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The Chicago White Sox let a lot of salary walk away in the offseason. Despite losing some key pieces of their 2011 club, the White Sox are much better off.

A quick look at the standings is all it should take. At this point in 2011, Chicago was sitting at 52-53, three games behind the Tigers in the AL Central. After 105 games in 2012, the White Sox are 58-47 and 2.5 games ahead of Detroit.

Following the 2011 season, four key starters were allowed to walk away. Juan Pierre and Mark Buehrle left for free agency, while Carlos Quentin and Sergio Santos were traded.

Rebound seasons from Alex Rios and Adam Dunn are a big part of the improvement. However, equally as important is the way Chicago has replaced the departed players in the lineup. Here is how the White Sox plugged the holes of the four departing players and how it has worked out.

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The Chicago White Sox are seeing their pitching staff getting healthier by the day. Now the team may need to turn its attention to the other half of the battery.

Following Monday’s snapping of a five-game losing streak was sobering news of an injury to catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Though his right oblique strain is listed as mild, the prospect of Pierzynski missing a substantial number of games could hamper Chicago as they attempt to stay in the playoff hunt.

White Sox skipper Robin Ventura held his starting catcher out of Chicago’s 11-4 win over Minnesota Tuesday. Coupled with Detroit’s loss in Cleveland, the White Sox pulled into a tie with the Tigers in the AL Central Division.

It isn’t far-fetched to think that he will start Tyler Flowers again on Wednesday. Ventura told MLB.com’s Cash Kruth that with a rash of injuries, mostly to the pitching staff, his reserves have to step up.

I don’t think anybody can plan on what’s going to happen, so, for me, it’s just do [what you can] with the people that we have. I think that’s all we can do, is play. The front office, they’ve got to do what they’ve got to do. They’re looking, but you’re not always going to get what you’d like to have. So, for us, the focus is on playing with what we got.

Last season, Pierzynski broke his hand in mid-August and missed several weeks. Flowers, the White Sox backstop of the future, was able to hit .275 while Pierzynski was out. If Flowers was needed to take over starter duties, could he replicate that success?

Flowers has caught 21 games for the White Sox in 2012, and I would say that defensively the difference would be minimal. He has thrown out 50 percent of base-stealers, and can be depended on to handle the pitching staff for an extended run of games.

At the plate, the bat, once thought of as Flowers’ strength as a prospect, has not surfaced. He has hit at just a .178 clip with little power, and is striking out in over 40 percent of his plate appearances. With Pierzynski leading AL catchers with 50 RBI and a .507 slugging percentage, the offensive drop off is huge.

Flowers was one-for-four with a walk Tuesday night. If he would be required to fill in over a week or two of starts, he will have to take advantage of the regular at-bats. With Pierzynski’s contract expiring after the season, any extended time in the lineup may serve as an audition for 2013.

In the event that Pierzynski’s condition worsens to the point of being put on the disabled list, Flowers would pair with a call-up from Charlotte, either Hector Gimenez or Josh Phegley. However, let’s just hope Pierzynski’s condition is no more than a temporary malady.

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If Chicago White Six pitcher Chris Sale can replicate the first half of the 2012 season, he could win himself a Cy Young award. The young left-hander is among the elite pitchers in the American League, but can Sale keep it up in the midst of a division race?

Sale enters the second half with a 10-2 record and a 2.19 ERA. He starts Sunday afternoon in Kansas City having won his last seven decisions.

Since re-entering the White Sox‘s rotation May 12 after a brief stint in the bullpen, Sale has posted a 1.94 ERA. He pitched a scoreless inning in Kaufman Stadium on Tuesday in the All-Star Game. It’s time to see if Sale will pick up where he left off July 3 when he beat the Texas Rangers.

Sale is relying less on his breaking pitches and is changing speeds more effectively. That’s a good thing because as July gives way to August fatigue is a concern for the young pitcher.

Let’s remember that every inning Sale tosses is uncharted territory for the 23-year-old. In a relief role last season he threw just over 71 innings. That workload looks to at least double now that he is starting games.

Going into Sunday’s action, Sale has logged over 102 innings. Despite his desire to reach the 200-inning plateau, it would probably be best if he came up a bit short of that total.

This seems to be the White Sox’s plan, and they have taken steps to prevent a dead arm situation late in the season. Sale was scratched from a possible start on July 8 on the pretense of allowing him to pitch in the All-Star Game. It also cut another six or seven innings from Sale’s end-of-the-year tally.

Chicago skipper Robin Ventura’s plan seems to be a six-man rotation next week. Dylan Axelrod and Philip Humber could pitch next Tuesday and Wednesday in Boston to provide Sale that extra day of rest.

The fact that Axelrod threw two innings in Friday’s extra-inning win could put a snag in that plan. However, it shows that management is serious about monitoring Sale’s work rate.

Sale’s velocity has been down from when he was called on for an inning or two last season. That doesn’t seem to have cut down his effectiveness.

It comes down to how Sale’s arm responds to what will be his highest innings total in his three seasons in the big leagues. How teams respond, having seen Sale in action the first three months, will also figure into the equation.

Sale will have to throw well and get his share of run support to reach 20 wins. Sunday is the first step in determining if he will continue to master opponents in the second half.

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It was a chilly October night at Wrigley. The Chicago Cubs were playing host to the Florida Marlins in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. Holding a 3-2 series advantage, the Cubs brought a 3-0 lead into the top of the eighth. 

After getting Mike Mordecai to pop-out to begin the inning, Cubs 23-year-old ace Mark Prior had the Marlins right where he wanted them. More importantly, he had the Cubs a mere 5 outs away from their first World Series appearance in 58 years. Five outs away from a chance to end 95 years of misery.

With a regular season resume that boasted a 18-6 record to go along with a 2.43 ERA and a 10.45 K/9 ratio, who would have doubted that Prior was the man to get the job done?

However, even the most casual of baseball fans know what came next. 

Double. Bartman. RBI single. Gonzalez error. Two-run double. Just like that, the Cubs all-but-certain trip to the World Series didn’t look so certain anymore. Five more Marlins’ runs, a Game 7 defeat, and the Cubs’ most promising of chances was stolen right out of their hands (or glove, so to speak).

The Cubs haven’t won a play-off game since. Unfortunately for Prior, his career took an eerily similar turn for the worse as well. 

After missing only a month due to injuries during his first two seasons in the Majors, Prior became a regular on the DL from 2004-2006, missing a staggering nine months of playing time. If that wasn’t bad enough, shoulder surgery would have him miss the entire 2007 season as well.

During that stretch, Prior made 57 appearances, compiling a 18-17 record to go along with a pedestrian 4.26 ERA. A mere shadow of the pitcher who once dominated opposing hitters at will in 2003 on his way to finish third in the NL Cy Young voting. He hasn’t appeared in a Major League game since 2006. 

Fast forward six years. After wooing Boston Red Sox Director of Personnel Dave Finley in Spring Training, Prior secured himself a Minor League contract with the Pawtucket PawSox. 

While it’s a fresh start, it’s a far cry from where Prior thought he’d be at this point in his career. Now 31, nobody would blame him for throwing in the towel with everything he’s been through.  According to an ESPNBoston article:

‘There were times when I thought it was time to call it a day,’ Prior admitted….’There were times when I was really frustrated. But, ultimately, I still love playing the game. I still love going out and getting guys out.’

Getting guys out is an understatement. Try a 20.5 K/9 ratio on for size. 

Granted it’s only a small sample, Prior has been superb thus far. In seven relief appearances for the PawSox, Prior is 1-0 while recording 10.1 IP, one save, 4 earned runs, and a blistering 23 strikeouts. 

While impressed, PawSox pitching coach Rich Sauveur isn’t going to jump on the bandwagon just yet, as reported by the ESPNBoston article:

‘He hasn’t overcome anything yet,’ [Sauveur said.] ‘You have to remember he’s in Triple-A right now. His goal, obviously, is to get back to the big leagues. When he gets there, you can say he’s overcome something. Right now, he’s still working on everything.’

On June 24, Prior suffered a minor setback when he was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a strained oblique muscle. Luckily, the injury was short-term and he returned to action July 8. 

As reported in the same ESPNBoston article:

‘For me, I respect the fact that health is a major issue with me,’ [Prior said.] ‘It could turn on the drop of a dime. And I know that. But I also know that I can get guys out. I can still perform. I can still compete at a high level.’

If he wants to make an impact in the Red Sox bullpen he’s going to need to be performing at a high level. The Red Sox currently hold the sixth best bullpen ERA in the Majors at 3.08. So why throw a wrench into a bullpen that seems to be clicking on all cylinders? 

Also working against Prior is his age. A lot of people don’t believe he’s got enough left in his tank. Don’t count Sauveur among them, as reported in the ESPNBoston article:

‘I wouldn’t say the odds are against him…’ [Sauveur countered.] ‘[He’s got] plenty of years left….Since he’s been here, he’s shown me that he’s healthy…and could be called upon at any moment. Right now, everything’s going well.’

But don’t be expecting Prior to be waiting by the phone. He’s realized that nothing good comes from looking too far ahead. According to the same ESPNBoston article:

‘At this point in my career, I legitimately take it day-by-day,’ he said….’I’m having a good time with these guys and, yes, I want to get to the big leagues. I know I can still compete at that level. It’s about waking up and preparing to do my job and not worrying about…[all the] playing scenarios.’

And if he keeps up that attitude, along with his current production, it won’t be long before it’ll be opposing Major League hitters who’ll have to do all the worrying. 

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The Chicago White Sox are getting younger by the minute. Will this mid-season youth movement allow the White Sox to stay in the AL Central race?

Chicago has been dipping into its prospect pool in the wake of injuries and ineffectiveness by more veteran pieces.

Two moves late this week put that into sharper focus: Kosuke Fukudome was designated for assignment after coming off the disabled list, and Phillip Humber is now on the 15-day DL with an elbow strain.

It comes as little surprise that Chicago is opting to use Jordan Danks as the fourth outfielder. The rookie is batting .385 since coming aboard and is a solid pinch-running and defensive option.

Fukudome couldn’t break .200, and Danks is part of the team’s future.

Making Humber’s scheduled start Saturday nignt is 26-year-old Dylan Axelrod, who starts his second game of the 2012 season. In three appearances, Axelrod is 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA.

Can Axelrod effectively replace Humber in the next few turns through the rotation? 

Aside from the perfect game, Humber has been struggling.

It is up to the young, right-handed Axelrod to give the White Sox a chance to win. That means five or six innings of solid work.

Right now, the Chicago offense does not guarantee a lot of run support. With Humber and John Danks on the shelf for now, the starting five is under some pressure.

At this point, it’s Jake Peavy, Gavin Floyd and three rookies going to the hill for the White Sox. Chris Sale and Jose Quintana have been excellent on the mound. Each pitched eight scoreless innings in his last start, innings that went for naught as Chicago dropped those games in extras.

Even if Floyd has solved a mechanical problem, this is a young, inexperienced rotation that is going to have to hold up under fire.

That looks to be through the All-Star break and possibly a lot longer if Chicago is to hang in the division title race.

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The Chicago White Sox have two opening day starters who are looking ready to come off the disabled list this weekend. My advice to the club: don’t be so quick to get them back in the lineup.

While Brent Morel and John Danks both appear to be nearing a return date with the White Sox, it isn’t exactly urgent to rush either player back on the field. The way Chicago has performed over the last two weeks, management can afford to exercise some patience.

In the absence of the two players, Chicago has reeled off a nine-game winning streak. Leapfrogging over Detroit and Cleveland, the White Sox now sit in first place in the AL Central by a game-and-a-half after besting Seattle 7-4 Friday night.

As Crash Davis said in Bull Durham, don’t, er, mess with a winning streak.

I’m not saying that Morel and Danks aren’t going to be important pieces in the remainder of the 2012 season. I’m not suggesting that the players avoid cracks in the clubhouse floor from now until October (though it couldn’t hurt the .177 hitting Morel).

What Chicago’s run of great baseball has done is given them the luxury of giving two injured players some additional recovery time. It won’t kill the White Sox to use it.

Morel had been hampered with back issues before hitting the 15-day DL retroactive to May 18. In his absence, Orlando Hudson hasn’t set the American League on fire with his bat, but he’s contributed since being signed by he White Sox and started all nine of Chicago’s wins during the current streak.

Morel has been in Charlotte this week, where he has made three rehab starts. He is eligible to come off the DL Saturday. Despite going 5-for-12 with the Knights, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to finish the series with the Mariners with Hudson at third.

With a day off Monday before Toronto comes to town, Morel could return to the lineup Tuesday with some extra healing time. I firmly believe that Morel should get most of this month to prove he’s the starter. However, if it could help prevent a nagging injury, it can’t hurt to bring Morel back cautiously.

According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Danks threw 20 pitches Friday with no recurrence of the shoulder pain that has kept him out of the rotation following his May 19 win over Minnesota. On Sunday, Danks plans on another side session in which he will throw his full compliment of pitches.

Danks is set to come off the DL on Monday and there is an excellent reason to not use him immediately. Monday is that off day I mentioned earlier. Besides, Danks’ turn in the rotation isn’t until Wednesday.

Jose Quintana has thrown well in two starts with the White Sox. Giving him one last start in place of Danks wouldn’t hurt if there is any doubt after Sunday’s test.

In the case of both Morel and Danks, a little extra rest is a much better option than return visits to the DL throughout the season. With the White Sox riding the wave of a winning streak, sitting out this weekend’s action wouldn’t be a terrible idea.

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Last week, Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale was a starter. As of today, Sale is a starter.

In between, Sale got bounced around like a rubber ball and we got treated to a good old-fashioned soap opera. Who needs Ozzie Guillen when we have this cast of characters?

Sale experienced some soreness as well as tightness in his pitching elbow after his last start May 1. The club’s reaction was not to simply skip a start but to announce that Sale was now the White Sox’ closer. After one bullpen appearance, a blown save in Cleveland one week later, it was announced that Sale would be undergoing an MRI.

But wait, there’s more!

Before undergoing the MRI, Sale gets on the phone and pleads his case to White Sox GM Kenny Williams. When the team returned to Chicago, everyone got together and decided that Sale would be starting Saturday night against Kansas City.

Ventura, the man who dubbed Sale the closer a few days before, told mlb.com’s Branford Doolittle that the young left-hander was back in the rotation. Williams also confirmed that fact:

MRI is clean and pristine. He’s going to pitch. We are very conservative in our approach with regards to the care of particularly our pitchers. I think our history, when you look at all the injury reports over the last dozen years, will show you that.

The course of action that we’ve taken with [Sale] has not been unlike the course of action we’ve taken with many of our Minor League guys in such situations.

If that’s truly the case, it’s not surprising the White Sox aren’t developing a lot of arms. I’m fine with being conservative, but what transpired in the last week with Sale was ridiculous.

Management seemed to give up on a course of action, then plot another one before really sitting down and thinking about it. If Sale’s arm doesn’t respond to starting in the long-term, explore some other options.

Aside from the single inning he threw on Tuesday, Sale had about a week off from game action, or slightly more that the time he would have had off if he had simply skipped a start. Couldn’t that have just been done in the first place without the intrigue and the phone calls?

I’m not knocking the White Sox for being cautious. It’s just seems like an organization that has the kind of history Williams claims would have handled this situation with cooler heads.

By the time all was said and done, even Sale’s agent, BB Abbott got into the fray in an e-mail to Chicago Tribune reporter Mark Gonzalez. 

In short, yes I am extremely concerned about the way the White Sox have approached this entire situation with Chris and his future. It is his future, isn’t it?

One would hope that Sale’s future figures into the White Sox future. Hopefully WIlliams and company have a plan for that future.

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The Chicago White Sox have cried uncle in their attempt to use Chris Sale in the starting rotation. Forget Sale’s goal of a 200-inning season. The White Sox are ending the ruse after just 32.

Am I suggesting that Chicago was never serious about the notion of Sale returning to the role of a starting pitcher? I’m not sitting in the White Sox clubhouse, but I’m sifting through the early details of this move and something doesn’t add up.

Scott Merkin of mlb.com reported Friday evening what was hinted at earlier in the day. Due to soreness and tightness in his pitching elbow, Chicago is scratching Sale from his scheduled start Sunday. He will be available to start closing duties on…Monday?

Wait a minute.

If Sale is experiencing soreness, why the quick turnaround? Why not simply skip the start and rest what appears to be a flareup? After spending the offseason preparing to pitch every fifth day, why throw in the towel so quickly?

White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper spells it out pretty clearly:

It’s not disappointing to us. It’s disappointing to him because this was something that he’s always wanted to do.

That doesn’t sound like a guy who was behind Sale’s bid to start.

According to Cooper, the team is making this move strictly for Sale’s long-term benefit. Again, why have him throwing heat so soon if there’s a question of arm health here?

Could it have anything to do with the fact that Hector Santiago has been moved out of the closer’s spot? Cooper goes on:

We’re doing it because we feel it’s best for him, his career and his health. It’s the best way to keep him healthy and strong. It gives us the best opportunity to do that. It’s easier to maintain that and keep tabs on this in the bullpen than it is as a starter. We already know he’s a good left-handed reliever. That’s been proven over the past 1 1/2 years.

Now we’ll be trying to make him one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball, not just in the American League. That’s all we’re at with it. Chris is going to be fine. He was upset. He wanted to continue to do this. But sometimes we have to make decisions based upon what we feel is best for that individual, and that’s what we did.

So…Sale is still healthy enough to pitch in three days but not healthy enough to start? Sale has been one of the rotation’s most effective starters (3-1, 2.81 ERA) but Chicago is giving up on him starting after just one month?

Addison Reed has yet to give up an earned run this season. If the team was really behind Sale starting, why not give Reed a shot to close before making the move?

The bullpen situation improves with Sale’s move to the pen with Jesse Crain still a ways from making a return. It gives Robin Ventura another left-hander to use late in games. It just sounds too convenient to fathom making the switch solely on Sale’s behalf.

The White Sox are letting Sale close because that’s what they’ve wanted to do all along. If Cooper wants to come out an say that, I wouldn’t have a problem seeing the logic in such a move.

Sale has worked well out of the pen since coming up in 2010. The coaching staff is playing to win now, which you have to respect. Just come out and say it instead of making Sale’s health an issue.

Otherwise, it looks suspiciously like a move made to cover for not having a closer in place this winter.

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In January of this year, the New York Times ran a story that said the Yankees are saving now for a potential free-agency splash next winter. The story highlighted hurlers Matt Cain of the Giants and Cole Hamel of the Phillies as potential targets for the pinstripes.

But could the Yankees be loading up the ole piggy bank for the heir apparent to Derek Jeter?

Could it be that the Bronx Bombers are eyeballing Starlin Castro, the sweet-swinging shortstop for an annually afflicted Chicago Cubs franchise?

At first this question seems preposterous, especially in light of how well Jeter has been playing thus far this season.

But looking big picture, a few things have occurred in the past month that points to the potential for Castro to eventually become a Yankee.

First, Castro is eligible for arbitration after the 2012 season. While the Cubs have signed Castro through 2012, new Cubs GM Theo Epstein has yet to commit to Castro long-term. Reasons for this vary, which will be highlighted in a moment.

Second, Castro’s at-times attention deficit at shortstop has sparked Chicago radio pundits to float the opinion balloon that Castro should move to the outfield.  

To this, I say perfecto!

Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher is a free agent after this season.  According to ESPN New York writer Wallace Matthews, Swisher intends to test the free agent market in 2013.

Andruw Jones will also become a free agent. And there is no guarantee the Yankees will re-sign him.

The Cubs could give Castro some serious on-the-job-training in right field. Castro could then learn the ins and outs of the position, en route to becoming the right fielder for the Yankees next season.

Once a Yankee, Castro would receive mentorship from Jeter on how to properly prepare to play shortstop every day for one of the greatest baseball teams in world history.

Who better for a young phenom like Castro to receive mentorship from?

Then when Jeter finally hangs the spikes up in a few campaigns, the Yankees can seamlessly slip Castro into Jeter’s position.

Castro and Cano.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Two .300-hitting ballplayers playing middle infield together in New York over the next decade.

Let daydreaming by Yankee fans out school and office windows begin.

Let collectors of skyrocketing Castro rookie cards and memorabilia feel like kids once again.  

Hark the Herald Angels [who for the record love the New York Yankees] Sing…

All right, all right; snap out of it!

Back to reality, we all know Mr. Epstein is much smarter than letting the Cubbies best player in years get away without receiving anything in return. After all, Epstein did not shrewdly transform the Red Sox into World Champions without some intelligent aggressiveness.

Barring insanity, Epstein will keep Castro at shortstop for now, amid a backdrop of taking trade offers from other ball clubs. Perhaps in time, Epstein will ship Castro out of Chicago as part of a mega deal. 

What a great way for a struggling club to load up on young arms and bats, than to trade away a phenom like Castro to a contender. A phenom, by the way, who makes just $567K. In baseball, this is chump change.

And do not think for one hot second the Boston Red Sox do not have their scopes set on Castro, either. If Jose Iglesias’ bat does not join his spectacular defense at shortstop, Boston will also enter the Castro sweepstakes.

Then again, Epstein could just step in and sign Castro this summer, and thus make him the face of the Cubs for the next decade. Trade or sign, the opinion Castro becomes a New York Yankee will thus become null and void. And Castro could go on to become our generation’s Ernie Banks.

But as all baseball fans can attest, the Yankees have proven time and time again throughout their history, when they want someone, they usually go all-out to get them.

James is a huge baseball fan who loves to write and make new friends. You can follow James on Twitter by clicking HITHA!

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One year ago on Opening Day, a Cubs’ pitcher Ryan Dempster gave up six runs off six hits with four walks, earning a loss against the Pirates.

Today, like last year, Ryan Dempster opened the season for the Cubs with a loss. However, Dempster’s performance today was near perfect against the Nationals.

Facing the strikeout superstar Stephen Strasburg, Dempster struck out 10 batters allowing two hits in seven and two-thirds innings. He actually recorded twice the amount of strikeouts that Strasburg recorded (yet Sportscenter seems not to have noticed).

Dempster pitched a solid seven innings, and almost finished the eighth, before he was pulled in favor of Kerry Wood, a decision manager Dale Svevum likely would redo.

Officially, Ryan Dempster was charged with one run in the game. This appears to be his slight gaffe of the game.

In the eight inning, Ian Dresmond recorded a hit off of Dempster. Dempster would eventually get pulled and Dresmond would eventually score. However Dempster was pulled because of pitch count and Dresmond scored because Kerry Wood walked the next three consecutive batters, sending Dresmond home.

Wood walked Dresmond from first to home without recording an out, making the run hardly the fault of Dempster. But as stats go, Dempster was charged with the run. However he did not record a loss.

Let’s look at the pitching battle between Stephen Strasburg and Ryan Dempster.

Both pitched seven full innings and recorded one run. Dempster allowed three fewer hits, and Strasburg walked two fewer batters. The real difference comes in strike outs and Dempster proved dominant.

Pitching inside strikes and taking control with his cutter, fastball, splitter and slider, Ryan Dempster struck out twice as many batters (10 total) than Strasburg.

Even though the “W” flag isn’t flying over Wrigley Field, Ryan Dempster should be proud of his performance today. With more pitching like that and hopefully more offense, Chicago is bound for wins and lots of them.

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