Andre Rienzo with back-to-back 7 strikeout, 2 walk outings

4/15:

Winston-Salem Dash
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Rienzo	5.0	4	2	2	2	7	0	3.00
Rodriguez, S	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0.00
Kussmaul (W, 2-0)	2.0	2	1	1	0	2	0	3.38
Corley (S, 2)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

4/20:

Winston-Salem Dash
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Rienzo	5.0	6	2	1	2	7	0	2.57
Rodriguez, S (H, 2)	1.0	2	1	1	0	0	0	2.70
Santos, O (BS, 1)	2.0	3	1	1	1	2	0	6.43
Thompson, Ta	2.2	0	0	0	2	2	0	1.04
Shirek (L, 0-1)	1.0	1	1	1	1	1	0	11.12

Is there a promotion to AA in Rienzo’s future? June?

FutureSox’s Minor League preview

FutureSox:

The biggest surprise to me was Eduardo Escobar landing in AAA. The slick fielding shortstop played 49 games with the Barons last year and hit just .262 with an OPS south of .700. That said, he impressed Ozzie Guillen among others this spring.

Terry Doyle starts for Winston-Salem tonight while SBT favorite Andre Rienzo is also on the Winston-Salem’s starting pitching rotation:

On the mound, the Dash boasts a pair of top 30 prospects in the starting rotation. Brazilian right-hander Andre Rienzo was one of Kannapolis’ best starters last year, going 8-4 with a 3.65 ERA and holding opponents to two runs or fewer in each of his last ten starts. Rienzo is ranked by Baseball America as the 25th best prospect in the White Sox farm system. RHP Cameron Bayne was 29th on that list after finishing 2010 12-9 with a 3.60 ERA and 101 strikeouts last season for the Intimidators. Bayne and Rienzo should be joined in the rotation by RHP Terry Doyle, LHP Hector Santiago, RHP Justin Collop, and possibly LHP Joe Serafin.

Roster overviews:

• Kannapolis Intimidators (A)
• Winston-Salem Dash (A+)
• Birmingham Barons (AA)
• Charlotte Knights (AAA) (link to roster, couldn’t find overview)

FutureSox previews:

• Charlotte Knights (AAA)
• Birmingham Barons (AA)
• Kannapolis Intimidators (A)
• Winston-Salem Dash (A+)

FutureSox looks at the White Sox starting pitching prospects

The starting pitching prospects looked at were Andre Rienzo, Addison Reed, Jacob Petricka, Charlie Leesman, Charlie Shirek, and Matthew Heidenreich:

The Brazilian righty [Andre Rienzo] is going to pitch in Winston-Salem this year and can arguably still be called a sleeper. He’s still flying mostly under the radar despite having the best statistical season of any White Sox minor league starter in 2010. Given the comparison to De Los Santos (and previous trades of Dan Hudson and Brandon McCarthy) it’s almost too obvious to say he could be trade bait. However, the fact that the Sox took it slowly with him last year compared to those three could be a sign that they intend to keep him instead of inflating his value for a trade.

BTW, Hector Santiago, Terry Doyle, and Andre Rienzo, threw a shutout against the Sox tonight.

White Sox prospects on John Sickels’ ‘Sleeper! Alert!’ list

John Sickels lists his sleeper picks:

Michael Blanke, C, Chicago White Sox …
Andre Rienzo, RHP, Chicago White Sox …
Tyler Saladino, SS, Chicago White Sox

Rienzo is an SBT favorite. Here are some recent updates on him:

Baseball-Intellect, 1/30/11:

Intriguing sleeper…report contains a breakdown of his mechanics, which are pretty Tim Lincecum-esque

Diamond Futures, 12/21/10:

Rienzo uses a low-mid 90s fastball to key a relatively well-developed three-pitch repertoire. He carries his velocity deep into games, and looks like a potential back of the rotation starter.

Futuresox, 12/20/10:

Rienzo flashes pretty decent stuff, featuring a mid 90s fastball and developing offspeed stuff. Along with this, Rienzo has displayed pretty decent control.

Baseball-Intellect’s 2011 Top 15 White Sox prospects (6-15)

Eisenberg @ BI:

6. Addison Reed | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
7. Eduardo Escobar | SS | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
8. Tyler Flowers | C/1b | Age – 25 | Grade – C+
9. Greg Infante | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
10. Thomas Royse | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
11. Andre Rienzo | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
12. Tyler Saladino | SS | Age – 21 | Grade – C+
13. Brandon Short | OF | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
14. Anthony Carter | RHP | Age – 25 | Grade – C
15. Matt Heidenreich | RHP | Age – 20 | Grade – C 

The following was the comment for Andre Rienzo: “Intriguing sleeper…report contains a breakdown of his mechanics, which are pretty Tim Lincecum-esque.” That’s a hell of a teaser!

For comments on all 10 prospects as well as a scouting report on Addison Reed hit the link. Here are Prospects 1-5.

Kevin Goldstein’s 2011 Top 11 White Sox prospects [UPDATE]

Goldstein @ BP:

Five-Star Prospects
1. Chris Sale, LHP
Four-Star Prospects
2. Eduardo Escobar, SS
3. Brent Morel, 3B
Three-Star Prospects
4. Dayan Viciedo, 1B/3B
5. Jared Mitchell, CF
6. Jacob Petricka, RHP
7. Greg Infante, RHP
8. Trayce Thompson, OF
Two-Star Prospects
9. Addison Reed, RHP
10. Thomas Royse, RHP
11. Andre Rienzo, RHP

9 more and Goldstein’s scouting report on Chris Sale at the link.

UPDATE: Goldstein discusses the White Sox Top 11/20 on Episode 25 of his podcast (mp3). The White Sox discussion is at the 72:30 mark and runs for about 12 minutes.

John Sickels’ White Sox Top 20 Prospects for 2011

Sickels:

1) Chris Sale, LHP, Grade A: I don’t see how I can give him anything but a Grade A considering how his debut went. Starter or closer, either way he looks great to me.

2) Brent Morel, 3B, Grade B: Should be a solid regular, very good glove, bat will be enough, Joe Randa comps are common and accurate, in my view.

… 9) Andre Rienzo, RHP, Grade C+: This guy is a huge sleeper. You won’t see him on many other lists, but he has good stuff and good numbers. From Brazil.

The rest at the link.

Diamond Futures’ 2011 White Sox Top 12 prospects

Baseball Numbers @ Diamond Futures:

Grade A

1) Chris Sale, LHP (2010 Performance Scores– Dominance 80; Control 60; HRrate 29; Stamina 27)

We believed Chris Sale was the best college arm available in the 2010 draft. His 2010 College Performance score trailed only Texas A&M’s Barrett Loux. So we were as shocked as the White Sox likely were when he was still available at #13. The Sox fast-tracked Sale to the Big Leagues in a relief role, and he only continued to make favorable impressions once arriving—ending the season as the team’s best option at closer. Coming out of the bullpen allowed Sale to consistently throw his fastball in the mid-90s—a few ticks higher than he had worked as a starter. The relief work also allowed him to focus on his slider—the pitch that offered greatest concerns coming into the draft. What the bullpen did not allow him to do was showcase his plus-plus change—the pitch that is the main reason why we believe that he is ideally suited for a starting role.

At a slight 6’6”, we believe Sale could ‘beef-up’ and work in the mid-90s as a front of the rotation starter with a solid three-pitch repertoire. Unfortunately, word out of Chicago is that Sale is likely to once again find himself in the bullpen in 2011. This isn’t a two-pitch Neftali Feliz, that we advocated a bullpen role for. Therein lies the paradox with the White Sox decision to make a run at the Central division in 2011—as it likely means that Sale is the de facto closer vs. working on being a difference maker at the top of the rotation. Still just 21yo, the White Sox are unlikely to harm his development in any significant way, but this is a special arm that should be developed as such.

Hit the link for the other 11 reports.

Andre Rienzo scouting report

FutureSox:

[Andre] Rienzo flashes pretty decent stuff, featuring a mid 90s fastball and developing offspeed stuff. Along with this, Rienzo has displayed pretty decent control. …

The offspeed stuff development is very exciting.

FutureSox’ White Sox Top 25 post-season prospects list [UPDATE]

FutureSox:

1. Chris Sale
2. Dayan Viciedo
3. Brent Morel
4. Jared Mitchell
5. Tyler Flowers
6. Trayce Thompson
7. Eduardo Escobar
8. Jacob Petricka
9. Jordan Danks
10. Addison Reed
…

UPDATE: Jim covers the White Sox Top 10 prospect list by Phil Rogers for Baseball America.

THT’s White Sox 2011 Top 10 prospects

Hagen @ THT:

1. Chris Sale / SP/RP / Sale is a tenacious competitor who belongs in the rotation long term. He displays great movement and strong command of an impressive three-pitch mix. He is far and away Chicago’s best prospect. 

The rest at the link. It also lists the Top 10 White Sox players under the age of 26.

Baseball-Intellect reviews its White Sox prospects list

Eisenberg:

7. Trayce Thompson | OF | Age – 19 | Grade – C+

Numbers don’t completely reflect it, but he’s made a lot of progress since last year. Upside remains huge, but as big as his upside is, he’s just as raw.

Andre Rienzo: 6 IP / 5 H / 9 K / 1 BB [September 2]

9/2:

Kannapolis Intimidators
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Rienzo (W, 8-4)	6.0	5	1	1	1	9	0	3.65
Heidenreich, M	1.0	3	2	2	0	2	0	18.00
Hollis (H, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	2	2	0	0.00
Santos, O	1.0	3	2	2	0	0	0	3.51

Groundouts-flyouts: Rienzo 3-6.

Rienzo has allowed 95 H and has a 125 K / 32 BB ratio in 101.0 innings. And he has a 0.94 Groundout/Flyout ratio.

Andre Rienzo: 8 K / 2 BB / 5 IP / 7 H

8/27:

Kannapolis
Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Rienzo	5.0	7	1	1	2	8	0	3.79
Hopps, M	1.0	2	2	2	2	0	0	6.71
Hollis	1.0	1	0	0	1	3	0	0.00
Petricka (L, 0-1)	2.0	4	2	1	2	2	0	3.52

Rienzo has a 115  / 31 BB ratio, and 90 H in 95.0 IP.

John Sickels on Brent Morel

John Sickels answered a question on Brent Morel:

Q: Morel just keeps on hitting, and now he’s being moved around the infield a little bit (to accommodate Viciedo, mainly). Can he be an everyday 3B?

A: If they don’t expect him to hit 20 homers, why not? Think Joe Randa.

He also answered my question on Andre Rienzo. Unfortunately Rienzo isn’t on his knowledge base yet:

Q: what can you tell us about the 22 year old (07/1988) brazilian in kannapolis’ rotation? his ratios look pretty good

A: I don’t know anything about him other than the numbers at this point. Will have to research.

Stay tuned for the answer!