Report: Catching prospect Phegley to join White Sox
It looks like the White Sox’ first big change is coming Friday.
First reported by CSNChicago.com, Class AAA Charlotte catcher Josh Phegley is going to join the Sox at Tampa Bay for Friday night’s game against the Rays.
Outfielder Jordan Danks was optioned to Charlotte after Thursday’s win over the Baltimore Orioles, and another position player is scheduled to be added to the 25-man roster, possibly outfielder Blake Tekotte.
In two stints with the Sox this season, Danks hit .135 (5-for-37).
“We’re just making a different move,” manager Robin Ventura said. “It’s nothing he’s done. We’ve got to go give him at-bats. It’s not easy sitting around and expecting to do well with 1 hit every two weeks. That’s the tough part of the game.”
The addition of Phegley is likely to cost backup Hector Gimenez his roster spot because major-league teams rarely carry three catchers. It’s also a sign the White Sox have seen enough of No. 1 catcher Tyler Flowers, who has struggled after taking over for A.J. Pierzynski.
Flowers is batting .208 with 8 home runs and 22 RBI. He has a .260 on-base percentage and has struck out 70 times in 207 at-bats.
Defensively, Flowers has thrown out 12 of 53 basestealers, and his 7 passed balls are the second most in the American League.
Phegley, drafted by the Sox in 2009 with the 38th overall pick, is batting .316 with 15 homers and 41 RBI in 61 games at Charlotte. The 25-year-old catcher was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game on July 14 in New York.
Strong start for Quintana:In a word, White Sox starters were terrific against a good-hitting Orioles team this week at U.S. Cellular Field.In the first two games of the series, John Danks and Hector Santiago combined to pitch 14 innings, and they allowed 4 runs on 11 hits.In Thursday#146;s 3-2 win over Baltimore, Jose Quintana was even better. The 24-year-old lefty didn#146;t get a decision, but he shut out the Orioles on 2 hits over 7 innings while striking out a career-high 11.#147;In the beginning of the outing I felt I had very good control and I was going to be able to do some things, and that#146;s what led to me striking out so many batters,#148; Quintana said through a translator. #147;But I just try to prepare myself for every outing in that respect.#148;Quintana#146;s fastball was the key pitch Thursday.#147;He#146;s got a little movement and there has to be location, and he was good with it,#148; manager Robin Ventura said. #147;He was establishing the inside part of the plate and able to take off-speed stuff and move it back over on the other side of the plate.#148;With so much talk about a White Sox fire sale before the trade deadline, Quintana (3.69 ERA) looks to be a keeper.#147;Just being able to pound strikes and keep them off balance and locate, all that stuff, I think just his mentality, he#146;s a tough kid and he#146;s a guy you like sending out there,#148; Ventura said.#147;You#146;re talking about guys in their second year now of figuring it out and getting it. Today, that#146;s a good team over there, and to be able to go through with a 2-hitter is very impressive.#148;Back off:Paul Konerko thought sitting out six straight games before returning to the lineup Tuesday night cured his ailing lower back.But after going 0-for-4 against Baltimore in the series opener, the pain returned and Konerko wound up on the 15-day disabled list.#147;It felt like it was behind me,#148; he said. #147;I had taken eight days off and gotten it all calmed down. I didn#146;t see that coming. It#146;s got to be one of those things I guess we have to calm down 100 percent to where I don#146;t feel anything because it was as good as I thought it could be.#148;