Loaiza To 15-Day DL with right shoulder tendinitis, Russell Called Up

[DaTank]

Scott Merkin writes last night (Thursday, June 12th) that Loaiza is expected to be released and Russell brought up.

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...sp&c_id=cws

 

 

However, Joe Cowley writes this morning (Friday, June 13th) that Loaiza just needs to step it up.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...soxnt13.article

 

Is it unofficial yet or what's going on?

 

[witesoxfan]

Scott Merkin writes last night (Thursday, June 12th) that Loaiza is expected to be released and Russell brought up.

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...sp&c_id=cws

 

 

However, Joe Cowley writes this morning (Friday, June 13th) that Loaiza just needs to step it up.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...soxnt13.article

 

Is it unofficial yet or what's going on?

 

Merkin writes for the Sox MLB website. Cowley writes for a s***ty Chicago newspaper. You tell me which is more legitimate.

[southsider2k5]

Well, he was also a Free Agent at the end of the year he was traded, and he'd clearly lost something if you paid attention to the first half games at all. There was plenty of reason to trade him at that point, especially if you didn't think you'd be able to sign him or if you didn't want to (and man, what a move not signing him was).

 

There are a couple of other little things that bugged me too, and they sort of hinted towards the samething. After the Dodgers released him, he said he didn't throw off of a mound at all. Seriously? He is looking for a major league job and he couldn't call the local high school once a week just to keep his arm fresh? The Sox would have known his velocity was down when they brought him in for a tryout, so I don't buy that excuse. The knock on E-Lo all through his career was that he didn't work hard and didn't really care. Tie this all together and I really believe they brought him in to see if he was willing to do the work to get back to his old self, he wasn't and now he gawn.

[29andPoplar]

There are a couple of other little things that bugged me too, and they sort of hinted towards the samething. After the Dodgers released him, he said he didn't throw off of a mound at all. Seriously? He is looking for a major league job and he couldn't call the local high school once a week just to keep his arm fresh? The Sox would have known his velocity was down when they brought him in for a tryout, so I don't buy that excuse. The knock on E-Lo all through his career was that he didn't work hard and didn't really care. Tie this all together and I really believe they brought him in to see if he was willing to do the work to get back to his old self, he wasn't and now he gawn.

I wonder if they'll DL Loaiza? The financial impact is extremely minimal and Cooper stated in the paper today that Loaiza is more or less in rehab mode.

 

Who knows. It might be better to just cut the cord, but if they think he just needs a few weeks and maybe a rehab stint in AAA, the DL is their option.

[Controlled Chaos]

I wonder if they'll DL Loaiza? The financial impact is extremely minimal and Cooper stated in the paper today that Loaiza is more or less in rehab mode.

 

Who knows. It might be better to just cut the cord, but if they think he just needs a few weeks and maybe a rehab stint in AAA, the DL is their option.

He really seemed to be tossing up some meatballs the other night. Maybe we can keep him as a batting practice pitcher. He can help with the teams inability to hit soft tossers.

[bjm676]

The article in the Sun-Times states he never rehabbed after he was cut by the Dodgers and his velocity was down. Maybe he was just lazy. Depending on how Russell does, this could a spot that Kenny tries to trade for next month.

[Chisoxfn]

One thing about Adam Russell, he comes right at you and isn't afraid of the bat, like MacDougal.

 

His control hasn't been the best in AAA though, he's been walking a guy every other inning.

 

I like him and hopefully he contributes.

I really really like Russell's arm. I like this guy a lot and I think he's going to play some good baseball with the Sox. I don't know if he makes an immediate impact but long term he's going to be valuable piece of the Sox pen (maybe even this year, but definately in future years).

[Lemon_44]

I like the call up of Russell. He gets MLB experience in as stress free role as you can get. That's assuming they use him in the role slated for Loiaza of blowout inning eater. He gets acclimated and then can become a force down the stretch,if needed.

[Harry Chappas]

I really really like Russell's arm. I like this guy a lot and I think he's going to play some good baseball with the Sox. I don't know if he makes an immediate impact but long term he's going to be valuable piece of the Sox pen (maybe even this year, but definately in future years).

 

What's his story?

[Cerbaho-WG]

He's a converted starter who throws in the mid 90s and has an absolutely terrible slider. He also drops down his arm slot ala Contreras.

[WCSox]

Well, he was also a Free Agent at the end of the year he was traded, and he'd clearly lost something if you paid attention to the first half games at all. There was plenty of reason to trade him at that point, especially if you didn't think you'd be able to sign him or if you didn't want to (and man, what a move not signing him was).

 

I forgot if his velocity was down of if his two-seamer had lost its bite, but there was indeed a major change in his stuff from '03 to '04.

 

I would've liked the Sox to give him a little more time to build arm velocity, but given his up-and-down (mostly the latter) history with the Yankees, A's, and Dodgers and his arm injuries, it's not surprising that Kenny's looking elsewhere now.

 

Paging Freddy Garcia...

 

As long as the price is right, it's worth a shot.

 

 

[Harry Chappas]

He's a converted starter who throws in the mid 90s and has an absolutely terrible slider. He also drops down his arm slot ala Contreras.

 

Terrible as in meh or terrible as in filthy good?

 

Not a real impressive scounting report there unless the fastball moves like a knuckleball. Does he have any secondary pitch?

[29andPoplar]

Garcia is nowhere near ready to contribute and the Sox have a need now. I have not heard whether Loaiza got his outright release or if they're going to buy time (DL stint).

 

They like Russell a lot, especially his bulldog mentality, which can go a long way in the role they've pegged him for.

 

However if he can't get the job done, Williams will bring someone else in and I'm sure he's got ideas already, just in case. It stands to reason one of those contingency plans down the line might be Garcia.

[elrockinMT]

I don't see anything official about Loaiza being released. I have read two coflicting reports. One quotes unnamed sources and the othr quotes Don Coper saying Esteban needs to step it up and that the Sox were surprised by his lack of work prior to the signing. I surmise they are upset, but he has pitched three times and gave up one run in the first start. Ok! I am thinking all this talk is a bit premature, but the mesage to Loaiza has been sent.

[Chisoxfn]

The biggest question with Russel has always been the effictiveness of his secondary stuff. He has a tremendous arm but has been very inconsistent with his breaking stuff. The main reason is that he tends to change arm angles and those variations can actually hinder you being able to throw a consistent breaking ball. At times its been a solid pitch (and when you combine it with the fastball which he throws from multiple arm angles) you are talking about a guy with the ability to be a good major league reliever. When it isn't there, he can be a bit more of a one pitch pitcher. Cooper should be able to help Russ out a bit though (in terms of consistency, plus the org is pretty good at developing variations to a guys good pitches).

 

In terms of Elo, I wouldn't be shocked if they DL'd him. Coop got to see enough of him and now he and Hermy can put together a plan to rebuild Elo's velocity (I remember Cooper saying they thought they could) and he'll work on that and follow through with that on the DL (with the goal of getting him back later on this year). Than again, the Sox have a great relationship with Esteban and may have just told him the reality is they can't really promise anything based on what they have left and released him for that reason (so Esteban can try to catch on elsewhere or whtaever).

[Dick Allen]

I went to Detroit and watching Loaisa, I think he is still injured. There is something in his motion, even when he's out playing catch in between innings with the LF that makes me think he has shoulder problems.

[wbicker2424]

The text of the Scott Merkin article was changed to the following-

 

DETROIT -- Adam Russell will be called up from Triple-A Charlotte to the White Sox prior to Friday's opener against Colorado, a source has confirmed to MLB.com.

A corresponding roster decision will be made, with the White Sox expected to make a move involving veteran reliever Esteban Loaiza.

The 6-foot-8 Russell, who was previously with the White Sox for a May 2-4 series in Toronto, but did not pitch, had a 3-0 record with a 1.74 ERA this season with Charlotte. He will work in long relief.

 

Previously it had said Loaiza was expected to be released, now it only says a corresponding roster move involving Loiaza, so I'm thinking he is in fact heading to the DL.

[29andPoplar]

The text of the Scott Merkin article was changed to the following-

 

DETROIT -- Adam Russell will be called up from Triple-A Charlotte to the White Sox prior to Friday's opener against Colorado, a source has confirmed to MLB.com.

A corresponding roster decision will be made, with the White Sox expected to make a move involving veteran reliever Esteban Loaiza.

The 6-foot-8 Russell, who was previously with the White Sox for a May 2-4 series in Toronto, but did not pitch, had a 3-0 record with a 1.74 ERA this season with Charlotte. He will work in long relief.

 

Previously it had said Loaiza was expected to be released, now it only says a corresponding roster move involving Loiaza, so I'm thinking he is in fact heading to the DL.

Good catch, also the headline was changed from Loaiza Expected To Be Released to announcing Russell's recall.

[elrockinMT]

The text of the Scott Merkin article was changed to the following-

 

DETROIT -- Adam Russell will be called up from Triple-A Charlotte to the White Sox prior to Friday's opener against Colorado, a source has confirmed to MLB.com.

A corresponding roster decision will be made, with the White Sox expected to make a move involving veteran reliever Esteban Loaiza.

The 6-foot-8 Russell, who was previously with the White Sox for a May 2-4 series in Toronto, but did not pitch, had a 3-0 record with a 1.74 ERA this season with Charlotte. He will work in long relief.

 

Previously it had said Loaiza was expected to be released, now it only says a corresponding roster move involving Loiaza, so I'm thinking he is in fact heading to the DL.

 

 

That makes more sense than an outright release after just three games

[southsider2k5]

I went to Detroit and watching Loaisa, I think he is still injured. There is something in his motion, even when he's out playing catch in between innings with the LF that makes me think he has shoulder problems.

 

Good catch. I recall thinking that it didn't look like his elbow was getting as high as I remembered it before, which probably means shoulder problems.

[quickman]

if russell pitches great then thats it for loaiza.

[scenario]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/press...sp&c_id=cws

 

Loiza officially placed on 15-day DL.

[SoxFan1]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/press...sp&c_id=cws

 

Loiza officially placed on 15-day DL.

Title fixed.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

Id much rather have Russell on the team than Loaiza. I assume this means Masset will move back into the long man role.

[elrockinMT]

I hope Esteban recovers from the shoulder inflamation and comes back to help the Sox win a pennant.