Rozner: White Sox' Cooper taking nothing for granted

With a few days to go before spring camps open, the White Sox remain in shopping mode as they try to shake off last year's disappointment and hope to jump into contention in the Central Division.

But should they get into the mix in 2016, it might be the signing of Mat Latos that they look back on as a key, and wonder how they got a quality starting pitcher for such a low price.

Blame it on injuries or a questionable reputation - which appears based more on management dislike at previous stops than actual problems with teammates - but the Sox got Latos for a fraction of what it looked like - a year ago - he might receive in free agency this winter.

So there are some big "ifs" here, but if Latos can shake off injuries and if he can look something like the guy who pitched from 2010 to 2013 and averaged 13-9, 32 starts, 200 innings, a 3.27 ERA, 3.29 FIP and WHIP of 1.16, the Sox got themselves a nice fourth starter to fall in behind Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon.

Latos' biggest problem the last two years was a knee injury that he thinks was the result of a mechanical flaw. The good news is the Sox have an unusual ability to keep pitchers on the mound and a pitching coach in Don Cooper who takes great pride in that part of the job.

"I bet we're one of the top organizations in baseball, not just at the major league level, but at the minor league level, too, in keeping guys healthy, and it's not luck," Cooper said recently. "I hear all the discussion nowadays about injuries and why they happen, and a lot of people have it wrong."

So what's the secret?

"You gotta pay for that pal," Cooper laughed. "There's an answer in my mind. It's not good luck and bad luck. There's a few things and that's information you have to pay for.

"I didn't invent this. I learned it from some other people and then I worked it and saw it myself and learned it myself. I'll go to my grave with this stuff."

As for any new pitchers on staff, like Latos or Jacob Turner, Cooper won't make any declarations until he has a chance to work with them.

"I like to get my eyes on a guy I don't know before I make any judgments. Tape only tells you so much," Cooper said. "I love seeing a guy throw on the side.

"My first thought is, 'What are they doing good? What are their assets? What is there to shore up? Do we need to add a pitch? How can we give the guy success maybe he hasn't had before?'

"I want to play to his strengths first and work on the rest. I like challenges like that. But I need to get eyes on a player first before I make those kinds of decisions."

On paper, the Sox have the makings of a fine rotation, especially at the top with Sale, Quintana and Rodon, but Cooper doesn't believe in paper champions.

"Our challenge is to keep Sale and Quintana going," Cooper said. "Everybody's kind of anointing Rodon, and thank goodness we found something late in the year and he finished very strong, but we have to pick up where we left off, and it's not like you just snap your fingers and all these things happen.

"There's work to be put in. Pitching is an acquired skill and you don't acquire it in 140 innings. So there's a lot more to go with Carlos. But I have ideas for John Danks and Erik Johnson, too, but like Rodon there's a lot of work to be done.

"If they can meet the challenges I throw at them, they will have a good season."

So while some of us try to project, Cooper laughs at predictions.

"I'm the fricken pitching coach and I don't make those assumptions," Cooper said with a smile. "I don't take anything for granted. I'd love to sit back and say they'll be fine, but I can't do that."

So add Latos to a group of starters that could be formidable this season. Just don't tell Don Cooper you know how it's going to turn out.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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