Sox weather rainy Saturday; Garland works 'B' game

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Notes: Lopez aggressive in 'pen push

White Sox weather rainy Saturday; Garland works 'B' game

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- When Javier Lopez took a look at the first roster cuts made by the White Sox last Tuesday, he immediately had one important point reinforced concerning the battle for the final spot in the White Sox bullpen.

 

Throw strikes and attack the zone, or your chance for making the team ranks somewhere between slim and none. So, Lopez certainly wasn't hanging his head Saturday morning, even after getting touched up for four runs during one inning of work Friday against the Giants.

 

The left-hander with the sidearm delivery still struck out two and issued what would be his first walk of the spring, along with giving up the four hits. Even with less than perfect results, Lopez accomplished his desired goal.

 

"I felt I was aggressive in the zone, and that's what they are asking for and that's what they want to see," said Lopez, who is scheduled to pitch Monday in Phoenix against Oakland. "Obviously, I did take it on the chin, but that's part of it. They would rather see you get hit around than walk guys.

 

"That's what they have been saying the whole time. That's what I have to believe. That's why everyone is going out with the same approach, trying to be as aggressive as you can possibly be. The impression you make on the coaches, that's what they will go with, who they are impressed with most."

 

Prior to Friday's outing, Lopez looked to have the edge for what appears to be one final bullpen opening. The competition features Lopez, left-hander Armando Almanza and right-hander Tim Redding, who all have extensive Major League experience. Almanza has pitched for three teams in parts of seven seasons, Redding has made 79 starts and 101 total appearances over parts of five years, and Lopez has 171 relief appearances in three seasons.

 

As Lopez pointed out, the White Sox have a luxury in having their bullpen set aside from this one vacant spot. That reason accounts for the South Siders being very specific in regard to what they want from this particular pitcher, regardless of the raw numbers.

 

Lopez, 28, felt he had good command of all his pitches Friday, exiting even with a good feeling about his changeup, which had not been as sharp in previous outings. His hits allowed could be chalked up to bad luck, poor weather conditions and a tight strike zone, but Lopez understands the competition is too tight for too many missteps.

 

That point became obvious when five of the eight left-handers were reassigned to the Minors during the past week, carrying the common theme of being unable to attack the zone.

 

"Sure, I was surprised a little," said Lopez of the mass left-handed cuts. "But it shows they are serious. It also bodes well that I made it through the first cuts.

 

"They know what kind of puzzles they need to put together, as far as 11 pitchers or 12, or whether they want a lefty. I just need to do my job and take advantage of the opportunity."

 

Rainy days and Saturdays: Much like a number of flights coming into a wet Phoenix, the White Sox found themselves in a holding pattern on Saturday morning. They were ready to board a bus at 8 a.m. to take the team 2 1/2 hours to Peoria for a game against San Diego, before finding out that the Texas-Colorado game already had been rained out in Surprise. The White Sox moved their bus trip back 90 minutes and watched the weather, before the game was cancelled some 30 minutes later.

 

The team wanted to keep its pitchers and hitters on schedule, especially with a 40 percent chance of rain Sunday in Tucson, which could affect the game against the Angels. So, the White Sox and Rockies put together a "B" game at Hi Corbett Field, played at 11 a.m., with the temperature at 49 degrees and 12 people in the stands at the game's high point.

 

"One thing we worried about is if it gets suspended today, then everything gets backed up," White Sox third base coach Joey Cora said after the "B" game. "Tomorrow's weather might be real bad, so we accomplished everything we wanted to do."

 

Cora served as the White Sox manager for the second straight day. Ozzie Guillen returned from Venezuela on Saturday but was waiting for his team in Phoenix. He did not make it back to Tucson for the game, after the original cancellation.

 

"He should be on his way from Phoenix. He was waiting for us there," said Cora of Guillen, before pausing and adding with a broad smile, "He blew us off."

 

Ready for the Windy City: As cold as it was Saturday in Tucson, Jon Garland believes it wasn't a completely accurate depiction of the weather conditions for April games played in Chicago.

 

"Something tells me it's going to be worse in Chicago," said Garland with a laugh. "But it's not a bad way to get ready for it."

 

Garland pitched four innings against the Rockies on Saturday, allowing five hits and two earned runs. He struck out three and didn't walk a batter, having walked only one in 10 innings this spring.

 

Despite recording eight ground-ball outs, Garland was happier with his offspeed offerings than his vaunted sinker. Garland threw 60 pitches in the game and 15 more in the bullpen, featuring just fastballs and changeups during the side session.

 

Pitching coach Don Cooper has Garland set for five innings and somewhere between 70 to 80 pitches on the team's off-day Thursday, working against the White Sox Minor Leaguers. But Cooper was impressed by Garland's drive, although he was facing a lineup dotted with Colorado prospects.

 

"A few years ago, in situations like this one, Jon would sometimes pitch down to the level of competition," said Cooper of Garland, who was not going to make the trip to Peoria because of the inclement conditions. "If we sent him down to a Minor League game, he wouldn't get enough work.

 

"Jon needs a certain level of intensity to get the work in. I think we've seen that. We both learned that over the last couple of years. On sideline days, on practice days, on days like this and certainly game days, he needs a certain level of adrenaline or energy to get the prescribed work."

 

Garland remembered working on a colder day than Saturday during Spring Training, having been in Arizona when it snowed in 1999.

 

Third to first: Cooper hopes to get in four or five innings for Mark Buehrle on Sunday, along with a priority of getting work for Dustin Hermanson, who originally was scheduled to pitch Saturday. Factoring in the gloomy forecast, it could be side work for both. ... Catcher A.J. Pierzynski will attend the memorial for Kirby Puckett on Sunday in Minneapolis. The former member of the Twins organization was replaced by Gustavo Molina on Saturday, as Pierzynski had gone ahead early and was waiting in Phoenix for the possible game in Peoria. ... Casey Rogowski knocked out an RBI single and made two spectacular plays at first base during Saturday's "B" game.