The White Sox entered Saturday’s game tied with Kansas City for the most unearned runs allowed in the American League, with 40. The White Sox added to that total with three more unearned runs in their 8-7 victory over the Cubs.
June 27, 2009
We’re No. 1!
Josh Phegley’s signing bonus: $888,600
Phegley signed a contract Thursday in Chicago, with the deal including a signing bonus of $858,600 plus $30,000 to be used for college, according to his father John.
After spending the night in Chicago on Thursday, Josh passed his physical on Friday. During their trip, both Josh and his father were given a tour of U.S. Cellular Field, which included meeting White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.
Scott Podsednik at his new hitting approach
Podsednik, released by the Colorado Rockies at the end of spring training, continues to move up in the batter’s box like Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki.
“I’ve wanted to use my ability to run more,” Podsednik said. “I felt like I was leaving some hits out there on the table by not using my ability to run, so I created some movement in the box that allows me to get down the line quicker, and that has allowed me to make some things happened.”
BlackJack: Put Beckham back at short
Gordon Beckham needs to go back to his normal shortstop position, Alexi Ramirez back to second, Josh Fields back to third. After watching Beckham back up more than two steps on three different groundballs over the past two days it’s obvious he’s a long way from being comfortable at third.
Here’s Jim’s take.
Stripper’s pole meets foul pole
On Friday, a judge approved the opening of a strip club “within a home run’s distance” of Seattle’s baseball stadium, an asset that might have kept Alex Rodriguez from bolting to Texas all those years ago.
Credit to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Levi Pulkkinen for the post’s title.
Ozzie Guillen’s old school stories
“Greg Walker grabbed me and said, ‘You bounce the ball once again and I will kick your (rear end),’” Guillen said. “I learned from that. I learned to be a professional. I learned to suck it up when you’re not good in the field, and I think the reason I’m a leader when I was playing was because I grew up with the right people.”
wrong (rear end) kicked…
Sox announce 6 draft signees
Josh Phegley was one of six selections the team announced it had come to terms with from the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Right-handed pitchers Matthew Heidenreich (fourth round), Kyle Bellamy (fifth round) and Jimmy Ballinger (11th round) joined Phegley, the 38th overall pick from Indiana University, infielder Jared McDonald (21st round) and first baseman Leighton Pangilinan (40th round) on that list. … Of the six picks, Phegley is the only one targeted for Class-A Kannapolis. The other five will begin at Advanced Rookie Bristol.
BTW, Mark Gonzales reported that “Jared Mitchell, the White Sox’s first pick in the June amateur draft, is expected to agree to terms soon.”
FutureSox speculates on the possible moves Phegley’s assignment will cause.
Ozzie Guillen to be patient with Clayton Richard
Ozzie Guillen on whether he will keep Clayton Richard on the starting rotation:
”I’ll go for it,” Guillen said. ”This kid is our future. Hopefully we’ll build something for this year and for the future. We cannot forget how we do stuff here. We did it with a couple of pitchers, and I’m willing to do it with him. Be patient. It’s not going to be a nice one. It’s going to be a headache every day? So what? I’ll take that headache. I will take that responsibility to help him be what he should be.”
