http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-cowley26.html

Hermanson will start season on DL

 

March 26, 2006

 

BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Reliever Dustin Hermanson spent the offseason doing everything he could to heal his ailing back for the start of the regular season, but it isn't going to happen.

 

After putting in an inning of work in Friday's loss to Seattle, Hermanson showed up at the ballpark Saturday in pain. That was enough to sway manager Ozzie Guillen and general manager Ken Williams that it was time for Plan B.

 

"I think Hermie right now is not ready to help us,'' Guillen said. "That's my opinion. But I don't think he's ready to help us because if I pitch him one day, all of a sudden I got to wait two, three days waiting to come back. It's not fair for me and the team.''

 

Hermanson, 33, is still expected to get his third epidural in as many weeks Tuesday, but the Sox wanted to see him pitch in back-to-back games before breaking camp, which now looks impossible.

 

"He doesn't have enough time to start the season,'' Williams insisted.

 

That means the Sox will start him on the disabled list and will have to choose among relievers Boone Logan, Javier Lopez and Tim Redding. Logan pitched two scoreless innings Saturday and clearly leads the competition.

 

"[Logan] has a pretty good chance to be on the club the way he throws the ball, the way he handles hitters,'' Guillen said.'

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines

Nothing minor with Logan's skills

 

By Mark Gonzales

Tribune staff reporter

March 25, 2006, 9:11 PM CST

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With reliever Dustin Hermanson destined for the 15-day disabled list, Boone Logan made a strong statement Saturday toward taking his spot on the White Sox's Opening Day roster.

 

Logan, 21, pitched two hitless innings in a 19-7 loss to San Francisco before a Scottsdale Stadium record crowd of 11,994. Logan highlighted his outing by striking out Steve Finley on a slider on a nine-pitch at-bat.

 

Logan retired veterans Mike Matheny, Randy Winn, Omar Vizquel, Moises Alou and Finley during his outing. Since joining the major-league camp two weeks ago, Logan has allowed one run on five hits and one walk in 10 1/3 innings.

 

"I'm not going to say he has made the team, but he has a great chance to do it," manager Ozzie Guillen said.

 

Javier Lopez, another left-handed candidate, pitched 11/3 scoreless innings.

 

Those performances came a couple of hours after Guillen revealed the Sox were headed for "Plan B" because of Hermanson's back stiffness after pitching one inning Friday against Seattle.

 

Both general manager Ken Williams and Guillen said Hermanson doesn't have enough time to build up enough innings on short or no rest to start the season. Hermanson could be placed on the 15-day disabled list as soon as Sunday.

 

"He doesn't have enough time to start the season," Williams said in a firm tone.

 

Hermanson was scheduled to pitch Sunday against Kansas City at Tucson Electric Park. He will undergo his third and final epidural procedure on Tuesday.

Edited March 26, 200620 yr by SSH2005

KW, time to work the phones.

 

We need pen help.

 

Do your thing.

KW, time to work the phones.

 

We need pen help.

 

Do your thing.

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Agreed. Thornton isn't the answer, IMO.

KW, time to work the phones.

 

We need pen help.

 

Do your thing.

 

KW isn't going to trade until we're in to the season. He is pretty set on trying out Thornton, and there are two good options in Lopez and Logan for the LOOGY role, so as KW sees it, we are "good" to go until he see we need to change something in the regular season.

Edited March 26, 200620 yr by jphat007

Agreed.  Thornton isn't the answer, IMO.

Thornton shouldn't be the answer in anybodies opinion

KW isn't going to trade until we're in to the season. He is pretty set on trying out Thornton, and there are two good options in Lopez and Logan for the LOOGY role, so as KW sees it, we are "good" to go until he see we need to change something in the regular season.

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KW depending on a guy like Matt Thornton looks to be his worst move since trading for Todd Ritchie. Not sure what he's thinking with this one.

Do you think that KW would consider using sean tracey on the big league roster if thorton continues to suck it up?

All I can say is that if Jenks takes a while to round into shape, we're going to be thin in the pen with only Cotts and Politte as reliable guys.

 

I like B-Mac in the pen, but no one really knows how he will fare until he adjusts to pitching out of the pen full-time.

All I can say is that if Jenks takes a while to round into shape, we're going to be thin in the pen with only Cotts and Politte as reliable guys.

 

I like B-Mac in the pen, but no one really knows how he will fare until he adjusts to pitching out of the pen full-time.

it's definitely going to be a rough start, that's for sure.

 

I guess it's better to have a weakness at the back end of your bullpen than at the back end of your rotation though.

it's definitely going to be a rough start, that's for sure.

 

I guess it's better to have a weakness at the back end of your bullpen than at the back end of your rotation though.

That is true, but I don't want the starters having to throw 7 or 8 innings every game, especially to start off the season.

 

That could be troublesome later in the season.

 

Garland and Buehrle can do it, but you don't want higher pitch count guys like Freddy and Vaz throwing a lot of innings early on. Also, it will be interesting to see if the WBC has any effect on their stamina as the season rolls on. I don't think it will.

Edited March 26, 200620 yr by aboz56

good move to put hermy on the dl

Time for DH to play through pain or go home for good, he had all winter to have surgery and chose not to and lost the gamble. I am already tired of this with him!

Maybe we should just let everybody throw complete games like in the ALCS last year.

Sucks to hear about Hermy. I hope he can recover and be as valuable to bullpen as he was in the first half last year. It also sucks we have to rely on scrubs like Redding and/or Thornton. Let's hope they're used sparingly.

We are in big trouble with this bullpen...big trouble.

We are in big trouble with this bullpen...big trouble.

I think so too, unless Jenks gets it together soon and McCarthy is good out there right off the bat.

I am a little concerned with our bullpen situation, however I think these young guys will answer when the bell rings.

 

Granted I haven't been able to watch many spring training games since I go to school in New Jersey, but I think it is save to say the only two pitchers in our pen that I have 100% confidence are Neal Cotts and Cliff Politte. I think Jenks will be fine once the season starts along with McCarthy, but I have my concerns with Thornton due to his control issues, and I haven't even seen Boone Logan pitch but have heard great things about him.

 

However when you look back at our team last year, there were plenty of question marks. No one expected Hermanson, Politte, Cotts and Vizcaino to pitch like they did last year, and if you say that you did last march you're lying to yourself.

 

Hopefully Thornton and Logan can get their acts together and prove they belong in our bullpen.

I am a little concerned with our bullpen situation, however I think these young guys will answer when the bell rings.

 

Granted I haven't been able to watch many spring training games since I go to school in New Jersey, but I think it is save to say the only two pitchers in our pen that I have 100% confidence are Neal Cotts and Cliff Politte. I think Jenks will be fine once the season starts along with McCarthy, but I have my concerns with Thornton due to his control issues, and I haven't even seen Boone Logan pitch but have heard great things about him.

 

However when you look back at our team last year, there were plenty of question marks. No one expected Hermanson, Politte, Cotts and Vizcaino to pitch like they did last year, and if you say that you did last march you're lying to yourself.

 

Hopefully Thornton and Logan can get their acts together and prove they belong in our bullpen.

 

 

Thornton will need at least a few months for Coop magic, i really hope our starters can last long in games.

Thornton will need at least a few months for Coop magic, i really hope our starters can last long in games.

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No offense to KW but a guy like Thornton shouldn't really be in a contending team's opening day bullpen.

Thornton reminds me of Kyle Farnsworth only left handed...great arm but no control....I can't see the Sox really relying on him unless Coop can work some serious magic with him.

Thornton reminds me of Kyle Farnsworth only left handed...great arm but no control....I can't see the Sox really relying on him unless Coop can work some serious magic with him.

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Yeah, if Thornton had Farnsworth's control he might actually be useful.

Edited March 26, 200620 yr by SSH2005

Thornton reminds me of Kyle Farnsworth only left handed...great arm but no control....I can't see the Sox really relying on him unless Coop can work some serious magic with him.

 

Well, they aren't really going to rely on him all that much. He gets the mop up duty. He'll only pitch in important games when everybody in the pen is used up, or a starter just got rocked, which hopefully won't be that often.

 

I guess KW's thinking is that they can work with him in those mop up jobs early on until he gets with the program, if he gets with the program. If he doesn't I'm sure he'll be gone. I just can't imagine that he will be in more than 1 or 2 important situations in the first month though.

I dont see Hermie being able to help us out for an extended amount of time at all this year

Well, they aren't really going to rely on him all that much. He gets the mop up duty. He'll only pitch in important games when everybody in the pen is used up, or a starter just got rocked, which hopefully won't be that often.

 

I guess KW's thinking is that they can work with him in those mop up jobs early on until he gets with the program, if he gets with the program. If he doesn't I'm sure he'll be gone. I just can't imagine that he will be in more than 1 or 2 important situations in the first month though.

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Well, Vizcaino was our mop-up guy last season and he saw a few important innings. I fear Thornton.

Edited March 26, 200620 yr by SSH2005

You keep saying this about Thornton but Vizcaino was our mop-up guy last season, right?  Didn't Vizcaino see a few important innings last season?

 

A few. But not too many. I'll go take a look and see what it was in the first month or two.

 

In the first month it looks like he was in a couple extra inning games. A couple in which the start (usually Duque) didn't go very deep.

 

Down the stretch in Sept, which would be most relevant I supposed because that is what the roles will be like this year. He had 10 appearence. 6 were blowouts and 2 were the Cleveland series.

 

I mean, Thornton will see an important game or two in teh first month, but if he sucks I don't think he'll cost us enough games for it to matter.

Edited March 26, 200620 yr by jphat007