Ventura calls Hector Santiago ‘intriguing’
GLENDALE, Ariz. — New White Sox manager Robin Ventura is spending the first few days of spring training keeping a close eye on young pitchers like Nestor Molina, Simon Castro and Jhan Marinez.
As for Hector Santiago, Ventura got a good look at the left-handed relief pitcher at Class AA Birmingham last summer when he was making the minor-league rounds as special advisor to director of player development Buddy Bell.
“He’s intriguing,” Ventura said of Santiago. “Anybody that can throw a screwball ... it’s an unusual pitch.”
Selected by the Sox in the 30th round of the 2006 draft, Santiago was a reliever during his first three minor-league seasons. Last year, the 24-year-old Newark, N.J., native was 9-8 with a 3.60 ERA in 23 combined starts with Birmingham and Class A Winston-Salem.
The White Sox called up Santiago when John Danks went on the disabled list with an oblique strain, and he made 2 impressive relief appearances, pitching 5⅓ scoreless innings.
“I got up there, got a little bit of luck with a couple of pitches,” Santiago said. “It was good luck, you know.”
In reality, Santiago can command the screwball, which runs away from right-handed hitters, and he has a good chance of winning a bullpen job this spring.
“There’s a chance,” Santiago said. “You just have to let them see what you have and hopefully you are that guy.”
First look:In addition to Hector Santiago, manager Robin Ventura got a chance to see new acquisitions Nestor Molina, Simon Castro and Jhan Marinez throw off the mound for the first time Friday.#147;It#146;s nice to be able to see them throw and really see what your scouting department sees,#148; Ventura said.Ventura was particularly impressed with Molina, who was acquired from the Blue Jays in the Sergio Santos trade.Molina was a combined 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA and only 16 walks in 130#8531; innings with Class A Dunedin and AA New Hampshire last season.#147;Going through our drills, he looked great,#148; Ventura said. #147;You see how athletic he is and you watch him go through his stuff and see how impressive he is. It#146;s nice to see him on the mound. Just the way the ball comes out of his hand and how balanced he is, it#146;s nice to see.#148;Braun reaction:Ryan Braun#146;s successful appeal of his 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs caused a buzz in the White Sox#146; clubhouse Friday .#147;I haven#146;t been involved in it so I don#146;t know all the details,#148; relief pitcher Matt Thornton said. #147;But from what you know, the defense lawyer found some loopholes. I can#146;t say I personally agree with that. It#146;s a system that I thought major-league baseball is doing a good job of making sure everything was clean and it#146;s going to put a little emphasis on cleaning up the process.#148;Players are being tested for human growth hormones for the first time this spring, so it looks like drug testing is coming back as a big story.#147;The drug testing has gotten very strict and very tough and it has been run well,#148; Thornton said. #147;If you cheat, you get caught. Especially with HGH testing, there#146;s really no question anymore.#148;