has a.503 slugging percentage as he s homered once every 14.6 plate appearances this season. Still, despite a number of round-trippers, Davidson hadn t felt comfortable enough to enjoy one until Tuesday. As he exited the box, Davidson hopped a little, a move he said was totally unscripted. That one felt pretty good, he said. How the White Sox Plan to Convert Two College Closers into Starting Pitchers By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago June 13, 2017 The White Sox selected a pair of college closers on Day 2 of the baseball draft and immediately announced their plans to start them. The White Sox selected four more position players in between the third and 10th rounds and four right-handed pitchers. All but one of the eight players selected spent the 2017 season at the collegiate level. The one who didn t, eighth-rounder Samuel Abbott, is an elite water polo player who is considered a long-term project and reportedly was stunned by the team s decision to draft him. Some were equally surprised the White Sox would draft college relievers and make them starters. But amateur scouting director Nick Hostetler thinks fourth-rounder Lincoln Henzman and fifth-rounder Tyler Johnson can handle the challenge. Lincoln started some last year for Louisville, Hostetler said. He started in the Cape. We ve seen him start a lot. (Louisville coach Dan McDonnell) believes he s a starter.
Tyler Johnson has big, big stuff. His stuff is better than Lincoln s. Lincoln has a little bit more feel and pitchability, but Tyler has the mechanics that can start. He just needs to be stretched out. He had a long little layoff from an injury and came back guns a blazing. He has looked great since. The White Sox had the same idea about Single-A Winston-Salem starter Dane Dunning, who mostly pitched in relief at Florida. The White Sox wanted to draft Dunning last year but drafted Zack Burdi instead. They acquired Dunning from Washington in the Adam Eaton trade. The White Sox were also very pleased to find New Mexico outfielder Luis Gonzalez available in the third round. The White Sox knew early on in the process they liked Gonzalez s talent. Though Gonzalez has spent his collegiate career in a hitter friendly park at altitude, Hostetler said the White Sox analytics department believes his numbers haven t been drastically skewed. I wouldn t read too much into altitude and playing in that conference, Hostetler said. The White Sox were also extremely pleased to find Libertyville-product Evan Skoug available in the seventh round. MLB.com ranked the Texas Christian University catcher the No. 48 best player in the draft. He s a very driven kid, Hostetler said. He s using this as a little bit of a slap in the face. He s excited to come back home. He s a Libertyville kid. He s driven right now. There s going to be a little chip on his shoulder. I expect to see some pretty impressive College World Series out of him. He s ready to get going. The White Sox were willing to take a shot on Abbott, a 6-foot-4, 225-pounder who is new to baseball. Abbott has a water polo scholarship to Long Beach State and was so unprepared to be drafted that he had to be pulled out of class to hear his name called. The parents were in the athletic director's office, they had to go get him out of class so he could listen to it when we drafted him, Hostetler said. So we gave him the heads up and mom and dad were excited, the kid was excited. A White Sox Draft Pick Has Close Ties to Bears Quarterback Mitch Trubisky By CSN Chicago June 13, 2017 Mentor, Ohio, is a Cleveland suburb that Chicago sports fans might hear about more in the coming years. Two Mentor natives have been drafted by Chicago sports teams this year. First, it was Mitch Trubisky, the quarterback the Bears took with the No. 2 overall pick in the April NFL Draft. On Tuesday, it was Kade McClure being drafted by the White Sox in the sixth round. According to a story from MLB.com's Scott Merkin, the two have more in common than just being from the same town. "We grew up playing youth football together," McClure said of Trubisky. "He's one of my best friends. We were FaceTiming last night talking about the Draft and what was going to happen. "He said it would be cool if I was drafted by the Cubs or Sox and I said, 'Yeah that would be awesome.' It panned out that way today." McClure was one of two Louisville players drafted by the White Sox on Day 2 of the draft. The Sox took Lincoln Henzman in the fourth round. Henzman is the Cardinals' closer, taking that spot over from current White Sox prospect and last year's 26th overall pick Zack Burdi. Henzman is one of two college closers the White Sox drafted in the first five rounds that they plan on converting into starting pitchers. Louisville is still playing after advancing to the College World Series. Triumph Over Tragedy: Tim Anderson's Leadership Skills Go Beyond Baseball By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago June 14, 2017 White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson knew he wanted to get involved with the community. His desire to do so only increased after the shooting death of his close friend last month.
Anderson and his wife, Bria, have launched a community outreach program with in partnership with Youth Guidance called Anderson s League of Leaders. Early Tuesday, Anderson and his wife visited students at Parker Community Academy during a Becoming a Man session. The Andersons participated in a group activity where students discussed positive anger expression, one of the core values of BAM s program. It feels great, Anderson said. To be able to reach out and touch other kids that aren t stable in getting what they need. I know how I was growing up. I haven t always been this Tim Anderson I am now. I know how it is, not getting what you need in life. Just to show them there s a better way in life. It s OK to be different. And to show them there s a better route to take in life than doing what someone else is doing. Anderson said he and his wife hope to meet with the group twice a month. Tuesday s session included 15 students and Anderson said he hopes they can make a trip to Guaranteed Rate Field in the future. Anderson had been thinking about community involvement. He was pushed into action after his friend Branden Moss was shot to death last month. Anderson left the team for three days to attend Moss s funeral. (That) definitely confirmed it, Anderson said. We re excited about impacting the youth, because the youth are our future. We want to leave a major impact on these young kids. It was great. I got to sit in on the discussion group and hear some of the stories and some of the things they go through in life. Some stories stuck with me, and I m glad I was able to go out and put a smile on their face and hear some of their stories. The Cubs and Sox Made Chicago Baseball History Tuesday Night By Tony Andracki / CSN Chicago June 14, 2017 When Matt Davidson sent a 435-foot ball into the night sky, it ensured Tuesday June 13 would go down in Chicago baseball history. Davidson's blast put the Sox up 6-1 and was the second grand slam of the night among Chicago players as Ian Happ went deep earlier in the evening to put the Cubs up big. The last time both the Cubs and Sox hit grand slams on the same night was June 30, 2008 when Mark DeRosa went deep for the Cubs and Nick Swisher gave the Sox a big boost. The Cubs and Sox have hit grand slams on the same night just six times since 1951, with the other outings coming in 1992, 1969, 1961 and 1951: As an interesting note, here were the lineups on June 30, 2008: Cubs beat Giants 9-2 1. Kosuke Fukudome - RF 2. Ryan Theriot - SS 3. Derrek Lee - 1B 4. Geovany Soto - C 5. Mark DeRosa - 3B 6. Jim Edmonds - CF 7. Matt Murton - LF 8. Ronny Cedeno - 2B 9. Ted Lilly - P White Sox beat Indians 9-7 1. Orlando Cabrera - SS 2. Brian Anderson - CF 3. Carlos Quentin - LF 4. Jermaine Dye - RF 5. Jim Thome - DH 6. Joe Crede - 3B 7. Nick Swisher - 1B
8. Alexei Ramirez - 2B 9. Toby Hall - C Gavin Floyd - P Jerry Reinsdorf: 'I'm not loyal to people who don't deserve it' By Phil Thompson / Chicago Tribune June 13, 2017 Apparently, even Jerry Reinsdorf wonders how loyal is too loyal. The Bulls and White Sox chairman has a reputation for sticking with coaches or general managers when it appears to fans and critics that his franchises' fortunes have stalled. He most recently generated buzz when he reportedly declared that the jobs of Bulls personnel men Gar Forman and John Paxson were safe regardless of this season's outcome. Former Sox manager Robin Ventura walked out on his own terms in October, or at most was gently nudged out by management. Reinsdorf explained the reasoning behind his allegiance to Bulls and Sox staff to Sports Business Daily Executive Editor Abraham D. Markour. "I try to be loyal only to people who deserve the loyalty," he said while addressing Markour during the trade publication's Intersport Brand Engagement Summit at the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago. "I hope I'm not loyal to people who don't deserve it. We try to run this place like a family business. In our employee manual, people are directed to call everybody by their first names, no Mr. or Mrs. We want everybody to feel free to talk to everybody and go into any office to talk, any time they want. When you do that, you get good people, you get people who like their jobs. "So the fact that somebody might be here 25 years is not because I'm loyal, it's because that person is doing a good job and enjoys the work environment." White Sox like potential of 7th-round pick, Libertyville product Evan Skoug By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune June 13, 2017 White Sox director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler received the impression that Libertyville product Evan Skoug might take some motivation in dropping to the Sox in the seventh round of the first-year player draft Tuesday. Skoug, a catcher and left-handed hitter from TCU, was ranked No. 48 on MLB.com's draft prospects list, but Hostetler said a high strikeout rate in his junior season and questions whether he will stick at catcher likely factored into his slip to 207th overall. The Sox think the strikeout rate could be an anomaly, and Hostetler said he also brings with him "undeniable power" and an aggressive belief he can stay behind the plate. Skoug was hitting.277 with 20 home runs, 67 RBIs, 39 walks and 87 strikeouts over 63 games for TCU, which advanced to the College World Series. "He's driven right now," Hostetler said. "There's going to be a little chip on his shoulder. I expect to see a pretty impressive College World Series out of him." The Sox started the day by selecting New Mexico's Luis Gonzalez in the third round. Hostetler said he's a five-tool player with an advanced approach who can stick in center field. Gonzalez, a left-handed hitter, hit.361 with 22 doubles, eight homers, 58 walks, 32 strikeouts, 14 stolen bases and a.500 on-base percentage over 55 games this season with New Mexico. He also pitched. Fourth-round pick Lincoln Henzman, a right-handed Louisville reliever, owns a 1.77 ERA and 16 saves over 35 2/3 innings and 25 appearances. He has walked nine and struck out 36. South Carolina right-hander Tyler Johnson and Louisville right-hander Kade McClure joined the club in the fifth and sixth rounds. Hostetler said the Sox will stretch all three out to be starters. Skinny on Sheets: On a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning, Sox second-round pick Gavin Sheets, a Wake Forest first baseman, said he watched a lot of Jim Thome video in honing his approach. Sheets, a power-packed lefthanded hitter, hit.317 with 20 homers, 81 RBIs and a.428 on-base percentage in 61 games in his junior season.
"We both have open stances, and he hits for a lot of power," Sheets said. "The biggest adjustment this year I made is focusing on hitting the right pitches, not swinging at pitches that I can't do damage with." Sheets' father, Larry Sheets, played eight seasons in the majors with the Orioles, Tigers and Mariners, and Sheets said he planned to lean on him for advice. "He has been a huge help, and going forward he's going to be huge for me as a guy who has lived it and gone through the process," Sheets said. "I'll definitely be in his ear a lot." Wrapping up: The Sox selected high school first baseman Sam Abbott from Washington, who originally had committed to play water polo in college. Indiana outfielder Craig Dedelow and Oklahoma right-hander JB Olson were their final picks of the day. The draft continues with rounds 11-40 Wednesday. White Sox arrivals, departures should provide intrigue over next two months By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune June 13, 2017 As Matt Davidson crushed his first career grand slam 435 feet into the left-field stands Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the 26-year-old third baseman/dh reminded all there are storylines worth watching on this White Sox team, even as the focus remains on the future. Avisail Garcia, the Sox right fielder in the midst of a credible bid to play in his first All-Star Game, also served up such a reminder with his team-leading 46th and 47th RBIs. But not all games have been as sunny as Tuesday's 6-1 victory over the Orioles, and much more of the intrigue over the next two months could be over the comings and goings off the field. Sox general manager Rick Hahn has pointed to the MLB draft as the marker for when midseason trade talks typically pick up. As teams wrap up with the final 30 rounds of the draft Wednesday, Hahn is likely to be taking more calls for a number of his players. "I expect it to be fairly rampant here over the next several weeks, throughout the game, not necessarily just here," Hahn said. "We're certainly looking forward to continuing to engage with clubs and see where that leads." Garcia and Davidson, both putting together breakout seasons, don't seem likely to go. Garcia's two-run double off Orioles right-hander Alec Asher gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Jose Abreu singled, Garcia was hit on the elbow by a pitch and Todd Frazier walked to set up Davidson's 12th homer of the year, off Asher in the sixth. Davidson hit a long foul ball earlier in the at-bat. "He had some good run on the ball, and it kind of got in on me a little bit (on the earlier pitch)," Davidson said. "I just tried to relax a little bit more so I could get to that pitch if he threw it again." Tuesday's starter Derek Holland and veterans such as Frazier, David Robertson, Jose Quintana and Melky Cabrera are among those who could be on hug watch. Holland, coming off two of his worst starts of the season, rebounded to allow one earned run on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts over six innings. As for arrivals, starting pitchers James Shields and Carlos Rodon are among those who could be coming back soon. Shields, who is out with a right lat strain, gave up two earned runs on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts over five innings in what could be his final rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte. Hahn said Rodon, recovering from left biceps bursitis, is likely to make one or two more rehab starts before they decide on his next step. Others might not be too far behind. Top prospect Yoan Moncada had a slow return from a left thumb bruise, but Hahn said Tuesday they have resolved the issue with padding in his batting glove to keep it from recurring. Entering Tuesday, Moncada hit just.162 with a homer, two RBIs, seven walks and 15 strikeouts over his previous 10 games, but Hahn said there are signs he's returning to form. Hahn reiterated Moncada should be up with the Sox at some point this season.
"We have a handful of guys down there who are pushing (it), forcing the issue," Hahn said. "When we feel they've checked off everything we want them to do at the minor-league level... and when there's an opportunity for them to (play in the majors),... we'll make the move." White Sox's Tim Anderson starts youth outreach program in Chicago By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune June 14, 2017 White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson may only be in his second season in the major leagues, but he knew since he was called up to Chicago a year ago he was interested in connecting with the city s youth. On Tuesday, he started a program he hope will do that. Anderson and his wife, Bria, have launched a community outreach program called Anderson s League of Leaders, where he hopes to guide and inspire kids. The program will work in conjunction with Youth Guidance, which specializes in school-based programs dedicated to student engagement, personal achievement and violence prevention. Anderson said he was motivated to start the program now after a close friend was shot to death in his home state of Alabama last month. We were set on doing something with the youth, and since the death of my close friend, it definitely confirmed it, Anderson said. We want to leave a major impact on these young kids. The Andersons attended a Becoming A Man session at South Side elementary school Parker Community Academy on Tuesday and met with about 10-15 kids, Anderson said. I got to sit in on the discussion group and hear some of the stories and some of the things they go through in life, Anderson said. Some stories stuck with me, and I m glad I was able to go out and put a smile on their face. Anderson said the goal is to meet with the participants twice a month, sometimes at Guaranteed Rate Field, with Bria mentoring the girls and Tim mentoring the boys. If all goes well in Chicago, Anderson said he would love to expand the program to Alabama. I want to be able to reach out and touch other kids, that aren t stable in getting what they need, Anderson said. I know how I was growing up. I haven t always been this Tim Anderson I am now. I know how it is, not getting what you need in life. I want to just to show them there s a better way in life. It s OK to be different, and there s a better route to take in life than doing what someone else is doing. Sox manager Rick Renteria said Anderson s participation in such a program is pretty cool. It s kind of a mentorship program he's a big part of now, Renteria said. As an organization we're all pretty proud of him for taking the time to be able to do something like that. I know a lot of our players probably do things that nobody really notices, but they share and do a lot of things in the community. Public invited to memorial service for Jimmy Piersall on June 23 By Chicago Tribune Staff June 14, 2017 A memorial service for Jimmy Piersall will be held at 10 a.m. on June 23 at Wheaton Bible Church, 27W500 North Avenue, in West Chicago. The program is expected to last about an hour and lunch will be served afterward. The public is invited. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Rush University Medical Center. Rush Medical donations in Piersall s name should be designated for "Movement Disorders Research and Programs and the Marshall Goldin, MD Abt Family Endowed Scholarship." Memorial gifts may also be directed in Piersall s name to the DuPage Care Center Foundation, 400 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, 60187.
Piersall, the colorful former White Sox broadcaster and major-league outfielder of 17 seasons, died June 3 at a care facility in Wheaton at the age of 87. Rick Hahn seeing signs Yoan Moncada getting back on track Yoan Moncada s 2017 joyride has been halted somewhat, but White Sox general manager Rick Hahn is seeing signs he s getting back on track By Brian Sandalow / Chicago Sun-Times June 13, 2017 Prized second-base prospect Yoan Moncada s 2017 joyride has been halted somewhat, but White Sox general manager Rick Hahn is seeing signs he is getting back on track. Moncada, who missed 10 days in May with a bruised left thumb at Class AAA Charlotte, has struggled to get back to his pre-injury form. Entering play Tuesday, Moncada was hitting.162 with one home run in his last 10 games. On the plus side, Moncada had walked seven times in his last four games and Hahn said he s pain-free, partly because of an adjustment with the padding in his batting glove. Although he initially was a little bit rusty, he has gotten back to form now in the last few days, Hahn said. Of course, the big question is whether Moncada will be called up this season. Moncada, I would think so at some point, Hahn said. We have a handful of guys down there that are pushing, forcing the issue, so to speak. Black-and-blue Sox Hahn and manager Rick Renteria provided updates on the extensive list of Sox injuries. Right-hander James Shields (strained right lat) pitched five innings Tuesday at Charlotte. Left-hander Carlos Rodon (bursitis in left biceps) also will make another rehab start at Charlotte. Hahn said reliever Michael Ynoa (strained flexor in right hip) is progressing nicely and might not need a rehab assignment. As for reliever Nate Jones (neuritis in right elbow), Hahn said the Sox are going to let him get 100 percent pain-free before ramping him up again. Hahn said reliever Zach Putnam (inflammation in right elbow) also is having trouble getting pain-free. As for the position players, infielder Tyler Saladino (back spasms) is improving, and the Sox hope to send him to Arizona to increase his activity sometime during the upcoming road trip. Outfielder Charlie Tilson (stress reaction in right foot) is progressing, and the Sox hope to get him on a rehab assignment by the end of June or early July. And X-rays on outfielder Leury Garcia s left hand were negative. Hanging around Outfielder Avisail Garcia s chance to be voted an American League starter for the All-Star Game on July 11 in Miami took a little hit. After ranking fifth among AL outfielders last week, Garcia fell to sixth with 698,876 votes in totals released Tuesday. The third AL outfield spot was held by the Astros George Springer (804,826). Garcia was hit in the left elbow with a pitch in the sixth inning but stayed in the game. The first start Alen Hanson made his first start for the Sox, playing second base and going 0-for-4. Yolmer Sanchez moved to shortstop, and Tim Anderson was rested. Bats a clear priority for White Sox in MLB draft The White Sox had a clear need in their system before the first two days of the draft. They think they ve moved closer to fixing that shortcoming. By Brian Sandalow / Chicago Sun-Times June 13, 2017 The White Sox had a clear area of need in their farm system before the first two days of the Major League Baseball draft. They think they ve moved closer to fixing that shortcoming. Through the first 10 rounds of the draft, the Sox have taken five college hitters and another from high school. After selecting Missouri State third baseman Jake Burger in the first round and Wake Forest first baseman Gavin Sheets in the