Spring preview: Who replaces Jenks for the White Sox? by Mike Dodd on Mar. 15, 2011, under USA Today Sports
For the last 5½ years, the ninth inning on the South Side of Chicago meant one thing: Bobby Jenks.
The burly closer is a different Sox now, Boston Red variety, creating headlines last month with a war of words/tweets with Oney Guillen, the Twitter-active son of the White Sox manager. The competition to succeed Jenks has created fewer re-tweets but is obviously worth several hash marks if the White Sox are to contend for the American League Central title.
With two weeks to go in spring training, Ozzie Guillen still hasn’t anointed his closer in the race between veteran setup man Matt Thornton and last year’s phenom Chris Sale, both left-handers.
“No matter what decision we make, I’ll feel comfortable with either one,” Guillen said.
The four relievers at the back end of the bullpen, counting former Minnesota Twins setup man Jesse Crain and converted infielder Sergio Santos, have a total of 25 career saves. But pitching coach Don Cooper says any one of the four could close games if needed.
“Right now, flexibility is our strength,” Cooper said.
Overall, the bullpen figures to be at least as effective as the 2010 corps that finished fifth in the AL with a 3.73 ERA.
“When we were healthy, we had a pretty impressive bullpen. We could shut down the game from the sixth inning on,” Thornton said of the group that included since-departed J.J. Putz and Scott Linebrink. “We have the same kind of arms this year.”
Thornton, an All-Star setup man last year who has 17 career saves, is considered the front-runner, and his 1-2-3 outing in the ninth inning Sunday showed he is rounding into form. He recorded eight saves last year.
The difference between pitching the eighth and ninth innings?
“The only thing I noticed is when you get two outs in the ninth inning, keeping yourself calm in that situation, because you know you’re so close to finishing the game off and shutting it down,” said Thornton, 34, who signed a two-year contract extension this month. “Mentality-wise, I’m doing the same thing in the sixth inning as I would in the ninth.”
Sale, 21, has struggled with his control in camp and gave up three runs in one inning Monday, ballooning his spring ERA to 7.36.
“We have to be patient with this kid,” Guillen said. “A lot of people think he’s Sandy Koufax, 30 years in the big leagues. This kid just came out of college two weeks ago.”
Guillen’s timeline is only slightly exaggerated.
A year ago at this time, Sale was pitching for Florida Gulf Coast University. The 13th pick overall in the June draft, he became the first member of the 2010 class to reach the majors and was impressive in his two-month stint with the White Sox, going 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA and four saves.
On top of that, he was married and became a father last year.
Though he pitched more than 125 innings total last year, Sale was remarkably strong when the White Sox went to him in the pennant race.
“The last two months of the season was when I was in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” he said, crediting Cooper and the strength and conditioning staff. “The biggest challenge of this year is to be just as strong as I was.”
Sale said he was seeking all sorts of advice from the veteran relievers, even learning about baby-proofing his home with his 10-month-old son roaming about.
“I went over to Thornton’s house. He’s got it down to a perfect science,” he said of the teammate with a 19-month-old daughter.
“Obviously, I ask these guys about baseball. A lot of good advice in this locker room.”
Copyright © 2010 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
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