The Kane County Cougars are a Kansas City Royals affiliate now

KCC:

The Kane County Cougars have announced the signing of a two-year player development contract (PDC) with the Kansas City Royals.

Effective Tuesday, September 21, the agreement does not affect the ownership, management or front office staff of the Kane County Cougars in any manner as the Cougars organization looks towards April 11 – the first home game featuring the Cougars’ new partnership with the Royals. Fans can call the Cougars now at (630) 232-8811 to inquire about partial-season ticket packages as well as season tickets for the 2011 season.

Damn! Couldn’t the Sox bring a minor-league affiliate home?

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Phil Rogers: Losing Guillen as manager would be a mistake for the White Sox

Rogers:

Losing Guillen as their manager would be a mistake for the South Siders,

I don’t want a manager that asks for credit for prioritizing 9 games at NL parks over 153 at AL parks.

even if they wind up with Tony La Russa as his successor.

Oh, I’m with you there. If we’re gonna end up with La Russa, we better stay with Guillen.

Speaking of managers, how awesome would it be if the White Sox hired Tom Tango as manager? The answer is ‘Off the charts.’

BP’s Mark Teahen Q&A

David Laurila @ BP:

DL: A player once told me that when guys in the minors say it’s all about “team,” they’re full of crap because everyone is playing for themselves and trying to get to the big leagues. Is that accurate?

MT: Yeah, that’s pretty accurate. I mean, especially with the first group you get drafted with, it’s easy to pull for the guys around you—you all want to be on the same path to the big leagues. You’re trying to win games in the minor leagues, but everyone is trying to get to the next level and get to the big leagues. As much as you pull for the guys around you, because your success is tied to theirs, everybody is trying to get to that next level and ultimately you have to be a little selfish in the minors.

DL: Is there much jealousy in the minor leagues?

MT: Yeah, I mean everybody—no matter where you are—always wants to be at the next level, so there is a lot of that. And obviously the guys that get drafted higher get a little better push or more opportunity, but it’s the nature of the beast. You always want to be moving up, no matter what profession you’re in. If somebody’s getting a better shot than you are, you’re always a little jealous and want to be the guy getting the shot. …

Fangraphs on Brent Morel

Smith @ FG:

Like many young hitters, the key is breaking stuff low and away. If you look at his swings at TexasLeaguers.com, you’ll see four pitches he offered at above the zone, two inside, and 11 pitches low (most low and away). He has no discipline in that part of the zone. On pitches high in the zone, another weakness we often see in young hitters, it’s just the opposite. I could give you numerous examples in the last two weeks of catchers calling for the high fastball with two strikes, with Morel watching the pitch go by. Or, even more often, if the pitch isn’t too far out of the zone, he’ll hit it foul. He does that often, as 21 of the 139 pitches he’s been thrown (15.1%) have been hit out of play. …

Kevin Goldstein’s White Sox Top 11 prospects review

Goldstein @ BP:

Chicago White Sox

No. 1 Prospect: Daniel Hudson, RHP (55^th overall)
What Was Said: “…a good third starter at best.”
Analysis: Obviously, Hudson has been much better than that since his trade to Arizona, but I’m not convinced it will last. The league will obviously catch up to him a bit, but he’s still likely going to exceed that projection.
Two Through Eleven: The team’s two other four-star prospects had nightmare years, as 2009 first-round pick Jared Mitchell missed the entire year due to injury, while catcher Tyler Flowers regressed heavily. In the end, third baseman Brent Morel was too low at sixth, and control issues caught up to power reliever Clevelan Santeliz (seventh) at Triple-A. All in all, it was a bad year down on the farm for the White Sox.
Sleeper: Catcher Miguel Gonzalez collapsed at Low-A with a .218/.260/.276 line, but his defense was still outstanding, as he gunned down half of opposing base stealers.

Baseball America’s Appalachian League Top 20 Prospects

Eddy @ BA:

17. Matt Heidenreich, rhp, Bristol White Sox

19. Jacob Petricka, rhp, Bristol White Sox

As the article says, all the parent clubs in the Appalachian League, besides the Braves (Danville) and the Twins (Elizabethton) have rookie-ball in more advanced leagues and usually send their college picks there. Also all the parent clubs, besides the White Sox (Bristol), usually send their high school picks in their Arizona or Gulf Coast leagues affiliates.