Chicago White Sox News

Retherford, Danks catch Guillen's eye
Comment
March 15
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The battle between Jayson Nix and Brent Lillibridge for the White Sox' final reserve spot is still a dead heat. Unfortunately, both players have fallen under the category of ''disappointing'' with manager Ozzie Guillen, who's hoping it gets better. ''Very, very disappointed the last three days,'' Guillen said when asked about the duel. ''I think Nix was swinging the bat very good. He just had a bad three days. I think they're still playing the same game -- little guys, big games.'' Guillen was critical of Nix and Lillibridge last season, saying they focused too much on being power hitters and not enough on hitting the ball on the ground and using their legs."
Time to step it up for the White Sox
Comment
March 15
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It didn't take long for questions and concerns to start popping up with just about three weeks left until the bell rings and these games are for real. Is Bobby Jenks on the downside as a closer? Can Mark Teahen start hitting his weight — or even Calista Flockhart's? Are Jayson Nix and Brent Lillibridge even trying? Manager Ozzie Guillen was talking about one of the relievers that had really caught his eye this spring and called him ''Vizcaino,'' before being corrected and told it was Aquino, as in Greg Aquino. "All those Dominicans have the same name,'' Guillen joked. Actually, Aquino is in the mix now, throwing five innings of no-hit ball in two appearances."
Possible drama unfolding in Sox bullpen
Comment
March 15
Chicago Tribune
 
"With Bobby Jenks saying he is healthy enough to pitch and manager Ozzie Guillen doubting it after looking at that 37.80 earned-run average, the White Sox have some drama in camp. However it is resolved — whether Jenks has to be rested or reverts to his old form — the Sox appear to be much better prepared to handle the situation. That's because the back end of the bullpen, potentially, is one of the best in baseball if Scott Linebrink and J.J. Putz are pain-free. "Our bullpen, on paper, has to be healthy," Guillen said. "Linebrink is the biggest key right now. If Linebrink does what he's capable of doing, we'll be very, very strong. "We have guys throwing the ball well, and if Bobby misses ..."
Sox sleeper Retherford waking people up
Comment
March 15
Chicago Tribune
 
"When the White Sox break camp for the regular season, it was expected Jayson Nix or Brent Lillibridge would make the roster. Not both. And now maybe neither, after manager Ozzie Guillen said he is "very, very disappointed" in both of them. Enter C.J. Retherford, a 24-year-old who has never played above Double A and has never been considered a top prospect. "I love that kid a lot," Guillen said. "So far (everything) we ask him to do in spring training he does — move the guy over, get big hits. He's a sleeper, but he has started waking people up. "The report I had was everything he does is ugly, but he gets it done. As long as you get it done, you have a chance to play in the big leagues. I ..."
Sox's Buehrle stirring it up
Comment
March 14
Daily Southtown
 
"It's Thursday, and White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle has just admitted that contrary to what he said the last two seasons, he now wants to finish his career playing for his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. ''Cardinal red,'' the native Missourian says proudly, pulling out the sweatshirt that's about to go over his head and drape his back. He isn't smirking. Buehrle knows how the game works: Light the fuse by saying something controversial to the media, then sit back and watch the damage. In one five-minute interview, he can talk about being hurt, having Dutch Elm disease in his throwing shoulder, shooting human growth hormone and cortisone, retiring after the 2011 season, and of course, ..."
The Original Curse: Gambling Era spawned Black Sox scandal
Comment
March 14
Toronto Star
 columnist Garth Woolsey
"The question is posed on the book's cover: "Did the Cubs throw the 1918 World Series to Babe Ruth's Red Sox and incite the Black Sox scandal?" The answer is: Most likely, almost certainly. Lacking the definitive smoking gun, Chicago-based author Sean Deveney musters an overwhelming arsenal of circumstantial evidence to make his case. For one thing, gambling on baseball was commonplace in those early days of the game. Professional gamblers were everywhere, in the open, in the stands, rubbing shoulders with fans and players alike. Hard evidence of game fixing emerged during the 1918 regular season and it is hardly a stretch to believe it continued into the post-season, then on into 1919 and ..."
Another stirring rendition for Buehrle
Comment
March 14
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It's Thursday, and White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle has just admitted that contrary to what he said the last two seasons, he now wants to finish his career playing for his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. ''Cardinal red,'' the native Missourian says proudly, pulling out the sweatshirt that's about to go over his head and drape his back. He isn't smirking. Buehrle knows how the game works: Light the fuse by saying something controversial to the media, then sit back and watch the damage. In one five-minute interview, he can talk about being hurt, having Dutch Elm disease in his throwing shoulder, shooting human growth hormone and cortisone, retiring after the 2011 season and, of course, now ..."
Cubs' Dempster goes three innings strong vs. Sox
Comment
March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"he Cubs' Ryan Dempster looked extra sharp while allowing one hit and one unearned run in three innings on Saturday against the White Sox in a packed and windy Cashman Field. "Felt like Candlestick Park," Dempster said of the cool temperatures and winds that were gusting to 30 m.p.h. "I felt better as the game went on. I felt good and strong. "Vegas is always fun. This is my sixth year coming here. It breaks up the monotony of (being in Arizona).""
Dempster dreams of Cubs- Sox World Series
Comment
March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"Just like the Cubs' Ryan Dempster did two springs ago, new White Sox starter Jake Peavy said the Sox can win the World Series if they're healthy. So what does Dempster, who was criticized at the time, think of Peavy's prediction? Perhaps a World Series against Dempster's Cubs? "That would be fun, but every team should think that way," Dempster said Saturday after holding the Sox to an unearned run in three innings. "(The Sox) have a very good team and a strong pitching staff. They're going to be a tough team. Just like us, I feel we're going to be a tough team. "That's the key, where we're at three weeks from now; make sure we're healthy and ready to go." Actually, at least according to ..."
Can Sox turn pitching suspects into stars?
Comment
March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"Pitching coach Don Cooper has established a reputation for turning suspects into prospects and even exceptional members of the White Sox's pitching staff. That bodes well for the likes of Sergio Santos and Erick Threets, as the virtually-set staff for 2010 allows Cooper more time to polish their talents. "I believe if you're in our organization, we can help you," Cooper said. "If you're not throwing strikes, we can help you throw strikes or get you to get them over." In 2006, Cooper helped transform Matt Thornton from an unpolished first-round draft pick to one of the top left-handed relievers in the American League. The 2007 season, however, wasn't so kind to Cooper and the Sox as ..."
Teahen's slow start a cause for concern
Comment
March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"It isn't exactly time to hit panic alarms, but even Mark Teahan admits "it's getting to the point in spring training where you have to turn it up." Skeptical White Sox fans would agree because big things are expected from the offseason acquisition who takes over the position Robin Ventura and Joe Crede once patrolled. Teahan started out 1-for-15 before singling Friday against the Cubs. But after an 0-for-3 on Saturday, he is hitting .105 this spring. "My first at-bat as a White Sox, I got a hit. I thought it would be easy," he laughed. "And then the second one is the hardest one to get." Obviously, Teahan knows eventually it will be no laughing matter, but this is spring training so he's ..."
Sox's Mitchell has potential for special career
Comment
March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"It was just a little after 10 a.m. Monday, the temperature in the 40s and the field soaked from rains that had left standing water across Arizona, when Jared Mitchell stepped in to face Dodgers lefty Scott Elbert in a game no one paid to see. Elbert started Mitchell off with an inside fastball and the left-handed-hitting Mitchell jerked it down the first-base line. The ball caromed off a mitt and went into foul territory, allowing the 21-year-old to cruise easily into second base. A walk later, Mitchell broke for third on the front end of a double steal. He dove toward the bag, reaching for it with an outstretched hand, and beat the throw from Brad Ausmus by a fingernail. Exciting play. ..."
Sox Grow Players Better Than the Cubs Do
Comment
March 14
New York Times
 
"North Sea-like weather conditions invaded the Valley of the Sun this week, skewing the viewing of Cactus League baseball. While dodging blustery rainstorms, both local nines have shown enough in their on- and off-field maneuvering to offer hints of what lies ahead this season, which is why spring training is so captivating to the fogged-in, winter-weary folks back home. The White Sox have the look of a serious contender. Maybe they aren't New York/Boston/Tampa Bay-strong, but none of those three are in the less-imposing American League Central Division. The White Sox are a deep, versatile team with a pitching rotation that could be the best in baseball. Freddy Garcia, the fifth starter, ..."
White Sox's Mitchell to have surgery Tuesday
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March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"White Sox top prospect Jared Mitchell is scheduled for surgery Tuesday in Scottsdale to repair a posterior tib tear of the left ankle tendon. Mitchell, last June's No. 1 draft choice, injured his ankle while making a catch Friday in Tempe. He will be examined Monday and have the surgery performed Tuesday by foot and ankle specialist Dr.John Nasser."
White Sox get past Angels, 10-7
Comment
March 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels scored five runs in the fourth inning against White Sox closer Bobby Jenks . Among the highlights were Kendry Morales' run-scoring triple, Howie Kendrick's run-scoring single and Maicer Izturis' two-run single. Cory Aldridge hit a solo home run, his second of the spring, in the seventh inning. Hideki Matsui , slowed by his arthritic knees, scored from first on Morales' triple."
Why Peavy is a man ... and you're not
Comment
March 13
Chicago Sun-Times
 columnist Joe Cowley
"Just in case Jake Peavy hadn't already endeared himself to the South Side since arriving last July, Friday might have sealed the deal. The White Sox ace took a comebacker off the left shoulder in the first inning of his three-shutout innings of work against the Angels, and was asked about the treatment he received for the bruise. "Ice? I'm not a big believer in ice unless I'm hurt,'' Peavy said, sounding like some nameless cowboy out of a Clint Eastwood movie. "I didn't even ice it to be honest with you.'' OK, so he doesn't believe in ice. But he does believe in his organization, and he made that very evident after his spring debut in the 10-7 win over Los Angeles. "I'll tell you this, we ..."
Jenks shrugs off second shaky stint
Comment
March 13
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Seven earned runs through two Cactus League games wasn't exactly how closer Bobby Jenks wanted to start this spring, especially after so much was made of the right-hander showing up to camp with fewer pounds on his usually hefty frame and now alcohol-free. But with five runs allowed in two-thirds of an inning Friday, once again there are concerns with Jenks. That's nothing new to him. ''I've run out of things to say,'' Jenks said. ''Honestly, if you haven't seen it once, you'll see it next year. If I'm not here, whoever I'm with, those fans will see it there. Knock on wood I'm here, but this is just the way my springs go. My concerns are health No. 1 and location No. 2, and we're getting ..."
Peavy's prediction: Sox can win Series
Comment
March 13
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Just in case Jake Peavy hadn't already endeared himself to the South Side since arriving last July, Friday might have sealed the deal. The White Sox ace took a comebacker off his left shoulder in the first of his three scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels and was asked about the treatment he received for the bruise. 'Ice? I'm not a big believer in ice unless I'm hurt,'' Peavy said, sounding like some nameless cowboy out of a Clint Eastwood movie. ''I didn't even ice it, to be honest with you.'' OK, so he doesn't believe in ice. But he does believe in his organization, and he made that evident after his spring debut in a 10-7 victory. ''We can be the favorite to win it or we can ..."
Name doesn't get Kenny Williams Jr. cup of coffee
Comment
March 13
Chicago Tribune
 
"It was Friday morning at the White Sox complex in Glendale, Ariz., and the kid was sitting outside the minor league clubhouse, eating a to-go bag of breakfast from Denny's. He could have walked a few yards around the corner of the building and eaten for free in the spacious big league clubhouse kitchen. That would have been his right because, in a short time, he would be on the Sox's charter flight to Las Vegas for a pair of games against the Cubs. But the kid wasn't about to "big league" anybody. He knows his place, surely better than most of the dozens of other 23-year-old minor leaguers. After all, his name is Kenny Williams Jr. And, yes, he is the son of the Sox general manager, which ..."
Cubs beat White Sox 6-5 in Las Vegas
Comment
March 13
Chicago Tribune
 
"A two-run seventh-inning triple by 2007 No. 1 pick Josh Vitters helped the Cubs beat the White Sox 6-5 Friday night to even their spring training rivalry at a game apiece. The two play again Saturday afternoon in this exhibition series that has split squads for each and could surpass the sellout crowd of 10,448 at Cashman Field Friday. Tom Gorzelanny started for the Cubs and allowed one run in three innings, although he did not allow a hit. The lefty walked three batters and threw a wild pitch in the second inning but came back to retire the side in order in the third."
Peavy throws 3 scoreless innings in spring debut
Comment
March 13
Chicago Tribune
 
"Jake Peavy pitched his first spring game for the White Sox and then promptly said the team "can win a World Series if healthy." After throwing three shutout innings during a split squad game against the Angels in Tempe, Ariz., Peavy was upbeat. "I'm very pleased with where I'm at," he told media there. "I'm as excited as I've ever been about any season I've ever been a part of. I believe this team can win a World Series if healthy. I'll take our chances. "We can be the favorites or we can finish last but I can promise you the 25 guys we break camp with believe we're the favorites. We don't ever take the field feeling like an underdog, whether that's right or wrong." Peavy had one scare ..."
White Sox keeping an eye on Jenks' calf
Comment
March 13
MLB.com
 
"The five runs on four hits allowed by Bobby Jenks over two-thirds of an inning during Chicago's 10-7 victory over Los Angeles in Tempe on Friday certainly were not a major worry for the team's closer. No pitcher has ever reached Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame or even earned an All-Star appearance through dominant Cactus League statistics. But Jenks' sore right calf, the same problematic area that cost him the final 11 games of the 2009 regular season, certainly has pitching coach Don Cooper and manager Ozzie Guillen a bit concerned. "Right now he's not telling me good news and words about his calf," said Cooper, who was with the split-squad team playing against the Cubs for Big ..."
Sox's Mitchell to have surgery, could miss season
Comment
March 13
Chicago Tribune
 
"No. 1 draft pick Jared Mitchell will undergo surgery on his left ankle next week and could miss what would have been his first full professional season after colliding with the wall while making a catch against the Angels. Mitchell, who was taken from the field on a cart, was diagnosed with a posterior tib tear on the upper inside of the ankle. No recovery time will be set until after the surgery. "Very, very bad," manager Ozzie Guillen said."It's a shame.He has to use his speed. "It's going to cost him a year at least. The kids is still young. Unfortunately, this happened to him.""
Guillen defends Latin players
Comment
March 12
ESPN.com
 
"White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen responded on Thursday to comments Los Angeles Angels outfielder Torii Hunter made to USA Today about Latin players. In the article, Hunter said: "People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African-American. They're not us. They're impostors. Even people I know come up and say: 'Hey, what color is Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, 'Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black.' "As African-American players, we have a theory that baseball can go get an imitator and pass them off as us. It's like they had to get some kind of dark faces, so they go to the Dominican or Venezuela because you can get them cheaper. It's like, 'Why ..."
A day later, Buehrle in joking mood
Comment
March 12
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Leave it to Mark Buehrle to turn nothing into something. Asked why his bullpen session was moved from Wednesday to Thursday morning, Buehrle said, ''I was hung over [Wednesday], so we moved it back a day. There was no injury; it was just being hung over.'' He was joking -- right? But Buehrle did get his work in before the White Sox' Cactus League game against the Cleveland Indians, staying on track to make his next start Monday night after skipping a start. Pitching coach Don Cooper has made it clear that once the regular season starts, there are no plans to skip Buehrle and lessen his load in the first half. ''No, everyone will stay in their spot until further notice,'' Cooper said. ..."
Plug pulled on Ozzie's Web idea
Comment
March 12
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"General manager Ken Williams is fond of telling the media to ''stay out of White Sox business,'' and now the organization is making sure that includes Ozzie Guillen -- at least regarding his plan to launch his own Web site this spring. Guillen confirmed Thursday that while he's allowed to continue his Twitter and Facebook accounts -- although only after a talk with Williams on the subject -- members of the Sox' front office have shot down the idea of Guillen having his own Web site. ''It's a lot of reasons they have,'' Guillen said. ''I wanted to do it. I thought it was a great idea, but in the meanwhile, I have to go by their rules. The White Sox' rules are they want me to stay away from ..."
Freddy Garcia allows Indians three runs
Comment
March 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"In his second start of the spring, the White Sox's Freddy Garcia allowed five hits and three runs to the Indians Thursday, although he did get in his expected three innings of work. Al the runs came in the second inning after the Sox had given him a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a double by Carlos Quentin and single by Paul Konerko."
Guillen backing off online presence
Comment
March 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"While you still can follow Ozzie Guillen on Twitter, he has decided against doing a Web site, with a little prompt from at least one of his bosses. "It was going to be talking about the White Sox and Major League Baseball," Guillen said. "When you're involved with the team and baseball gets involved, then you have to ask permission and (the White Sox front office people) didn't say no but they didn't feel comfortable doing it. And that's why I backed off. "They didn't want me in the middle of stuff and I have to respect that. If for some reason something happened during the season, I don't want them to blame what I do on the field. I'm going to stay away from that for now and move on with ..."
Sox, Buehrle taking time with arm
Comment
March 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"Despite what the statistics show and White Sox fans might believe, Mark Buehrle does not have a rubber arm. "Always," Buehrle said when asked if his arm ever hurt. "I think every guy is sore, hurting, pitching in pain. I can tell you I'm not as healthy as I was at 23. Throwing that many innings, it's going to build up." So Buehrle went through Thursday what has become a spring re-arming program, spending just a few minutes on a backfield bullpen mound throwing lightly on a day he was supposed to start a game. The move not only is a testament to his status as a veteran but is a concession for being the only pitcher in the majors to throw at least 200 innings in the last nine seasons. Last ..."
Sox have lot of hope riding on Rios
Comment
March 12
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Phil Rogers
"At dinner the other night, the White Sox were served as a course for discussion. Andruw Jones was mentioned, specifically how he has looked surprisingly adequate in center field, and an American League executive asked, "Who is the White Sox's center fielder?'' Normally, this would be a fair question. They haven't had anyone play more than half of the games there since 2006, when Brian Anderson first began to show it would be a mistake to count on him. Darin Erstad, Nick Swisher, Ken Griffey Jr. and Dewayne "The Catch'' Wise have passed through, but no one has stuck. This time around, though, the executive shouldn't have had to ask about the Sox center fielder. He would be 29-year-old Alex ..."
Impostors? Ozzie gets Hunter's point on Latin beat
Comment
March 11
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Even if Los Angeles Angels outfielder Torii Hunter's comments were taken out of context in a USA Today article in which he was quoted as saying dark-skinned Dominican players are ''impostors,'' White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he understood what Hunter meant. Hunter was quoted as saying, ''People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African-American. They're not us. They're impostors. Even people I know come up and say, 'Hey, what color is Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, 'Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black.''' Guillen said there's a simple reason there are fewer black major-leaguers than Latin American players. ''In our country [Venezuela], ..."
It's Guillen's kind of club
Comment
March 11
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It'll be Ozzie Guillen's type of players this season, Guillen's style of play, Guillen's butt on the line if it all goes wrong. And he isn't distancing himself from the bull's-eye. The White Sox manager was in the dugout Wednesday afternoon embracing the idea that this could all fall back to him -- and that public opinion might turn against him if 2010 is a failure for the Sox. ''That's just fine with me -- I've been the fall guy for six years,'' Guillen said. It was Guillen who said no thanks to bringing back slugger Jim Thome, who ended up with the division rival Minnesota Twins. It's Guillen who has been begging general manager Ken Williams for more speed, less power. It was Guillen who ..."
Hudson throwing well, but Guillen wants him to begin season as starter in Triple A
Comment
March 11
Chicago Tribune
 
"The numbers may not show it, but Daniel Hudson has pitched well enough in two spring starts to be included in the seven-man White Sox bullpen. But if manager Ozzie Guillen has his way, Hudson probably will start the season in the starting rotation at Charlotte. "To me, he needs to go out and pitch," Guillen said after Hudson allowed four hits and two runs in two innings against the A's. "I think we have to keep this kid ready just in case something happens (to a starter)." In two starts this spring, Hudson has allowed eight hits and five runs, but Guillen said "he's throwing the ball very good. He's ahead of a lot of people.""
Danks and Mitchell show Sox their talent is real
Comment
March 11
Chicago Tribune
 
"Ozzie Guillen has seen the future this spring. And he likes what he has seen that someday could complete the transition to Ozzie Ball. Not one, but two leadoff candidates have shown they are not that far away from patrolling the White Sox outfield and creating headaches for the manager as he decides where Jared Mitchell and Jordan Danks play and bat. The lanky left-handed hitting Danks led off in Thursday's 9-5 victory over the A's Wednesday, starting the game with a single off Ben Sheets, then adding to a seven-run third inning with a walk. Wednesday wasn't as kind to Mitchell, last year's No. 1 draft pick and identified as the organization's most athletic and best prospect. He was ..."
Close calls OK with Konerko
Comment
March 10
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It is still very early into Cactus League play for Paul Konerko to have a truly good idea of what kind of offense the White Sox will be unleashing this season. But the team captain knows what they won't have, and he likes it. ''Offensively, we feel the release of the obligation to hit for power,'' Konerko said Tuesday. ''Where you felt like we had to keep up with the big power-hitting teams, I feel like, 'OK, we're punting on that idea.' We're not that type of team anymore, and it's kind of refreshing to be a team that goes into a game with that kind of mind-set because it was always the other way around. It was no one's fault; it was just the pieces we kind of had here. It's a good thing ..."
Sox equal to Yankees, Red Sox?
Comment
March 10
Chicago Tribune
 
"American League titles aren't awarded in March, but John Danks believes the White Sox have the equipment to handle perennial contenders such as the Yankees and Red Sox. Hours after manager Ozzie Guillen expressed his optimism, based on the quality of his starting rotation, left-hander Danks felt even more confident. "We feel we have just as good a chance as the next guy," Danks said. "We feel we're just as good as these guys. We'll go out and try to prove that. "But starting today, we feel like we're going to be the team to beat down the stretch." Guillen was nearly as confident as Danks. "When we build a ballclub, we don't just talk about the division — we talk about going all the way to ..."
Sox figure Twins will adjust to loss of Nathan
Comment
March 10
Chicago Tribune
 
"The White Sox weren't printing playoff tickets or hoisting the 2010 American League Central pennant immediately after learning longtime nemesis Joe Nathan is likely lost to the Twins for the season because of a ligament tear in his right elbow. Although acknowledging Nathan is one of the premier closers in baseball, several veterans and manager Ozzie Guillen realize their primary division rival has displayed a knack for retooling and remaining competitive for several years. "The Twins, seemingly more than any team, when people go down — whether it's players or pitchers — they have other guys step in," first baseman Paul Konerko said. "They never miss a beat. It probably will be the same ..."
Buehrle playing part of skipper in spring play
Comment
March 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Good thing pitching coach Don Cooper wasn't around to see Mark Buehrle licking the pile of envelopes he was sending out Monday. Cooper might have called in a minor-leaguer to take Buehrle's spot, allowing him to rest the tongue for a week to 10 days. Such is the life of the left-handed starter these days as the White Sox limit his spring work while maintaining he's 100 percent healthy. The Sox are handling Buehrle with kid gloves the next three weeks and even into the early part of the regular season. He made the start Friday and will be skipped Wednesday, throwing what he's calling a ''heavy bullpen'' instead. It's expected to be the only time the Sox skip him this spring, but then again, ..."
Shortstop Ramirez goes from cold glove to gold glove
Comment
March 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Ozzie Guillen set the bar sky-high for Alexei Ramirez last year. Guillen insisted Ramirez would be one of the best defensive shortstops in the American League, then took it a step further, saying he would be even better than he had been. So when Ramirez began the 2009 season slowly, the angry villagers started lighting torches and chanting, ''Beckham, Beckham.'' Ramirez had another poor April and was benched briefly for lacking focus, and Gordon Beckham -- a natural shortstop-turned-third baseman -- was called up and emerged as a rookie-of-the-year candidate. Despite all the travails, Ramirez actually played a dominant shortstop the last six weeks of the season, but this fact basically ..."
Sox quick to address Viciedo's lack of hustle
Comment
March 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"General manager Ken Williams yelled at Cuban prospect Dayan Viciedo Monday morning for not running out a popup during a B game against the Dodgers. After expressing his displeasure, Williams walked from his seat to the dugout to address the matter with manager Ozzie Guillen. "I was more upset than Kenny was," Guillen said in a calm tone. "We don't put up with that stuff here. And we don't like players playing like that, especially a kid who just played Double A last year. Especially the way the minor-league kids are playing right now, the way they're playing well and hustling. "I talked to him in the dugout before Kenny came down. I talked to him in the dugout after Kenny came down, and he ..."
When defense blooms, White Sox's Flowers will be complete package
Comment
March 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"A.J. Pierzynski won't be in the starting lineup Tuesday when the White Sox travel to Scottsdale to play San Francisco, where Pierzynski endured a miserable 2004 season before transforming his career in Chicago. This doesn't mean Tyler Flowers is ready to take over the starting catching duties. It's just another opportunity for Flowers to take another step toward eventually taking over Pierzynski's duties in 2010 or perhaps showcase his skills for another team should Sox general manager Ken Williams seek an upgrade at another position. "That's why I'm here, working my tail off and try to get (Pierzynski's) job," Flowers said Monday. "But he's established. He was the second-best catcher in ..."
Andruw Jones is jonesing for a chance with Sox
Comment
March 8
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It took Andruw Jones only three innings to make a statement about the player he wants to be for the White Sox. After fighting off the late-afternoon sun to catch a fly ball in the second inning of the Sox' Cactus League opener Thursday, Jones walked in the third, then stole second against Los Angeles Angels catcher Mike Napoli. ''Is that the same Andruw Jones who played for the Dodgers two years ago?'' one West Coast reporter asked. Yes. And no. That Jones was in his first season away from the Atlanta Braves, the team for whom he starred for 11-plus seasons, won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves in center field, hit 368 home runs, drove in 1,117 runs and stole 138 bases. That Jones went through a ..."
Jake Peavy can wing it
Comment
March 8
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"WOODJOCK? Jake Peavy can wing it. And he can pick it. With a guitar, that is. The newest White Sox ace is proving he is a man of more than just pitching talent as he settles in with the team. He will use one of those extra talents, as a country music fan and player, to help raise money for the Jake Peavy Foundation, which helps a number of organizations, including White Sox Charities. Peavy and teammates Scott Linebrink, Omar Vizquel and Gordon Beckham will be on stage with seven other major leaguers on Thursday for a benefit in Scottsdale called Woodjock Jam Fest. ''It's just a fun way to raise money that's different than the usual golf tournaments people use to raise money,'' Peavy said. ..."
Peavy bears down, even in simulated game
Comment
March 8
Chicago Tribune
 
"Jake Peavy made the most of a soggy situation Sunday by treating his 45-pitch simulated game as if he were facing the Cubs in an exhibition game that was canceled by rain. Peavy demanded that selected hitters take swings against him in the covered batting cage to simulate a game situation as much as possible. "I had to treat it like a game," Peavy said. "I wasn't going through the motions in the bullpen. I was putting a little something on it, and hitters were swinging the bat. They could hit the ball back at you with no screen, so you had to be prepared." Before Peavy threw his simulated game, he played his guitar in preparation for his WoodJock 2010 charity concert Thursday night in ..."
Jonesing to prove himself anew
Comment
March 7
Daily Southtown
 
"It took Andruw Jones only three innings to make a statement about what kind of player he wants to be for the White Sox. After fighting off the sun to catch a fly ball in the second inning of the Sox's Cactus League opener Thursday, Jones walked in the third and then stole second off Angels catcher Mike Napoli. "Is that the same Andruw Jones who played for the Dodgers two years ago?" a West Coast reporter said. Yes ... and no. That Jones was in his first season away from the Atlanta Braves, the team for which he starred for 11 seasons, won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves in center field, hit 368 home runs, drove in 1,117 runs and stole 138 bases. That Jones went through a painful transition ..."
With Hudson, Sox facing tough decision
Comment
March 7
Daily Southtown
 
"Right-handed pitcher Daniel Hudson may turn out to be one of the best spring stories for the White Sox - or the most difficult. He could be part of the bullpen when the team heads north, and he could be a starter of the future. And that's what makes the decision about his future difficult. ''He will be a topic all spring long,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''The two things will be what's best for the ballclub and what's best for him. We'll wait until the end (of spring) to decide.'' Hudson threw two good innings in the Sox's 15-3 shelling of the Cubs on Saturday before getting hit in the third and giving up three runs and three hits. All the hits were singles. ''I think, overall, it ..."
Wise forever attached to perfect game-saver
Comment
March 7
Camden Courier-Post
 
"Dewayne Wise nearly fell asleep. Wise, a reserve outfielder with the Chicago White Sox, hadn't started a game in four days, and he wasn't planning on playing in this one either. For three months, his batting average hovered between .190 and .200, and he didn't need to talk with manager Ozzie Guillen to know that his future with the team was cloudy. "I didn't even stretch or do anything," Wise said, recalling the events of last July 23. "I didn't go in the cage. It was an early day game. I was just sitting on the bench, pretty much out of it." But Wise, 32 and a veteran of 13 seasons spent primarily in the minors, knew to be ready anyway, just in case. So, during the middle innings, he ..."
Hudson trying to be ready for anything
Comment
March 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Right-handed pitcher Daniel Hudson may turn out to be one of the best spring stories for the White Sox -- or the most difficult. He could be part of the bullpen when the team heads north, and he could be a starter of the future. And that's what makes the decision about his future difficult. ''He will be a topic all spring long,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''The two things will be what's best for the ballclub and what's best for him. We'll wait until the end [of spring] to decide.'' Hudson threw two good innings in the Sox' 15-3 shelling of the Cubs on Saturday before getting hit in the third and giving up three runs and three hits. All the hits were singles, and he hit one batter. ''I ..."
Andruw Jones is jonesing for a chance with Sox
Comment
March 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It took Andruw Jones only three innings to make a statement about the player he wants to be for the White Sox. After fighting off the late-afternoon sun to catch a fly ball in the second inning of the Sox' Cactus League opener Thursday, Jones walked in the third, then stole second against Los Angeles Angels catcher Mike Napoli. ''Is that the same Andruw Jones who played for the Dodgers two years ago?'' one West Coast reporter asked. Yes. And no. That Jones was in his first season away from the Atlanta Braves, the team for whom he starred for 11-plus seasons, won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves in center field, hit 368 home runs, drove in 1,117 runs and stole 138 bases."
Thornton throws strikes, and throws them fast
Comment
March 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"Matt Thornton still laughs at the first words manager Ozzie Guillen said to him four years ago after he surrendered a three-run home run to the Padres' Justin Leone in his White Sox exhibition debut. "That's the way to throw the ball," Thornton recalled Guillen saying. "Stay right there." "I looked at him cross-eyed and thought, 'What are you talking about?' " said Thornton, who still was feeling the string of being traded from the Mariners after eight underachieving and injury-plagued seasons in their organization. "But it soaked in for me. It was a turning point in my career." The task of throwing strikes, hitting the right spots and setting up his 95 mph fastball with other pitches ..."