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. 

Dylan Cease throws no-hitter for San Diego Padres

Perhaps my most enjoyable moment of the 2024 baseball season occurred Thursday afternoon. No, it wasn't anything pertaining to the White Sox losing their 11th consecutive game.  

Actually, I turned the Sox game off to watch former Chicago ace Dylan Cease pursue history. Much to my delight, Cease finished off his first career no-hitter, as the San Diego Padres defeated the Washington Nationals, 3-0.

The 28-year-old right-hander threw a career-high 114 pitches, striking out nine and walking three. Sox fans probably recall that Cease previously came within one out of a no-hitter on Sept. 3, 2022, against the Minnesota Twins.

I was in attendance at that game. Unfortunately, Minnesota's Luis Arraez broke up that bid with a single to right-center. Cease then struck out Kyle Garlick to finish off a one-hit shutout. Even though the Sox won that game resoundingly, I remember being so disappointed leaving the stadium and walking back to my car.

Even though Cease no longer pitches for my favorite team, I was nervous for him when he got to two outs in the ninth. When Washington's CJ Abrams hit a soft liner to right field, I think I yelled at the TV, "Catch it! Catch it!"

Sure enough, San Diego right fielder Bryce Johnson made the play for the final out.

Cease is now 10-8 with a 3.50 ERA for the Padres this season. As usual, he's been durable, making 22 starts to this point. His numbers may not be spectacular, but they are solid. I imagine San Diego is happy it acquired him in a five-player deal with the Sox shortly before this season began.

In recent starts, it seems as though Cease has regained the dominance he had in 2022, when he finished second in the American League in Cy Young voting. 

Over his past three outings, Cease is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Hard to beat that, right? He's thrown 22 innings in that span, and he's given up a grand total of two hits. 

No, that's not a misprint. He's given up only two hits in his past three starts, striking out 30 and walking only four. Just outstanding.

Sarah Langs tweeted Thursday that Cease has six outings this season of six-plus innings with zero or one hit allowed. That's two more than anyone else in a season since 1901, Langs wrote.

When Cease is on, good luck to opposing batters.

It's really sad for Sox fans that they don't get to enjoy his top-level pitching anymore. But hey, how about Drew Thorpe? At least the main guy the Sox got in the Cease deal has pitched well as a rookie, having totaled five consecutive quality starts.

But that's still not as fun as a no-hitter, you know?

Thankfully, the 2023 season is over

 

Here's a photo of our group on the last day of the 2023 season at Guaranteed Rate Field. Pictured (from left) are me, Brian Alcock, Jen Bubis, Doug Braxton and Tom Braxton.

The Sox lost, 2-1, in 11 innings to the San Diego Padres, finishing the season at 61-101 -- the highest loss total in my lifetime. They celebrated "Fan Appreciation Day" by fielding a starting outfielder of Tyler Naquin, Trayce Thompson an Gavin Sheets.

Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Andrew Benintendi did not play.

As has been the case all season, we were charged major league prices to watch a Triple-A caliber team.

The Sox should keep that in mind next time they question fan loyalty, which they inevitably will.

Former White Sox pitcher Johnny Cueto signs with Miami Marlins

Insert the lame lead about a professional athlete taking his talents to South Beach here. Former White Sox pitcher Johnny Cueto has agreed to a one-year contract with the Miami Marlins.

Cueto, who turns 37 years old next month, will earn $6 million in 2023. The deal includes a $10.5 million club option for 2024, with a $2.5 million buyout. So, that means the veteran right-hander is guaranteed $8.5 million in this contract.

Quick reaction: Couldn't the White Sox have afforded that? Cueto was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2022 season. His 8-10 record was unspectacular, but his 3.35 ERA over 25 games (24 starts and one emergency bullpen appearance) and 158.1 innings was impressive.

Cueto is certainly a regression candidate, especially at his age. Before last year, he hadn't topped 150 innings since his last All-Star campaign in 2016, and you have to wonder if his style of pitching to contact will blow up on him moving forward. He struck out only 5.8 batters per nine innings in 2022.

Earlier this offseason, the Sox signed Mike Clevinger, who essentially takes Cueto's place in the rotation. Clevinger tossed only 114.1 innings with San Diego last season, and only once during his six-year career has he topped 126 innings. So, he's not guaranteed to replace Cueto's workload.

And the Sox paid Clevinger a guaranteed $12 million. The 32-year-old right-hander will earn $8 million in 2023. There's a $12 million mutual option for 2024, with a $4 million buyout. 

It's almost a guarantee that mutual option will get declined. If Clevinger pitches well, he'll opt out and seek a long-term deal in free agency. If Clevinger pitches poorly, the Sox will let him go. It's hard to see a scenario where the two sides would agree on a one-year arrangement for 2024.

However, the moral of this story is Clevinger will cost more than Cueto, and it's hard to say one way or the other whether the Sox improved their rotation by signing Clevinger and letting Cueto walk.

Clevinger's production vs. Cueto's will be one of the subplots to the 2023 season.

National League favorites out of playoffs early

The National League Championship Series will feature the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres.

Just as we all predicted, right? 

OK, nobody predicted that the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds would advance to the NLCS. The NL produced three 100-win teams this season -- the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. Shockingly, those favored teams have all been eliminated.

The 87-win Phillies, third-place finishers in the NL East, swept a best-of-three series from the 93-win St. Louis Cardinals in the wild card round. They went on to beat the 101-win Braves, 3 games to 1, in a best-of-five NL Division Series.

The 89-win Padres are even bigger giant killers. They won a winner-take-all Game 3 over the 101-win Mets in the wild card round. Then they shocked the universe by knocking out the 111-win Dodgers, 3 games to 1, in the NLDS.

During the regular season, the Dodgers defeated the Padres in 14 out of 19 meetings. Second-place San Diego finished 22 games behind NL West champion Los Angeles. Didn't amount to a hill of beans in the playoffs. 

Over in the American League, the 99-win New York Yankees staved off elimination with a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland on Sunday night. With the win, the Yankees tied that best-of-five series at 2. That sets up a winner-take-all Game 5 on Monday night in New York.

The 106-win Houston Astros are the only prohibitive favorite not to be challenged in the divisional round. Well, maybe that's a little bit of an overstatement. The Astros won two one-run games in a three-game sweep of the 90-win Seattle Mariners, including a 1-0, 18-inning marathon in Game 3 on Saturday night. Houston was challenged, but passed the test.

The Astros will play Monday night's winner in the American League Championship Series.

All these upsets have created questions about Major League Baseball's new playoff format this year. Two teams that received byes through the wild card round -- the Dodgers and Braves -- lost, and a third team -- the Yankees -- is being pushed to the limit. 

Did the bye create rust for those powerhouse teams? Is it actually a disadvantage to have five days off between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs?

Those are interesting questions, but I'm reluctant to draw any conclusions based on a one-year sample size. 

Keep in mind that the four teams who received byes went 3-1 in the first game of their respective division series. The Dodgers won Game 1, before losing three straight. The Yankees also won Game 1 in their series. The Astros, of course, won Game 1 on their way to a sweep. Only the Braves lost their first game after the extended layoff.

If rust is a key factor in the outcome of these series, wouldn't you think it would show up right away in a Game 1 scenario?

Former Cy Young winner LaMarr Hoyt dies at 66

LaMarr Hoyt

Some sad news to report: Former White Sox pitcher LaMarr Hoyt died of cancer Monday at age 66.

I always think of Hoyt as the ace of the first Sox team I remember -- the 1983 American League West Division champions. That team won 99 games, and Hoyt won the Cy Young award that season, going 24-10 with a 3.66 ERA in 36 starts.

(I was 7 years old in 1983). 

The Sox won only one game in the American League Championship Series that year, and it was Hoyt's 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, the Orioles won the next three games and went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1983 World Series.

I always wonder what would have happened if the Sox had won Game 4 of the ALCS at old Comiskey Park -- they lost that game in 10 innings. Had they won it, Hoyt was lined up to pitch Game 5, and at that point in time, you always liked your chances when Hoyt was on the mound.

In total, Hoyt pitched six seasons (1979-84) with the Sox and went 74-49 with a 3.92 ERA in 178 games (116 starts). He was traded to the San Diego Padres in December 1984, as part of a seven-player deal that brought longtime shortstop and future manager Ozzie Guillen to the Sox.

Hoyt had one good season in San Diego. He won 16 games in 1985, made the All-Star team and was the winning pitcher in the midsummer classic.

But substance abuse problems derailed his career, and after a poor season in 1986, he never pitched in the majors again.

Nevertheless, Hoyt created fond memories for Sox fans of a certain age. He was the best of the bunch in a strong starting rotation that included Richard Dotson and Floyd Bannister in 1983, and that's the way we'll remember him.

Following up: San Diego Padres acquiring Yu Darvish from the Cubs

Yu Darvish

One day after we talked about the San Diego Padres acquiring former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays, we've learned sources say the Padres also are acquiring Yu Darvish from the Cubs.

According to the report, it's a seven-player blockbuster. Darvish, who finished second in the National League Cy Young voting in 2020, is headed to the Padres along with his personal catcher, Victor Caratini. 

In return, the Cubs receive right-handed pitcher Zach Davies and four kids -- outfielders Owen Caissie and Ismael Mena and shortstops Reggie Preciado and Yeison Santana.

Santana is the grizzled veteran among that quartet of prospects. ... He's 20 years old. Caissie and Mena are 18 years old. Preciado is 17. The latter two don't even have a Baseball Reference page yet.

It's hard not to like this deal for the Padres. Darvish has three years and $59 million remaining on his contract, and that's not cheap. But hey, didn't we just watch Darvish pitch like an ace on the North Side of Chicago in 2020? He was 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts. 

The Cubs don't win the NL Central without him, and you could make a good case that he deserved the Cy Young. With that production, he was earning his big contract.

San Diego's projected starting rotation is as follows:

1. Darvish
2. Snell
3. Dinelson Lamet
4. Chris Paddack
5. MacKenzie Gore

Those top three are formidable. The back of the rotation is young with plenty of upside. You can see a scenario now in which the Padres challenge the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West this year, and that's the whole point of the deal.

What's the point of this for the Cubs? Well, they just cleared a bunch of salary. That's it. They just traded their best starter -- perhaps their best trade piece, given that their entire offensive core had a down year in 2020 -- for a league-average right-hander (Davies) and a package of prospects who have never played about Rookie Ball.

None of these guys ranked any higher than No. 10 on the list of San Diego prospects. I suppose one or more of them could be good in 2024 or 2025, but I'm surprised the Cubs couldn't do better for Darvish.

Sources: San Diego Padres acquire Blake Snell from Tampa Bay Rays

Blake Snell

For all the talk about the San Diego Padres being the hip team in the National League -- if not all of baseball -- they are still looking up at the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The Padres need to swing big if they are to catch up, and they did so Sunday by acquiring left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Snell, the 2018 Cy Young Award winner in the American League, played five seasons with Tampa Bay, going 42-30 with a 3.24 ERA in 108 starts. He's an established top-of-the-rotation pitcher, and he has three years and $40 million remaining on his contract.

With those years of team control, Tampa Bay needed to get a good package of players in return, and the Rays did secure four players: pitchers Luis Patino and Cole Wilcox, and catchers Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt.

More on those guys in a minute, but for the Padres, they needed a solution for their starting rotation with Mike Clevinger injured and out for 2021. Dinelson Lamet was injured at the end of the 2020 season, too, and missed the playoffs. Beyond that, San Diego has Chris Paddack -- who was excellent as a rookie in 2019, but struggled this year -- and veteran righty Zach Davies. 

So, even with Snell, and assuming good health for Lamet, the Padres have only four starting pitchers in place. MacKenzie Gore, a high-end left-handed pitching prospect, also is a candidate for the San Diego rotation. But the Padres have a lineup that is ready to win now. They are coming off a 37-23 season, and they needed to get a little more predictability in their starting rotation -- the injuries to their pitching staff caused them to get run over by the Dodgers in the playoffs.

Snell is a great fit for that need, and San Diego may not be done yet. The Padres are rumored to be in talks to acquire Cubs ace Yu Darvish. Stay tuned on that.

As for the Rays, I'm guessing they look at Patino as the main piece of the trade. The 21-year-old made it to the majors in 2020, appearing in 11 games. The right-hander throws 97 mph and has three pitches, and he was the No. 2 pitching prospect in the San Diego organization, behind only Gore. He sounds like the kind of pitcher the Rays make into someone good.

Wilcox is a bit of a lotto ticket. He was the Padres' third-round draft pick in 2020, but he was given first-round money. He's a right-hander with a big fastball. He's 6-foot-5, 232 pounds and has the SEC pedigree, having played his college ball at the University of Georgia.

Mejia is a familiar name. He was once a big prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization. He was traded to San Diego as part of the Brad Hand deal. He fills a need for Tampa Bay, but he's yet to prove he can hit in the big leagues -- as shown by his .225 career batting average and .668 career OPS. To be fair, Mejia has accumulated only 362 career plate appearances, but he's also 25 years old now. If the breakout is coming, it needs to happen soon.

Hunt is a 22-year-old catcher who played in High-A in 2019. He was the No. 14 prospect in the Padres' organization, and he is said to have a good throwing arm behind the plate. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, there is hope he can develop power as a hitter, but he only homered five times in 89 games in 2019.

This is a decent haul for the Rays, especially if Patino develops quickly. But if you're the Padres, this is a move you have to make if you want to catch the Dodgers. I applaud them for making it.

Lucas Giolito, Yasmani Grandal rejoin the active for White Sox

White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito appears to be on track to start Opening Day against the Kansas City Royals.

Giolito, who had been sidelined by a minor ribcage strain, pitched for the first time in a Cactus League game Friday, working the first inning in a 6-3 win over the Cubs. He threw 15 pitches and faced four batters. His only blemish was a HBP to Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber.

He also struck out Sox nemesis Willson Contreras looking on a 3-2 changeup. After the outing, Giolito went to the bullpen to "get his work in" in a more controlled environment, throwing another 20 pitches or so.

Friday was March 6, and if you count off the days -- and you assume that Giolito has four days' rest in between outings -- that lines him up perfectly to make the start against Kansas City on March 26.

Also of note Friday, catcher Yasmani Grandal made his first Cactus League appearance of the spring. Grandal, who has missed time with a calf injury, made three plate appearances. He struck out twice and walked once.

Grandal did not play Saturday, but he was back in the lineup Sunday against the San Diego Padres, catching right-hander Reynaldo Lopez is a split-squad game. Grandal went 1 for 3 with an RBI double and a run scored in a 6-0 Sox win.

On Monday, Grandal served as the designated hitter and had his best game of the spring, going 2 for 3 with a double, a solo home run and two runs scored in a 3-3 tie with the Cincinnati Reds.

We'll know Grandal is ready if he catches back-to-back days. That hasn't happened yet.

Obviously, it goes without saying that the Sox need Grandal healthy and ready to start the season. The "big offseason" doesn't look as good if the big free-agent acquisition opens the season on the injured list.

Some starts from actual White Sox starting pitchers

The first eight White Sox Cactus League games were mostly characterized by starts from pitchers who will begin the season in the minor leagues, including two outings by the erstwhile Ross Detwiler.

But the past three days, we've seen Dallas Keuchel, Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease get on the mound, and results for the most part have been good.

Cease was perhaps the most impressive of the three. On Wednesday, he worked four innings in a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed one run on three hits -- a solo home run to Keston Hiura -- while striking out five and issuing no walks.

I'm encouraged for two reasons. First, no walks. That really can't be emphasized enough. I really don't care that Cease gave up a home run, because it was a solo home run. Last season, we saw Cease get himself and the team in real trouble by walking a couple of guys, then giving up a home run. Solo home runs are much easier to overcome than three-run shots and grand slams.

Secondly, Cease got through the first two innings unscathed. The home run did not come until the fourth inning. As you may recall, Cease had a 9.00 ERA in the first inning, and a 9.64 ERA during the second inning, in 2019. He has to get out of the habit of putting his team two and three runs down early in games, and so far, he's avoided trouble out of the gate this spring.

The Sox lost, 6-5, to the Oakland A's on Tuesday, but most of the runs were scored late. Lopez pitched three innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out three and walked three, and that control is one area Lopez needs to clean up. One walk an inning isn't going to cut it, but the good news is he kept the ball in the yard and missed some bats.

As you may recall, Lopez surrendered 35 home runs in 184 innings pitched in 2019, so if there's one guy on the Sox's staff who needs to focus on not giving up the long ball, it's Lopez. I'd be more concerned about him giving up home runs than I would be Cease.

As for Keuchel, he was as advertised Monday in a 3-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. He pitched to contact and gave up his share of hits -- six in four innings -- but San Diego only scored one run off him. Keuchel struck out only one, but he didn't walk anybody.

That's pretty much what I'm expecting from Keuchel this year -- a lot of balls put in play, but hopefully, it will be a ton of soft contact in the infield. In this outing, Keuchel recorded eight groundball outs, and not a single flyball out.

That's the formula we're looking for from the veteran left-hander.

White Sox remind everyone that they are cheap, timid and stupid

Manny Machado

Remember when White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said the team and its fans are allowed to have nice things?

Turns out we're not, surprise surprise. As expected on this blog, the Sox failed to sign Manny Machado. The superstar infielder agreed to terms Tuesday on a 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, according to reports.

That's right, the Padres. Not the New York Yankees. Not the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not the Boston Red Sox. Not the Philadelphia Phillies. Not the Cubs.

The Padres, who haven't had a winning season since 2010 and are one of the few clubs with a longer postseason drought than the Sox. (San Diego last made the playoffs in 2006.)

According to reports, the Sox weren't willing to go above eight years and $250 million in guaranteed money. In fact, senior vice president Ken Williams said the Sox weren't willing to go to the $300 million mark to sign this player.

"That level wasn't feasible to us because we still have to project putting together a total winning roster and keeping the young players that will ultimately earn into greater dollars themselves," Williams said, according to a tweet from MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

Here's the big problem with that: This free agency sweepstakes was ALWAYS going to end with Machado getting $300 million in guaranteed money. If the Sox weren't willing to go to that point, why did they waste the past three months in this fruitless pursuit?

The Sox have spent the past two seasons losing games and dumping payroll, all to achieve precious "flexibility" to pursue marquee free agents this offseason. Thus far, they have done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with that payroll flexibility, and there's no indication they will.

Once again, this regime came this far, only to pull up two years and $50 million short.

Only the White Sox would spend 90-plus days chasing a free agent that they never were willing to go the extra mile for to sign. Only the White Sox would tell fans at SoxFest that they would be "disappointed" if they didn't "convert" on Machado and then get outbid by another also-ran team.

And, oh yeah, the Sox brought in two players who don't fit their roster in an attempt to lure Machado to the team. Fans, you don't get Machado himself, but you do get Machado's brother-in-law (Yonder Alonso) and his BFF (Jon Jay). I'm sure the at-bats from those two unneeded veterans will sell tickets this summer, won't they?

I dare the Sox to shut me up by using the Machado money to sign Bryce Harper. That's the only thing that could lessen my anger at this point.

Until then it's the same ol' Sox: cheap, timid and stupid.

White Sox Opening Day starter: James Shields

James Shields

There's nothing like Opening Day. For many baseball fans, including me, it's more exciting than Christmas morning was when I was a little kid.

However, that enthusiasm is somewhat lessened when you know your favorite team is almost certain to begin the season 0-1.

Such is the case for me this year, as the White Sox have named 36-year-old James Shields as their Opening Day starter.

Yuck.

Shields has made 43 starts with the Sox since he was acquired midseason in 2016, and he's gone 9-19 with a 5.99 ERA. The veteran right-hander has given up a whopping 58 home runs over those 43 starts, and his 5.23 ERA in 2017 actually was lauded as being an improvement after the 6.77 ERA Shields posted in 22 starts with the Sox in 2016.

Double yuck.

So what could be the justification for starting Shields against the Kansas City Royals on March 29? Well, once upon a time, in place not named Chicago, Shields was a respectable major league pitcher. Believe it or not, he's made seven previous Opening Day starts -- four with the Tampa Bay Rays, two with Kansas City and one with the San Diego Padres. So, he has experience, and the moment shouldn't rattle him.

In those seven starts, Shields is 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA, although in fairness to him, five of those seven starts were quality, and the two rough outings were enough to inflate his ERA. But that was then, and this is now, and Shields simply hasn't done anything in the past two years to inspire confidence.

There's no reason to believe he's the Sox's best pitcher, so you won't catch me calling him the "ace." There are aces, and then there are guys who start on Opening Day. Shields is the latter, not the former.

Here's one silver lining: Shields is scheduled to pitch twice on the season-opening road trip to Kansas City and Toronto. His second start should come April 4 against the Blue Jays, which means there's no way in hell he will be anywhere near the mound when the Sox open at home April 5 against the Detroit Tigers.

If pitchers remain on schedule, Lucas Giolito is in line to start the second game of the season against the Royals, which would mean it would be his turn for the home opener April 5. Right now, it's looking like Reynaldo Lopez will pitch the third game, and Miguel Gonzalez the fourth.

Carson Fulmer and Hector Santiago continue to compete for the fifth starting rotation spot. Fulmer will make a spring start today -- March 19 -- against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Carson Fulmer's spring off to a rough start

How much stock do we put in results from the first two weeks of spring training games?

Not much, really.

That said, it's hard not to notice the rough start Carson Fulmer has had this spring. The White Sox's No. 10 prospect is believed to have the inside track to start the season as the team's No. 5 starter, but his 22.50 ERA through two spring outings is enough to give some people pause.

Fulmer failed to make it out of the second inning in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the San Diego Padres. He allowed four runs on four hits with four walks in an inning plus three batters, and there's no getting around the fact that it was ugly.

Worse, Fulmer had two-strike counts to three of the four hitters he walked, and three of the four runs he allowed came on 0-2 pitches -- he allowed a solo home run to Manuel Margot and a two-run single to Fernando Tatis Jr. (Yes, that Fernando Tatis Jr.)

Fulmer through first-pitch strikes to seven of the first eight batters he faced. Normally, jumping ahead in counts is a recipe for success, but the right-hander could not get the outs he needed, even when he got to two strikes.

"It's really frustrating," Fulmer said on whitesox.com. "Just like the last outing, I got ahead of a lot of guys, either 0-2 or 1-2, and I just wasn't able to put them away. I fell back behind in counts, left balls over the middle of the plate. It's easy to say to let this one go and get ready for the next one, but it's tough. It's tough, especially in the position that I am, and to be in a position to make an impact on this team, I have to put away guys. I have to use this outing and build off of it as much as I can and then get ready for the next one."

Hector Santiago relieved Fulmer in Sunday's game, and for the third time this spring, the veteran left-hander pitched competently.  Santiago has nine strikeouts in eight spring innings, and he's allowed only one earned run in that span.

If Fulmer struggles all March, Santiago has a chance to take that fifth starter's role.

Of course, it would be preferable to see Fulmer step up and secure that position. All things being equal, you'd rather see the young, former first-round draft pick earn the opportunity, as opposed to having to default to a mediocre veteran.

Ideally, Santiago would pitch in a swing role as a long man and spot starter.

Is Eric Hosmer going to end up back with the Royals?

Eric Hosmer

The hot stove has been cold this winter, with not much happening over the first two months of the offseason.

But we are starting to hear more rumors about a potential landing spot for free agent first baseman Eric Hosmer, and he may be back with the Kansas City Royals.

According to a USA Today report, the Royals have offered Hosmer a seven-year, $147 million contract to stay in Kansas City, where he won a World Series (2015) and has been the face of the franchise for most of this decade.

Early speculation this offseason linked Hosmer to the Boston Red Sox, but those rumors died down after the Red Sox gave Mitch Moreland a two-year deal. The only other team involved with Hosmer, strangely, seems to be the San Diego Padres.

The same USA Today report says that San Diego has offered Hosmer a seven-year deal for $140 million. That would be $1 million less a year than Kansas City's offer.

I've never quite understood why the Padres are looking to open the pocketbook for Hosmer. San Diego's most productive hitter last season was its first baseman, Wil Myers, who totaled 30 home runs, 29 doubles and 74 RBIs.

Myers played outfield earlier in his career, and reports indicate he would be willing to move back to the outfield in order to make room for Hosmer. That's good. That's great. But isn't there a reason Myers was moved to first base in the first place? Yes, there was. He's not a good defensive outfielder, so why put him back at a position where he will hurt his team? Shouldn't San Diego be keeping Myers right where he is?

Don't get me wrong: I'd rather have Hosmer at first base than Myers. Hosmer hit .318 last season, while Myers hit only .243. And I'll take Hosmer's 25 home runs and 90-plus RBIs with good defense at first base over what Myers has to offer.

However, the Padres went 71-91 in 2017, and they have much bigger holes on their roster than first base. Shouldn't they be addressing those? And is San Diego really in a position to win next year even if it adds Hosmer. I say no, and against that backdrop, why would Hosmer want to sign there?

Hosmer reportedly wants an eight- or nine-year deal, but there has to be at least some appeal for him to go back to Kansas City on a seven-year deal and be considered a local hero.

If not the Royals, then who is going to sign Hosmer? He can't possibly pick the Padres over the Royals, can he?

White Sox win two of three games vs. Padres in clash of rebuilding teams

Todd Frazier

There are some White Sox fans out there who have their hearts set on losing as many games as possible this season, in hopes of getting the No. 1 pick in the 2018 MLB draft.

I hate to tell those folks this, but it's going to be real hard for the Sox or any other team to be worse than the San Diego Padres this year.

The Sox (17-18) took two out of three from the Padres (14-25) at Guaranteed Rate Field over the weekend, and I saw San Diego do some terrible things that I've never seen a major league team do in all the years that I've following the great sport of baseball.

Let's get to some thoughts on the weekend that was:

Friday, May 12
Padres 6, White Sox 3: Even a brutal team such as San Diego is going to win 55 to 60 games, and this was one of those games for the Padres.

They hit three home runs, including two off Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez, who continued his inevitable regression to the mean by allowing five earned runs in five innings. San Diego had a 3-0 lead by the third inning, and offense was scarce for the South Siders.

Five of the nine Sox starters took 0-fers, and the team wasted a multiple homer game by Leury Garcia, who had had three hits. Garcia's two homers accounted for all three Sox runs.

Saturday, May 13
White Sox 5, Padres 4: The Sox trailed, 2-1, going to the bottom of the fourth inning when Jose Abreu reached on an error by San Diego third baseman Ryan Schimpf. Abreu then advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Trevor Cahill. Abreu then advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Trevor Cahill. Abreu then scored the tying run on a wild pitch by Trevor Cahill.

The Padres gave up a run on an E-5 and three wild pitches. I've seen such incompetence before in my days as a high school sports reporter, but I've never seen such buffoonery by a big league club.

The Sox ended up collecting their first walk-off win of the season. With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, San Diego reliever Brad Hand committed a cardinal sin by walking the Sox's No. 9 hitter, Tyler Saladino, to start the inning.

Garcia bunted Saladino into scoring position. Hand jumped ahead of the next hitter, Yolmer Sanchez, 0-2. But, Hand had fallen into a pattern of throwing his breaking ball every time he got into a two-strike count. He got a pair of strikeouts on the curve in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Sanchez appeared to be sitting on it in that situation.

The second baseman smacked one back up the middle for a single, and Saladino scored the winning run on a bang-bang play at the plate.

Sunday, May 14
White Sox 9, Padres 3: For seven innings, this was an aggravating game for Sox fans to watch. The offense was limited to only one run over six innings against the corpse of Jered Weaver, who has an ERA of 6.05 even after baffling Sox hitters throughout the afternoon.

Weaver hasn't won a game all season, and I had heard reports that he would be a candidate for release if he did not pitch well in Chicago. The Sox had a chance to perhaps literally end his career in the bottom of the first inning. Bases loaded, no outs. Alas, Weaver was out of the inning with only one run allowed two pitches later, after Avisail Garcia hit into a run-scoring double play and Todd Frazier grounded out.

No matter, San Diego imploded in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Padres had a 3-1 lead, but they walked five hitters, plunked a batter and committed two errors in that inning. The Sox sprinkled in four hits and parlayed all that into an eight-run outburst that gave them the 9-3 victory.

Melky Cabrera provided the big hit, a two-run single with the bases loaded that put the Sox ahead to stay at 4-3.

Moments later, the Sox had first and third with one out when Saladino popped up a bunt to first baseman Wil Myers. Frazier tagged and scored from third on a ball that traveled about 50 feet in the air to make it 5-3.

Yes, you read that right.

Myers had his back to the play after making the catch, and he casually flipped the ball back to pitcher Brandon Maurer. While the Padres were acting like a bunch of aloof idiots, Frazier tore down the third-base line to score a run. By the time Maurer realized what was happening, he made an errant toss to the plate that allowed Cabrera to advance to second.

The Sox tacked on with an RBI single by Willy Garcia, a two-run double by Leury Garcia and a RBI single by Sanchez.

I've never seen a team at any level give up a run on a pop-up bunt to first base before. Give the Padres credit; they seem hellbent on being the worst team in baseball.

My April 20 visit to Petco Park in San Diego

Petco Park in San Diego

While on vacation in Southern California, I had the opportunity to take in a game between the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park.

The Padres won, 4-1, behind a solid performance from former White Sox left-hander Clayton Richard, but that's not all that important. I went because I wanted to check out a ballpark I had never visited before, and I must say I came away impressed.

When I visit other parks around the country, I inevitably think to myself, "Man, the Sox could learn a thing or two from how they do things here."

The Padres, much like the Sox, are not contenders this year. They are rebuilding and everybody knows it. The announced crowd was 17,000-and-some people. That attendance figure for a Thursday night is similar to Chicago. There wasn't a lot of interest in the game despite the beautiful weather because, well, there are other things to do in San Diego, and people know the Padres are bad.

But there were several things that were not similar to Chicago that I found refreshing. For example:

• There is ample street parking around the ballpark, and I think I paid 20 cents to park. That's right: 20 cents, not 20 dollars. The meters are not enforced after 6 p.m., and this particular game started at 6:10. We had a meter with some time remaining on it, and it didn't take much to get across the 6 p.m. threshold.
• The ushers were friendly and knowledgeable. This is something common at places not named Guaranteed Rate Field, where the ballpark staff grunts at you, can't answer any questions and seems to get off on telling fans what they *can't* do. Petco Park ushers are mostly retired folks working a part-time job, and they were kind and helpful to us as out-of-towners who were not familiar with the ballpark.
• Petco Park has a hockey-style "wait for the whistle" rule. That means, if you get up to use the restroom or to visit the concession stand, you have to stay on the concourse until there is a break in play, instead of being allowed to walk in front of everyone while the game is going on. Fans are allowed to come and go in between batters or in between innings. That works for me. As a grumpy curmudgeon who just wants to watch the damn game, I love it.

  

  Me, standing next to Tony Gwynn's retired No. 19

• The Padres have a Hall of Fame area that is awesome. They have replica plaques for everyone who played for the Padres and is in the baseball Hall of Fame. They have an interactive area with videos and pictures of some of the best moments in Padres history, and they have a film that plays on loop highlighting the great career of Tony Gwynn. The Padres have a very modest  history, but they aren't shy about showing off some of the individual and team accomplishments they've had through the years. On the wall in there, they have a chart showing the top five players in franchise history in various categories. Gwynn is San Diego's leader in every offensive category except home runs (Nate Colbert is first in home runs), and he is the Padres' all-time hits leader by more than 2,000 hits. (Garry Templeton is a distant second.)
• If you need to exit the ballpark during the game, you can re-enter. How awesome is that? I've always thought the Sox should allow that, especially since we get our share of rain delays in Chicago. (That's something they don't worry about much in San Diego). But as we've discussed before, the Sox have been known to make up rules as they go, and they have all kinds of bizarre rules in the name of "fan safety." Frankly, I've never felt as if I'm in danger at any ballpark in America, other than in Milwaukee, where the fans have an inferiority complex about anyone and anything that comes from Chicago. 

If you're ever in San Diego at the same time as the Padres, I'd recommend taking in a game at Petco. The sight lines are great, even if the team isn't, and the people are friendly and happy to have you there. The locals say Petco is "America's No. 1 ballpark," and it's hard for me to say that, because I haven't seen every ballpark in America, but they are correct that they have a nice place to watch a game.

James Shields trade didn't turn out great for San Diego, either

Erik Johnson

This probably won't comfort White Sox fans who have watched James Shields get rocked start after start over the past four months, but the guy the Sox traded for Shields -- Erik Johnson -- is sidelined after Tommy John surgery.

Johnson made just four starts for the San Diego Padres in 2016, going 0-4 with a 9.15 ERA. He allowed a Shields-like 20 earned runs on 32 hits -- including nine home runs -- and five walks in 19.2 innings. He didn't pitch a single game after July 1.

According to a report in Thursday's San Diego Union-Tribune, Johnson will miss the entire 2017 season after the elbow surgery.

The Padres can at least say they got some salary relief from the deal. They paid Johnson the league minimum to sit on the DL, which is not ideal, but it's probably preferable to paying Shields $21 million to go 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA.

James Shields booed off the field in White Sox debut

James Shields

I was skeptical last week when the White Sox acquired right-handed pitcher James Shields from the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitcher Erik Johnson and shortstop prospect Fernando Tatis Jr.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not concerned about losing Johnson, who is a marginal pitcher at best. And the 17-year-old Tatis Jr. is years away from potentially making an impact at the major-league level.

Rather, I just don't believe in Shields. This is a 34-year-old pitcher with a high-mileage arm and declining velocity, and he's making the transition from a pitcher-friendly NL park in San Diego to a hitter-friendly AL park in U.S. Cellular Field.

Heh, heh, what could go wrong?

Well, plenty, unfortunately.

Shields absorbed a severe beating in his Sox debut Wednesday night, an 11-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. The NL East leaders roughed up Shields for seven runs on eight hits over two-plus innings. Shields struck out two and walked two -- and gave up three home runs.

By the time the Nationals completed their first trip through the batting order, they had hit three homers and scored six runs. Shields needed 79 pitches to complete two innings. He was removed to a chorus of boos after giving up a leadoff hit in the top of the third inning.

Gack.

If Erik Johnson had pitched this game, he likely also would have given up three home runs, but he probably would have had the courtesy to space them out over five innings. Not so with Shields. He got the struggling Sox blown out of the game before they even had a chance to bat.

This game got so bad that outfielder J.B. Shuck pitched the ninth inning for the Sox. He was more effective than Shields, allowing one run on one hit during his inning of work.

I'm not sure what that says, but dating back to his last start in San Diego, Shields has allowed 17 runs over his last 4.2 innings. And, if he does not exercise an out clause in his contract after this season, the Sox are stuck with him through the 2018 season.

Oh, boy. This is the sort of trade that could get Rick Hahn fired if Shields doesn't turn it around.

Alexei Ramirez signs one-year deal with San Diego Padres

Alexei Ramirez

After eight seasons on the South Side of Chicago, Alexei Ramirez is moving on.

The longtime White Sox shortstop agreed to a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on Thursday. He leaves the Sox after 1,226 games; 4,999 plate appearances; 109 home runs; 542 RBIs; 135 stolen bases; and two Silver Slugger awards.

Those are respectable numbers, but it was time for Ramirez, 34, and the Sox to part ways, and I think both sides knew that when the team declined Ramirez's club option for $10 million late last year.

Ramirez is just two years removed from one of his finest seasons. In 2014, he posted a .273/.305/.408 slash line with 15 home runs and 74 RBIs. That production earned him the second of his Silver Slugger awards.

However, he regressed in 2015, finishing at .249/.285/.357 with 10 home runs and 62 RBIs. He slumped badly early in the season, contributing to a Sox swoon that caused the team to be buried with a 28-38 record by mid-June.

Here are the split stats for Ramirez from last season:

First half: .224/.249/.292, 2 HRs, 27 RBIs
Second half: .277/.325/.432, 8 HRs, 35 RBIs

Almost all the damage done by Ramirez came in the second half with the team out of the race. It smelled like a contract drive to me. No doubt, Ramirez wanted that $10 million option picked up. But the reality is, he isn't worth that money any longer, and the Sox were not wrong to head in a different direction.

That's not to say the Padres are stupid for signing Ramirez. Far from it. San Diego used four different shortstops last year, and I think it's fair to say Ramirez is an upgrade over the two players who got most of the starts at shortstop in San Diego last year -- Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes.

Moreover, Ramirez provides an everyday reliability at a key position. He has played 154 games or more at shortstop in each of the past six seasons. Ramirez is the kind of guy who expects himself to play every day, and that's not a bad thing for a San Diego club that is looking for some short-term stability at shortstop.

The Padres recently acquired a good shortstop prospect from the Boston Red Sox in Javier Guerra. They see him as their future at that position, but he's only 20 years old and at least a year or two away. Ramirez is a good stopgap solution on a short-term deal.

As for the Sox, Tyler Saladino appears to be the heir apparent at shortstop. There is every reason to believe Saladino has a good enough glove to play the position. The bat is a question mark, and that's why the Sox could still use another offensive upgrade at corner outfield or designated hitter. Saladino is OK as a No. 9 hitter and starting shortstop, as long as there aren't glaring holes in other spots in the lineup. I think the Sox are still a move short of being able to say that at this stage.

Can Chase Headley jump-start the Yankees in the AL East race?

The New York Yankees have a mediocre 51-48 record and a minus-30 run differential, and 80 percent of their projected starting rotation is on the disabled list.

Nevertheless, the Yankees still believe they have a shot to win this year, and they signaled as much on Tuesday when they acquired third baseman Chase Headley from the San Diego Padres in exchange for infielder Yangervis Solarte and minor-league pitcher Rafael De Paula.

You can't blame the Yankees for believing they have a chance. The AL East is no longer the strongest division in baseball. Despite its uneven play, New York sits just four games back of first-place Baltimore entering Wednesday's action.

But can Headley make an impact? The numbers suggest he will not. He has experienced a steady decline since his career year in 2012.

2012: .286/.376/.498, 31 HRs, 115 RBIs
2013: .250/.347/.400, 13 HRs, 50 RBIs
2014: .230/..296/.353, 7 HRs, 33 RBIs

There's nothing about Headley that suggests he will ever repeat his numbers from two years ago. That was a career outlier. His career slash is .266/.346/.409. He's perhaps a better hitter than he's shown this year, but it's folly to think he'll ever slug close to .500 again.

Headley has been floundering on some awful San Diego teams. He has no help in that lineup whatsoever, so there is some chance he will be resurgent in New York where he will no longer be counted upon to carry an offense. Some have noted Headley's numbers might be hurt by the pitcher-friendly confines at Petco Park. Yankee Stadium, of course, is a hitter-friendly ballpark.

However, an analysis of Headley's splits this year shows no difference in his slugging percentage home and away:

Home: .250/.301/.354, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs
Road: .209/.290/.353, 5 HRs, 14 RBIs

Headley has been a slightly better offensive player at home, in fact. I'm skeptical he'll be the game-changer the Yankees are looking for.

What New York really needs to do is add a front-line starting pitcher. The Yankees have had horrible luck this year with Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda all on the disabled list. The latter three are on the 60-day DL. Brandon McCarthy has made two good starts since coming over from the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Yankees are at least one arm, if not two, short in the starting rotation.

There are rumors the Yankees are interested in White Sox left-hander John Danks. I would think, though, that New York needs a top-of-the-rotation starter, like Cliff Lee or Cole Hamels. Danks is nothing more than a mid-rotation guy pitching with a surgically repaired shoulder at this point.

Even with Headley, I don't think New York is going to win the AL East as presently constructed. I think the Yankees need that guy to lead their pitching stuff, or else they'll be lucky to stay in the hunt for the wild card in a mediocre American League.