On vacation....

Going on vacation. Blogging will resume Monday, March 31. Will the White Sox be 0-3 by then? Only half-kidding.

Sean Burke will start Opening Day for White Sox

When spring training began, it was a question mark whether Sean Burke would make the White Sox roster. I had him at No. 6 on my list of 10 candidates for the starting rotation.

Turns out, Burke is not only on the team, but he'll also start Opening Day on March 27 against the Los Angeles Angels, according to manager Will Venable.

Burke, 25, was a third-round pick out of the University of Maryland in 2021, and he did not make his MLB debut until last season.

In fact, Burke has only three starts and 19 innings in the majors to his credit, but hey, he was effective in a small sample size. He went 2-0 on a team that only won 41 games all season, and he struck out 22 in those 19 innings.

It's just a surprise the Sox are going this direction, with more experienced options such as Martin Perez and Davis Martin on the roster.

That said, of all the candidates for the Opening Day start, Burke perhaps has the best stuff. He's got the 95 mph fastball. He's added a sinker to his power slider, and he showed a good changeup last season that helped keep opposing batters off his higher-velocity pitches.

Ultimately, what is there to lose if Burke fails? Expectations for the season are super low. The ceiling for Burke is higher than someone like the journeyman Perez, so I see no real drawback to giving this a shot.

Non-roster invitees: Don't buy into them

Gavin Sheets created a bit of a stir on social media Tuesday when he had a two-homer game against the White Sox in Cactus League play.

Sheets, who accumulated -2.7 WAR over four seasons with the Sox, is in camp with the San Diego Padres on a minor league contract that included an invite to spring training. In other words, he's a non-roster invitee, and he's having a decent spring for himself as he tries to make the San Diego roster -- he's 9 for 34 with five homers.

Don't believe the hype.

The walk-off homer Sheets hit Tuesday? It came off a pitcher named Bryce Collins, who has never pitched above A-ball in the Sox system. Chances are, Collins won't be appearing on a National League West mound anytime soon. That's the thing about spring training stats -- they are accumulated against all kinds of different players, including many who have never reached the big leagues and never will.

Remember, we're just two years removed from watching Hanser Alberto tear apart the Cactus League and make the Sox roster, only to be designated for assignment by June. Alberto played his last game in the majors with the Sox on May 31, 2023. His white-hot performance in Arizona that spring ceased to matter. 

So for those worried about a Sheets breakout now that he's no longer wearing a Sox uniform, stop worrying. A bum having a good spring is still a bum, and that March push to make a roster usually doesn't carry over into the season.

That being said, if your non-roster invitees aren't hitting in spring, they are easy to cut. Looking at the 2025 White Sox spring camp, here's how some notable non-roster invitees are hitting:

• Brandon Drury: 9 for 30, 5 doubles, 1 homer, 6 Ks, 1 BB 
• Corey Julks: 3 for 21, 1 double, 1 homer, 9 Ks, 2 BBs
• Jacob Amaya: 2 for 16, 1 double, 8 Ks, 2 BBs
• Bobby Dalbec: 2 for 15, 7 Ks, 2 BBs
• Zach DeLoach, 2 for 15, 6 Ks, 4 BBs
• Joey Gallo: 2 for 20, 11 Ks, 1 BB
• Omar Narvaez: 3 for 15, 6 Ks, 5 BBs 

Is it any wonder the Sox are 5-12-1 in spring ball? A lot of the guys they are looking at in spring have done absolutely nothing. These are all guys who have MLB service time. Some of them have even had past successes in the majors. But Drury is the only one who has a chance of breaking camp with the team.

And even if he does, don't expect much. Let the excitement surrounding Alberto two years ago be your cautionary tale. 

White Sox option Colson Montgomery to Triple-A

Full disclosure: I've been bearish on the idea of Colson Montgomery as the White Sox Opening Day shortstop this year.

I understand Sox fans are tired of watching short-term stopgaps at almost every position on the diamond. I understand Sox fans want a glimpse of the future. I understand Sox fans are starving for hope of any sort. 

But the reality is Montgomery isn't ready for the task right now.

Team management agrees. On Tuesday, the Sox announced they are optioning the No. 39 prospect in baseball to Triple-A Charlotte. I see a lot of folks on social media expressing disappointment over this decision, but it's the right call.

If we're being honest, Montgomery hasn't proven he can hit at Triple-A yet. The ballpark in Charlotte is paradise for hitters, but the 23-year-old struggled in 130 games at that level in 2024, batting .214/.329/.381 with 18 homers, 63 RBIs and 164 strikeouts in 572 plate appearances. Only a strong finish brought Montgomery's OPS up to .710.

Yes, he did hit well in a small sample size in 11 games in the Arizona Fall League -- .311/.511/.656 with three homers, 10 walks and only six strikeouts in 45 plate appearances. Alas, the AFL is a hitters' league, and it's generally void of top pitching prospects. A halfway decent hitting prospect *should* dominate in that league.

I would have been skeptical of Montgomery even if he was having a good run in the Cactus League right now. Instead, he missed about 10 days with back spasms, and after homering in the spring training opener against the Cubs, he hasn't had a hit since. He's 1 for 9 with five strikeouts.

Given the timing of the injury, it's best that he start in Charlotte. Hopefully, he performs well in Triple-A for a couple of months, and then he can come to Chicago healthy and in top form later in the season.

Where does that leave the Sox for a shortstop in the short run? It's ugly. The candidates include Chase Meidroth, who is better suited for second base; Jacob Amaya, a good fielder who couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat; and Brooks Baldwin, who looks like a future utility player.

The Sox front office made a mistake by not bringing in a serviceable veteran who can handle the position. They put all their eggs in the basket of Montgomery being ready, and that is simply not the case.

But, at least they are not doubling down on this. They are acknowledging that Montgomery needs more time in the minors. It's the correct move for the player and the team.