Yermin Mercedes again ... and Andrew Vaughn's first home run

For the first time this spring, White Sox baseball was on the radio Friday. It was nice to hear a ballgame on the ride home from work, even if it was just the last three innings of a meaningless exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians.

Looking at the box score, Nomar Mazara may have been the only player in the starting lineup who will actually be with the Sox when the season starts -- unless Nick Madrigal makes the club out of camp.

The Sox won the game, 8-3, and the story once again was ... Yermin Mercedes. I joined the broadcast in the top of the seventh inning, and I apparently just missed Mercedes hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth that turned a 3-0 Sox deficit into a 4-3 lead.

Mercedes is now 4 for 9 with two homers this spring in his quest to earn the job as the 26th man on the Sox's roster.

In other news from the game, Andrew Vaughn, the Sox's top pick in the 2019 draft, made two plate appearances. He walked his first time up, then added a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Vaughn is probably going to start the season at Double-A Birmingham, and he'll be one of the guys in the system to keep a close eye on throughout the year. Most likely, he'll be in the minors for all of 2020, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he were knocking on the door of coming to Chicago by the time September gets here.

Edwin Encarnacion, the incumbent DH, is on a one-year contract with an option year. The guess here is Encarnacion will be a member of the Sox until Vaughn is ready to take his spot. Will that be in 2021 or 2022? We'll find out.

Dallas Keuchel feels 'phenomenal.' Jace Fry, not so much.

Dallas Keuchel

Dylan Cease is the only member of the White Sox's projected starting rotation to appear in a spring training game thus far.

Reynaldo Lopez had his start Feb. 22 against the Los Angeles Angels rained out. Lucas Giolito is nursing a minor chest strain, and Gio Gonzalez is being held back because of shoulder discomfort.

Free agent acquisition Dallas Keuchel? Well, he's feeling "phenomenal," according to this report from MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

Keuchel's day to pitch was Wednesday, but the Sox were scheduled to face an American League Central rival in the Kansas City Royals. Rather than allow the Royals to get a live look at Keuchel before the actual games begin, the Sox started organizational pitcher Matt Tomshaw and had Keuchel throw a live bullpen session on the back fields at Camelback Ranch.

The report says Keuchel "got up and down three times," which is a fancy way to say he threw the equivalent of three innings. Keuchel says he's throwing his breaking ball more now than he has at this same time in previous years.

Frankly, I'm wishing for some televised games, so we could get a look at some of these guys ourselves.

Fry dealing with back strain

Jace Fry, projected to be the second left-hander in the Sox's bullpen, is sidelined by back soreness. The issue is said to be minor.

If that injury ends up lingering, it could open the door for nonroster invitee Adalberto Mejia to make the roster. Mejia tossed a scoreless inning Thursday in a 6-5 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Mejia has 62 games of MLB experience, including 25 starts, all with the Minnesota Twins. Actually, Mejia may be a candidate for the eighth spot in the bullpen, even if Fry is healthy. The Sox need a guy who can work multiple innings in long relief, and well, Mejia may be able to do that job better than Carson Fulmer.

That's one of the roster battles playing out as the spring progresses.

American League news: Yankees dealing with early injuries

Luis Severino

The New York Yankees are among the favorites in the American League this season, but they have had some bad news on the injury front during the first couple weeks of spring training.

The Yankees on Tuesday announced that starting pitcher Luis Severino has a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The two-time All-Star needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2020 season.

New York already is without left-hander James Paxton, who will be out through at least April after having something called microscopic lumbar surgery. Right-hander Domingo German will not be eligible to return to the roster until June 5, as he must serve 63 more games of an 81-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy.

Don't cry for the Yankees too much, as they have the game's best pitcher, Gerrit Cole, at the front of their rotation. They also have veterans Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ to help hold things down until Paxton and German return.

But in the meantime, New York has two gaps in its rotation. Candidates to fill those roles include left-hander Jordan Montgomery and right-handers Jonathan Loaisiga and Luis Cessa.

In news that broke Wednesday, Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton's ability to start the season is in question because of a Grade 1 strain in his right calf. Manager Aaron Boone says Stanton will miss "a couple of weeks," which could make it difficult for him to be ready by March 26. Injuries limited Stanton to only 18 games in 2019.

Even with these injuries, New York is still the favorite in the AL East. That said, the Yankees could be vulnerable early in the season, and it would behoove the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox to get off to quick starts.

Could Nicky Delmonico or Yermin Mercedes be the 26th man?

Nicky Delmonico

It's hard to say much about early preseason games. The White Sox have played four of them, and they've gone 2-1-1. None of the games have been on the radio, and the only televised game was a 2-2 tie Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Interestingly, the stars of that televised game were two guys on the fringes of the roster -- outfielder Nicky Delmonico and catcher Yermin Mercedes.

Delmonico went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles, and Mercedes went 2 for 2 with a long solo home run. Neither man has much defensive utility, but if the Sox want a bench bat when the season starts, these two players would be among the candidates for the 26th and final spot on the roster.

Mercedes would be a more popular choice among fans, because he's never had a chance in the majors before. Therefore, he has never failed. (Delmonico has.)

Reports indicate that Mercedes doesn't have much mobility as a catcher, even though he's a decent receiver. If he's going to stick in pro ball, he has to hit, and last season, he hit. He posted a .317/.388/.581 slash line with 23 home runs and 80 RBIs in 95 games across two levels -- 53 at Triple-A Charlotte and 42 at Double-A Birmingham.

Typically, Sox hitting prospects are judged by how well they do in the pitcher-friendly ballpark at Birmingham. Mercedes hit .327 at that level, so it was a test he passed. We'll keep an eye on him as camp progresses.

Ditto Delmonico, who the Sox released last season and brought back on a minor-league deal this offseason. The 27-year-old appeared in only 21 games in 2019, batting .206/.265/.286, before a shoulder injury ended his season. Because he was hurt, the Sox couldn't outright him off the roster, so they had to let him go.

Delmonico is a popular player in the organization, and the team probably didn't want his career to end like that, so he's getting another kick at the can this spring. He was decent for the Sox in 2017, when he batted .262/.373/.482 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs in 43 games.

If he can somehow regain that form, he has a chance at a roster spot. His left-handedness is a bonus, and while he's not a good fielder, you can have him stand in left field or at first base.

Most fans probably don't want to see him again because of his failings in 2018 and 2019, but the good news is, if he earns a spot on the club, he won't be overexposed as a regular player this time. Regardless, he's a long shot. Mercedes probably has a better chance.

White Sox agree on new contracts with Aaron Bummer, Leury Garcia

The White Sox on Saturday signed left-handed relief pitcher Aaron Bummer to a five-year, $16 million contract.

It's the largest contract ever given to a non-closer who has yet to qualify for salary arbitration in Major League Baseball history.

Bummer, 26, is coming off a breakout season in 2019, during which he was the best pitcher in the Sox's bullpen. He made 58 appearances without a decision, posting a 2.13 ERA, 27 holds, one save, 60 strikeouts and a 0.99 WHIP over 67.2 innings pitched.

The Sox apparently believe Bummer's sinker-heavy approach will play well over the long haul at Guaranteed Rate Field. His 71.4% ground-ball rate ranked second in baseball last season, and opponents hit only .184/.268/.252 against him even though they pretty much knew what pitch was coming. (Bummer throws his sinker about 75% of the time.)

Here's one reason to like this move: Bummer isn't the sort of left-handed reliever who falls apart the minute a right-handed batter steps into the box. In fact, he was effective against both lefties and righties last season:

vs. LHB: .178/.213/.233
vs. RHB: .188/.299/.264

The new three-batter minimum rule shouldn't be a deterrent to bringing Bummer into a game, and given that he had more innings pitched than appearances last season, we know he's capable of getting anywhere from three to six outs when called upon.

It's a little unorthodox to lock up a reliever who is not a closer long term, but given Bummer's results last season, this does make some sense.

Bummer will earn $1 million in 2020, $2 million in 2021, $2.5 million in 2022, $3.75 million in 2023 and $5.5 million in 2024. The White Sox hold options for $7.25 million in 2025 and $7.5 million in 2026, with $1.25 million buyouts for either season.

The Sox also announced that utility player Leury Garcia agreed on a one-year, $3.5 million contract that also includes a club option for 2021. Garcia, 28, previously avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.25 million contract. He gets a slight bump in pay here, along with the addition of the $3.5 million option, which includes a $250,000 buyout.

The move allows the Sox to control the terms of Garcia's salary for next season, should they want him back, and they don't have to worry about the arbitration process.

Garcia could start the season as the starting second baseman, but he figures to slide into a bench role once Nick Madrigal is called up to the majors.

García hit .279 with 27 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 40 RBIs and 93 runs scored over 140 games last season. He also led the league with 14 outfield assists.

Lindy's Sports picks White Sox to win AL Central (!)

It's baseball preview season, and the first magazine I received in the mail was from Lindy's Sports (pictured).

Would you believe it if I told you they picked the White Sox to win the AL Central? Seriously, they did. They picked the Minnesota Twins second, the Cleveland Indians third, the Kansas City Royals fourth and the Detroit Tigers last.

They've also got Rick Renteria winning AL Manager of the Year, and center fielder Luis Robert winning AL Rookie of the Year. I guess when you think about it, if the Sox are going to win their division, those two things become that much more likely, right?

Not surprisingly, Lindy's has the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros as the other two AL division winners. The AL wild cards are the Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Yankees predicted as the AL champion.

That's certainly fair. I'm guessing the Yankees will be the most popular pick to win the AL this season.

But I'm somewhat surprised that a national outlet is believing the hype on the Sox, an unproven team that very much is relying on internal improvement from young players. I can see a scenario where the Sox contend, sure, but I wouldn't predict it. My expectations are for the team to pull its record up to .500 or slightly better.

I'm not expecting them to challenge the Twins, who were a 101-win juggernaut in 2019. I do not expect Minnesota to win 101 again, but I won't be shocked if the Twins win, say, 93 games.

Do you think the Sox have a 21-game improvement in them? Because that's what it would take for the South Siders to reach 93 wins. I'd say that's a stretch.

But Lindy's lauds the Sox's "young players with high ceilings," and notes that Minnesota's "rotation is not good enough to cover for subpar infield defense."

I sure hope that assessment is correct. I just wouldn't go to Vegas with that one.

No paper tickets at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay

Tropicana Field

I'll be on vacation in Florida when the baseball season opens March 26, so I will not be attending Opening Day festivities at Guaranteed Rate Field this year.

However, that does not mean I won't attend a baseball game on that first day of the season. The Tampa Bay Rays are hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26, and I've never been to Tropicana Field before. So, I figure, what the hell? Why not go?

I looked into tickets last week, and much to my surprise, the Rays have not put single-game tickets on sale yet. Earlier today, I saw this article in the Tampa Bay Times that gave me some answers.

Turns out, all the Rays' ticketing this season will be done through the MLB Ballpark app on a mobile device. No more paper tickets.

Tampa isn't putting single-game seats on sale until 10 o'clock Friday morning, presumably because the club was working to implement this new policy. Tropicana Field is already a cash-free facility, so it's a different world than what we have here in Chicago.

I'm familiar with the Ballpark App -- as a White Sox season-ticket holder, I access my tickets using that app all the time. The Sox prefer to scan your phone when you enter Guaranteed Rate Field.

I have no idea what the demand is like for Opening Day tickets in Tampa Bay, but I'm going to try to buy some. If I'm successful, it will be interesting to see how these no-paper-tickets and cash-free policies work.

It's likely the wave of the future, and only a matter of time before we see this everywhere.

Carlos Rodon as a reliever? He doesn't think so ...

Carlos Rodon

White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon doesn't have a reputation for durability. While he has quality pitches and his results have been respectable, the five-year veteran has never made more than 28 starts in a season.

And in the past three seasons, Rodon has not made more than 20 starts. In 2019, the former first-round pick made only seven starts before injuring his left elbow, requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery.

That means Rodon won't be available until the second half of this season in the best-case scenario. The Sox have planned accordingly. With Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Reynaldo Lopez, Gio Gonzalez and Dylan Cease projected as the Opening Day rotation -- and Michael Kopech likely to push for a spot sooner rather than later -- there doesn't appear to be any room for Rodon, even if he makes a healthy return come July or August.

Does that mean Rodon is destined for the bullpen? With his velocity and outstanding slider, those two pitches could play nicely in the late innings. However, the pitcher doesn't see himself in that role.

“In my heart, I think I’m a starter,” Rodon told MLB.com's Scott Merkin. “I’m not a bullpen arm. Yeah, I could throw 100 mph, but I’m not a bullpen arm. I know I can be a starter. I’ve shown it in the past. Yes, I haven’t been as durable as I can be, but people have seen me eat eight, nine innings.

“So, why would you take that away from me when you know I can throw? I know this sounds kind of arrogant, going into the eighth inning, you know I throw 98 mph. I think the White Sox think the same way.”

Rodon also indicated he has no intention of stepping aside and conceding a rotation spot to any of his teammates.

“This is not a jab at any of my teammates, but I hope to God they know I’m coming. It’s a competition,” Rodon told Merkin. “Whoever is best is going to have the job.

“That’s a statement to boost my teammates. I don’t want my job taken away. But just know that I’m right here and I’m going to come back, and I’m coming back for my job. I know it’s not going to be handed to me, but I’m coming for it.”

Actually, I commend Rodon for this attitude, and I am pulling for him to make a full recovery and be the pitcher he was drafted to be. For a long time, I've longed for the Sox to have competition for spots in the starting rotation.

Take Lopez, as an example. He had a terrible 2019, and there were times he probably deserved to be demoted to the bullpen, and manager Rick Renteria at times questioned Lopez's focus. However, Lopez remained in the rotation because there was nobody else who could conceivably take his spot.

When that happens, guys are maybe a little bit too comfortable. When you've got five rotation spots, and only two or three guys who are worth a damn, that's a serious problem.

But when you've got seven guys battling for five spots, and all seem like reasonable options, that's actually not a problem at all. That's exactly the scenario you want.

I hope Rodon backs up these words and pushes hard to get his job in the rotation back. That would be a terrific development for the Sox.

3 position battles to watch during White Sox spring training

Nick Madrigal

With the offseason signings of Yasmani Grandal, Dallas Keuchel and Edwin Encarnacion, the White Sox have sent a clear signal that they have made the transition from a rebuilding team to a team that intends to contend in 2020.

Accordingly, there are fewer position battles in spring training this year, with more players considered "locks" for the 26-man roster when compared with what we've seen in the past.

That said, here are three spots the Sox still need to sort out before the season opens March 26 against the Kansas City Royals.

1. Second base

We know Nick Madrigal eventually is going to get his chance to be the second baseman in Chicago. The question is, how soon? The 22-year-old former first-round pick is a career .309/.371/.398 hitter with only 21 strikeouts through 163 professional games.

However, Madrigal has only played 29 games at the Triple-A level, and general manager Rick Hahn has hinted he wants to "see more" from Madrigal before bringing him to the majors for full-time work.

If Madrigal tears apart the Cactus League, it's going to be hard to send him to Charlotte, especially in a win-now season, when every game matters, and when it's imperative to have the best man for the job on the field at every position.

But, if Madrigal is mediocre or struggles in Arizona, he's not coming north with the team when the season starts. The Sox could give Danny Mendick a month of starts at second base, just to see if there's any staying power to the .308/.325/.462 slash line the 26-year-old posted in 16 games during his September call-up last season.

Or, Leury Garcia is always an option, even if he's not an exciting one. Garcia isn't going to be starting in the outfield anymore -- unless someone among the Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Nomar Mazara group gets injured. The Sox obviously like Garcia, so it wouldn't be a surprise if his new job description reads "stopgap at second until Madrigal arrives."

2. Last spot in the bullpen

I hesitate to call the Sox bullpen a strength. I see scenarios in which it could be, but with Alex Colome, Aaron Bummer and Evan Marshall all being regression candidates, I also can see scenarios where the Sox struggle to close games.

However, I'm pretty sure it's going to be an eight-man bullpen. And I'm pretty sure who seven of those eight men are going to be.

Colome and Marshall will be joined by fellow right-handers Kelvin Herrera, Steve Cishek and Jimmy Cordero. Bummer and Jace Fry will be the two lefties.

That leaves who, exactly, for the eighth spot? Maybe Carson Fulmer gets one more kick at the can? He's out of options, and the Sox are notoriously slow to give up on former first-round picks in whom they've invested a lot of time and capital.

Looking at the seven names above, none of them qualifies as a "long reliever," someone who can come in and provide some length on days when the starting pitcher gets knocked out early. Does that open the door for left-hander Bernardo Flores, who has started throughout his minor league career, but maybe lacks a bread-and-butter pitch to stick in a big league rotation?

Matt Foster, Ian Hamilton, Zack Burdi and Jose Ruiz are other possibilities among pitchers currently on the 40-man roster. Hamilton and Burdi both were once regarded as solid prospects, but injuries have derailed their careers. Are they healthy enough to compete for a spot?

Among nonroster invitees, here are three names to watch: Tayron Guerrero, Codi Heuer and Tyler Johnson.

3. Remaining bench spots

For purposes of this blog, let's say Madrigal starts the season in Triple-A, and Garcia starts the season at second base. I happen to think that's the most likely scenario, so let's go with that.

That puts Mendick in the bench infielder role, and we know James McCann will be the second catcher after Grandal. That's two of the four bench spots. What about the other two?

You figure one of them will be an outfielder, and Adam Engel has the inside track with his superior glove. A career .215 hitter, Engel doesn't have a good track record with the bat, but he did slash .313/.360/.482 in 89 plate appearances against lefties in the 2019. That's, well, something, and it's a skill that could keep Engel around as a bench player if he shows a similar ability this spring.

Nicky Delmonico is back with the organization, too, if for some reason the Sox still think he can be a viable lefty bat off the bench. He lacks a position, so he faces an uphill climb. The same can be said for Daniel Palka, who missed an opportunity to establish himself last season.

Veteran infielder Andrew Romine is in camp on a minor league deal, and there's always the possibility he makes the club if Engel falters, and the club decides they're better off with Garcia serving as the backup outfielder.

Then there's Zack Collins and Yermin Mercedes. The Sox have five catchers on the 40-man, which is rare, and both these two guys are bat-first players. Neither has distinguished themselves as a receiver, but there don't seem to be many DH at-bats available with both Encarnacion and Jose Abreu on the roster. Could either Collins or Mercedes stick as a pinch hitter and third catcher?

I'd say Mercedes has a better shot, because bench bat is probably his ceiling. Collins is a former first-round pick, so I doubt the Sox will be OK with him playing once a week in the majors and getting the occasional pinch-hitting appearance. I look for Collins to start the season as the everyday catcher in Charlotte, but he may be the first call in the event an offense-first player gets injured in Chicago.

3 White Sox prospects ranked in USA Today's '100 names you need to know'

Luis Robert

The White Sox are represented well this spring in USA Today Sports Weekly's annual preseason list of "100 names you need to know" for the upcoming baseball season.

To qualify for the list, players must have had more innings (for pitchers) or plate appearances (for hitters) in the minor leagues during 2019 than they have accumulated during all of their major league playing time.

The Sox have three guys in the top 20, with center fielder Luis Robert leading the way at No. 2. Right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech is ranked No. 14, and second baseman Nick Madrigal is No. 19.

Robert, of course, is the only one of the three expected to start the season on the South Side of Chicago, after signing an eight-year, $50 million contract extension during the offseason that alleviates any concerns about service time manipulation.

USA Today notes that Robert posted a 30-30 season across three levels of the minor leagues in 2019, and adds that it seems to be a matter of "when, not if" the 22-year-old provides a similar output on the South Side.

The guess here is we won't see a 30-30 season from Robert in 2020, although with his ridiculous tools, there's nothing wrong with being bullish on his future.

Kopech, 23, missed all of the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery late in 2018. Based upon everything we heard at SoxFest and in the media since, Kopech is not going to be on the Opening Day roster. His 100 mph velocity has returned, sure, but the team will take it slow with a prospect who has top-of-the-rotation potential.

Look for Kopech to either start the season at Triple-A Charlotte, or perhaps stay in Arizona at extended spring training when the team breaks camp. USA Today offered the possibility of Kopech contributing out of the Sox bullpen this season.

While he's certainly capable of helping in that way, I don't see it. I think the Sox are committed to trying to develop Kopech as a No. 1-caliber starting pitcher. And that means working out of the rotation, even in a season where he may be on an innings limit.

Madrigal, 22, likely will open the year at Triple-A Charlotte, as well, unless he tears up the Cactus League and forces his way into the Opening Day lineup. The second baseman offers a plus glove and elite bat-to-ball skills, as he has only struck out 21 times in 163 minor league games.

His career slash is .309/.371/.398, so power remains a question mark, but the ability to put the ball in play and hit for average is Madrigal's ticket to the majors. USA Today notes, "He might be the perfect fit to slide among the White Sox's boom-or-bust young sluggers.

Indeed, Madrigal is different than some of the other prospects we've seen come up through the Sox organization. His approach should balance the lineup out a little bit once he arrives, and unlike other youngsters in the system, his glove is not a problem.

We'll get our first look at Sox players starting Saturday, when the team opens Cactus League play against the Los Angeles Angels at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.

Found this video from old Comiskey Park (circa 1990)

Found this video of old Comiskey Park that some random guy shot and thought it was awesome. It takes me back to my childhood. This is a game from 1990, the last year of the old ballpark, when I was 14 years old.

Hall of Famers on the field for the White Sox: Frank Thomas and Carlton Fisk
Future managers on the field for the Sox: Ozzie Guillen and Robin Ventura
Future Cubs icons on the field for the Sox: Sammy Sosa

Plus, an Ivan Calderon (RIP) home run that sets off the exploding scoreboard. Pitching for the Sox? One of my favorites: Alex Fernandez.

Now that I've reached middle age, I appreciate these memories more.

What are reasonable expectations for Dallas Keuchel this season?

Dallas Keuchel

As White Sox pitchers and catchers report to camp Wednesday, the pitcher who I'm most curious about on the Sox staff is ... strangely, Dallas Keuchel.

I'm not sure what the Sox are going to get from 32-year-old veteran left-hander, who signed a three-year deal worth $55.5 million with the South Siders this offseason.

First, let's take a look at what Keuchel has provided the past five seasons, the first four with the Houston Astros, then last season with the Atlanta Braves:

2015: 20-8, 2.48 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 1.017 WHIP, 216 Ks, 51 BBs, 232 IP
2016: 9-12, 4.55 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.286 WHIP, 144 Ks, 48 BBs, 168 IP
2017: 14-5, 2.90 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 1.119 WHIP, 125 Ks, 47 BBs, 145.2 IP
2018: 12-11, 3.74 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 1.314 WHIP, 153 Ks, 58 BBs, 204.2 IP
2019: 8-8, 3.75, 4.72 FIP, 1.367 WHIP, 91 Ks, 39 BBs, 112.2 IP

Keuchel was at the height of his powers in 2015, when he won the American League Cy Young Award. He had a down year in 2016, before bouncing back in 2017. The past couple of seasons have been characterized by a decline that is to be expected with his age, but it's not a precipitous decline.

So what do we expect from Keuchel as Sox fans in 2020? I know we're not getting an ace -- he's just not that guy anymore. But, that stat line from 2018, I think I could live with that. If Keuchel provides 200-plus innings and an ERA below 4.00 in a hitters' park such as Guaranteed Rate Field, that's a solid year at this stage of his career.

What does Keuchel need to do to get to that level? Well, I think he's going to have to do a better job the third time through the batting order than he did last season with the Braves. Check out the splits opposing batters had against Keuchel by pitch count, and note how rough it gets once he gets past 75 pitches:

Pitches 1-25: .278/.345/.398
Pitches 26-50: .206/.292/.299
Pitches 51-75: .265/.320/.434
Pitches 76-100: .320/.294/.608

Yikes on that fourth line there, huh? I certainly can't complain about anything I'm seeing for Pitches 1-50. Heck, 51-75 isn't too bad, but that slugging percentage takes a big leap once Keuchel gets past the 75-pitch mark.

We know Sox pitching coach Don Cooper is old-school, believing that going seven innings is "part of the job description" for starting pitchers.

There's no doubt Keuchel will be allowed to pitch deep into games, and there's every reason to believe his floor is higher than the ceilings for past Sox rotation members such as Ivan Nova, Dylan Covey and Ross Detwiler. That alone makes Keuchel a worthwhile signing.

But the key question here is whether he can be more than a five- or six-inning pitcher at this stage of his career. The Sox definitely need him to be.

Some other photos from SoxFest 2020

Here's a rundown on some of the people I got to meet at SoxFest:

White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease was a big fan of my shirt, which referred to the Sox as "The Good," the Detroit Tigers as "The Bad," and the Kansas City Royals as "The Ugly."

Hanging out with somebody closer to my own age on Saturday morning -- the man who was the starting and winning pitcher in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, Jose Contreras.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, Danny Farquhar is back with the Sox organization as a pitching coach. He'll be at Class-A Winston-Salem this season.

Hall of Famer Tim Raines was in the house Saturday. Some of Raines' best seasons came in the 1980s as a member of the Montreal Expos. He was on some talented teams there with Andre Dawson and Gary Carter. But he was still a pretty damn good offensive player when he came to the Sox in the early 1990s.

This is the first time I've ever met Tom Paciorek. I'm just old enough to remember Paciorek's career as a player -- he was a member of the 1983 American League West Division champion White Sox. That's the first season I remember -- I was 7 years old at the time. But I'll always recall "Wimpy" best for his years in the Sox broadcast booth with Ken Harrelson. He was the perfect complement to Hawk for many seasons in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

And here's me with former Sox outfielder and current radio broadcaster Darrin Jackson. For some reason, DJ wanted to know if I was a former catcher. No, actually, I played quite a bit of center field. Jackson was intrigued, saying, "So you've got some wheels, huh?" Well, not at age 43. Maybe in my younger years.

Finally, new Sox relief pitcher Steve Cishek, who is one tall dude. We've noted in the past that Cishek may have been overused the past couple of years with the Cubs, so I asked him whether he has another 70 or 80 appearances left in him for this year. His response: "I'm ready. Let's go."








I'm ready, too. March 26 can't get here fast enough.

Chatting with Danny Farquhar about Houston's sign stealing

Danny Farquhar (and me)

Danny Farquhar's career as a pitcher is sadly over. As all White Sox fans and most baseball fans are aware, Farquhar suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm April 20, 2018, in the dugout during a game against the Houston Astros at Guaranteed Rate Field.

That would be the last time Farquhar would pitch in a major-league game. He pitched in two games at Triple-A in the New York Yankees organization in 2019, before retiring as a player.

Now, Farquhar is back in the Sox organization. He will be the pitching coach for Class-A Winston-Salem during the 2020 season, and it was good to see him make an appearance at SoxFest.

I got in Farquhar's photo line Friday night, and I had a chance to talk to him about a different game against the Astros -- this one a 3-1 Sox victory on Sept. 21, 2017.

Farquhar worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning in this game, but most notably, it was one of the games where the Astros were clearly stealing signs. In this video, Farquhar calls Sox catcher Kevan Smith to the mound to change the signs in the middle of an at-bat against Houston's Evan Gattis.

Turns out, Farquhar heard the Astros banging trash cans every time Smith signaled for a changeup. (Farquhar was mostly a two-pitch pitcher, fastball and changeup.)

“There was a banging from the dugout, almost like a bat hitting the bat rack every time a changeup signal got put down,” Farquhar said in this story in The Athletic. “After the third one, I stepped off. I was throwing some really good changeups and they were getting fouled off. After the third bang, I stepped off.”

So, when I met Farquhar, I asked him if anyone from the media had asked him about the incident immediately after that game. He said no, and he added that it was talked about in the clubhouse that night, so to him, it was somewhat surprising that it took so long for Houston's shenanigans to come to the forefront.

Nobody in the press interviewed Farquhar after his outing. As I stood there talking to him, I noted that relief pitchers don't get many interview requests on days when they do their job effectively, as was the case here. Farquhar agreed and said that had he given up a 3-run homer and lost the game for the Sox, he probably would have had to answer reporters' questions after the game.

The SoxFest police grew tired of me visiting with Farquhar, so they asked me to move along. As we parted, Farquhar said as a player you need to be careful before you accuse another team of doing something wrong -- nobody wants to be known as someone who falsely accuses others, and there's a fine line you have to walk.

The sign-stealing situation came up multiple times at SoxFest, and new Sox reliever Steve Cishek said the Cubs reworked their signs after they lost a game to the Astros in Houston last season.

Cishek wouldn't name names, but said a ridiculous opposite-field home run was hit on a first-pitch slider. The home run ended up boosting the Astros to a 9-6 victory over the Cubs.

I will name names: Alex Bregman hit that home run off Brad Brach.

We haven't addressed the sign-stealing scandal much on this blog, because everyone else is talking about it, and what else is there to say?

I was always taught, if you think someone has your signs, change them. That's what Farquhar did in his scenario in September 2017, and it was fun to chat informally with him about the incident. And, it's good to see him healthy and back with the Sox organization.

We wish Farquhar well in his new endeavor as a pitching coach. He's a smart guy, and I think he'll have a lot to offer for the young pitchers in the Sox organization.