Sale back to the rotation per KW, MRI comes back clean

[fathom]

This is hilarious. When they announced he was going to the pen, no one on the Sox (that I saw) was quoted as saying it was permanent. But posters on SoxTalk decided that must be true, so it was. Now they are saying it isn't permanent, and posters are all upset about the inconsistency. The inconsistency only existed in the heads of people here!

 

Hawk sure seemed to think it was permanent with his comment about how it's more difficult to find a good closer than a starter.

[Balta1701]

Even funnier when you consider that no one expected Sale to be able to start the entire season. Everyone expected either a bunch of skipped starts, or a time where he fell off and needed to rest.

Nobody expected "moving to the bullpen" to be the real end result of that, though.

[iamshack]

Hawk sure seemed to think it was permanent with his comment about how it's more difficult to find a good closer than a starter.

Sale himself said it was not in the cards this year to continue starting.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Nobody expected "moving to the bullpen" to be the real end result of that, though.

 

Purgatory? Oblivion?

[caulfield12]

Hawk sure seemed to think it was permanent with his comment about how it's more difficult to find a good closer than a starter.

 

 

Just watch. Next time he starts, all the Billy Wagner, Jr., talk from Harrelson will be out the window again and he'll be the second coming of Randy Johnson, Lester, Sabathia and CJ Wilson all rolled into one bundle of dominance to anchor our rotation for the next decade.

 

Harrelson should know better how easy it has been for the White Sox to find closers ever since the 1980's.

 

It's the back end starters and rotation depth which have always been the main concerns and the line of demarcation between contention and also-ran status most of those years.

 

 

[caulfield12]

Sale himself said it was not in the cards this year to continue starting.

 

 

Because Ventura and perhaps Cooper or Herm Schneider convinced Chris it was the best thing for his future, even if it wasn't what he wanted. So he was supposed to say what, that he refused to go to the pen and was going to file a grievance with the player's union?

Edited May 9, 2012 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

Purgatory? Oblivion?

"Disabled list", "Skipping a start for Mr. Offday".

[iamshack]

Because Ventura and perhaps Cooper or Herm Schneider convinced Chris it was the best thing for his future, even if it wasn't what he wanted. So he was supposed to say what, that he refused to go to the pen and was going to file a grievance with the player's union?

No, but it points out that the organizational plan, at least temporarily, was to have him come out of the pen for the rest of the year...either that or that was his impression of what they wanted him to do.

[southsider2k5]

No, but it points out that the organizational plan, at least temporarily, was to have him come out of the pen for the rest of the year...either that or that was his impression of what they wanted him to do.

 

It would have been really easy to take "you may need to do this the rest of the year" as "you need to do this the rest of the year". I'm guessing the team panicked at the soreness and worried about doing actual damage to the arm. So they decided to rest him for a stretch, see how he recovered, and then to limit his innings for a stretch to see how he responded in a lighter role.

[TaylorStSox]

I really don't understand the problem. The Sox have a fantastic track record of keeping pitchers healthy, absolutely outstanding. We don't know the whole story. I understand that we live in a world where everybody demands to know everybody's business, but I'll give the Sox the benefit of the doubt here. They have a better idea of what's best for Chris Sale than any expert on any message board.

[Steve9347]

This is hilarious. When they announced he was going to the pen, no one on the Sox (that I saw) was quoted as saying it was permanent. But posters on SoxTalk decided that must be true, so it was.

You mean other than Don Cooper, right?

 

"We’re doing it because we feel it’s best for him, his career and his health. It’s the best way to keep him healthy and strong. It gives us the best opportunity to do that. It’s easier to maintain that and keeping tabs on this in the bullpen than it is as a starter. We already know he’s a good left-handed reliever. That’s been proven over the past 1½ years. Now we’ll be trying to make him one of the best left handed relievers in baseball, not just in the American League."

 

That's a long-term plan FROM THE PITCHING COACH. But please, continue acting all high and mighty like you know everything.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Steve9347

[Jordan4life_2007]

Damn, steve actually just owned somebody.

[iamshack]

I think this actually is as much a reaction to the realization that Reed is our long-term closer as anything Chris has or hasn't done since the initial decision.

[NorthSideSox72]

There was a point where Ventura said that Sale would be in the pen for the rest of this season, but then he backed off of those comments again in the last couple of days.

 

"I enjoyed starting," Sale said. "I thought the transition was going well. I guess we'll see."

 

 

Sale, who was named the White Sox’ closer Friday because he had been experiencing discomfort in his left elbow — raising concerns about the rigors of starting on his arm — still wants badly to start.

 

And he might get another shot this season, even though manager Robin Ventura had said his move to the bullpen would be for the rest of the season.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...e-to-start.html

 

But posters on SoxTalk decided that must be true, so it was. Now they are saying it isn't permanent, and posters are all upset about the inconsistency. The inconsistency only existed in the heads of people here!

 

We didn't decide. It's what the manager SAID!!! And now 2-3 days later, they're changing their tune again. That's why people are getting upset. Cooper is saying one thing, Ventura another, Sale consistently has been saying he wants to keep starting.

 

Read the article more carefully. Cooper is quoted, specifically, as saying something other than it was permanent:

 

Never say never,’’ Cooper told the Sun-Times when asked if Sale’s move to the pen is permanent this season. “For this moment, right now, he’s in the bullpen.’’

 

The line about Ventura used no direct quote. Seems to be it was an interperetation.

 

 

You mean other than Don Cooper, right?

 

"We’re doing it because we feel it’s best for him, his career and his health. It’s the best way to keep him healthy and strong. It gives us the best opportunity to do that. It’s easier to maintain that and keeping tabs on this in the bullpen than it is as a starter. We already know he’s a good left-handed reliever. That’s been proven over the past 1½ years. Now we’ll be trying to make him one of the best left handed relievers in baseball, not just in the American League."

 

That's a long-term plan FROM THE PITCHING COACH. But please, continue acting all high and mighty like you know everything.

 

 

Damn, steve actually just owned somebody.

 

See above. Steve owned himself, illustrating that Cooper is training Sale as a reliever, and the same Cooper went out of his way to say it wasn't permanent.

 

But keep on defending the overreaction, guys. It's amusing.

 

[Kyyle23]

Because Ventura and perhaps Cooper or Herm Schneider convinced Chris it was the best thing for his future, even if it wasn't what he wanted. So he was supposed to say what, that he refused to go to the pen and was going to file a grievance with the player's union?

 

Lol I'm sure he would file a grievance with the players union because he was told to go to the bullpen.

[Steve9347]

See above. Steve owned himself, illustrating that Cooper is training Sale as a reliever, and the same Cooper went out of his way to say it wasn't permanent.

It was a quote that said you were wrong. You said it did not exist, it existed. You're so badass, though, keep it up. Everyone respects you.

[southsider2k5]

It was a quote that said you were wrong. You said it did not exist, it existed. You're so badass, though, keep it up. Everyone respects you.

 

Sure. And you left out the part that contradicted what you said.

[NorthSideSox72]

It was a quote that said you were wrong. You said it did not exist, it existed. You're so badass, though, keep it up. Everyone respects you.

A quote that showed I was wrong? I've said that I saw no quote saying this was permanent. You showed me a quote from Cooper which said nothing whatsoever about it being permanent or not - how is that even relevant, let alone saying either you or I were wrong?

 

The one quote from Cooper we HAVE seen, specifically says, "never say never", and say he is there FOR RIGHT NOW. Did you actually read the quote you provided?

 

If someone can show me an actual quote that says it is permanent, great. I have yet to see it. The only quote I've seen, says it isn't. Feel free to find one otherwise. Maybe Ventura did say it at some point - I just haven't seen it.

 

[JorgeFabregas]

Here was a tweet from Scott Merkin with both sentiments:

https://twitter.com/#!/scottmerkin/stat...531550332207104

 

Sox brass have been all over the place with this stuff.

[NorthSideSox72]

Here was a tweet from Scott Merkin with both sentiments:

https://twitter.com/#!/scottmerkin/stat...531550332207104

 

Sox brass have been all over the place with this stuff.

Well, Merkin is certainly all over the place with that tweet:

 

It's a never say never sort of attitude on Sale returning to the rotation, but he will be closer for the rest of 2012 at the least

 

WTF does that even mean? He contradicted himself in the same sentence.

 

[JorgeFabregas]

He seems to have said that he might return to the rotation in the future (never say never), but that he would be the closer for the remainder of the year at minimum.

[Reddy]

Well, Merkin is certainly all over the place with that tweet:

 

It's a never say never sort of attitude on Sale returning to the rotation, but he will be closer for the rest of 2012 at the least

 

WTF does that even mean? He contradicted himself in the same sentence.

it means he's in the bullpen for 2012 but may have a shot at the rotation in the future. not that tough to glean.

 

and yeah... the high and mighty thing... not a good look on you.

[NorthSideSox72]

He seems to have said that he might return to the rotation in the future (never say never), but that he would be the closer for the remainder of the year at minimum.

I think the media had a hard time deciphering what was going on, and tried to interperet things into an absolute. Sports media doesn't do grey very well, they need black and white. But the Sox clearly were not thinking in absolutes on this.

 

[Reddy]

I think the media had a hard time deciphering what was going on, and tried to interperet things into an absolute. Sports media doesn't do grey very well, they need black and white. But the Sox clearly were not thinking in absolutes on this.

right they're jerking this kid back and forth just like the yanks did with Joba.

[JorgeFabregas]

There's probably a reason for every beat writer having a hard time keeping the story straight.