Chris Sale’s 1st Spring Training start: Friday, March 9, 2 pm CT @ WGN-TV [UPDATE]

Chris Sale's first Cactus League start will be March 9 at home against the Cubs. Ventura will give the other four in next few days—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 29, 2012

Broadcast Schedule.

UPDATE: First 5 starts:

John Danks is set to start the team’s Cactus league road opener on Tuesday in Tempe against the Angels, with Jake Peavy pitching Wednesday at home against the Brewers and Gavin Floyd on Thursday in Surprise against the two-time defending American League champs from Texas. With Chris Sale pitching Friday in Glendale against the Cubs, the opening rotation appears to be set up, although nothing official has been announced by manager Robin Ventura past Humber on Monday.

Jose Quintana starts Monday’s “B” game against the Indians, with Simon Castro and Brian Bruney also pitching. Will Ohman, Jesse Crain, Addison Reed, Hector Santiago, Pedro Hernandez, Charlie Leesman and Nestor Molina pitch Monday after Humber, who is ready to test his early work in actual games.

Other White Sox links:

• James looks at Paul Konerko’s comments.
• J.J. and Tony Andracki post the 1990-1999 All-Chicago team.
• Will Carroll and Dan Wade published their 2012 White Sox team health report.
• Mike Newman scouts the toolsy Keenyn Walker and gives us his scouting report.

Baseball-Intellect’s Top 15 (+3) 2012 White Sox Prospects

Alex Eisenberg:

1. Addison Reed | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – B
2. Trayce Thompson | OF | Age – 21 | Grade – B-
3. Nestor Molina| RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – B-
4. Tyler Saladino | SS | Age – 22 | Grade – B-
5. Simon Castro | RHP | Age – 24 | Grade – B-/C+
6. Jake Petricka | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – B-/C+
7. Keenyn Walker | OF | Age – 21 | Grade – C+
8. Jhan Marinez | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
9. Hector Santiago | LHP | Age – 24 | Grade – C+
10. Erik Johnson| RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+

11. Jared Mitchell | OF | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
12. Pedro Hernandez | LHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
13. Eduardo Escobar | SS | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
14. Greg Infante | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
15. Ozzie Martinez | SS | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
16. Myles Jaye | RHP | Age – 20 | Grade – C+
17. Dylan Axelrod | RHP | Age – 26 | Grade – C+
18. Jeff Soptic | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+

There are quick takes for every prospect and a scouting report on Jake Petricka.

Paulie’s 2012 analysis

Scott Reifert:

“We’re starting with a new staff, kind of a whole new era here, and I think you can start building something now. The teams the past few years have been about: try real hard this year to win, you failed, and then you come back next year and try again from a totally different angle. I think what’s happening here is that they’re trying to build something a little more stable, a little more sustaining. If we go out and compete this year and it doesn’t happen – and you see this with some other teams in the league – you build up momentum and use that to build from the year before and I think that’s why it could be successful. I’m not conceding anything, especially in today’s game there’s way too many teams and with another wild card spot, I mean there are all kinds of other things that are available to make the playoffs and there seems to be a lot of parity. I think with the amount of young guys that we have you have to throw that into the equation if we don’t make it to the playoffs but we do it right and go out and compete well. If you look at it at the end of the year and Morel’s had a really good year, Beckham’s had a good year, Addison Reed’s had a great year – those are all good signs that it’s moving in the right direction and that’s what in my mind can be determined to be a success. Again, you don’t concede anything because anything can happen if you go out there and play hard. There’s a very fine line between those teams that finish in first place and second or third so who knows. You have to give a lot of respect to Detroit right now, not because of what they did in the offseason, but because they became a really good team at the end of the year. They were pretty good all year but at the end of the month they just took it to another level and they are the team to beat. They got a lot of guns and we’ll see what goes on there.”

Reifert has more. Schouwen has even more.

Other White Sox links:

• J.J. covers White Sox director of baseball operations Dan Fabian’s conference call, and looks at the Sox’ lack of good left-handed hitting over the past few seasons.
• James looks at the Spring Training position battles, and the Sox’ recent outfield shakeup.
• Chris looks at Cuban baseball.
• Albert Belle looks old (HardBall Talk).

Sox outfield: Dayan Viciedo @ left, Alejandro De Aza @ center, Alex Rios, @ right?

Scot Gregor:

It looks like the White Sox are going to be shaking up their outfield. Manager Robin Ventura indicated Dayan Viciedo is going to move from right field to left field, Alex Rios is moving from center to right and Alejandro De Aza is moving from left to center. We’ll see how this plays out … nothing is definite yet.

and

Ventura says it's possible Viciedo could be Sox left-fielder:. "He has the ability to play both. He can be in left."—
Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) February 27, 2012

I don’t think Viciedo has played any games in left in the majors or the minors…

BTW,

Dunn could give konerko more time off at first.—
Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 27, 2012

Oh boy…

2012 White Sox Baseball: Forget baseball, we are trying tee ball this year

:p

UPDATE:

:p

Smells Like Mascot: White Sox Dogs Playing Poker & King of Clubs

Carl’s latest:

http://smellslikemascot.blogspot.com/2012/02/outsiders.html

and

http://smellslikemascot.blogspot.com/2012/02/king-of-clubs.html

Alex Rios doesn’t want any mechanics advice

Rios: "I know that I can produce. It’s just a matter of stay positive and not clutter my mind with lots of things like mechanics …—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 25, 2012

… and all the things that I was worrying about last year. It’s just see the ball and hit the ball."—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 25, 2012

I see Alex Rios is aiming for an average below the Mendoza line…

Will Brent Lillibridge be the back-up ShortStop?

Lillibridge already has done some work at SS. Could be the primary utility guy this season, at least at the outset.—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 25, 2012

Maybe Jhan Marinez and Eduardo Escobar both won’t make the team.

also,

It looks as if @BSLillibridge will play pretty much everywhere in this upcoming season. I don't think he'll pitch.—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 25, 2012

It’s all Brent Lillibridge, all the time!

John Sickels’ 2012 ‘Top 120 Prospects’ list

John Sickels:

44) Addison Reed, RHP, Chicago White Sox

72) Nestor Molina, RHP, Chicago White Sox

Hey, more than one Sox prospect! Sickels likes Molina.

Chris Sale bulks up. Jake Peavy bulks down. [UPDATE]

AJ Pierzynski on rail thin Chris Sale: "I saw Sale. He looks great. It looks like he put on a pound or two."—
Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) February 23, 2012

AJ: sale looks like he put on a pound or two. He's like 150.—
Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 23, 2012

and

Peavy looks thinner, said about 10 pounds, taking pressure off of his right ankle. Brian Bruney also lost significant weight—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 23, 2012

Peavy is ten pounds lighter, about 190, to take weight off his right ankle.—
Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 23, 2012

UPDATE:

Weight watchers: Bruney is 30 pounds lighter, Peavy 10 lighter. Humber added about 20.—
Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 24, 2012

Chris Sale: "I gained about 20 pounds this off-season and for some reason I lost it all before i came out here."—
Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) February 24, 2012

Since last seen with the White Sox, Brian Bruney has dropped 25 pounds. Looks primed to make a run at one of three open bullpen spots—
Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 24, 2012

Predicting the next next Jose Bautista

Lewis Pollis @ BTB:

… Now that we’ve established that this system is foolproof, let’s take a look at the 2011 HR/FB leaderboard, where we’ll undoubtedly find our 2012 breakout star:

1.	Mike Napoli
2.	Prince Fielder
3.	Logan Morrison
4.	Mark Reynolds
5.	Pablo Sandoval
6.	Adrian Beltre
7.	Brent Morel
8.	Michael Morse
9.	Ian Kinsler
10.	Ryan Braun

Where do we start? Napoli, Fielder, Reynolds, and Braun have already established themselves as among the best power hitters in the game. Kinsler, Sandoval, Beltre, and now Morse have all shown good-to-great pop in the past too. Morrison doesn’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers, but he’s a 24-year-old with a history of slugging in the minor leagues and a solid track record in the majors so far.

That leaves only one option: Brent Morel. He’s not a perfect fit with Zobrist, Bautista and Morse—this will be his age-25 season so a significant improvement wouldn’t be seen as coming out of nowhere, and having appeared on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list he’s of a higher pedigree than his breakout predecessors. …

Herm Schneider is in the best shape of his life

No kidding, he really is:

The most noticeable change among the Sox’s traveling party was trainer Herm Schneider, who declined to disclose how much weight he lost this winter.

Daryl Van Schouwen says it’s 70 pounds:

Nobody looks better than White Sox trainer Herm Schneider, who lost about 70 pounds over the offseason.—
Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) February 22, 2012

BTW, here’s a picture of Herm from August of 2011:

Good job Herm!

Other White Sox links:

• James looks at Tyler Flowers replacing A.J. Pierzynski, and replays the April 12, 2008 Sox-Tigers game (Gavin Floyd’s breakout).
• J.J. looks at the battle for the last spot in the Sox bench, and contributes to publishing the All-Chicago 2000-2011 baseball team.
• Baseball America released its ’2012 Top 100 prospects’ list. The only Sox prospect on the list is 23-year old RHP Addison Reed at #66.

Make your own kind of rumor

MLBTR:

Twins assistant GM Rob Antony … said that some internet rumors about players on the trade market often lead to exploratory conversations between GMs about said players.  “There are a lot of names that pop up where we do a lot of that same thing. ‘Look, if you’re looking to move this guy, he could be a fit over here. I don’t know what’s fact and what’s rumor, but if you are serious in trading a player we’d like to be kept in mind, we have some interest,’ ” Antony said.

I’m hearing Boston will acquire RHP Gavin Floyd from the Sox for RHP Anthony Ranaudo and C Ryan Lavarnway.

PS. Title

Robin Ventura lays down the law

Asked if he'll be running a dictatorship as White Sox manager, Ventura joked "Absolutely. My way or the highway."—
Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) February 22, 2012

What amount of money can the Sox spent in the first 10 rounds of the 2012 MLB Draft: $5,915,100

That’s what Baseball America’s Jim Callis reports. To sign 8 of the first 10 picks in the 2011 draft the Sox spent $2,126,300. They spent $2,786,300 for the entire 2011 draft class. As Callis says, the amount for the 2012 draft can only change if Derrek Lee signs a major league contract which he says is unlikely at this point.

BTW, Seedling To Stars’ Drew Balen looked at how the new draft signing bonus rules will impact the 2012 draft.