WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF MARCH 14, 2017 Bats heating up with warmer temperature Owen Perkins, MLB.com Prospect Fulmer not pressing to earn roster spot Owen Perkins, MLB.com With Tilson shut down, Sox explore options Owen Perkins, MLB.com Saladino's slam powers White Sox over Tribe Owen Perkins, MLB.com Derek Holland Coming Away Impressed with Young White Sox Starters JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago White Sox, Modelo Especial Announce Multi-Year Partnership Agreement CSN Chicago Staff White Sox Looking at Outfield Options with Charlie Tilson Beginning 2017 on Disabled List JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago White Sox Notes: Moncada, Davidson Benefit Most From 14-Run 9th JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson will open season on disabled list Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune Monday's recap: White Sox 9, Indians 5 Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune Derek Holland hopes to help himself, White Sox rebuild Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune Tim Anderson takes liking to 2-hole in White Sox lineup Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Home runs power White Sox past Indians Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Slamming Saladino having big spring for White Sox Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Chicago White Sox's Anderson on list of talented young AL shortstops Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Why isn't Chicago White Sox's Cabrera drawing interest? Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Charlie Tilson has foot injury, to open season on DL ESPN.com News Services Opening Day Looking Like A Long Shot For White Sox Outfielder Charlie Tilson Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago Bats heating up with warmer temperature By Owen Perkins / MLB.com March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The temperature in town has been about 15 degrees higher than normal over the past week, and baseballs seem to be flying at a similarly elevated rate. The White Sox scored 22 runs over the course of three innings spanning their last two games, giving new meaning to the concept of hot hitters. Chicago scored 14 runs in the ninth inning on Sunday night to erase a 3-1 deficit and beat the Dodgers, 15-5. They reached base twice on errors and twice by hit batsmen while collecting three walks, five singles, one double and a homer. They also put down a bunt and recorded two sacrifice flies. "It was an interesting ninth," manager Rick Renteria said. "Those guys had some great at-bats. They did some really [good] things. I'm glad it happened on our side. I can imagine how they felt on the other side. We're happy the way it ended up coming together." The White Sox were back at it on Monday, going down quietly in the first before scoring eight runs in the second en route to a 9-5 win over the Indians. They had one hit batsman, one walk, four singles, one double and three homers, including a grand slam by Tyler Saladino. WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC The White Sox were well represented in WBC 2017 action over the past 24 hours. Nate Jones pitched 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings as Team USA beat Canada on Sunday to advance to the second round of the tournament. Reliever Alex Katz went one scoreless frame for Team Israel as it lost to the Netherlands on Monday. Gregory Infante allowed a run while pitching 1/3 inning for Team Venezuela in its loss to Mexico. Jose Quintana and Miguel Gonzalez return to the White Sox as Colombia and Mexico, respectively, were eliminated from the Classic.
QUOTABLE "He's very comfortable in the dugout. He's not looking like he's pressing. Obviously, he's not getting the results he wants to get, and he'd probably like to put the bat on the ball a little bit more. Fortunately for us, we've still got three weeks left, and he'll continue to have more at-bats, and hopefully he gets into a little rhythm." -- Renteria on infielder Tim Anderson Prospect Fulmer not pressing to earn roster spot By Owen Perkins / MLB.com March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Despite seeing his spring ERA soar to 5.91, Carson Fulmer felt like his stock was rising after his fourinning outing against the Indians in Monday's 9-5 win at Camelback Ranch. He's fighting for a spot in the White Sox rotation, and he felt confident about his performance and his ability to focus on his goals. "All in all, I thought it was a really good outing," Fulmer said. "I was able to have a quick first inning, which I think is the most important inning of the game. I felt like I threw a ton of strikes. Walks weren't an issue. I was able to get a couple swings and misses on my changeup. I was able to throw my breaking ball for strikes, and I had a couple two-seamers looking." Fulmer pitched four innings and faced one batter in the fifth -- a leadoff double that led to a run. He gave up four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk, with 45 of his 69 pitches going for strikes. The 23-year-old right-hander, the organization's No. 5 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, spent most of 2016 with Double-A Birmingham, where he started 17 games and posted a 4.76 ERA while walking 51 and striking out 90 in 87 innings. The White Sox called him up in July, and he made eight relief appearances, giving up 11 runs on 12 hits and seven walks while striking out 10 in 11 2/3 innings. Fulmer finished the season with four starts in Triple-A Charlotte, going 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA. "I obviously went through an up-and-down last year," Fulmer said. "This year, I wanted to work on other things, and I'm able to go out there and do that now. I feel really confident. Being around the older guys and just continuing to learn from them is also helping. Every outing this spring I've felt really, really good, and I've been going out there and doing what I wanted to do." The confidence comes through, both on and off the mound, but there's also a sense of realistic expectations. Fulmer isn't falling into the trap of pressing to earn a roster spot or getting caught up in how his results look to coaches. He is more concerned with his fundamentals and his ability to execute. "You don't think about it," Fulmer said in terms of the competition for a spot on the pitching staff. "Everyone in the clubhouse is obviously trying to get a spot. As a young guy, you want to learn as much as you can, and you want to go out and accomplish what you're going out there to do. I don't accomplish anything if I go out and throw 90 percent fastballs. I wanted to throw my changeup and curveball and work on hitting different spots. I felt like I accomplished that. Sometimes you can't look at the results, as much as I want to go out there and put up zeros. You have to take it into perspective." With Tilson shut down, Sox explore options By Owen Perkins / MLB.com March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The White Sox have shut down Charlie Tilson for a minimum of three weeks and are exploring contingency plans in center field after the organization announced on Monday that he will start the season on the disabled list. Tilson sustained a stress reaction in his right foot earlier in camp, and he wore a boot on Sunday and Monday after feeling discomfort on Sunday. The injury has kept him out of the Cactus League all spring, and although an MRI taken on Monday re-confirmed the original diagnosis of a stress reaction in the right foot and no fracture, it did reveal "a fair amount of inflammation present," according to team officials. The 24-year-old will continue to wear the boot and will have no weight-bearing activities for a minimum of three weeks. Chicago opens its season on April 3 against the Tigers. "Obviously we're shutting him down, have that thing calm down," manager Rick Renteria said on Monday before seeing the MRI results. "He felt something, so we just erred on the side of caution, and we'll evaluate it."
Tilson came to Chicago in a July 31 deadline trade with the Cardinals last season, and he injured his left hamstring in his first game with the White Sox -- his Major League debut -- on Aug. 2. He underwent season-ending surgery two days later. After hitting.282 in 100 games with Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals' organization last year, Tilson projected as the White Sox starting center fielder. The White Sox have three prime contenders to step in at center: Peter Bourjos, Jacob May and Adam Engel have all been given a look this spring, and they'll be under heightened scrutiny now that Tilson's status has become clear. "We always have to be mindful of different options," Renteria said. "The reality is we've got all three of those young men beyond Tilly, and they're working very hard. All of them are contributing in terms of playing different positions and playing center field in specific and doing very, very well." Bourjos got the start in center in Monday's 9-5 win over the Indians, hitting leadoff and opening the White Sox first inning with a single to center, then doubling off the right-field wall in the second. The 29-year-old signed with the White Sox as a free agent in January. He's a career.243 hitter with 37 homers and 149 RBIs over parts of seven big league seasons. Bourjos is batting.370 (10-for-27) in 11 games this spring. May, 25, started in left on Monday. He played 83 games for Triple-A Charlotte in 2016, hitting.266 with a team-high 19 stolen bases, but he was limited due to abdominal injuries. He is batting.333 (10-for-30) in 13 Cactus League games. Engel, 25, didn't play on Monday. He's hitting.130 (3-for-23) in 13 spring games. Saladino's slam powers White Sox over Tribe By Owen Perkins / MLB.com March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The ball was flying at Camelback Ranch on Monday as the White Sox and the Indians combined for 10 runs in the second inning alone in Chicago's 9-5 victory. The White Sox followed their 14-run ninth inning on Sunday night with an eight-run second on Monday, which featured three homers and was capped by a Tyler Saladino grand slam. Saladino finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Cody Asche and Rymer Liriano contributed a pair of two-run homers in the big second. Indians starter Carlos Carrasco yielded eight runs on eight hits in 1 1/3 innings. Carrasco said he threw around 60 pitches, including 25 in the bullpen after he was pulled from his start. The right-hander explained that the majority of the pitches he threw were fastballs, as he wanted to focus on location with that pitch, as well as continuing to build up his arm strength. "The only pitch they hit was fastball," Carrasco said. "I think I said that my last start, that I wanted to use my fastball more. That's what I did today. Those guys got me. I'd prefer to keep all those runs here and not in the season." Added Indians manager Terry Francona: "I'm glad it's a spring setting. But, just watching him, [pitching coach Mickey Callaway] and I were going back and forth. We'll probably try to maybe corral him in the morning and make sure that everything is OK, just because you get to kind of know their body language and stuff like that. And then, we'll go from there." White Sox starter Carson Fulmer said he was happy with his outing, tossing four-plus innings and giving up four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk. "All in all, I thought it was a really good outing," Fulmer said. "I was able to have a quick first inning, which I think is the most important inning of the game. I wanted to work on my curveball, I wanted to work on my changeup, and I wanted to throw some two-seamers. I did that. I felt like I threw a ton of strikes." Edwin Encarnacion (2-for-3 with 2 RBIs), Yan Gomes (2-for-3 with a solo homer) and Daniel Robertson (2-for-4 with a triple) led the Tribe's offense. Indians Up Next: Right-hander Josh Tomlin is scheduled to start and work four innings on Tuesday, when the Indians host the Giants in a 4:05 p.m. ET Cactus League game at Goodyear Ballpark. It can be watched live on MLB.TV. Carlos Frias, Boone Logan, Josh Martin and Chris Narveson are also penciled in to pitch for Cleveland.
White Sox Up Next: Lucas Giolito makes his fourth Cactus League start on Tuesday when the White Sox visit the Mariners for a 3:10 p.m. CT game. It can be watched live on MLB.TV. Giolito has pitched nine innings over three spring outings, allowing just two runs on two solo homers while walking two and striking out six. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. Derek Holland Coming Away Impressed with Young White Sox Starters By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It's still a little weird for Derek Holland to refer to himself as a veteran, but the 30-year-old is entering his ninth season in the majors and has 14 postseason appearances to his name, including four in the World Series. So Holland, along with left-hander Jose Quintana and right-handers James Shields and Miguel Gonzalez, has assumed the role of being a resource for some of the White Sox prized pitching prospects this spring. And the 30-year-old Holland said he's liked what he's seen so far from guys like Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. "I like where their heads are at," Holland said. "They're working really hard, they're taking this opportunity and running with it. They're not sitting here trying to make the team on Day 1. They're working, doing what they need to do. They're not worried about whether or not they're on the team or if they go down. Their main focus is I'm here, I want to learn from these guys and they're going to try to get better every time they go out." In addition to roundly praising the work put in by pitching coach Don Cooper with them this spring, those young White Sox pitchers have also lauded the benefits of having veterans like Holland around the clubhouse. "These guys have been around baseball for a long time," Giolito said. "They've had their ups and downs, and they've learned from experience. Being able to pick their brains and understand what they've been through, how to apply that to my own game, I'll take that any day of the week for sure." Eventually, the White Sox hope Kopech, Giolito and Lopez will establish themselves as major league starters. The work to get to that point is happening on the fields here at Camelback Ranch, but in the clubhouse, they're also learning how to carry themselves at baseball's highest level, too. "They're all over us, the veteran guys," Holland said. " They're asking questions, I'm spending time with each one of them and they're in the right mindset. I wouldn't be any happier if I was a White Sox fan. It's awesome stuff." White Sox, Modelo Especial Announce Multi-Year Partnership Agreement By CSN Chicago Staff March 13, 2017 After 30 years with Miller Brewing, the White Sox have a new beverage partner. The White Sox and Modelo Especial announced a three-year partnership agreement on Monday. Modelo Especial, the nation and city's fastest growing beer, is now the official import beer of the White Sox and will receive brand exposure inside and outside of Guaranteed Rate Field. The exclusive marketing partnership will offer fans access to "Casa Modelo," a new brand-bar space on the left field concourse, and include a number of in-ballpark activations. Modelo Especial will also be the official sponsor for Hispanic Heritage Night and Fireworks on Friday, Sept. 22 along with the annual Field of Greens golf outing held by White Sox Charities on Monday, July 17. "Partnering with the Chicago White Sox, our hometown team, couldn't be a better fit for us," said Ann Legan, vice president of marketing for Casa Modelo. "Just like Modelo has fought for decades to become America's fastest-growing beer, this storied franchise has stood for hard work and perseverance for more than a century. Their story and the fighting spirit of their loyal fans represent everything Modelo Especial stands for." "We are thrilled to welcome Modelo Especial to the White Sox family of corporate partners," said Brooks Boyer, White Sox senior vice president of sales and marketing. "As a rapidly growing brand with strong roots in our home in Chicago, Modelo is an ideal first partner for our import category, sharing our commitment to excellence for our customers and the White Sox fan base. We are looking forward to bringing the energy that Modelo offers to our fans." White Sox Looking at Outfield Options with Charlie Tilson Beginning 2017 on Disabled List By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago March 13, 2017
GLENDALE, Ariz. Charlie Tilson will begin the 2017 season on the disabled list, so the White Sox will have to look elsewhere to find their Opening Day center fielder. The presumed frontrunner to be the White Sox Opening Day center fielder, Tilson hasn't appeared in a Cactus League game after being shut down Feb. 19, when an MRI revealed a stress reaction in his right foot. The problem wasn't initially thought to be serious. But Tilson will be shut down for a minimum of three weeks and is in a boot after a follow-up MRI Monday revealed a fair amount of swelling in his foot. The MRI did not reveal a fracture, so the original diagnosis of a stress reaction remains the same. It's a difficult setback for the 24-year-old New Trier alum, who suffered a season-ending torn hamstring shortly after collecting his first career hit in his major league debut last August. The White Sox have three players in camp who would be in the mix to start in center field April 3 against the Detroit Tigers: Peter Bourjos, Adam Engel and Jacob May. Bourjos was a non-roster invitee to White Sox camp after spending the last seven seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. The 29-year-old native of Park Ridge, Ill., hit.251/.292/.389 in 383 plate appearances with the Phillies last year and has posted on-base percentages below.300 in each of the last three seasons. But Bourjos has hit well this spring, collecting two more hits Monday against the Cleveland Indians to bring him to 10 hits in 27 at-bats (though he has yet to draw a walk). The White Sox have two spots open on their 40-man roster that could go to Bourjos and fellow non-roster invitee Geovany Soto. May has hit well this spring, but hasn't been able to stay healthy as he's worked his way through the White Sox farm system. The nephew of former White Sox outfielder Carlos May appeared in 83 games with Triple-A Charlotte in 2016 with a.266/.309/.352 slash line. Bourjos has rated as an above-average defender in his career (+36 DRS, +49 UZR) while Engel and May have shown good range and instincts in the outfield this spring (and both have made highlight-reel catches in the last week). "We always have to be mindful of different options," manager Rick Renteria said Monday. "The reality is we've got all three of those young men beyond Tilly. They're working very hard. They're doing very well in the outfield. All of them are contributing to our part of the spring in terms of playing different positions, center field in specific." White Sox Notes: Moncada, Davidson Benefit Most From 14-Run 9 th By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The White Sox 14-run ninth inning Sunday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers was one of those comical occurrences that can happen when major leaguers and low-level minor leaguers mix. But for two White Sox players, it did serve a purpose beyond the headline-worthy curiosity of scoring two touchdowns worth of runs. Matt Davidson and Yoan Moncada entered the ninth inning a combined 0-8 with eight strikeouts. But Davidson walked and scored, and Moncada doubled in a pair of runs and scored himself in the ninth inning, giving both players a bit of positivity on which to end their nights. "They could have very easily buckled under and gone through the motions and they didn't," manager Rick Renteria said. "That's evident the last ball Moncada hit, running down the line, and trying to dive to get there. Showing you tremendous effort. Just continuing to play the game. They've been doing a pretty nice job of that this spring. We're trying to clean up some of the other things. That showed a lot of energy and a lot of spunk." Fulmer works past awe' factor Carson Fulmer threw 69 pitches (45 for strikes) over four innings in his start against the Cleveland Indians Monday at Camelback Ranch, allowing four runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts. The 2015 first-round pick said he wanted to work on his changeup and curveball and said he felt "really good" about his afternoon. The 23-year-old Fulmer said he has a better idea of what he's up against this spring after struggling in eight major league games last year, in which he allowed 11 runs in 11 2/3 innings.
"More than anything, you take that awe factor out of it," Fulmer said. "Growing up being a fan of baseball, you look at these guys you're facing now and you kind of have to take a step back. But now it's the same game. The more times I'm going out there the more comfortable I'm feeling." Other notes from White Sox 9, Indians 5: -- Tyler Saladino continued to mash the ball this spring, launching a grand slam in the second inning off Carlos Carrasco and delivering two more hits to raise his spring OPS to 1.472. -- Cody Asche and Rymer Liriano both homered, too, in the White Sox eight-run second inning. In their last three games, the White Sox have two eight-run innings (6th vs. Texas Sunday, 2nd vs. Cleveland Monday) and one 14-run inning (9th vs. Los Angeles Sunday). -- Left-hander Jose Quintana is expected back at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday after Colombia was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic Sunday. Renteria didn't have an exact plan for Quintana, but said the White Sox will likely keep him on the same schedule he had building up to his Friday start against the United States. When Quintana does take the mound again, the White Sox could have him pitch in B'or minor league games to keep the intensity level lower after the 27-year-old pitched well in a high-stress environment Friday in Miami. White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson will open season on disabled list By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune March 13, 2017 Jose Quintana will rejoin the White Sox on Tuesday, manager Rick Renteria said. When Charlie Tilson will return to the field remained a mystery. The rookie outfielder will begin the season on the disabled list, the team said, after an MRI on Monday reconfirmed that he suffered a stress reaction in his right foot earlier this spring. The Sox said the MRI did not show a fracture, but "a fair amount of inflammation was present." Tilson will continue to wear a boot for at least three weeks and will perform no weight-bearing activities. Quintana, who pitched 52/3 innings of no-hit ball for Colombia on Friday in the World Baseball Classic, will return to camp after his country was eliminated from the tournament Sunday. Renteria expects Quintana to be on his normal routine but said he and pitching coach Don Cooper will discuss how best to prepare the left-hander for the regular season. "I'm sure Coop has a plan for how we're going to proceed," Renteria said. "I would hope and I don't want to make any assumptions that he falls into the same slot." Tilson singled in his major-league debut last year before tearing his left hamstring. "I don't think it's as strong as it might seem in terms of the effect it's having," Renteria said. "But he felt something, so we erred on the side of caution." 18 up, 14 in: Danny Hayes was one of 13 players who had a hand in the Sox scoring 14 runs in the ninth inning against the Dodgers on Sunday night. Hayes was the third of 18 batters that inning. He was lifted for a pinch runner after his third hit of the game and watched the rest of the chaos from the bench, where he couldn't take his eyes off the action while at the same time wanting to close them. "I was like, 'I've got to go to bed; let's wrap this up,'" Hayes said with a laugh Tuesday morning. "That was the craziest thing I think I've seen. "I was high-fiving everyone. It seemed like every 30 seconds a new runner was coming into the dugout." Four Dodgers pitchers allowed seven hits, walked three and hit two batters while three errors were made.
The Sox bats didn't stop Monday either. They scored eight runs in the second inning Tuesday against the Indians, highlighted by Tyler Saladino's grand slam. Monday's recap: White Sox 9, Indians 5 By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune March 13, 2017 Tyler Saladino hit a grand slam and Cody Asche and Rymer Liriano also homered during an eight-run second in the White Sox's 9-5 victory against the Indians on Monday at Camelback Ranch. All of the runs were charged to Indians starter Carlos Carrasco. At the plate Saladino had three hits and four RBIs, raising his average to.480. Center fielder Peter Bourjos had two hits and upped his average to.370. On the mound Carson Fulmer allowed four runs, seven hits, one walk and struck out four in four-plus innings. The quote "I'm glad it happened on our side. I can imagine how they felt on the other side." Manager Rick Renteria on the Sox's 14-run ninth inning Sunday night against the Dodgers. Key number 22 Runs the Sox scored in a stretch of three innings, from the ninth Sunday through the second Monday. Up next At Mariners, 3:10 p.m. Tuesday at Peoria Stadium. RH Lucas Giolito vs. LH James Paxton. Derek Holland hopes to help himself, White Sox rebuild By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune March 13, 2017 A dog named Wrigley derailed Derek Holland's 2014 season with the Rangers. It's doubtful Holland's next pet will be named Guaranteed Rate, but that's where the new White Sox left-hander will attempt to steer his injury-riddled career back on path this season, largely because of a pitching coach named Don Cooper. Holland, 30, is guaranteed a rate of $6 million, according to the one-year deal he signed with the Sox shortly after Chris Sale was shipped to the Red Sox. The known animal lover he has five lizards and a chinchilla and said he'd like an otter said he tripped over his now- 8-year-old boxer (named for a certain Chicago ballpark) on the stairs in 2014, causing him to tear cartilage in his left knee, which he said buckled when he grabbed the railing to brace himself. The mishap cost him half of that season. He managed to pitch one inning of the Rangers home opener the following year but didn't throw another until August, thanks to a bum left shoulder. Last season he spent nearly two months on the disabled list with right shoulder issues. "Healthwise I haven't seen anything that's of any concern to us," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "As far as preparing and pitching, he looks pretty good. I know he gave up the homer (Sunday), but he's been pretty effective, pretty controlled. His pitches are down in the zone. He made some pitches (Sunday) that were pretty good. He's nice to have around." A big reason he's around, Holland said, is because of Cooper. Holland noticed his velocity is where he wants it to be and he feels strong after he allowed two runs, three walks, three hits and struck out four in 3 2/3 innings of his the Sox's 15-5 victory Sunday night. "I thought my offspeed was tremendous, especially the changeup," he said. "I got a strikeout with it and a couple popups in some key situations. I feel very good where I'm at. "This is definitely paying off. I'm not going to get too caught up in the results. It's spring training. This is the time to work on things. That's the big thing."
Holland allowed a home run to former Rangers teammate Bobby Wilson on Sunday, but other than that was satisfied as he prepares for his spot in the White Sox's rotation. "I've thrown to him before so I think he knew it was coming," Holland said with a smile. Holland, an avid WWE fan who often wears wrestling-themed T-shirts and sometimes carries a gold "Money in the Bank" replica briefcase, isn't just with the Sox to reclaim his own career as the team rebuilds. He's also here to help a young stable of White Sox pitchers who could be the faces of tomorrow. Holland has three postseasons, including two World Series, on his resume. He's 62-50 in eight seasons, with a 4.35 ERA in 985 innings. So despite his age, younger players often gravitate toward him. And he likes what he has seen and heard so far. "They're all over us, the veteran guys," he said of young pitchers including Reynaldo Lopez, Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech. "It's kind of weird to say that I'm a veteran guy, I'm only 30 years old. But they're asking questions, I'm spending time with each one of them and they're in the right mindset. I wouldn't be any happier if I was a White Sox fan." Now, about that dog, Wrigley. He travels with Holland and will be in Chicago during the season. But he won't be at Guaranteed Rate Field, except maybe for dog day. "That's his name; I just wanted to get that out there," Holland said. "I'm not really big on taking dogs to the field. That's our place to work. Nobody wants some stuff out in center field." Tim Anderson takes liking to 2-hole in White Sox lineup By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. Shortstop Tim Anderson is getting comfortable in his second season, especially when he s in the No. 2 spot in the White Sox lineup. Just where he settles in, though, is to be determined. Anderson got lengthy stints in the top two spots in former manager Robin Ventura s lineups as a rookie last season, leading off in 41 games and batting second in 48 after getting his bearings in the lower part of the order when the Sox called him up June 10. Manager Rick Renteria has used Anderson as a leadoff man and No. 2 hitter this spring. In a rebuilding season for the Sox, Anderson is an important building block locked in at a key position. The Sox view him as a potential All-Star and want to put him where he can excel. Having a potential championship-caliber shortstop in place for the next six years or so is one less thing to worry about, general manager Rick Hahn said. Anderson said he doesn t worry about where Renteria will use him, but he s pretty clear on where he wants to hit. I love that 2-spot because I m an aggressive hitter, he said. That 1-spot kind of slows me down a little. Batting first generally puts more emphasis on working counts and taking pitches. While some would like to see Anderson draw more walks he walked 13 times in 431 plate appearances last season he has an aggressive style. If he sees a first-pitch fastball to his liking, he s all-in. You have to see a few pitches here and there, Anderson said of batting leadoff, especially in the first inning. Kind of make the pitchers throw everything they ve got and relay it to my guys. I like the 2-hole better, but I don t mind hitting first. If I can jump on [the pitcher] quick, start off with a double or triple, that s a good way to set the table. Anderson, who is batting.367 with no walks in nine Cactus League games, battled through a 13-pitch at-bat last week against the Brewers, so he can go deep in counts. And he does supply pop at the top. He had nine home runs, six triples and 22 doubles last season.
Renteria still has time to decide where Anderson will bat, but it would help if someone stepped up as a leadoff option. Outfielder Charlie Tilson is out of the picture with an injury to his right foot. Speedy Peter Bourjos, who is making a case for taking the center-field job, led off and had two hits Monday against the Indians to hike his spring average to.385. But Bourjos is a.243 hitter with a.300 on-base percentage in his career. Anderson s free swinging doesn t help his on-base percentage, and that doesn t make him an ideal leadoff man despite his speed. Where does he fit best? Good question, Renteria said Monday. I like Timmy in both the first and second slot. In the second slot, he handles the bat really well. He can go to right, he can pull the ball, he can do a lot of different things. Where Anderson batted last season didn t seem to affect him much. His slash lines leading off (.279/.303/.419) and batting second (.278/.296/.409) were remarkably similar. Meanwhile, the soft-spoken Anderson is getting more comfortable with teammates and media. The Sox expect him to flourish in his first full season. He s confident, Renteria said. He s not trying to put a label on himself and allow the noise all the periphery and speculation of what he s supposed to be or not supposed to be to [affect him]. What he will ultimately be, time will tell. Home runs power White Sox past Indians By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. Tyler Saladino hit a grand slam, and Cody Asche and Rymer Liriano also went deep in an eight-run second inning that propelled the White Sox to a 9-5 Cactus League victory over the Indians on Monday at Camelback Ranch. The Sox did their damage against right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who threw mainly fastballs. Peter Bourjos had two hits including a double, and Saladino who is batting.480 this spring was 3-for-4 with a double. Fulmer OK with outing Carson Fulmer, the No. 8 overall draft pick in 2015, gave up seven hits, including a homer to Yan Gomes, in four-plus innings, but the right-hander was pleased. I felt like I threw a ton of strikes, walks [one] weren t an issue and I was able to get swings and misses on my changeup, said Fulmer, who struck out four. I threw the breaking ball for strikes. I accomplished everything I wanted to today. Carson Fulmer struck out four Indians while allowing four runs Monday. The pitching star of the day was 31-year-old right-hander Anthony Swarzak, a former Indian, Twin and Yankee, who struck out five in two scoreless innings. Fleet Pete Peter Bourjos, signed to a minor-league contract in the offseason, came to camp with a good chance of making the team as a fourth outfielder. The former Angel, Cardinal and Phillie is helping his cause with a.385 average, but manager Rick Renteria continues to lump Bourjos, Jacob May and Adam Engel into one group with equal chances of being the Opening Day starter in center. Bourjos is the only one with major-league experience. May and Engel figured to open the season at Class AAA Charlotte, but Charlie Tilson s injury opened a door. On deck White Sox at Mariners, Peoria, 3:10 p.m., CSN, Lucas Giolito vs. James Paxton. Carlos Rodon will pitch in a simulated game. Slamming Saladino having big spring for White Sox By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. Whether he s a starter, a jack-of-all-trades or an emergency catcher, Tyler Saladino figures to give the White Sox a little bit of everything some speed, solid infield defense and, as he showed Monday, occasional pop with the bat. Saladino s grand slam against Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco was his third home run of the spring. That s no great surprise, considering he popped eight homers in 319 plate appearances last season, when he ranked sixth among Sox position players in wins above replacement (1.8).
With top prospect Yoan Moncada destined to be the every-day second baseman at some point this season, Saladino can hold the position down while Moncada gets some at-bats at Class AAA early on. If and when Moncada arrives, Saladino can play pretty much anywhere else. He s a valuable asset to us as a flexible piece, said manager Rick Renteria, who also has utility infielder Yolmer Sanchez and infield/outfield option Leury Garcia to give him versatility. He s an established major-league baseball player, whether it s using him at second base or using him four or five days playing other positions, including second base. I m not going to lock myself into one thing with any of them. Saladino might want to save some hits for the regular season. He also doubled and singled against the Indians to raise his spring average to.480. In addition to his eight homers, Saladino hit.282 with 38 RBI and 11 stolen bases last season. Tilson to start on DL Outfielder Charlie Tilson s follow-up MRI exam confirmed the original diagnosis of a stress reaction in his right foot. He is in a walking boot and will start the season on the disabled list. The good news for Tilson is there is no stress fracture. But he won t perform any weight-bearing activities for at least three weeks before being re-evaluated. Tilson tore his left hamstring in his major-league debut last season, rehabbed the injury and came to camp as the top contender to start the season in center field. Good old No. 14 The Sox scored 14 runs in the ninth inning late Sunday against the Dodgers. It might have been more appropriate had they done so on the day Paul Konerko visited camp last week. The blitz erased a 3-1 deficit, but it was no thing of beauty, with four errors, three walks and two hit batters included. The Sox did have seven hits in the inning, including two by Jason Bourgeois. Renteria was pleased with many of the at-bats, but he felt for the Dodgers in the 40-minute inning. I can imagine how they felt on the other side, he said. Chicago White Sox's Anderson on list of talented young AL shortstops By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald March 13, 2017 Look around the American League and seemingly every club has a talented young shortstop. In the AL Central alone, Cleveland has 23-year-old star Francisco Lindor and Detroit has 27-year-old Jose Iglesias. Then there's Houston's 22-year-old Carlos Correra, who already has established himself as an MVP candidate. Boston's 24-year-old Xander Bogaerts has similar aspirations, while 27-year-old Brad Miller (Tampa Bay) and 26-year-old Marcus Semien (Oakland) combined for 57 home runs and 156 RBI last season. New York's Didi Gregorius also had a big year in 2016, but the 27-year-old infielder is going to have a difficult time keeping his job with No. 1 prospect Gleyber Torres -- former property of the Chicago Cubs -- making a rapid rise to the major leagues at 20. Fortunately for the Chicago White Sox, Tim Anderson also is prominently pictured in the team photo of quality young AL shortstops. Joining the Sox from Class AAA Charlotte in early June last season, the 23-year-old posted a.283/.306/.432 hitting line with 22 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, 30 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 99 games. Among AL rookies, Anderson ranked first in doubles, tied for first with 33 multihit games, was second with 57 runs and third with 116 hits.
"Timmy's proven to us that he's fully capable of being an excellent everyday shortstop," general manager Rick Hahn said of the White Sox's first-round draft pick in 2013. "You have yourself a young, controllable piece at a premium position with all-star capabilities. Certainly, there are areas on the fringes of his game that you would like to improve, but this is a very young player who acquitted himself very well at the big-league level in his initial tryout. "You see the league adjust to him and he's going to have to continue to make adjustments back. We remain real excited about what this guy can do for us in the future." There were plenty of questions about Anderson's ability to play shortstop in the major leagues, but the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native showed he has the skills to handle the demanding defensive position despite some expected rough spots. With the Sox looking for Anderson to replace Adam Eaton in the leadoff spot this season, taking more pitches is the obvious key. In his first three months with the White Sox, Anderson had only 7 walks in 292 at-bats. In the final month, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder walked six times in 118 at-bats. "I think as I get more relaxed and adjust to what's happening in a situation, I'll start walking," he said. "I'm not worried about it. If I just continue to do what I've been doing, I'll be fine." Why isn't Chicago White Sox's Cabrera drawing interest? By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald March 13, 2017 Chris Sale and Adam Eaton are gone, Jose Quintana and David Robertson could be dealt before you reach the end of this article, and Todd Frazier and Jose Abreu frequently are mentioned in trade rumors. Veteran players are an endangered species on the rebuilding Chicago White Sox, but there is seemingly little or no interest in left fielder Melky Cabrera. Considering he had a solid year with the Sox in 2016 and is a lifetime.286 hitter over 12 major-league seasons, the lack of buzz surrounding the 32-year-old Cabrera is a bit puzzling. Are teams in need of a proven bat still wary of Cabrera's 50-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test in 2012? Are potentially interested teams looking for more power from the corner outfield spot? Better defense perhaps? It's difficult to say, but Cabrera led the White Sox with a.296 batting average last season and was third with 14 home runs and 86 RBI. He also tied for third in the American League with 42 doubles, the most by a White Sox hitter since Magglio Ordonez's 46 in 2003. "We all know what Melky can do," Sox manager Rick Renteria said. Unless there is a sudden change in outside interest, Cabrera is heading into his third straight season as the White Sox's starting left field. He's also in the final season of a three-year, $42 million contract, with $15 million due in 2017. That's a hefty price for an outfielder who is not well above average in any phase of the game, but Cabrera's cost will be significantly lower around the July 31 nonwaiver deadline, so that could be his moving date. Looking ahead, who replaces Cabrera in left field later this season or in 2018? The list of potential candidates is less than stellar, with Cody Asche currently sitting behind Cabrera on the Sox's depth chart. Signed to a minor-league contract on Jan. 6, Asche spent the last four seasons with the Phillies.
Splitting time between third base and left field, the left-handed batter posted a.240/.298/.385 hitting line with 31 home runs and 125 RBI in 371 games with Philadelphia. Asche also struck out 310 times in 1,287 plate appearances. Unless the White Sox acquire a young outfielder in a trade for Quintana or possibly Frazier, Abreu or Robertson, they'll have to wait for current prospects like Luis Alexander Basabe, Alex Call, Jameson Fisher and Micker Adolfo. None of that quartet is expected to be major-league ready until 2018 at the earliest. Drafted on the first round in 2012, Courtney Hawkins' initial ETA was expected to be at some point this season. That's not going to happen, and Hawkins looks like a bust. Reassigned to minor-league camp last week in the first round of roster cuts, Hawkins has a.227/.290/.409 slash line with 596 strikeouts in 1,974 plate appearances over five minor-league seasons. Charlie Tilson has foot injury, to open season on DL By ESPN.com News Services March 13, 2017 Chicago White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson, who was the front-runner to be Chicago's starting center fielder, will begin the season on the disabled list because of a foot injury, the team announced Monday. Tilson has not played for the White Sox during spring training after suffering a stress reaction in his right foot last month. An MRI taken Monday revealed inflammation in the foot, prompting the White Sox to shut down Tilson for at least three weeks. White Sox manager Rick Renteria told reporters that Tilson aggravated the injury Sunday and that the team "erred on the side of caution" as there was a "fair amount of inflammation." Tilson, 24, appeared in one game last season for the White Sox before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury in August. Chicago acquired the former second-round draft pick in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals last July 31. Renteria said Peter Bourjos, Jacob May and Adam Engel all are options to start in center field while Tilson is sidelined. Opening Day Looking Like A Long Shot For White Sox Outfielder Charlie Tilson By Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago March 13, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. (CBS) A chance to win the White Sox s starting center field job appears weeks or months away for Charlie Tilson, the speedster who s now had a setback in his recovery from a stress reaction in his right ankle earlier in camp. Tilson suffered his ankle injury in mid-february and was shut down, rehabbing since. Recently, he felt something amiss, manager Rick Renteria said, and the team will continue to take a cautious approach. He will be re-evaluated today, manager Rick Renteria said Monday. He will get another MRI. Obviously, we are shutting him down. He felt something. We are going to err on the side of caution. The results of the MRI will determine the next type of treatment for Tilson. This latest setback is another frustrating episode for Tilson in his White Sox tenure. After being acquired in a trade from the Cardinals last July, Tilson tore his left hamstring in his first game with the White Sox in the big leagues and missed the rest of the season. The stress reaction in his right ankle was considered common and initially a minor ordeal as part of the recovery from the hamstring tear, as many players suffer injuries to their other leg when they favor an injured one. With Tilson out, Peter Bourjos, Leury Garcia, Adam Engel and Jacob May are vying to be the Opening Day center fielder. Tilson is likely headed for a minor league stint as he fights his way back from these leg injuries. The White Sox certainly had high hopes for Tilson in 2017. Prior to his injury problems, he had a clear path to getting 600 at-bats and being the everyday lead-off man. The White Sox are being particularly cautious with his injuries because the legs are the lifeblood for a player like the speedy Tilson, who has 89 stolen bases in 471 career minor league games. Both Bourjos and May were in Chicago s lineup against Cleveland on Monday.
We are just making sure those guys are getting enough at-bats, Renteria said. We are using them in different positions. We want to make sure they are qualified and ready to go for the regular season. They are playing center field (specifically) and doing very well.