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Three Potential Targets Emerge To Replace Carlos Rodon In White Sox Rotation

By
Dan Fappiano
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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: Carlos Rodon #55 of the Chicago White Sox in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 25, 2015 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The White Sox defeated the Yankees 5-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Carlos Rodon was expected to be a breakout star for the White Sox this season. After finishing the 2016 strong, including a 7-2 record from August 12th on, many expected Rodon to take the next step in proving he could be an ace.

Those plans may still come to fruition in 2017, but they took a significant hit just 10 days prior to Opening Day. After feeling tightness in his bicep, Rodon is now expected to undergo an MRI. While no structural damage is expected, the White Sox pitcher is expected to miss his first few starts of the season and could be placed on the DL.

Suffering an injury this early into the year does not bode well for Rodon. However there’s a good chance he could bounce-back and become the breakout pitcher many expect him to be.

In the meantime, the White Sox are now forced into finding a pitcher to fill Rodon’s spot in the rotation. General Manager Rick Hahn has already said that he isn’t going to rush any prospects to the big leagues just to fill the hole. That means pitchers such as Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Michael Kopech will spend more time in the minors to hone their craft.

It’s also unlikely that the team goes out and signs a veteran this close to Opening Day. Rodon will be back within the first two months of the season, there’s no point in spending money on a pitcher who would be bumped to the bullpen upon Rodon’s return.

With those two things in mind, the White Sox will now be looking for a pitcher inside of their rotation to prove he deserves to stay on the major league roster.

In Dan Hayes recent article for CSN Chicago, he points out that Hahn listed three young pitchers in: Dylan Covey, David Holmberg or Tyler Danish as potential Rodon replacements.

Dylan Covey

Covey was acquired from the Athletics during the 2016 Rule 5 Draft. If he does not stay on the White Sox roster for the entire season, he will be returned to Oakland. In 72 minor league games and 369 innings, Covey has pitched to a 18-25 record with a 4.20 ERA and a 264/119 K/BB ratio.

Covey is currently the White Sox 27th best prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The site writes that while Covey doesn’t do anything great, he offers the Sox an innings eater in the back half of their bullpen.

He has a fastball that can hit 95 and a nasty changeup to match. While he throws a curveball and slider, neither should be considered plus pitches. Overall Covey needs to improve his arsenal as a whole if he wants to be considered anything more than a long reliever.

Adding Covey to their rotation early would give the White Sox an opportunity to really see what they have in the Rule 5 pick. Covey has yet to pitch above AA. Throwing him right into the fire against MLB hitters early on in this season will allow him to prove if he can hang around in the big leagues.

While he may not be apart of their rotation of the future, if Covey succeeds there’s a chance he could stick around in the bullpen going forward.

If he struggles, he will likely be cut and sent back the Oakland. The Athletics didn’t bother adding Covey to their 40-man roster prior to the draft, meaning that if he is cut, there’s a good chance he spends the rest of his career in the minors.

Dylan Covey could be given the chance of a lifetime if inserted into the White Sox starting rotation. He has as much potential as anyone on this list, but arguably the most to lose as well.

David Holmberg

Holmberg was originally drafted by the White Sox in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft. After spending time in Cincinatti and Arizona, he signed a minor league deal with the White Sox in April of 2016.

While he has yet to appear in a game with the Sox, he has appeared in 14 major league games and 62 innings at the major league level. He holds a career 3-6 record with a 6.24 ERA and a 33/35 K/BB ratio.

He has fared a bit better in the minor leagues holding a 49-54 record with a 3.71 ERA and a 773/285 K/BB ratio over 176 games and 984.1 innings.

Holmberg was the Reds 8th best prospect in 2013 and 11th best in 2014 according to MLB Pipeline. In both years the site wrote that Holmberg has the potential to become a mid-back end of the rotation starter.

The pitcher has an impressive four pitch arsenal including a fastball, changeup, slider and curveball. His changeup and slider and considered his two best pitches while his fastball and curveball could use more work. He doesn’t throw the fastest but his command could help him land a spot in the rotation.

It’s hard to envision Holmberg in a rotation with pitchers such as Giolito, Lopez, Kopech and others down the line. However he has the most MLB experience out of the three and could have the upper hand in filling in for Rodon.

For what it’s worth, Roster Resource believes Holmberg will win the battle to be the White Sox fifth starter to open the season. 

Holmberg has always had potential, but he has failed to succeed at the MLB. By putting him in the rotation to start the season, the White Sox will get to see if Holmberg could finally reach his ceiling.

While it’s far from a conclusion that Holmberg succeeds, the White Sox could be doing much worse than starting a former top prospect with a four pitch arsenal. Maybe 2017 is the year David Holmberg finds his groove.

Tyler Danish

Danish was drafted by the White Sox in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft. He appeared in three games for Chicago in 2016 holding a 10.80 ERA and a 0/3 K/BB ratio.

Danish has performed much better in the minors, holding a 21-25 record with a 3.57 ERA and a 289/124 K/BB ratio.

Danish was the White Sox 21st best prospect in 2016 according to MLB Pipeline. He pitches with a 3/4 delivery which gives scouts concern for whether he can remain in the rotation.

Danish has a solid changeup with sinking action, however the rest of his arsenal needs some work. His fastball tops out at 90 and his slider is inconsistent. His three pitch mix is better suited for the bullpen, but overall he needs to improve if he wishes to stay at the MLB level.

As long as Danish pitches with his 3/4 delivery, it’ll be tough to see him stick in the rotation long term. Although there’s a chance he is able to prove himself.

If Danish is given a shot to win a spot in the rotation coming, he can prove that he can be consistent even with his awkward arm slot. Filling in for Rodon, Danish could prove that he is a pitcher to watch in the White Sox organization.

Danish struggled during his original trip to the majors which may make the team reluctant to have him start the year in the majors. However the fact that Hahn mentioned Danish on this list proves how highly the team thinks of him.

Tyler Danish’s repertoire suits him better as a reliever, but perhaps Rodon’s injury allows him to prove he can start at the major league level.

Overall

The trio of Dylan Covey, David Holmberg and Tyler Danish does not strike fear in opponent’s eyes. All in all any of the three would be a glorified placeholder before Rodon returns.

However all three have something to prove. Whichever pitcher earns the role out of Spring Training will get a chance to prove they belong in the MLB.

Carlos Rodon is still a pitcher to watch in 2017. If the team trades Jose Quintana then he will become the de facto ace. But even with Quintana in the picture, Rodon has all the tools to prove he is ready for the MLB.

Hopefully Rodon will right his injury woes as the season goes on. For now it appears as if one of Dylan Covey, David Holmberg or Tyler Danish will make atleast one start in the 2017 season.

 

Feel free to continue the conversation on Twitter: @DFappiano14

Ryan Pace Has A Proven Track Record Using This Bold Draft Strategy

By
Erik Lambert
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bears draft trade

A Chicago Bears draft trade is never a dull conversation. Not for the diehard NFL offseason lovers anyway. This year, more than ever, fans are desperate to know what the Bears might have planned early in the upcoming 2017 NFL draft. It’s plain that it could be the most important in the past decade for the franchise, and thus far the buildup hasn’t been enthusiastic.

Several experts around the league have been puzzled by the Bears’ moves up to this point. While they’ve brought in a sizable contingent of depth for the roster via free agency, most agree the roster isn’t that much better from where it was at the end of 2016. A year they finished with their worst record of the Super Bowl era at 3-13.

It feels more than ever like GM Ryan Pace needs to make some sort of splash in the draft. Something to galvanize the fans into believing this team is trying to make serious headway towards competing again. Often the best way to do that is with a bold trade. One people have begun to clamor for.

The Bears draft trade everybody wants

Primarily the argument among Bears fans is what they should do regarding the quarterback position in the draft. Many believe the team shouldn’t screw around. Just take the best signal caller available at #3 overall. Why risk it in such a thin class? Beyond the top 4-5 options it gets ugly in a hurry. Odds are most of them could be picked clean by the second round.

Then there are those who propose an alternative. Take the best player available at #3. Most likely a top defensive player like a Solomon Thomas or Jamal Adams. Then trade back up into the first round from pick #36 to go after that quarterback. It’s quite a popular proposal on social media, but quite difficult to pull off.

It just doesn’t make fiscal sense to many. Why give up extra picks when you can get the top QB right away and the draft class is considered deep at almost every defensive position? It’s not an easy sell on either side because they both have merit. Even so, why would Pace consider doing it? The short answer is simple. He’s seen it done before.

The 1-2 punch maneuver works

Back in 2011, Pace was the Director of Pro Scouting for the New Orleans Saints. A top man in their front office. So he had a hand in helping them pull off one of wildest draft-day moves in franchise history. It started when they selected defensive end Cameron Jordan with their 24th overall pick. A man who has become a two-time Pro Bowler since. Good pick.

It’s what came next that caught everybody off guard. Just four picks later the Saints traded their second round choice (#56) and their first rounder in 2012 to the New England Patriots for the 28th overall pick. With it they selected Alabama running back Mark Ingram. He became a Pro Bowler as well and now ranks third in franchise history for rushing yards.

Safe to say that move worked out quite well for the Saints as both remain key parts of their roster. That has to give Pace confidence that it can be done. So would he do it? Well he’s already proven he’s willing to trade up to get players he wants. In 2015 it was rumored he might try to go after Marcus Mariota but the price got out of control. Last year he did trade up from #11 to #9 to grab Leonard Floyd. Pace doesn’t fear the bold move.

Would he be willing to sacrifice a future first round pick if he thought he could get high enough to snag a potential franchise quarterback? Odds are he would, especially after placating John Fox with the defensive stud they grab at #3. So how high could the Bears get if they did that?

Finding the sweet spot

According to common draft trade charts, the minimum points value for a first round pick is 590. That’s for the team who wins the Super Bowl. Even so, we’ll keep it hypothetical. The Bears package their #36 pick and 2018 first round choice to move up. All told that’s a value of 1,130 points. Conceivably that would be worth the 14th pick (1,100 points) in the first round.

Is that high enough to get one of the 3-4 best quarterbacks in this class? Suffice to say the odds would be astronomically better there than if the Bears waited until the second round. The tricky part, as always, is finding a team who would be willing to do business. There’s no guarantee any of those picking in that range would want to move that far back, even if it’s for a future first rounder.

Regardless, it doesn’t change the facts. Ryan Pace has shown a bold Bears draft trade is not going to scare him. Not if he feels the right player is there for the taking.

Charles Barkley Has A Plan To Kill Skip Bayless

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Charles Barkley is a dream for websites and social media. He has come through once again with his recent mutterings concerning internet enemy, Skip Bayless.

While on The Dan Patrick Show he told him about a plan he has to boost ratings.

Barkley: “You know what we should do for ratings? If I get a disease and I’m gonna die, how about you get Skip Bayless in here and I’ll kill him live on national television.”

Patrick: “I like it. Like pay-per-view.”

Barkley: “No, no, no. Just get him in here. Only when I know Imma die….Cause I just want to get Skip Bayless in a room one time and beat him like a dog.”

Patrick: “So you’d kill him.”

Barkley: “Yes. Only if I knew I was gonna die. Not if I’m gonna live, cause I don’t wanna go to prison. Cause like Mahorn say, ‘they would love you in prison.’”

So Basically, Barkley would kill Bayless for the sake of Dan Patrick’s ratings, but only if Barkley himself was terminally ill. He also wouldn’t want in pay-per-view because he obviously believe the public deserves to see the spectacle.

This all seems logical in some kind of twisted way. There aren’t too many people who like what Bayless has to say but I wouldn’t put any effort in trying to kill him.

He’s already dead to me because I turn the channel if he pops up.

You can watch the whole interview with Chuck below as he talks about Michael Jordan’s gambling habits and other current events.

Jordan Howard Is Batman and The Bears May Have Found His Robin

By
Erik Lambert
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de'angelo henderson bears

The eras the Walter Paytons, Eric Dickersons and Emmitt Smiths is over. There are no true featured running backs in the NFL. Given the violence of the position and the injuries that come with it, teams have altered their approach. While stars are still sought out, most prefer to have a committee running the ball. In other words two quality backs instead of one. That why a De’Angelo Henderson Bears meeting is deserves more attention.

Wait. De’Angelo who? Fair question. Not many people are going to recognize the name. Don’t count GM Ryan Pace among them though. He and other members of the team met with the young man for during as one of their select predraft meetings.

The De’Angelo Henderson Bears mystery

Again. Who is the world is this kid? Here’s a quick rundown. Henderson is a running back for Coast Carolina college. He fits the description of “big things that come in small packages.” At just 5’7″, he is hardly what one would call standard NFL size. Yet his numbers speak to a young man who plays twice his size on the field. He posted at least 1,100 yards rushing his final three seasons in school and scored a whopping 58 touchdowns.

What sticks out the most are his versatility, agility and speed. The tape reveals a player who exhibits excellent vision as a runner. He finds the holes and doesn’t waste any motion getting to them. His ability to stop, start and cut back are also impressive.

Every Batman needs a Robin

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes he could end up being the ideal complimentary back at the pro level. One who can create mismatches on third down.

“Henderson is built low to the ground with the balance and power in his lower half to fight forward for additional yardage after contact. His courage, burst, and one-cut ability should appeal to zone-scheme teams while his pass catching and willingness to block gives him a chance to compete for a role on third downs. Henderson had prolific production throughout high school and college and plays with the mindset and confidence of a future pro.”

One of the lingering concerns going into this year was whether the Bears had anybody capable of backing up Jordan Howard. Somebody who could take some snaps away from him, easing the wear and tear on his body. After all, Howard has become the focal point of the offense after his outstanding rookie season. Keeping him healthy and productive is paramount. Besides, the situation behind him on the depth chart is murky at best.

Jeremy Langford regressed quite a bit last season, losing the starting job to Howard. Ka’Deem Carey is a spirited runner but hasn’t been able to convince coaches he deserves more playing time. What’s exciting about Henderson is he displays many similar traits to what makes Howard so great. The vision, the decisiveness, the productivity and the ability to break tackles. Could he end up being another late round steal for Chicago.

Given their obvious interest, they seem to think so.

Dynamic Duo Of Kane And Panarin Display Their Shootout Superpowers

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin are absolute superheroes with the puck. Thursday night they went deep into their shootout arsenal to electrify Blackhawks fans.

The result? A 3-2 shootout defeat of their foes, the Dallas Stars.

Watch below as Kane and Panarin give a pair of backhand pimp-slaps to Kari Lehtonen.

https://twitter.com/_marcusd2_/status/845113035249385472

https://twitter.com/_marcusd2_/status/845113996583809025

Ryan Hartman Methodically Destroys Dan Hamhuis’ Face

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Ryan Hartman doesn’t always drop the gloves, but when he does, he is very effective. This is one of the many reasons he is becoming a fan favorite among Chicago Blackhawks fans.

During the team’s tilt with the Stars on Thursday night he checked Dan Hamhuis and that was the beginning. As the two were getting to their feet, Hamhuis grabbed Hartman’s leg and wouldn’t let go.

The two made it out to center ice to square off and Hamhuis took the early lead. Hartman would counter and just methodically plow Hamhuis’ face until the Dallas defensemen would give up and drag Hartzy down.

Ryan Hartman’s ability to score, stay out of trouble and win fights has quickly won over many Blackhawks fans.

Deep Breath. The Mark Sanchez Bears Era Has Begun

By
Erik Lambert
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mark sanchez bears

When word first came in of a potential Mark Sanchez Bears meeting, everybody knew it was almost a foregone conclusion. Chicago was going to sign the veteran quarterback. The man responsible for the iconic “Butt Fumble” would make the Bears his fifth teams since being drafted back in 2009. According to Ian Rapoport, that will indeed be the case.

This may seem like a nightmare for some. How is going from Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley to Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez and Connor Shaw getting better? In truth though the reasoning behind the deal is simple enough. Glennon has only started 18 games in the NFL. Shaw has one. Clearly the team felt (rightly) that they needed somebody with more experience.

Love him or hate him, Sanchez helped the New York Jets reach two AFC championship games in 2009 and 2010. He has started 72 total games in his career. That is his primary value. However, it’s not the only one. Sanchez earned high praise from the Dallas Cowboys for his work as a mentor to rookie quarterback Dak Prescott. His influence was deemed crucial to Prescott’s outstanding success in 2016.

No doubt the Bears are hoping he brings some of that same teaching prowess to Chicago. All signs point to the team drafting a young quarterback of their own. While Glennon holds down the starting job, it would be nice to have a veteran helping the rookie adjust to the pro level as quickly as possible. Time will tell if that is indeed the plan.

ESPN’s Nick Friedell Calls B.S. On Bulls Front Office In Interview With The 312

By
Matt Peck
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bulls working contract extension gar forman

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Nick Friedell joined the guys from Sports Mockery’s The 312 podcast to break down everything that’s gone wrong for the Bulls this season and where the team goes from here. They touch on a number of subjects, and Friedell doesn’t shy away from how he really feels about the direction (or lack thereof) of this organization.

From Cameron Payne’s demotion to the D-League all the way up to Jerry Reinsdorf’s office, Friedell and The 312 guys take everyone on this sorry Bulls team to task.

Here’s a smattering of their long conversation:

Jimmy Butler’s Future

Will the team’s ability or failure to reach the playoffs have an impact on the front office’s decision regarding Jimmy Butler?

“I don’t think it has anything to do with whether they make the playoffs or not…if they got the right pieces back I think Jimmy would be gone.” – Nick Friedell

Based on Friedell’s assessment, Paxson was sending a message during his post-deadline interview. Essentially? “You want him? Give us an offer we can’t refuse.”

“Like so many teams, they love the point guards in this draft. Fultz, Ball. They love the talent that’s available at the top. I think part of the reason why Pax was so honest – Pax is usually honest in his commentary – he was using the media to get the message out to the rest of the league. ‘You want Jimmy Butler? Okay, but give us some high level picks, specifically in this draft, and we’ll find some other pieces to make it work.’ ” – Nick Friedell

Fred Hoiberg’s Future

Is Fred still in good standing with his bosses?

“The reality with Fred is I don’t know if at this point – no matter what the roster looks like – if he can turn into the coach that the Bulls wanted him to be, that Gar and Pax wanted him to be. It’s been a struggle for him to get his message across to some of the players over the last couple of years. I think his demeanor just hasn’t meshed well over two seasons.” – Nick Friedell

To hear Friedell’s thoughts on Butler’s mental fatigue, the ugly trade with the Thunder, Hoiberg’s chances coaching a rebuild and the job security of the front office, listen to the full interview below!

You heard it from the guy who’s been inside the fire all season, folks. The Bulls are on the precipice. A long, ugly fall awaits them unless they nail it with their draft choices and transactions this summer.

 

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE 312 ON ITUNES!

Thanks to Nick for chatting with us. We look forward to having him back on The 312 again soon!

Brett Anderson Has Locked-Down A Rotation Spot, Mike Montgomery To The Bullpen

By
Sean Sears
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The Cubs have only one real position battle this season, with eight out of the Cubs nine regular starters returning to the team in 2017. In the rotation, the Cubs lost Jason Hammel but acquired Mike Montgomery at mid-season last July and signed Brett Anderson this offseason, with the two battling it out for the final spot in that rotation.

All offseason Montgomery was crowned the proverbial fifth starter by the media, with everyone assuming the Cubs were planning on using a six-man, but with the signing of Anderson it seemed like it was a foregone conclusion that Joe Maddon planned on using six arms in 2017.

However, this Spring Training has been telling as Anderson started to silence doubters about his extensive injury history, impressing everyone with his stuff, while Montgomery struggled some. As Spring went on, both pitchers ERA’s inflated but that was not the main deciding factor here, as Maddon states in this interview a few weeks ago that “health” was going to be key in deciding.

Maddon mentioning health lead to this train of thought for me, either Montgomery is not 100% or Joe really likes Anderson in his rotation for 2017, and today that became a little bit clearer.

One Alshon Jeffery Phone Call Proved What He Was Really All About

By
Erik Lambert
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alshon jeffery phone call

One Alshon Jeffery phone call completely altered his image forever in Chicago Bears history. He could’ve been one of the best in franchise history at that position. He wasn’t too far away from breaking every major record including career yards and touchdown receptions. On top of that he insisted, multiple times, that his desire was to stay and back up his guarantee that the team would win a Super Bowl in 2017.

Instead he rebuffed several attempts by the team to work out a long-term deal and decided to take his talents to Philadelphia. It was never about the team loyalty with him. Jeffery has always been a player surrounded by concerns that he was most interested in himself. That was probably a big reason he wasn’t happy when Brandon Marshall got traded. It put more responsibility on his shoulders.

That selfishness was in full cry when he did something unbelieveable during the start of NFL free agency. According to Tim Rohan of the MMQB, he placed a phone call to ESPN insider Adam Schefter to find out what other receivers on the market were making.

Alshon Jeffery phone call to Adam Schefter

“In the middle of Schefter’s flurry of calls, Alshon Jeffery (49 Markman points) rings him, wanting to know how much money the other free-agent receivers are making. Players sometimes contact Schefter with questions like this because he likely has that information even if he hasn’t reported it, as is the case here. Indeed, as they talk Schefter receives a text saying that Torrey Smith will be signing with the Eagles.

Schefter goes through the contract numbers on Smith, Jackson and Pierre Garçon, slowly, so Jeffery can apparently write them down. “It’s all about the guarantee, Alshon,” Schefter says. “It’s all about the guarantee … Your average per year could be $100 million. It doesn’t matter. If they’re going to guarantee you the majority of the contract, that’s what you want.”

Schefter asks where Jeffery is going. Jeffery doesn’t have an answer yet. Schefter asks that Jeffery notify him when he does make a decision and leaves the conversation at that.”

Exit Stage Right

Not long after that Jeffery leaked to another insider, Josina Anderson, that he was joining the Eagles on a one-year deal for $9.75 million, including $8.75 million in guarantees. Not only did he fail to get a big long-term contract, he decided to bet on himself for a second-straight season. It was the ultimate cold shoulder to the Bears and their efforts to work something out. A silent admission that their money and culture weren’t good enough for him.

In truth his personality never seemed to mesh with what GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox are building. They want active and committed players who live and breath the game of football. Jeffery’s commitment has been questioned repeatedly since he was coming out of college. He didn’t treat the game as a passion. More like a job, and in jobs it’s always about finding a way to make the most money possible.

That phone call cemented beyond a doubt that Alshon, for all his talent, wasn’t worth keeping in Chicago.

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