Quentin says wrist is fully healed
Carlos Quentin put the White Sox in a tough spot this season.
During an at-bat in a game against the Indians in Cleveland on Sept. 1, Quentin punched his bat after missing a pitch from Cliff Lee.
It's something Quentin later said he's been doing since Little League, but this time his fist missed the bat. His wrist did not.
The White Sox' best player over the first five months of the season, Quentin went down when he was most needed.
His fractured right wrist sidelined the left fielder the rest of the regular season, and Quentin also missed the playoffs.
"I think everyone knows I would have been ready to go if we continued playing," Quentin said on a conference call Friday.
The Sox probably needed to advance to the World Series to give Quentin a chance to play again. Instead, they were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by Tampa Bay in four games.
It was a frustrating five weeks for Quentin, but he still led the White Sox with 36 home runs and 100 RBI despite missing the final month.
On Thursday, Quentin won the Silver Slugger award. Presented by Louisville Slugger, it honors the best offensive performers at every position in each league as voted on by managers and coaches.
"Obviously, I have heard of it," Quentin said. "But like I said from the beginning of last season, I have to set small goals. My goals were getting on the field and staying on the field. But managers and coaches decide the Silver Slugger, so it's very special. The guys that decide it are very involved in the game, so I'm very appreciative of it."
Quentin said his fractured wrist is fully healed. The 26-year-old outfielder had surgery on Sept. 8.
"I took two or three weeks off (after the season) because at that point, there was no need to do anything else," Quentin said. "It's doing great. I started hitting a week ago, and it's a nonfactor. I really haven't felt it."
Quentin was most encouraged by swinging a bat with just his right hand and experiencing no pain.
In two weeks, Quentin is getting married in Palo Alto, Calif. He was asked if center fielder Brian Anderson is going to be the best man.
"I'm looking forward to having him park cars," Quentin said. "He might show up, he might not."
MacDougal out: The White Sox on Friday outrighted disappointing relief pitcher Mike MacDougal to Class AAA Charlotte.
If MacDougal declines the assignment, he forfeits his $2.65 million salary for 2009. The Sox also hold a $3.75 million option on MacDougal for 2010, which includes a 350,000 buyout.
If general manager Kenny Williams can find a team willing to pick up MacDougal's salary this winter, MacDougal is likely to be traded.
Acquired from the Royals in a July 24, 2006 trade for pitching prospects Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes, MacDougal performed well the rest of the season while going 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA.
MacDougal split the past two seasons between the Sox and Class AAA Charlotte.
The White Sox' 40-man roster now stands at 32.
Spring training buyout: The White Sox are offering Arizona's Pima County a $5 million buyout to break the team's spring training contract and move to the Phoenix suburb of Glendale next spring.
County supervisors will consider the proposal Tuesday.
The team's under contract to play at Tucson Electric Park through 2012. Its ownership wants to share a new stadium with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A previous White Sox proposal to develop TEP as a site for a youth tournament complex was received tepidly.