The White Sox announced a handful of transactions before tonight’s series opener with the Rangers. The most notable was the recall of infield prospect José Rodriguez for his initial MLB promotion. Chicago also recalled reliever Nick Padilla, placed Lance Lynn on the bereavement list, and put Romy González on the 10-day injured list because of right shoulder inflammation.
Rodriguez, 22, is among the better prospects in a thin Chicago farm system. Baseball America slots him ninth in the organization, crediting him with roughly average physical tools across the board but expressing some concern about a free-swinging offensive approach. BA suggests he’s likely to settle in as a utility type. Keith Law of the Athletic wrote over the offseason that Rodriguez’s bat-to-ball skills could make him an everyday player, likely at second base.
While the Dominican Republic native might be a long-term regular, he’s not likely to step into that role immediately. Rodriguez gets the call directly from Double-A, where he’d been having a middling offensive season. Over 201 plate appearances in the Southern League, he’s hitting .238/.274/.429. Rodriguez has connected on nine home runs but is walking just 5% of the time while striking out in over a quarter of his plate appearances — easily the highest rate of his professional career.
In all likelihood, Rodriguez will find himself back in the minors before too long. He could make his big league debut in the interim, though, offering some middle depth for skipper Pedro Grifol behind the starting duo of Tim Anderson and Elvis Andrus. Added to the 40-man roster last winter to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft, Rodriguez is in his first of three minor league option seasons.
Sad. The White Sox are such a sad ass franchise. To get some help at second base they have to bring up a weak prospect that is having a poor season at AA and hasn’t even reached AAA yet.
What team has to do that? For 2B? Wow. And, yes, I’m a Sox fan. Don’t tell anyone.
You just told everyone.
If it cost money, forget it. Reinsdorf won’t put another penny into this club. He’d rather bring up a player who, as roob said, is struggling at AA. He’ll be filling in for AAA player Romy Gonzalez. Our best SS is currently playing 2b. Our second best SS, TA, seems disinterested. He’s making a lot of defensive mistakes and is hitting nowhere near .300 like he usually does. Burger, a darn good DH, is at third because we don’t have any backup for Moncada in the minors. Vaughn is playing a decent 1b and he and Robert are carrying the offense until Robert goes down with his yearly stay on the IL. GO TEAM!!
Lighten up Francis, it’s just a routine transaction while Romy is on the mend. Why not see what you’ve got since he’s a burning a spot on the 40 man? Will inform decisions in the bear and longer term
Surprised you found this website as you seem like from your comment to be a more casual fan. Top prospects routinely on the 40 man routinely sit at AA instead of getting promoted for long stints at AAA- AAA is often for organizational depth and older AAAA types. And teams do these routine injury replacements all the time for yes, even 2b. Check the transaction log of every team. Of course you know this , visiting a site that specializes in rooting though the arcane trivia of minor transactions.
What a dumpster of a call up…
I agree with you, but for more context, Jose Rodriguez broke his hand last year. Potentially as a result, he was ice cold offensively to begin the year, but has been much better the last month.
Still, in the peak of “contention,” this is sad ass.
@Daryl “Peak of contention”, what are you talking about? They have the 24th best record in MLB. 24th! They are 23rd in both ERA, and runs scored. There is no contention. There is no peak. They are simply sad ass, as you say. Which is what they get for doing literally nothing for 3 straight winters. The most expensive free agent they signed was a mediocre outfielder with no power for 75M/5 years. The most pathetic ownership and front office in MLB.
I know. I put quotes around contention. I am ashamed to say it now, but I follow the team (aka waste my evenings) as much as any Sox fan.
The owner thinks we’re a bunch of pathetic fools and he may be right! But I am watching fewer games than at any time since 1996-97.
The owner thinks we’re a bunch of chumps and I guess he’s right, though I am watching fewer Sox games than at any time since 1996-1997 and haven’t replaced my 1983 cap on the MLB store…so there, Jerry!
So I was eating at Punkys on 26 Wallace when Jerry walked in to place an order. I was enjoying a slice with sausage. Little on the greasy side but always delicious. So he went to get a fountain drink and he must have saw that I was wearing a Sox jersey. He came up to me and commented on my Don Pall jersey. So we talked baseball for about 10 minutes and 2nd base actually came up. Word out of his mouth is that they are about to sign Steve Sax and bring him out of retirement. You heard it here first Sox fans.
I thought Steve Sax was serving numerous life sentences in a Springfield prison.
Love that episode. Even the presence of Roger Clemens and Jose Canseco hasn’t ruined it for me. Burns wanting people like Cap Anson as his ringers was choice, as was having Homer pinch hit for Strawberry because of the platoon advantage.
My favorite episode. I love how Ralph got all the major leaguers to play for his team while poor Bart got stuck with Milhouse.
It’s all true, I’ve been following pharmorlover for weeks and I saw it all happen. 0.0
Good that you Donned the Pall jersey Pharm, as one has certainly descended upon the Sox faithful.
Get out of here, pharm, Punkys? Are you kiddin me! You know who used to hang out there? None other than Jerry Dybzinski!!! The ol Dybber. He used to meet up there every so often with the old Hawkeroo – when the Hawkster was GM. Story has it, they sat there and might have been over served one day and that’s when Mr Harrellson came up with the idea of making Carlton Fisk an outfielder.
I was not aware of that . What a small world. So in my huge collection of Sox’s jerseys I don’t have Jerry. Might have to see if I can locate one at goodwill. I actually have a “scooter” Scott Fletcher jersey #1 who played with Jerry. I never could understand how they put Fisk in left field . I would rather see the “bull” in left over Fisk.
The pope!
I find in interesting that Grifol is getting snippy at the questions (apparently about batting Burger 8th) and Hahn is getting ‘pissed’ at reporters speculating that Grifol can be one and done as manager.. What a sad circus. It also implies others are on the hot seat.. At least, one can dream or hope…
So far Grifol seems a lot like Ventura. They probably should’ve hired Bochy or Ozzie.
Bochy, yes, Ozzie, no. I’ll always be grateful for the WS win, but shortly after that, he turned on his players and threw them under the bus in front of the media. They seemed to lose respect for him and for good reason.
I haven’t seen the exchanges you noted, and haven’t noted how many times Burger has hit 8th other than the last game of the Mariners series, but the reporter should know the numbers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a “road” platoon player, but Burger has passed the unplayed point in the road. Besides poor defense, his road line is .163/.215/.384 with a 42.7%K rate.
Burger is an all-star at home, but jeesh. Why even give him a plane ticket.
Not an overall defense if Grifol, but the guy that asked that was asking a question he should have known the answer to. I’m guessing Grifol bristled because he didn’t want to say, “Jesus, look at his road stats. Where should I put a guy hitting .163 in the road?”
If he is making his MLB debut how can he be recalled?
A quirky MLB oddity- a “qualifying” player is “Optioned” down after Spring Training… and their initial call-up is still phrased as a “Recall”… it’s like dejávu all over again.
Why not bring him up if he does well Sox can unload TA for a good player. AA ball is tougher to hit than AAA pitchers trying to hang on. He has the tools better to finish year at MLB level and gain experience. 8 year difference in age over 30 year old player’s who are always hurt. Good move for a change now dump the hyped bad moves and build for next year. Give Colson a shot before the break.
That dude is the most Jose lookin person on the planet.
It would be impossible for his name NOT to be Jose.