Sox injury list keeps on growing
The White Sox’ injury list added two more names Friday.
Jeff Keppinger, who moved from third base to second when Gordon Beckham went down with a fractured left wrist on April 9, was held out of Friday night’s game against Tampa Bay with “lower back issues,” manager Robin Ventura said.
“It happened a little bit (Thursday) last night toward the end of the game,” Ventura said. “You try to treat it overnight and today but it’s not going to be ready by game time.”
Tyler Greene, who had his contract purchased from Class AAA Charlotte on April 14, started for Keppinger at second base. Greene’s 2-run homer in the fifth inning put the White Sox in front 4-3.
Right before the game, center fielder Dewayne Wise was scratched with a stiff neck and replaced by Jordan Danks.
In addition to Beckham, left fielder Dayan Viciedo (oblique), starting pitcher John Danks (shoulder), utility infielder Angel Sanchez (back) and left-handed relief pitcher Leyson Septimo (shoulder) are on the disabled list.
Septimo was sent to Charlotte Friday on a rehab assignment. He could get a call from the Sox if left-handed specialist Donnie Veal doesn’t start throwing more strikes.
Dealing with so many injuries is taking its toll, but the White Sox are pressing on.
“Injuries happen, and we’ve had a couple of them that are unfortunate with Gordon and Sanchez and Viciedo,” Ventura said. “Teams deal with injuries and you keep going. Just put another guy in there and go. You have to find a way.”
Hawk and ‘TWTW’:Sox broadcaster Ken #147;Hawk#148; Harrelson#146;s negative comments regarding the growing popularity of baseball#146;s advanced statistical analysis Thursday did not go over well in the sabermetrics community.Harrelson said #147;TWTW#148; (The Will to Win) is more important than complex data.White Sox captain Paul Konerko said there is room in the game for sabermetrics, to a point.#147;I think there#146;s definitely a blend of both,#148; Konerko said. #147;There#146;s a lot of information out there. I#146;m sure years ago, when people first started talking about things beyond batting average and RBI and home runs, as soon as they got anywhere beyond that, that was what people thought of sabermetrics then. Now, you have to get 15-20 categories deep, but there#146;s always that cutoff where people start to go, #145;OK, we#146;re trying to figure out the game.#146;#147;And I think that#146;s what Hawk means. There are some things that are useful, but the manager of the team, he knows his players, he knows the personality of the players and he knows the current mood of the team and the mood of the players.#147;You can#146;t just always go by, #145;Well, this situation here, it should be a bunt.#146; Maybe (the manager) knows at that given moment, the guy isn#146;t bunting well. There is some human element to it and I think that#146;s all Hawk was trying to say.#147;But I see the other side, too. Information#146;s always good. There are a lot of repetitions out there, a lot of patterns. You#146;d be stupid not to look at some of them.#148;Mitchell to DL:Class AA Birmingham outfielder Jared Mitchell, one of the Sox#146; top prospects, went on the disabled list with a strained right oblique.Mitchell opened the season with Triple-A Charlotte but was demoted to Birmingham late last week after batting .132 and striking out 27 times in 53 at-bats.Mitchell is hitting .214 (3-for-14) with 4 strikeouts at Birmingham.