April 27, 2012
Jared Mitchell on Baseball America’s Prospect Sheet
At this time last year, White Sox CF Jared Mitchell found himself completely over his head. Coming back from a serious ankle injury that had sidelined him for the entire 2010 season, he was promoted to high Class A Winston-Salem where he was most known for striking out (183 whiffs in 477 at-bats). A year later, Mitchell, 23, has somehow managed to catch up to an even more advanced league. His walks are up, his strikeouts are down and Mitchell is now hitting the ball with authority—.478/.586/.739 this week and now .347/.473/.573 for the season
Jesse Crain down, Dylan Axelrod up
The White Sox placed right-hander Jesse Crain on the disabled list Friday, retroactive to April 21, with a strained left oblique. Righty Dylan Axelrod was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to take his place in the bullpen.
Crain, who hasn’t pitched since April 20, said he was going to refrain from activity until Tuesday, when the White Sox begin a three-game series with the Indians. He said he injured his oblique doing twists in the weight room.
The 30-year-old right-hander said he was hopeful he’d be able to return from the DL on May 5, the first day he’s eligible. …
Axelrod will be Sox’ long reliever:
White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Axelrod will serve as the team’s long reliever. Right-handers Nate Jones and Zach Stewart will move up in the bullpen to fill Crane’s late-inning role.
This is Axelord’s second stint with the White Sox, after appearing in four games for Chicago last September. The 26-year-old went 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in those outings (three starts) and Ventura said he’s comfortable handing the ball to Axelrod.
“He’s been up here, so it’s not like we’re bringing somebody up that can’t pitch here,” Ventura said. “We have confidence in Axe and we’ll make due until Jesse’s ready.”
Axelrod was impressive in four Triple-A starts, going 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 25 innings. He said a big part of his success has come from incorporating his changeup more often.
“It’s been really effective for me. It’s added another dimension, makes my fastball a little bit better,” Axelrod said. “My first start, I threw about four changeups and they got a call that said work on it, so I’ve been trying to throw about 15 a game after that and it’s been paying off.”
As J.J. says, the player with the most to gain here is Nate Jones.
What does the future hold for Gordon Beckham?
Gordon Beckham has not lived up to expectations. After being selected eighth overall by the Chicago White Sox in 2008, Beckham was expected to be one of the team’s future stars. And after a strong rookie season, it looked like Beckham might achieve that goal. Since then, however, Beckham was struggled mightily. For the 25-year-old, 2012 is a make-or-break year. The early signs do not look encouraging. …
Other White Sox links:
- J.J. checks on Dylan Axelrod, and looks on Paul Konerko’s chances of hitting 500 Home Runs.
- James looks at the Sox infield, and Robin Ventura bunt binge at Wednesday’s game.
- SeedlingsToStars’n Robbie Knopf looks at Jacob Petricka’s AFL Pitch F/X numbers.
- MLBTR looks at the chances Jake Peavy gets traded this summer.
- FutureSox looks at Rangel Ravelo.
April 26, 2012
Hector Santiago wants to throw less meatballs
The secret to Hector Santiago’s return to late-inning success might be throwing a few less strikes.
Santiago specifically is targeting a reduction in the four home runs he has allowed in 6 1/3 innings, after giving up just 11 in 132 2/3 innings last season.
“I’ve actually thought about going out of the zone with certain pitches instead of trying to throw everything for strikes,” Santiago said. “I try to make sure I don’t walk anybody.
“Sometimes you have to go out of the zone to be able to get somebody to chase something, and I don’t think I’ve been doing that of late. Maybe I need to get someone to chase something and ground out or swing over something.”
Locating the screwball certainly is not an issue in Santiago’s mind. He felt as if that pitch was at its best this season during Wednesday’s appearance against the A’s and still doesn’t regret the changeup thrown to Yoenis Cespedes that led to the game-tying homer.
“I’ve actually figured out how to throw it at a lower velocity where I had it last year and throw a bigger break,” said Santiago of his screwball. “It’s just a fact that I’m throwing it right in the middle of the plate. I have to start working on getting off the plate.”
Here are some Pitch-F/X stuff for Santiago: Player Card from BrooksBaseball.net. Pitcher Profile from TexasLeaguers.com. Heat Maps from Fangraphs.com.
Andre Rienzo suspended 50 games
White Sox right-hander Andre Rienzo was one of two Minor League pitchers suspended for 50 games due to violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention Treatment Program, as announced by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball on Thursday.
Rienzo, a 23-year-old native of Sao Paolo, Brazil, came to the team as a free agent in 2006. He was 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA for Class A Winston-Salem as part of its 2012 starting rotation.
After the suspension was announced, for Rienzo testing positive for metabolites of Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance, the White Sox released a statement from Rienzo.
“I have been informed by Major League Baseball that I have tested positive for a prohibited substance, and as a result, I will be suspended for 50 games,” Rienzo said in the statement. “I want to make it clear to Major League Baseball and the Chicago White Sox that I have never intentionally taken a prohibited substance.
“Unfortunately, during the offseason, I used a dietary supplement that I purchased at a health food store in my home country of Brazil, believing it to be legitimate. It is now apparent that the supplement was tainted. I understand that I am responsible for what I put in my body, and therefore have accepted the 50-game suspension. I look forward to returning to the game I love, and I appreciate the support the Chicago White Sox have given me during this process.”
Terry Doyle struck out 7, walked 1 tonight (April 25)
Charlotte Knights Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Terry Doyle (W, 1-1) 6.0 5 0 0 1 7 0 3.63 Jhan Marinez 1.0 2 2 2 1 1 0 4.35 Anthony Carter 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.35 Pitches-strikes: Doyle 100-65, Marinez 25-14, Carter, A 19-14.
Groundouts-flyouts: Doyle 7-3, Marinez 0-1, Carter, A 5-0.
Batters faced: Doyle 25, Marinez 6, Carter, A 6.
Terry Doyle, RHP, White Sox (Triple-A Charlotte): 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K. Control specialist could work his way into White Sox bullpen at some point during season.
April 25, 2012
Waiting for the fastball
| Pitch Statistics | |||||||||
| Pitch Type | Avg Speed | Max Speed | Avg H-Break | Avg V-Break | Count | Strikes / % | Whiffs / % | Linear Weights | |
| FF (FourSeam Fastball) | 93.55 | 94.8 | 7.88 | 8.66 | 2 | 1 / 50.00% | 0 / 0.00% | -0.0062 | |
| CH (Changeup) | 81.80 | 81.8 | 10.83 | 5.20 | 1 | 1 / 100.00% | 0 / 0.00% | 0.4614 | |
| FT (TwoSeam Fastball) | 92.91 | 94.2 | 8.51 | 8.65 | 13 | 9 / 69.23% | 2 / 15.38% | 0.6290 | |
| Pitch classifications provided by the Gameday Algorithm. | |||||||||
| Inning-by-Inning Pitch Totals | ||||||||
| Inning | Pitches in Inning | Strikes in Inning | Strike% in Inning | Cumulative Total Pitches | Pitch LWTS in Inning | |||
| 14 | 16 | 11 | 68.75 | 16 | 3.145 | |||
Ventura never named Santiago the closer. He's just been using him there. Not sure for how much longer.—
Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) April 25, 2012
BTW, here’s James’ recap.
Chris Sale says you shall not walk
Chi White Sox IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Sale 8.0 6 2 2 0 5 0 3.12 Reed 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0.00 Thornton 1.0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0.93 Ohman 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8.31 Jones, N 2.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Santiago, H(BS, 2)(L, 0-1) 0.1 5 3 3 0 1 1 8.53 Totals 13.1 12 5 5 1 11 1 2.96 Balk: Reed.
Pitches-strikes: Sale 101-71, Reed 16-10, Thornton 15-9, Ohman 13-8, Jones, N 23-14, Santiago, H 21-15.
Groundouts-flyouts: Sale 4-5, Reed 0-0, Thornton 0-0, Ohman 1-2, Jones, N 1-3, Santiago, H 0-0.
Batters faced: Sale 29, Reed 4, Thornton 3, Ohman 3, Jones, N 7, Santiago, H 6.
| Pitch Statistics | |||||||||
| Pitch Type | Avg Speed | Max Speed | Avg H-Break | Avg V-Break | Count | Strikes / % | Whiffs / % | Linear Weights | |
| FA (Fastball) | 88.10 | 88.5 | 11.17 | 3.87 | 4 | 4 / 100.00% | 0 / 0.00% | -0.1916 | |
| CH (Changeup) | 84.55 | 87.8 | 12.14 | 1.59 | 16 | 11 / 68.75% | 1 / 6.25% | -0.0939 | |
| SL (Slider) | 78.68 | 81.4 | -3.86 | -3.87 | 28 | 18 / 64.29% | 2 / 7.14% | -0.2266 | |
| FT (TwoSeam Fastball) | 91.60 | 94.8 | 11.24 | 4.20 | 53 | 38 / 71.70% | 1 / 1.89% | -2.6304 | |
| Pitch classifications provided by the Gameday Algorithm. | |||||||||
| Inning-by-Inning Pitch Totals | ||||||||
| Inning | Pitches in Inning | Strikes in Inning | Strike% in Inning | Cumulative Total Pitches | Pitch LWTS in Inning | |||
| 1 | 8 | 7 | 87.50 | 8 | -0.848 | |||
| 2 | 10 | 8 | 80.00 | 18 | -0.072 | |||
| 3 | 15 | 10 | 66.67 | 33 | -0.834 | |||
| 4 | 8 | 7 | 87.50 | 41 | -0.848 | |||
| 5 | 18 | 13 | 72.22 | 59 | 0.149 | |||
| 6 | 19 | 14 | 73.68 | 78 | 0.978 | |||
| 7 | 10 | 6 | 60.00 | 88 | -0.834 | |||
| 8 | 13 | 6 | 46.15 | 101 | -0.834 | |||
More Pitch-F/X inside:
April 24, 2012
Phil Humber’s ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ Top 10 (now with video)
“Top Ten Thoughts That Went Through Philip Humber’s Mind During His Perfect Game.”
10. Don’t jinx it by thinking about it. Don’t jinx it by thinking about it — I’m thinking about it.
9. Thank goodness for my catcher, A.J. Pierzanky… Piernoftski… Pierzonski… Whatever.
8. Go sit in the truck!
7. Thank goodness I drafted myself for my fantasy team.
6. The only thing better than pitching a perfect game is making a perfect meatloaf every time with my new Perfect Meatloaf Pan.
5. Can Broadway’s “End of the Rainbow” really be like seeing Judy Garland in person?
4. Grab some pine, ducklips!
3. I see the Red Sox are up 9-0 on the Yanks — that’s an easy win.
2. I wish I could get me one of them dancing horses.
1. Humber? How about Humbest!
Jake Peavy pitches a complete shutout
Chi White Sox IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Peavy(W, 3-0) 9.0 3 0 0 2 5 0 1.88 Totals 9.0 3 0 0 2 5 0 2.96 Pitches-strikes: Peavy 107-71.
Groundouts-flyouts: Peavy 6-11.
Batters faced: Peavy 31.
| Pitch Statistics | |||||||||
| Pitch Type | Avg Speed | Max Speed | Avg H-Break | Avg V-Break | Count | Strikes / % | Whiffs / % | Linear Weights | |
| FF (FourSeam Fastball) | 90.39 | 92.4 | -5.60 | 9.36 | 41 | 24 / 58.54% | 3 / 7.32% | -0.9550 | |
| CH (Changeup) | 83.38 | 85.3 | -7.06 | 5.02 | 16 | 12 / 75.00% | 3 / 18.75% | -1.9945 | |
| SL (Slider) | 83.10 | 84.1 | 2.86 | 3.62 | 11 | 9 / 81.82% | 0 / 0.00% | -1.0647 | |
| CU (Curveball) | 78.53 | 79.6 | 2.29 | -2.48 | 3 | 1 / 33.33% | 0 / 0.00% | 0.5965 | |
| FC (Cutter) | 85.58 | 90.4 | 1.59 | 4.22 | 16 | 9 / 56.25% | 0 / 0.00% | -0.9954 | |
| FT (TwoSeam Fastball) | 90.65 | 92.1 | -9.04 | 8.16 | 13 | 11 / 84.62% | 0 / 0.00% | -0.1497 | |
| Pitch classifications provided by the Gameday Algorithm. | |||||||||
| Inning-by-Inning Pitch Totals | ||||||||
| Inning | Pitches in Inning | Strikes in Inning | Strike% in Inning | Cumulative Total Pitches | Pitch LWTS in Inning | |||
| 1 | 10 | 7 | 70.00 | 10 | -0.848 | |||
| 2 | 11 | 7 | 63.64 | 21 | -0.862 | |||
| 3 | 16 | 13 | 81.25 | 37 | -0.848 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 50.00 | 41 | 0.535 | |||
| 5 | 16 | 7 | 43.75 | 57 | -0.532 | |||
| 6 | 14 | 9 | 64.29 | 71 | -0.834 | |||
| 7 | 11 | 8 | 72.73 | 82 | -0.004 | |||
| 8 | 7 | 5 | 71.43 | 89 | -0.834 | |||
| 9 | 11 | 8 | 72.73 | 100 | -0.335 | |||
BTW, here’s James’ recap.
