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Home , Aaron Bummer, Dan Jennings (manager), Dan Jennings (pitcher), Rick Renteria, Vindicated (book)

WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JULY 28, 2017 “Sox match Cubs with 3 HRs but drop finale” … Carrie Muskat & Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Abreu happily accepting role of leader” … Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com “Bummer goes from callup to first MLB K” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “For Chicago clubs, Quintana deal rare win-win” … Phil Rogers, MLB.com “Holland called as Sox welcome Tribe” … William Kosileski, MLB.com “Anthony Rizzo: More than talent needed for successful rebuild” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Why 's slow start with White Sox could soon be a thing of the past” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “Aaron Bummer on what it's like to get called up to the majors” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “No fast lane to the Hall of Fame for speedster Tim Raines” … Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune “New faces trying to bond in the White Sox bullpen” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “As losses mount, White Sox must maintain focus — and optimism — on the future” … David Haugh, Chicago Tribune “White Sox rookie Willy Garcia homers in return to big leagues” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Despite struggles, White Sox keeping the faith in Anderson” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “White Sox bring up lefty Aaron Bummer, OF Willy Garcia’”… Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “'s bullpen reeling” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Willy Garcia gets another shot to show Chicago White Sox he belongs” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “’s Biggest Teardown Could Provide New Blueprint” … Jared Diamond, Wall Street Journal Sox match Cubs with 3 HRs but drop finale By Carrie Muskat and Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 27, 2017

CHICAGO -- The Cubs and White Sox staged a crosstown derby on Thursday night, with the north side squad coming out on top. Anthony Rizzo smacked a solo homer, and Kyle Schwarber added a two-run shot, a solo blast and an RBI triple to power the Cubs to a 6-3 Interleague victory over the White Sox and take the crosstown series, 3-1.

Jose Abreu and Willy Garcia homered for the White Sox off Cubs starter Jon Lester, who scattered four hits over seven innings and struck out four for his third straight quality start. Abreu added a solo shot off Koji Uehara in the ninth.

"The White Sox played their butts off, and they're a different team than they were two weeks ago, and you've got to give them credit for all the stuff they've done," Cubs said of the crosstown rivals, who are in rebuilding mode, having made several trades, including sending Jose Quintana to the north side.

"We're playing a different group of White Sox than we might have played two or three weeks ago," Maddon said. "We probably caught them at the right time based on what they have going on organizationally."

With the win, the Cubs improved to 11-2 since the All-Star break, a season-high seven games over .500, and now have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Brewers heading into a weekend series in Milwaukee. They were 5 1/2 games behind the Brewers at the break.

"We knew going through everything that we were going through [in the first half], the division was still up for grabs," Schwarber said. "Now that we've gotten off to this kind of start, it's good. It's easy when things are going good." Rizzo launched his 24th home run leading off the fourth and Schwarber added his first of the game two batters later; both came off White Sox starter Mike Pelfrey, who lasted five-plus innings. Of the six home runs, Abreu's was the longest, as it traveled 454 feet to left.

The White Sox dropped to a season-high 21 games under .500 and have lost 12 of their last 13 games, with a 1-11 mark since the break.

"I don't know if anybody likes getting their butt kicked, whether it's a close game, blowout or respectable," Pelfrey said. "Our mindset doesn't change. We show up every day to win, and obviously we haven't been doing that as much as we'd like lately. Hopefully, we'll figure it out and these guys will end up being better in the long run."

Rizzo finished the four-game home-and-road series 7-for-14 with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs. The Cubs will take home the Crosstown Cup trophy for the first time since sweeping the season series in 2013. "Whenever you get to play this series and have the fans come out and pack both stadiums like that, it's a good environment," Schwarber said. "It was a lot of fun this series, and well played by both teams."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Welcome back: Willy Garcia, promoted from Triple-A Charlotte to take the roster spot of the injured Avisail Garcia, made a nice running catch of Kris Bryant's fly ball in the right-field corner to end the Cubs' third. Willy Garcia then led off the White Sox half with his second home run of the season. The blast had an exit velocity of 102 mph and traveled 405 feet to left- center. This is the third time he's been called up from the Minors this season.

Welcome back, Part II: Willson Contreras walked in the fourth to set up Schwarber's first home run of the game. Schwarber added an RBI triple in the sixth, his second career triple and first since his first Major League hit, on June 17, 2015. Schwarber's second blast came in the eighth off Aaron Bummer, who was making his MLB debut. The second homer was his 17th of the season and set a career high. (He hit 16 in 2015.) After batting .178 to start the season and being demoted to Triple-A Iowa to work on his hitting, Schwarber now is 10-for-36 since All-Star break, with four home runs and seven RBIs.

What's the difference?

"Wherever the hits come, they come," Schwarber said. "I'm not worried if it's left-center, right center, right, left, whatever it is. I just want to worry about putting the barrel on the ball and having good, consistent contact." More

QUOTABLE

"The big question is, how does it feel to hand over the Cup? Not very good. Not very good." -- White Sox manager Rick Renteria, in his first comments to start the postgame news conference

"It's invigorating. I understand it. The first time I got that chance was in 2002 [with the Angels]. Once you get a taste [of the playoffs], nothing else satisfies. You don't want to be cooking steaks in the backyard. You've got to stay motivated." -- Maddon, on competing for a postseason berth

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Schwarber's performance marked the first two-homer, one-triple game by a Cubs player since Bryant did so on July 7. Before that the last two Cubs to accomplish this were Todd Walker in 2004 and Shawon Dunston in 1989. Lester improved to 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA over his last three starts; Cubs starting are 10-0 with a 2.50 ERA in the season's second half.

"I like to think ... we've got a chain going," Lester said. "We're pitching well. We're playing well in all aspects of the game. We're doing everything pretty solid right now, which is good. Hopefully, we can continue that and keep going."

Statcast™ BLAST

Abreu's homer off Lester in the fourth traveled an estimated 454 feet, according to Statcast™, making it the longest home run Abreu has hit at Guaranteed Rate Field since Statcast™ was introduced in 2015. That ties Avisail Garcia for the longest homer at the White Sox home park since 2015, and gives Abreu the third-longest homer in his career and second- longest this season.

"I think I'm just blessed with health," said Abreu through interpreter Billy Russo. "I've been healthy the whole year, and I'm blessed because of my family and all the stuff that happened to me. I'm just blessed." More >

WHAT'S NEXT

Cubs: Quintana will make his third start for the Cubs on Friday when they open a three-game series against their Central rivals, the Brewers. Quintana is 2-0 so far, including his stellar debut game against the Orioles, when he struck out 12. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT from Miller Park.

White Sox: Derek Holland takes the mound on Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field as the White Sox return to Central action against the Indians with a 7:10 p.m. CT first pitch. Holland is 1-6 with a 8.18 ERA, 17 home runs allowed and a .337 opponents batting average over his last 10 starts.

Abreu happily accepting role of leader By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com | July 27, 2017

CHICAGO -- The White Sox future -- which is currently tied to its prized haul of prospects and glimmers of promise -- has no guarantee of a title, like their crosstown rivals, but the next generation of hopefuls will likely be guided by first baseman Jose Abreu.

The 30-year-old slugger is in the middle of his best season since his 2014 All-Star rookie campaign, even as his team struggles, and he slugged two homers in a 6-3 loss to the rival Cubs on Thursday that dropped the club to 39-60 -- the worst record in the American League.

Abreu has hit .297 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs this season, yet another solid campaign for the former prized free-agent signing. Through 99 games, his OPS is .873 -- more than 100 points higher than it was at this point last season.

With each White Sox trade -- six players have been dealt since the All-Star break, following moves that shipped out Chris Sale and this past offseason -- Abreu has found himself becoming the established voice in the clubhouse. It's a role he's embraced, particularly with the callups of some highly touted prospects, such as fellow Cuban and MLBPipeline.com's No. 1, Yoan Moncada.

"Even though my English is not good, I've been trying to communicate with the young guys and with everybody," Abreu said through interpreter Billy Russo. "I think that's something good not just for them but for me to be more ... I don't want to say a leader, but like a mentor for them, because I have some experience, and I think that my knowledge can help them to do better, too."

Manager Rick Renteria sees Abreu evolving as a player, particularly in the locker room. Abreu now ranks just behind relievers Nate Jones and Jake Petricka and outfielder Avisail Garcia as the longest-tenured White Sox, and his voice has carried weight for the first-year skipper.

"He has been continuing to grow into that role," Renteria said. "He has taken a much more vocal role, communicating with players, his teammates. He has asserted himself extremely well. "As he moves forward in his career and we continue to move forward and progress with all of the transformation that's going on, it's natural for him to fill that spot."

Shortstop and left-hander Carlos Rodon are among the few faces directly tied to the organization's future who are already in the Majors, and even with last week's callup of Moncada, many of those who are hoped to contribute to a postseason currently reside in the Minor Leagues.

Such players as right-hander and outfielders and Eloy Jimenez -- the No. 7 prospect in baseball, who was acquired from the Cubs as part of the deal that sent left-hander Jose Quintana to the North Siders earlier this month -- represent much of the future plans. Although Jimenez homered on Thursday night, he did so for Advanced Winston-Salem, years away from when he's expected to do so at Guaranteed Rate Field. It's a part of the process Abreu is eagerly awaiting.

"I'm here to help the team," Abreu said, "and if that means that I have to help the young players through that process to get to the level where they can be by themselves and perform as everybody expects for them to do it, I'd love to do it.""

Bummer goes from callup to first MLB K By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 27, 2017

CHICAGO -- Left-hander Aaron Bummer was getting food prior to Triple-A Charlotte's contest on Wednesday night when his life instantly changed.

"[Charlotte pitching ] Steve McCatty came over and grabbed me, took me out of the food line and into our manager's office," said Bummer from his locker at Guaranteed Rate Field prior to the White Sox 6-3 loss to the Cubs on Thursday. "He told me what was happening, and I just sat there with a dumbfounded smile on my face, not really knowing what to expect, just spitting out gibberish.

"It's a moment I'll never forget. I thank the White Sox and everybody for this opportunity." Bummer, 23, replaced on the roster after Jennings was traded to the Rays for Minor Leaguer . Bummer has pitched at Class A Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte this season, only two years after Tommy John surgery (April 7, 2015) cost him that whole season.

There wasn't much of a wait between Bummer's arrival and his Major League debut, as Bummer entered in the eighth to face the defending champions. He experienced the highs of baseball by striking out the first batter he faced, Anthony Rizzo, and the disappointments, thanks to Kyle Schwarber's two-out home run. "Legs were shaking a little bit. Couldn't really feel the arm," said a smiling Bummer, who got the balls from his first pitch and his first . "Emotions were going crazy. Heartbeat was racing. But at the end of the day, it was a baseball game, and it was a good experience."

"He had a smile on his face, and I was kind of joking with Rizzo, like, 'Hey, go easy on this guy, it's his first one,'" catcher Kevan Smith said. "He got strike one on him. He has a really good slider, and Rizzo had a tough time with it."

In an interesting twist to the circumstances surrounding Bummer's arrival, Jennings, who played at Nebraska, mentored Bummer, another Cornhusker, during Bummer's first big league this year. Bummer and Jennings communicated via text on Thursday, though Bummer chose to keep the details of the conversation private.

Over 87 2/3 career Minor League innings, Bummer has 100 and 33 walks. After his debut, he was able to talk about and celebrate the moment with his parents, brother, girlfriend and a few family friends in attendance.

"As the day went on, the nerves kind of calmed down, and it was kind of nice getting thrown into the fire and facing the guys that I did," Bummer said. "The outcome of the game wasn't what we wanted, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime dream for me."

Quintana gives thanks

The White Sox paid tribute to Jose Quintana via video after the first inning on Wednesday. Players joined the fans in giving the popular former ace a standing ovation.

Quintana was traded to the Cubs prior to the start of the season's second half in a five-player deal that brought Eloy Jimenez and to the White Sox.

"It was exciting. I almost cried," Quintana said on Thursday. "It was a surprise for me, and I appreciate the organization giving me that. It was a good time for me, and [I thank the] fans. I appreciate everything they did for me."

Worth noting

• Willy Garcia was recalled from Charlotte to take the place of Avisail Garcia, who is on the 10-day disabled list with a strained ligament in his right thumb.

• underwent successful Tommy John surgery in Florida on Thursday. The procedure was performed by Dr. James Andrews. Burdi was selected by the White Sox in the first round (26th overall) of the 2016 Draft and is the team's No. 15 prospect.

For Chicago clubs, Quintana deal rare win-win Just 2 weeks after trade, it's clear Cubs, White Sox both benefitting By Phil Rogers / MLB.com | @philgrogers | July 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- Forget waiting two or three years -- or even until the end of this season -- to evaluate the Jose Quintana trade. Two weeks after it was concluded, it's safe to say that the deal between the Cubs and White Sox will turn out exactly as advertised.

It's a win for both of Chicago's teams, with 20-year-old right fielder Eloy Jimenez flexing his future impact for the rebuilders, while an in-his-prime Quintana has awakened the champions. Full Game Coverage Quintana, who will start Friday in Milwaukee, helped the Cubs close a gap of 5 1/2 games on the Brewers in an eight-day span, asserting their strength. The White Sox have had a flurry of trade activity since dealing the lefty, with Thursday's swap (Dan Jennings to the Rays) their fourth trade in 15 days.

Who knows what would have happened for either team if they hadn't been bold enough to do business with their crosstown rival?

The Cubs paid heavily for Quintana -- the deal was actually a 4-for-1 proposition, with right-hander Dylan Cease, ranked as the Cubs' top pitching prospect, infielder Bryant Flete and first baseman Matt Rose also going to the White Sox -- but at 43-45, they were highly motivated to jump-start the defense of their championship.

They won eight of the first nine games after the All-Star break, with Quintana throwing seven shutout innings in Baltimore and then beating the Cardinals in his Wrigley Field debut, and suddenly the Cubs were looking like the 103-win team powerhouse from 2016.

"I think it figures in more than people may even realize," manager Joe Maddon said about the significance of the Quintana trade. "The game in Baltimore was a really big game for us. The new guy comes out and pitches great. He also set a standard in the way he did it, I thought. ... Everything he did that day was what you want everybody else to watch."

Maddon believes a frontline acquisition always sends a message.

"The mental factor, all that played in it, too," he said. "Now Jose is getting comfortable here. ... His acquisition, I think, by the end of the year will turn out to look even more prominent."

The White Sox lost their first eight games after trading Quintana, but in their position, that's not the negative it seems. The Sox are all about accumulating Minor Leaguers who they can put alongside elite prospects such as Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert.

Getting the Quintana trade resolved early opened the door for White Sox general manager Rick Hahn to make subsequent deals with Todd Frazier and relievers David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak and Jennings.

The one game that stood out the most for the Sox during this time was Jimenez's one-man showcase last Sunday in North Carolina.

In his ninth game for the Class A Advanced Winston-Salem Dash, Jimenez went 5-for-6 with a home run and two doubles. White Sox director of player development Chris Getz had a hard time believing that the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Jimenez really is only 20 watching from his seats at BB&T Ballpark.

"Physically, he's got great presence," Getz said. "He's got sort of a natural feel for hitting, considering his age and everything -- bat speed, clean bat path. I saw him spit on some tough pitches and obviously drive the ball when he had pitches he could handle. ... He's a guy who doesn't want to just get to the big leagues, he wants to be an impact player."

Jimenez, signed to a $2.8 million bonus in 2013, represented the Cubs in the past two All-Star Futures Games, and he ranks as MLB Pipeline's No. 7 overall prospect. He started this season on the disabled list with a strained shoulder, but he entered Thursday hitting .301 with 10 home runs, 24 walks and a .916 OPS in 54 games in Class A Advanced this season. Jimenez went deep again Thursday.

Jimenez could be pushing for Major League consideration at this time next season, but Getz points out there probably won't be reason to rush him. Moncada, regarded by MLBPipeline.com as the No. 1 ranked prospect in all of baseball, should be established by the time he arrives.

"They're both very talented players, [with] different styles of play," Getz said. "One's a [switch-hitting] infielder, one's a [right-handed-hitting] outfielder. Who's to say where these guys end up? At the end of the day these are both high-ceiling type players. The sky's the limit because they can do a little bit of everything on the baseball field."

The White Sox were 11 games under .500 and in line for the fourth pick in next year's Draft when they traded Quintana. They've got a shot to wind up first overall and almost certainly will pick in the top three, which they hope will allow them to add a Kris Bryant-type talent next June.

There are below-the-surface benefits to the Quintana deal for the Cubs, too. He came with a contract that not only gives them control through 2020, but he won't make more than $10.5 million per season unless a top-three Cy Young Award finish triggers an escalator clause.

That under-value deal adds critical financial flexibility, which could help the Cubs land Justin Verlander before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Deals like this don't come along often, for a buyer or a seller.

Holland called as Sox welcome Tribe By William Kosileski / MLB.com | July 27th, 2017

The series between the Indians and the White Sox will feature a righty-vs.-lefty pitching matchup, as Cleveland's Danny Salazar will face off against Chicago southpaw Derek Holland on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Indians will be looking to extend their win streak to eight games after sweeping the Angels and Blue Jays and winning a makeup game vs. Cincinnati.

Salazar will make only his second start since coming off the DL on Saturday. Even though it was his first start since May 27 -- and his first appearance in a Major League game since June 3 -- Salazar was dominant against the Blue Jays. He went seven scoreless innings and only allowed one hit, did not issue a walk and struck out eight en route to a no-decision.

With the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaching, the Indians believe that a returned-to-form Salazar is better than any other available on the market. The Tribe is hoping that the right-hander can resemble the 2016 All-Star version of himself that went 10-3 with a 2.75 ERA in first-half starts. Although Salazar has struck out 20 in two starts against the White Sox this season, he has gone 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings in those two outings.

Holland will make his 20th start of the campaign. In his last outing, the left-hander also was credited with a no-decision after going 4 2/3 innings and allowing three runs on four hits -- including three solo homers -- and three walks against the Royals on Sunday.

Holland will face an Indians' team that has gone 19-18 against left-handed starters this season. Holland will look to continue his success against the Indians this season, as he has gone 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts (12 innings) against Cleveland.

Since the beginning of June, 12.8 percent of batted balls against Holland have been barrels -- contact with the most damaging combination of exit velocity and launch angle according to Statcast. That's the highest rate among pitchers who have produced at least 100 batted balls during that time, and 13 of the 19 barrels against Holland have become home runs.

Three things to know about this game

• A big key to Salazar's success in his last outing was his four-seam fastball. Per Statcast, 53 of Salazar's 85 pitches were four-seamers. He registered 10 swinging strikes and nine called strikes with the pitch, and recorded five strikeouts with it. • White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has gone 8-for-21 (.381) with three homers, a double, four RBIs and seven strikeouts against Salazar in his career. • Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion has had success against Holland in his career, going 7-for-21 (.333) with three homers, two doubles, eight RBIs and two strikeouts.

Anthony Rizzo: More than talent needed for successful rebuild By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 27, 2017

Nearly eight months into their rebuild, the White Sox have accrued an eye-popping amount of young talent. The franchise continues to receive kudos even in trading a pair of relievers this week to add depth to what might be the best farm system in baseball.

But having the best farm system -- the White Sox have eight of MLBPipeline.com’s top 100 prospects -- won’t mean much until it’s realized.

Well versed on the subject having experienced it on his own, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo acknowledged before Thursday’s 6-3 win over the White Sox just how uncertain the rebuilding process can be. In Rizzo’s eyes, it wasn’t just talent that got the Cubs over the hump, it was timing, too.

“It happened fast, but it could have went the other way, too,” Rizzo said. “We’re lucky with how everything turned out. Plus, a lot of hard work has gone into it.”

Similar to Yoan Moncada’s arrival last week, Rizzo was the first [hyped prospect to be promoted] after Theo Epstein’s plan went into place. Acquired the previous winter from San Diego, Rizzo reached the majors midway through the 2012 season with the Cubs only a few months into their rebuild. The three-time All-Star didn’t know it at the time, but he was the first new face the Cubs would introduce to their audience. While Rizzo often [was aware of skepticism of Epstein’s plan], he said he never felt the same pressure from fans. Rizzo also said he can understand why not all the Cubs faithful were on board.

“I think I was naïve and happy to be back in the big leagues,” Rizzo said. “You’ve just got to focus on playing baseball and not worry about everything else that you can’t control.

“I didn’t feel (pressure) at all. I know people were calling for the upper front office’s jobs. But they had a plan and they had a vision and they preached it the entire time.”

“As a fan I can understand why you get upset because you want to win. As a fan of football or whatever sport, if my team doesn’t win, I get mad. But obviously they knew what they were doing.”

So far the White Sox fan base has been mostly supportive of Rick Hahn’s efforts and embraced the idea of building through the farm system. But not everyone is on board with a 25-man roster teardown that appears to have the club hurtling toward its first 100-loss season since 1970.

This week’s Crosstown series is a reminder there are tough times ahead for the White Sox.

The Cubs lost a combined 197 games in 2012 and 2013 and 89 games in 2014. The second half of the 2017 season could be extremely difficult for a White Sox club that has traded Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, Todd Frazier, Anthony Swarzak and Dan Jennings all since December.

Rizzo thinks the way the Cubs handled those difficulties played into their success in 2015 and 2016.

“It’s life,” Rizzo said. “There are tough times in anything. There are going to be good times and bad times so it’s all about how you approach it and how you handle it.

“We always knew the potential we had, it was just a matter of going out and doing it. Ball’s bouncing your way, calls going your way and staying together.”

Why Yoan Moncada's slow start with White Sox could soon be a thing of the past By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 27, 2017

Yoan Moncada wrapped up his first Crosstown Series — in front of the closest thing to a playoff atmosphere he’ll experience in, likely, a while — with an 0-4 showing in the White Sox 6-3 loss to the Cubs on Thursday.

The 22-year-old had mixed results facing the defending World Series champions, striking out four times in five at-bats on Monday and hitting his first career home run off Jake Arrieta on Wednesday. His final numbers for these four Crosstown games: 17 plate appearances, two hits, two walks, two runs, eight strikeouts and one hit by pitch.

Moncada is off to a slow start in his second stint in the majors, but he’s drawing plenty of walks (12.5 percent) and probably has been victimized by some bad luck (a .118 batting average on balls in play which, to say the least, is exceedingly low).

Manager Rick Renteria, though, likes Moncada’s even-keeled demeanor and his ability to handle the ups and downs of the day-to-day grind of the regular season.

“What he’s going to be able to do is minimize how much he gets wrapped up in frustration, as opposed to taking the at- bat, the last at-bat, going through pitch by pitch and trying to figure out what it was he wrapped in his approach,” Renteria said. “Younger players usually get very, very frustrated and lose that moment to gain some knowledge. Failure is not in and of itself a bad thing. It’s actually something that can produce a lot of positives. The thing is to try to get them to understand as quickly as possible so they can take those moments and gain information.

“That’s why his even-keeled approach and even-keeled attitude (will help). He’s got fire. It’s not that he doesn’t care. That’s where people — for a lot of players who are calm or even-keeled, they have fire, they have desire, but they know how to compartmentalize and separate those things and try to gain something from every moment, positive or negative.”

Moncada already took that clear-eyed approach to self-evaluation in the minor leagues, and said that hasn’t changed now that he’s at baseball’s highest level.

“I’m just keeping the same routine that I was using in the minors,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “And the whole year, I’m just keeping with the things that have been giving me results.”

There’s not much of a common thread between Moncada’s brief call-up with the last September and his first few games with the White Sox. Moncada was overmatched in his 2016 debut, striking out 12 times in 20 plate appearances and only drawing one walk. He had four hits, though, so his way-too-small-sample-size BABIP was .571.

Moncada looks like a different player this year, carrying over his strong Triple-A walk rate (13.6 percent) to his nascent tenure with the White Sox. Eventually, the hits are likely to start falling as long as he doesn’t get out of the approach that got him here — and made him baseball’s biggest prospect in the process.

“He’s been doing all the work that he has to do to adjust to this level,” first baseman Jose Abreu said through an interpreter. “He’s been doing his same routine from Triple-A and I think that’s something good because you have to stick with the things that are giving you good results.”

Aaron Bummer on what it's like to get called up to the majors By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 27, 2017

For Aaron Bummer, Thursday was far from a bummer.

While experience continues to pour out the door of the White Sox clubhouse, new opportunities arise with those exits. For the White Sox, openings seem to be arriving every other day and Bummer is the latest to get a chance after Dan Jennings was traded was the for minor-leaguer Casey Gillaspie on Thursday morning. Jennings is the sixth player traded by the White Sox since July 13 and the fourth reliever.

A left-handed reliever, Bummer started 2017 at Advanced-A Winston-Salem and on Thursday received his third promotion of the season, joining the White Sox before the finale of the Crosstown Cup. Bummer, who missed all of 2015 after he had Tommy John surgery, couldn’t quite believe he was standing in the White Sox clubhouse.

“It’s been kind of a crazy 15 months because about 12 months ago is when I made my debut back from TJ,” Bummer said. “Twelve months ago I was in rookie ball so it’s kind of a crazy turn of events. Could I have ever imagined this, absolutely not.

“To be here right now is unbelievable and an awesome feeling.”

The No. 28 prospect in the White Sox farm system, Bummer posted a 3.31 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 49 innings between Winston-Salem, Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. Bummer’s fastball grades at 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale, sitting between 95-97 mph and touching 99, according to MLBPipeline.com. He also features a 55-grade slider.

The one area that scouts suggest Bummer needs to answer is control as he’s walked 20 batters this season.

“You have to allow them to be who they are,” manager Rick Renteria said. “It’s still 90 feet to the bases, 60 feet, 6 inches to the bases. It’s kind of a cliché, the Hoosiers rule, it’s the same. “You have to go out and execute pitches and trust the skillset and do it.”

Bummer’s great experience began when he learned the news of his promotion late Wednesday. He awoke his parents, who flew in to Chicago on Thursday, with the news and also told his girlfriend he was headed for the majors.

“it was a whole bundle of emotions for all of us,” Bummer said. “I’ve never been in something like this. I know a lot of these guys since Spring Training. And kind of had that bond and that vibes we are all together and these guys are all good teammates and everybody is pulling for each other. At the end of the day we are all here to win games and hopefully we can do that.”

No fast lane to the Hall of Fame for speedster Tim Raines Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune | July 27, 2017

It took Tim Raines 10 years on the ballot to get into the Hall of Fame, a wait that coincided with the widespread acceptance of modern-day analytics as a more efficient way of comparing players.

The old conventional wisdom was Raines was just a great base stealer and leadoff hitter in an era when stealing bases was not that uncommon.

But with respected baseball writers like Jonah Keri and Jay Jaffe advancing his cause via articles showing Raines' all- around offensive brilliance using metrics like JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score system), Raines managed to garner enough votes to get in this year, his final year of eligibility.

On Sunday in Cooperstown, N.Y., the former Expos and White Sox outfielder will be inducted along with fellow players Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez, executive John Schuerholz and former Commissioner Bud Selig.

Raines wound up with 2,605 hits, well short of the 3,000-hit mark that generally green lights any player into the Hall. He was not a power hitter, so he was lumped in with other good outfielders who weren't Hall-worthy.

But he was also proficient at getting on base, earning 1,330 walks over his 23-year career for a lifetime .385 on-base percentage.

In the "Moneyball" era, OBP is one of the most treasured stats. Because Raines was also a prolific base stealer, with 808 stolen bases and an all-time high success rate of 84.7 percent, he finished with 1,571 runs, 54th on the all-time list.

So even though his numbers didn't improve after he retired, the new age of numbers-crunching opened the door for Raines, perhaps more than any other member of the Hall of Fame.

"I really think a lot of it because I think it compelled me to get into the Hall," Raines said. "I didn't really think too much about (the numbers) as a player. You know, I didn't really look at it that close and I think as a fan and as a baseball person, I was starting to see the way things are looked at in baseball, and now, it's really interesting."

Raines said if the analytics boom had started in his day, he might have gotten into the Hall much sooner.

"So it helped me tremendously," he said. "I think it played a really big role in my induction. … We wouldn't look at stats that much, but since all these new stats are coming out, I was kind of amazed (at) the things that I was able to do."

I voted for Raines all 10 years, but at the start I was in the minority of the eligible voters from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

It looked like a lost cause, and even Raines looked at the early vote totals and wondered if he was destined to fall short.

A player needs to be named on 75 percent of the ballots for induction. In his first year of eligibility in 2008, he was at 24 percent, and the next year he fell to 23 percent. He finally made it to 52 percent in his sixth year but fell back to 46 percent the next.

"I wouldn't say I was worried," he said. "I was concerned that maybe I didn't have enough time left or it would have put pressure on the writers to get me in even sooner, or if they felt like I had a chance.

"I mean I felt more encouraged (in 2016) that I went from 59 percent to 70 percent. And I think that kind of got me over the hump."

Raines was second to Rickey Henderson among the premier base stealers and leadoff men of his era. But Henderson was a no-brainer Hall of Famer, while Raines was considered borderline.

In truth, his playing style was much more important in the National League, where Raines played most of his prime years, because games were generally lower-scoring affairs without the designated hitter.

Raines and Henderson's careers overlapped, with both making their big-league debuts in 1979.

"I was a fan of Rickey and I kind of enjoyed watching him play and watching him do the things that he did," Raines said.

Raines didn't just steal bases to pad his totals.

He was the catalyst on some very good Expos teams with Andre Dawson and Gary Carter, and his speed was a vital ingredient of their offense. If the name of the game is scoring runs, Raines was doing exactly what needed to be done.

"I would say I stole bases to score runs, I stole bases for my team," he said. "I didn't really see it as an individual (stat)."

Bagwell was considered one of the best sluggers of his era, while Rodriguez was one of the greatest catchers ever. The only thing that could have kept either out of the Hall was steroid suspicions. Both have denied using PEDs, and the majority of voters obviously believed them, unlike , Roger Clemens and other all-time greats who have been kept out, at least for now.

For Raines, it was just a matter of hanging around the ballot long enough, having someone champion his cause and getting the respect he was long due.

The wait was worth it, even if it should have happened years ago.

New faces trying to bond in the White Sox bullpen Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune | July 27, 2017

The banter in the Chicago White Sox bullpen has taken a different turn this season — especially since the All-Star break.

"A lot of it is like, 'where are you from, where have you been, who have you met, who do you know and what have you done?'" newcomer Tyler Clippard said.

Since the break, the Sox have traded relievers Dan Jennings, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak and David Robertson and that has left the bullpen chock full of names like Aaron Bummer, Juan Minaya, Gregory Infante and Brad Goldberg, among others.

“I’m one of the new guys so I’m just trying to fit in,” said Clippard, who was acquired from the Yankees in the deal that sent Kahnle, Robertson and Todd Frazier to the Yankees. “A lot of us are new down there now. We’re going to have to just work together, talk and figure out how to go about it and get outs. That’s what everybody is focused on and we’re going to work as a group to establish ourselves in each role and progress.”

One of the few veterans in the pen, Jake Petricka, understands why he seemingly has a new teammate next to him every game. “It’s one of those things with the situation that we’re in but it’s also a good thing for the guys going out,” said Petricka, who pitched a scoreless inning in his return from the disabled during the Sox’s 6-3 loss to the Cubs on Thursday night. “They’re going to teams that are competing and get to fight for a title of some sort. It’s kind of bittersweet. It’s sad seeing teammates go but good for them too.”

As losses mount, White Sox must maintain focus — and optimism — on the future David Haugh / Chicago Tribune | July 27, 2017

At first glance, it's easy to see how the latest relief pitcher to walk through the revolving door of the White Sox clubhouse Thursday possessed a fitting name for the American League's worst team.

But Aaron Bummer's unlikely ascension deserves more than snark, especially given how gratified the 23-year-old left- hander was after Triple-A Charlotte pitching coach Steve McCatty pulled him out of the food line late Wednesday night.

"He told me what was happening and I just sat there with a dumbfounded smile on my face, spitting out gibberish,'' Bummer said. "It's a moment I'll never forget.''

Meanwhile, the Sox forgettable season continued at Guaranteed Rate Field against the Cubs, perhaps the last buzzworthy night of 2017 at 35th and Shields now that the City Series is over and Yoan Moncada has made his debut.

Scoreboard watching consists of checking if the Giants or Phillies lost in the race to the bottom for the No. 1 overall selection in baseball's 2018 amateur draft. Home attendance actually has increased — the Sox have averaged 22,244 fans in 2017, 416 more than in '16 — but now the real work begins for the promotions department. Nothing against Margaritaville Night, but the final two months of losing will test the attention span of South Siders who support the rebuild. If Sox attendance stays steady, chief marketing officer Brooks Boyer will receive votes for team MVP.

A true commitment to rebuilding includes using as many major-league players as possible to acquire minor-league talent and general manager Rick Hahn has succeeded well enough, so far, to put the Sox in prime position to draft their Kris Bryant next June. This is how you complete a tear-down, baseball style. A Sox team on pace to lose 98 games is staring at 100 losses, and things only threaten to get worse. Yet this looming reality should discourage nobody familiar with today's raze-it-to-build-it professional sports culture.

Sox veterans continue to vanish at a rapid pace, with Uber drivers practically double-parked in the players' lot until Monday's trade deadline passes. Since the All-Star break, Hahn has unloaded six players — at press time — hitting the bullpen particularly hard with four of them being relievers. Pitching coach missed Thursday's game with an illness, perhaps because his head was spinning.

Goodbye, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak and Dan Jennings, the latest arm to leave. Hello bullpen additions Tyler Clippard, Brad Goldberg, Jake Petricka, who returned from injury, and Bummer, who looked like a wide- eyed 12-year-old upon seeing his new home field.

"I dropped my jaw for a little bit,'' he said. "I'm just speechless.''

A year ago Thursday, Bummer was pitching for the Great Falls Voyagers, the Sox rookie league team. A year later, the lefty was striking out Anthony Rizzo in his MLB debut, cherishing the chance to prove himself like so many other unproven guys suddenly wearing the same uniform. Guys such as catcher Kevan Smith, 29, a Sox seventh-round pick in 2011.

"It's really hard to see proven big-league guys leave but, on the other hand, it opens up the door for opportunities for all of us,'' Smith said. "And that window is about as big as anything right now. We're working our butts off. We're going up against some tough teams but we're hoping to be that team in a couple of years where people say, 'Oh, man, we don't want to play the Sox.'''

Before teams can figure out how to win, they must learn to work and act like professionals, the phase in which the Sox find themselves during this transitional year. Smith, a former college quarterback at Pitt whose charisma makes him a potential clubhouse leader, considers himself fortunate to increase his baseball IQ catching veterans Mike Pelfrey and James Shields regardless of their ERA.

"As a young catcher in the big leagues, I'm like a sponge and always like, 'Why'd you do this or throw it there?''' Smith said. "I can transfer that to the younger guys.''

Even if those young guys need name tags so Smith can keep them straight. The constant traffic in and out of the bullpen just gives Smith more reason to engage them in conversation, which he relishes.

"I was just talking to another younger player about, obviously, we want to win but we have to trust the development process, that we're going to build a chemistry that's going to boom here in the next year or two,'' Smith said. "We're going through failure this year and I don't want to say it's accepted, but we know it's part of the growing pains. We're growing together as a core.''

At his core, Sox manager Rick Renteria knows this is what he signed up for when he replaced . Renteria realizes he is here to make the final 63 games more educational than excruciating for his last-place team, and with a smile.

"We inch closer to understanding how close we are and are very optimistic,'' Renteria said after the latest deal. "I still have to continue to embrace every single man who's with us now. We have to figure out what kind of pieces they're going to be in the future.''

Only the possibility of that future keeps the young Sox from feeling too bummed.

White Sox rookie Willy Garcia homers in return to big leagues Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | July 27, 2017

The White Sox exchanged Garcias in right field Thursday night, and Willy Garcia did his best to make his return worthwhile during a 6-3 loss to the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox recalled Garcia from Triple-A Charlotte before the fourth game of the City Series to take the place of Avisail Garcia, who was placed on the disabled list with a strained ligament in his right thumb.

Willy Garcia started his night by making a running catch of Kris Bryant's fly ball to the fence to end the third inning. In the bottom of the third, he hit his second career homer off Cubs left-hander Jon Lester.

The solo shot to center on a 3-2 count gave the Sox a short-lived 1-0 lead.

"In the beginning it's kind of tough, but you get to know your role in the team," Garcia said before the game through a team interpreter. "I learned a lot from my experience here. I learned how to be more patient at the plate in my at-bats. I tried to apply that in Charlotte too. I was able to make the adjustment, and I'm here now."

This is Garcia's third stint with the Sox. He played two games in mid-April, when the Sox debuted their all-Garcia outfield — Willy, Leury and Avisail. He also was with the Sox from May 2 to July 10, and he batted .259 with five doubles, three triples, a homer and 10 RBIs in 35 games.

"They all want to be here, and they all want to be a part of this," Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "I think he's coming back a much more mature person. Every time you get up and you go back down and you come back up, you grow."

The Sox optioned Garcia to Charlotte on the first day of the All-Star break, and he returned after four trades involving six veteran players. The Sox stumbled to their 12th loss in 13 games in his return, then watched the Cubs take a photo with the Crosstown Cup on their field after the game.

On a night when starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey gave up five earned runs, including two homers, reliever David Holmberg hit Jon Jay on the helmet with a pitch and reliever Aaron Bummer gave up Kyle Schwarber's second homer of the game in Bummer's major-league debut, Sox fans were in need of Garcia's highlights.

Jose Abreu also homered twice, including a monster 454-foot shot to left off Lester. And Bummer's night wasn't without positives. He struck out Anthony Rizzo for his first big-league out.

Renteria lightened the mood to start his postgame news conference by making a statement with a knowing smile.

"The big question is, how does it feel to hand over the Cup?" Renteria said to laughter from media members. "Not very good. Not very good."

Despite struggles, White Sox keeping the faith in Anderson Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 27, 2017

As rough as Tim Anderson’s second major-league season is going, he’s not counting down the weeks to the end.

There is more to play through, more to learn about playing shortstop with mechanical issues to work through and more time is needed to get acclimated to rookie second baseman Yoan Moncada. He also needs to learn how opposing pitchers are attacking him and swing at more of his pitches than theirs.

There are concerns about Anderson’s performance, and they seem warranted. After all, he leads all of baseball with 22 errors. His hitting line of .239/.261/.356 with nine homers isn’t striking much fear into pitching staffs. And at times he has been out of it mentally.

But Anderson, who made hard contact twice but went 0-for-4 as the Sox’ leadoff man Thursday, is determined to grind through August and September and turn his arrow upward heading into the offseason and into next year.

“Things could be worse,’’ said Anderson, who hit .283 in his first season in 2016. “Someone is going through worse times than I am. It’s an honor and blessing to have the guys and coaches in my corner, keeping me going every day.

“I’m at a point where I’m learning myself. Take this year, ball it all up and put it in one hole and learn from it. It has showed me who I am.’’

Anderson knows he will never forget 2017, which began with a celebratory $25 million extension during spring training. When close friend Branden Moss, the godfather of his young daughter, was murdered in May, the smile ran away from his face, and he plunged to an emotional low.

Anderson took it hard. He still does. But it’s getting better.

“Early on, especially, yes,’’ Anderson said. “Now I’m looking at a brighter side of it and playing for him, trying to bring the excitement back, having more fun and getting back to who I was.’’

While he’s not the only player to have real-life, off-the-field issues to deal with, general manager Rick Hahn, for one, sees Anderson’s hardship as well beyond ordinary.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a player in my time with the club that’s been as affected by off-the-field occurrences as Timmy has this year,’’ Hahn said. “We knew as a young player still adjusting to the major leagues that there were going to be some fits and starts in his development. Everything he’s had to deal with, both with the league adjusting to him and the off-the- field issues that he’s had to endure, has made it a tough year for him.

“But the talent is still there, we still think he’s going to continue to improve each year with more and more repetition and very much view him as being an important part of our future.”

Anderson, 23, is viewed as one of the definite pieces of the Sox’ rebuild who is already here, unless he plays himself out of it.

One scout who was high on the 2013 first-round draft pick last year hasn’t wavered, saying, give him time, he was brought up through the minors too fast.

Said another: “He’s really a good player. He’s just going through one of those periods right now. He’s trying to figure it out, and he can’t figure it out. But he’ll come back. He’s a great athlete.’’

The Sox, who envision the Anderson-Moncada tandem in the middle of the diamond for years to come, are banking on it.

“You can always learn,’’ Anderson said. “Ask questions if you don’t know. I’m kind of glad this happened to me early on because it’s definitely going to help me the rest of the way.’’

White Sox bring up lefty Aaron Bummer, OF Willy Garcia Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 27, 2017

The White Sox called up left-hander Aaron Bummer and outfielder Willy Garcia from Class AAA Charlotte Thursday, Bummer to replace lefty Dan Jennings and Garcia to fill the outfield void left by Avisail Garcia, who was placed on the 10- day disabled list with a sprained right thumb.

Bummer, 23, who has no major league experience, has made 20 combined appearances between Class AA Birmingham and Charlotte this season, going 1-3 with a 2.84 ERA, three saves and 39 strikeouts.

Willy García, 24, is batting .259 with one home run and 10 RBI in 35 games over two stints with the Sox this season. He was hitting .286 a .396 on-base percentage and five homers, 20 RBI in 31 games for Charlotte.

Manager Rick Renteria inserted Garcia in his all-right-handed starting lineup to face the Cubs and lefty Jon Lester Thursday:

Tim Anderson SS, Melky Cabrera LF, Jose Abreu 1B, Matt Davidson 3B, Tyler Saladino DH, Yoan Moncada 2B, Willy Garcia RF, Kevan Smith C, CF.

Mike Pelfrey starts for the Sox.

Bummer will wear uniform No. 70. He will be the second Sox to wear No. 70, joining left-hander Rich Sauveur in 1996.

Chicago White Sox's bullpen reeling Scot Gregor / Chicago Sun-Times | July 27, 2017

As much as I'd like to forget, I remember spring training in 1995.

With major leaguers still on strike from the '94 season, owners decided to carry on with "replacement" players.

At a glance: After four straight games vs. the defending World Series champion Cubs, the schedule doesn't get much easier for the rebuilding White Sox. The defending American League champion Indians are in town this weekend, and Cleveland is 5-4 vs. the Sox this season. After a sluggish first half, the Indians have won seven in a row and finally are putting it all together. Cleveland ranks second in the AL with a 3.73 ERA and fourth with 487 runs scored. Holland is 1-6 with an 8.18 ERA and 17 home runs allowed in his last 10 starts.

That turned the spring of 1995 into a bizarre tryout camp, and one day in particular a bunch of sleep-depraved kids chugged in from Michigan, pulled a beat-up station wagon into the Chicago White Sox's complex in Sarasota, Florida, and asked me where to report.

Flash forward to the current season, and here come the flashbacks.

Every day, or so it seems, a new player reports to the Sox trying to prove he belongs. More often than not, it's a relief pitcher.

"We welcome everyone who is joining us after these changes have occurred," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "They know what's in front of them. If anything is to be said, we'll figure it out."

There's not much to say to Sox fans right now, expect keep your eyes on the future.

As for the present, general manager Rick Hahn traded left-handed relief pitcher Dan Jennings to Tampa Bay Thursday morning for minor-league first baseman Casey Gillaspie.

Anthony Swarzak was traded to Milwaukee on Wednesday, and David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle were dealt to the Yankees last week.

Add in Zach Putnam and Nate Jones being out for the season following elbow surgeries, and Jake Petricka is your lone White Sox reliever left from the beginning of the season.

Petricka, who has missed most of the year with a lat strain and elbow strain, is going to do his best to help new bullpen mates like Brad Goldberg, David Holberg, Gregory Infante, Juan Minaya and Aaron Bummer, who arrived from Class AAA Charlotte Thursday and was greeted by a Kyle Schwarber home run in his major-league debut.

In their last 100⅓ innings, Sox relievers have allowed 57 runs (5.11 ERA).

"I mean, it's the same game," Petricka said. "Just like if you're in the minors playing at Double-A, waiting for your call to go to Triple-A, and from Triple-A, the big leagues. The guys we got down in Triple-A and some already up here, it's not going to take long.

"Rick (Hahn's) been doing an amazing job with the rebuild, and I think it'll be quicker than anyone thinks."

That might be wishful thinking at this juncture, especially for a bullpen that is going to be taxed by a Sox rotation that has not been able to work deep into games at any point this season.

"There are certain things we can control for the most part," Renteria said. "What I have to control now is how we use these guys. They're going to get opportunities; they're showing everybody what they're capable of doing. They're also recognizing there are things they have to correct and improve on.

"Not every opportunity is going to be flawless, I can't say that. But we hope they give us a chance to minimize damage when we use all of our relievers in different situations."

While losing their third straight to the Cubs on Thursday night after winning Monday's interleague opener, the White Sox's highlight was Jose Abreu's 2 home runs.

"This guy, this man, has been continually gaining the respect of his teammates," Renteria said, lauding Abreu's leadership. "When little things happen or there's been change, I think he's taken a much more vocal role in communicating with his teammates. He's asserted himself extremely well."

Willy Garcia gets another shot to show Chicago White Sox he belongs Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | July 27, 2017

Until top prospects such as Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert and arrive, likely sometime in 2019 or '20, the Chicago White Sox are going to need outfielders.

"You look at the (low Class A) Kannapolis and (high A) Winston-Salem rosters, you do see a high amount of our higher level, higher pedigree, higher regarded prospects on those two rosters," Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "So there is going to be, perhaps, a couple of years gap or an 18-month gap before you start seeing the effects of those rosters in Chicago.

"The result is there will be a chance for certain guys to establish themselves, show that they're part of what we're trying to build for the long term. I love the idea of us, potentially down the road, having to make difficult choices between a guy who's performed very well at the big-league level and a top-tier prospect who's forcing the issue. That's a good problem to have."

Willy Garcia rejoined the White Sox's 25-man roster from Class AAA Charlotte on Thursday, replacing the injured Avisail Garcia (thumb).

This is Willy Garcia's third stint with the Sox this season, and he's trying to make it permanent.

"I don't know about all the things that the team has to handle," Garcia said through a translator. "The only thing I can control is to perform at my best every time the manager calls me into the game. That's where my focus is right now."

Garcia started against the Cubs on Thursday night and had a big third inning.

In the top half, he made a nice running catch in right field to take away extra bases from Kris Bryant. Garcia led off the bottom of the third with a home run off Jon Lester to give the Sox the early lead.

Dream come true:

The White Sox needed a new relief pitcher after trading Dan Jennings on Thursday, and Aaron Bummer was floored after getting the call from Triple-A.

"I was getting food last night in Charlotte, and (pitching coach) Steve McCatty came over and grabbed me, took me out of the food line into our manager's office," Bummer said. "He told me what was happening and I just sat there with a dumbfounded smile on my face, not really knowing what to expect, just spitting out gibberish.

"It's a moment I'll never forget. I thank the White Sox and everybody for this opportunity."

Bummer, who has never pitched in the major leagues, made 20 combined appearances (1 start) with AA Birmingham and Charlotte this season. The 23-year-old lefty was 1-3 with a 2.84 ERA.

Quintana grateful:

Traded to the Cubs on July 13, Jose Quintana didn't pitch against the Sox in the four-game interleague series.

Quintana did get a video tribute and standing ovation Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. As usual, he was humbled by the attention.

"It was exciting," Quintana said. "I almost cried. It was a surprise for me, and I appreciate the organization giving me that. It was a good time for me and thank you, fans, I appreciate everything they did for me."

Baseball’s Biggest Teardown Could Provide New Blueprint The Chicago White Sox have embarked on a scorched-earth rebuild that could set a new standard for how to repair a struggling franchise Jared Diamond / Wall Street Journal | July 26, 2017

About this time last year, Rick Hahn stood in front of the Chicago media corps and uttered the phrase that could come to define his tenure as White Sox general manager: “mired in mediocrity.” Hahn had used the news conference to announce that the White Sox, a franchise stuck in neutral despite repeated bold attempts to contend, needed a significant change. He also gave baseball on the South Side a memorable slogan.

“Once I finished, our VP of communications said, ‘You had to use alliteration? You know that alliteration is going to be what’s taken away,” Hahn said in a recent interview. “But it was heartfelt. Although inadvertent, it was reflective of the conversations I had with others around the organization expressing similar frustrations with annually trying to patch this thing together, instead of trying to build something sustainable for an extended period of time.”

Since then, the White Sox have embarked on a scorched-earth rebuild that could set a new standard for how to repair a struggling franchise.

In December, they traded ace Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for a package that featured Yoan Moncada, perhaps the sport’s best prospect, and Michael Kopech, a pitcher who throws over 100 mph. A day later, they shipped outfielder Adam Eaton to the for three more prospects, including former first-round draft pick .

Then in the past two weeks, they blew the rest up, swinging deals with the and that netted them seven more minor-leaguers in exchange for star lefty Jose Quintana, infielder Todd Frazier and relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle. And there could still be more to come before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

The White Sox, the American League’s worst team, have already acquired 15 prospects in trades over the last eight months, including three ranked in the top 12 in baseball by MLB.com. That, coupled with the signing of heralded outfielder Luis Robert, a 19-year-old from Cuba, has turned a unremarkable White Sox farm system into arguably the industry’s best—a stunningly rapid turnaround.

The promise of that future has started to arrive. The White Sox promoted Moncada last week to replace Frazier, with others likely to follow in the next year or two.

“We’re certainly pleased with how things have started off in this process,” Hahn said. “We know it’s going to take time, and we know we still have a lot of work to do.”

At this point, it’s impossible to deny that Chicago’s current approach—one that Hahn and executive vice president Ken Williams advocated for heavily—works.

The Cubs, the reigning World Series champions, and the , the AL’s best team, proved as much. Under the direction of progressive, data-driven leaders, both franchises opted to completely dismantle their rosters in order to rebuild from the ground up, enduring several seasons of misery to accumulate enormous amounts of talent.

Whether you call it “tanking” or simply a sound strategy, this much seems clear: The most successful rebuilds are the most aggressive rebuilds. Organizations that try to tread water drown; the ones that survive dive into the water headfirst.

After all, whether the White Sox lose 100 games or 85 games in a given season, the result is the same: They miss the playoffs. At least the 100-loss season leads to a coveted high draft pick, one of the few ways for teams to acquire potential stars before their primes. It’s that realization that has made these kinds of rebuilds more prevalent.

“When you look over the history of the draft, the majority of the impact players come from a certain area of it,” general manager Mike Hazen said. Not long ago, the White Sox thought they had the foundation of a championship team already in place. They had a formidable duo at the top of the rotation in Sale and Quintana, a proven closer in Robertson and powerful sluggers in Frazier and first baseman Jose Abreu.

The White Sox felt vindicated when they opened 2016 with a record of 24-14, but they quickly fell apart, going 54-70 the rest way, prompting their current trajectory.

By the time Hahn dealt Sale and Eaton, Frazier said he knew that if the White Sox didn’t jump out to a hot start, “Some things are going to happen.” Once Quintana was traded, Frazier recognized it was only a matter of time. “I said, ‘All right, who’s next?’” Frazier said. “It was a flip of a coin between a couple guys.” It turned out that the problem wasn’t with Chicago’s top players. The problem was with everybody else, something Hahn described as a “lack of organizational depth.”

With few reinforcements in the minors, the White Sox tried—and failed—to add talent around their core. It resulted in one of the most top-heavy teams in the majors, giving them a true stars-and-scrubs roster. In the past, that might have worked. Not anymore.

“Look at the Cubs’ roster and the Astros’ roster, teams that have had recent success: They had depth,” Hahn said. “There’s a lot of premium talent on those rosters and they have important depth throughout the system where there isn’t much of a dropoff.”

In Hahn’s ideal world, the White Sox might have gotten here sooner. He acknowledged that there have been other moments where he and Williams proposed a total rebuild, as the team heads toward its fifth straight losing season.

A few years ago, the White Sox fan base might not have been quite so understanding. The same goes for longtime owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who at age 81 is quick to remind Hahn that he “is in a little different position in terms of the patience he has to show in the short term,” Hahn said.

The difference now is that the idea doesn’t sound so crazy. Fans are more receptive to this approach than ever before, Hahn said, because they “have seen the success of similar such processes around the league.”

So this time, the White Sox tore everything down and started over, a clear sign of a change in attitude. The Astros and Cubs opened the door for the rest of the league—and the White Sox waltzed right through it.

“We weren’t sure how it was going to be received,” Hahn said. “Even if, for whatever reason, fans didn’t take to it, we believe it’s going to be short-term suffering for long-term benefit.”