Sox seek a special southpaw

[SSH2005]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...ack=1&cset=true

Sox seek a special southpaw

Eight lefties vying for singular purpose

 

By Mark Gonzales

Tribune staff reporter

Published February 22, 2006, 10:05 PM CST

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Retire one left-handed batter.

 

It might not be asking much, but one left-handed reliever out of eight candidates could land a spot on the White Sox's Opening Day roster if he can fulfill that seemingly simple role.

 

Tony Fossas stayed in the major leagues until he was 41 because of his ability to get a left-handed hitter out and Paul Assenmacher hung around until he was 38, including stints with the Cubs and Sox.

 

While the Sox were in the process of trading Damaso Marte to the Pirates in December, they were trying to land 36-year-old left-handed specialist Mike Myers to complement Neal Cotts.

 

But Myers turned down the Sox's offer and signed a two-year, $2.4 million contract with the Yankees.

 

The role of left-handed specialist will be the most closely examined competition of the Sox's spring training camp. The eight candidates throw their bullpen sessions on the same day and perform running and fitness drills together.

 

"From what they told everyone, that's the way it's going to be—open competition," said submarine style pitcher Javier Lopez, one of the early favorites.

 

But there are no guarantees the Sox will keep an extra left-hander, especially if they all struggle in spring training. With three days off in the first 10 of the regular season, the Sox have the option of carrying 11 pitchers, or they could opt for an extra right-handed pitcher on a 12-man staff.

 

The Angels have employed the latter method over the last few seasons and have boasted one of the majors' best bullpens. Last season Angels relievers limited opponents to a .231 batting average, one point better than the Sox and second among AL bullpens (the Indians were on top at .224).

 

"We're not going to pin ourselves in a corner and say we must take a lefty," pitching coach Don Cooper said. "We'll take 11 or 12, or the 12 best who can get people out. We're not going to take a lefty for the sake of taking a lefty if they're not showing us anything.

 

"But you would like to think in a group of [eight] lefties, there will be a couple who say, 'You have to give me a good look because I'm throwing well.'"

 

Five of the candidates have major-league experience, but none of them finished the 2005 season on a major-league roster.

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen said he would use the candidates in spring-training games primarily against left-handed batters.

 

If a winner emerges from the crowd after the exhibition season, he would be used in that role in the fifth, sixth or seventh innings.

 

"I want to see how they can handle the situation," Guillen said. "We didn't bring too many pitchers in this year, just to take a better look."

 

The Sox have a luxury in that Cotts can be used late in games because of his ability to retire right-handed batters (.155) as well as lefties (.206).

 

But Marte's inconsistency put Guillen in a bind in sixth and seventh-inning situations even after Marte had lost his late-inning duties to Cotts.

 

The Sox's search for left-handed help continued through last week when they claimed Rusty Tucker on waivers from the Padres after they needed a 40-man roster spot for Mike Piazza.

 

Tucker, 25, underwent reconstructive elbow surgery in August 2003. He could help his chances if he develops a breaking pitch and reduces his bouts of wildness while under the supervision of Cooper and minor-league pitching instructor Kirk Champion.

 

"I feel more comfortable," Tucker said. "This year is going to be a totally different year."

 

Stephen Randolph also hopes his fortunes will change but won't alter his style. Randolph throws a 93-m.p.h. fastball but walked 119 batters in 1412/3 innings with Arizona in 2003-04.

 

"It's a double-edged sword," Randolph said. "You throw the ball over the plate and get hit, it's a negative. You have a few walks and it's the reputation I get for having good stuff but not getting it over the plate. It's more of a mental thing. If I go after hitters and get the job done."

[klaus kinski]

All Pitchers struggle in Arizona in the Spring-it will take some extra evaluating