WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF FEBRUARY 17, 2017 “Giolito proud to come from family of actors” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “White Sox emphasizing location with Kopech” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Shields confident he'll bounce back in 2017” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “All-Out Effort Results in On-Time Arrival to White Sox Camp for Cory Luebke” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Carlos Rodon to Start Throwing for White Sox on Friday” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “‘ Embraces White Sox Rebuild as He Tries to Rebound” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “As an 11-Year-Old Cubs Fan, Rick Hahn Wrote GM Dallas Green Suggesting Some Moves — And Green Wrote Back” … Chuck Garfien, CSN Chicago “White Sox infielder Carlos Sanchez changes his name” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Time for White Sox veteran James Shields to start living up to his billing” … Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune “White Sox’ Michael Kopech throws heat but doesn’t know its spark” … Rick Morrissey, Chicago Sun- Times “Carlos Rodon set to begin throwing Friday… Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Embracing White Sox ‘rebuild,’ Shields puts 2016 behind himrumors” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Cooper to White Sox prospect Kopech: Ease up on the gas” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Shields looks to hit reset button with ” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “White Sox Rebuild May Be Painful, But It Also Brings Relief” … Tim Baffoe, CBS Chicago “James Shields Looks To Rebound From Disastrous 2016 Season” … Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago

Giolito proud to come from family of actors Right-hander's grandfather was on iconic series 'Seinfeld' By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If had followed the path traveled by his family, he might be getting ready for the Academy Awards instead of the 2017 Major League season.

Reviewing dailies at some exotic locale would be more likely than throwing bullpen sessions at Camelback Ranch. He would be taking cues from Martin Scorsese instead of White Sox pitching .

But the acting bug never overtook MLBPipeline.com's No. 11 overall prospect.

Giolito's father, Rick, has 10 acting credits on his IMDB page including "As the World Turns," "Hunter," "Who's the Boss," "Jake and the Fatman" and "Twin Peaks." Giolito's mother, Lindsay Frost, features 49 credits dating back to "Hill Street Blues" in 1983. She also acted on "As the World Turns," as well as "Crossing Jordan," "Boston Legal" and "Without a Trace."

Lindsay's brother, Mark, is the co-creator of "Twin Peaks," and her brother, Scott, is a writer that has worked on "Twin Peaks," "Flipper" and "Andromeda." Then there's Giolito's grandfather, Warren Frost, who played Susan's father in the iconic comedy series "Seinfeld." "It never interested me," Giolito said of acting. "I even remember I did a school play when I was in like the fourth grade, one of those really short low-key ones, where you don't have to learn many lines.

"I didn't feel comfortable doing it then. It was never for me. I just loved baseball ever since I was a little kid playing T-ball at 5 years old."

During his first interview when and catchers reported on Tuesday, Giolito was asked about using the "Seinfeld" theme as his warmup music. The 6-foot-6 right-hander laughed and deferred, admitting he has to catch up on the show and learn about Prickly Pete, Snoopy and George's solarium in The Hamptons from an episode entitled "The Wizard," involving his grandfather.

"Guys are always asking about my grandfather being on Seinfeld and everything, which is awesome," Giolito said. "I know it's one of the best sitcoms ever, but I haven't seen enough of Seinfeld to get all the references.

"Reporters ask about it. Whenever a teammate or coach finds out, like [Cooper] asked me, I was talking with him on the phone, and he was like, 'I think I read somewhere that it was your grandfather on Seinfeld,' and I was like, 'Yes he was.' He was excited to hear that as a Seinfeld fan, as well."

Lucas' brother, Casey, turns 18 in May and is currently applying to theater programs in an attempt to join the family business. Lucas has nothing but pride for his family's accomplishments, something that actually is helping him handle part of his Major League dream.

"When I was a kid, I used to run lines with my mom when she had auditions. So talking with media has never been an issue," Giolito said. "I learned a lot from my mom growing up. The acting, writing, that talent in the family is fantastic.

"I'm glad I was able to grow up with it. I was able to learn a lot about that kind of side of the world, I guess you could say."

White Sox emphasizing location with Kopech Rodon set to begin spring throwing program on Friday By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper has an early message for Michael Kopech, the hard thrower who is the No. 16 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, after three days of workouts: Don't do everything at 100 percent, because it's going to be a long spring.

"Every single pitch, he's trying to throw the [heck] out of it, to tell you the truth," Cooper said.

"That's something I have trouble grasping," Kopech said. "I'm a guy who likes to do everything 100 percent. He was basically telling me, 'Relax a little bit, settle in, hit the glove.'"

Kopech needs to show the ability to do that to Cooper, who readily acknowledges the right-hander's immense talent but added he doesn't need to bring his A-game on practice days. Cooper wants to see how well Kopech can throw the ball where he needs to throw it, preaching fastballs away, gloveside, in the early going.

"Part of it, too, is I'm here trying to impress people on a new club," Kopech said. "He was basically putting my mind at ease, saying, 'Hey, you're not going to win anything right away. Just get settled in, get comfortable.' That's something I'm going to have to grasp the concept of."

"Some guys can throw it 95," Cooper said. "Some guys throw it 85. It has to do with throwing the ball to the glove with movement. What good is a tremendous arm if you are not going to throw it over? He's just starting. He just got on the ride. He's going to be getting a good look-see, because he's obviously a big part of our future." Rodon to start throwing on Friday Carlos Rodon's 2017 Spring Training is scheduled to get going on Friday, according to Cooper and .

"He's throwing tomorrow," Renteria said following Thursday's workouts.

"Yeah, tomorrow his program will start," Cooper said.

Through the first three days of camp, the 24-year-old Rodon was yet to throw. Not off the mound, not playing catch and not even to first base in pitchers' fielding practice. The left-hander isn't experiencing any soreness and isn't injured, according to the White Sox, who plan to go slowly with Rodon during Spring Training, which is extended by the World Baseball Classic.

"We've got a whole lot of time, and we are going to take our time with him," Cooper said. "He's fine. He's good. We are not going to ask somebody to do something if they are not [good]."

"It's a long spring," Renteria said. "He's a guy that we're going to try to control and make sure we measure his workload so that we have him as much as we can during the season." Sanchez explains name change

Yolmer Carlos Javier Sanchez Yanez stands as the full name of the White Sox utility infielder formerly known as Carlos Sanchez. So Sanchez simply decided to switch to his first name. He will now go by Yolmer Sanchez.

"My dad's name is Carlos, so everybody used to call me Carlito, like little Carlos," Sanchez said. "I just want to use my first name. It's something different. I don't know if anybody has that name, so I'll do something different with my new name.

"Same guy, but different name. I'm going to work hard. I'm waiting for the opportunity. Something different, something new. New year, new expectations for me."

Sanchez enters camp in contention for the final position-player spot on the White Sox Opening Day roster. The switch-hitter has a career .224 average over 687 plate appearances.

Fulmer maintains ace friendship Despite now being with the Red Sox, Carson Fulmer won't forget the southpaw reaching out to him prior to his first big league camp last year and making him feel comfortable.

"The accolades that he had and the success he had is one thing, but who he was to me and the younger guys and the impact he had in our clubhouse was special," Fulmer said. "I'll always continue to have a relationship with him and stay in contact with him.

"He's still a friend. Obviously he'll be on the other side of the field, but nothing has changed. He's an amazing guy and someone I'll always look up to."

Shields confident he'll bounce back in 2017 Right-hander struggled after being traded to White Sox last June By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- After 11 years in the Majors and 2,294 1/3 , along with a .534 winning percentage, 3.91 ERA, 23 complete games and 1,977 , James Shields believes his career numbers speak volumes.

"I have nothing to prove. Nothing to prove," Shields said on Thursday at Camelback Ranch. "I think my career speaks for itself."

Nothing to prove, aside from wanting to show how much better he can be than the 22-start struggle that the right-hander endured with the South Siders after being traded from San Diego last season. Shields led White Sox pitchers with 31 home runs allowed in 114 1/3 innings.

Shields yielded 139 hits and walked 55 after the trade, and his ERA was 6.77. He certainly wanted to pitch better and remains an intense competitor at 35 years old. He does know how to come back from a bad season, though. He posted a 5.18 ERA with the Rays in 2010, only to produce a 2.82 ERA in '11. Of course that turnaround happened 1,067 1/3 innings and 167 starts ago.

"That's not the first time I've had a rough season," Shields said. "I've been in the game a long time, and I know how to combat that. I worked real hard in the offseason, worked on some things in the gym, and I'm ready to go.

"Sometimes those things happen, but unfortunately it happened too often. But this season I'm feeling good. I've got a lot of confidence right now in my ability and what I did this offseason, and I'm going to carry it on."

White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper and Shields agree that the right-hander tried a little too hard out of the gates with the White Sox, pushing to be that missing rotation piece needed for playoff contention. His altered mental state eventually caused too many physical mistakes on the mound.

"I'm not really worried about last season," Shields said. "Just putting that in the back of my mind and moving forward."

"We need to see more of the good ones and kick out some of the lemons he had," Cooper said. "I'm hoping last year was an aberration. He still has everything he needs stuff-wise to get people out. He has movement. He has a great . He commands that fastball. We're hoping for a whole lot better for sure. And I'm sure he is, too."

All-Out Effort Results in On-Time Arrival to White Sox Camp for Pitcher Cory Luebke By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Cory Luebke kept his word and reported to White Sox camp on time after the birth of his first child earlier this week. All it took was a 24-hour drive from Nashville, Tenn., to Phoenix to make it happen.

Luebke told White Sox manager Rick Renteria he would make every effort to report for the team's first workout on Tuesday. But he wasn't sure how he'd pull it off as his wife remained in the hospital until late Sunday night after giving birth to their son.

After weighing their options, Luebke and his father decided driving was the best choice. So they put the pitcher's two dogs in the family truck at 3 a.m. on Monday and the two alternated between driving and sleeping for 24 consecutive hours, only stopping for gas and restroom breaks. Several days later, Luebke, a non-roster invitee to camp who threw his second bullpen session on Thursday, said he has finally caught up on sleep.

"So me and my dad started packing later Sunday night, trying to look at some flights and said, 'Hey, screw it, let's get in the truck and we can be there tomorrow,'" Luebke said. "It wasn't too bad. Dad took the first five or six (hours), and I took the next part. Drove, napped, drove, napped, got here, made it to my physical."

The length Luebke went to arrive on time shouldn't come as a surprise given what he's endured since May 2012.

Luebke, 31, was two months into a contract extension with the that could have paid him nearly $28 million and pitching extremely well when he needed reconstructive elbow surgery.

In September 2013, Luebke's rehab assignment was shut down after several bullpen sessions, and in February 2014 he required a second surgery after doctors found another tear and that his first surgery didn't take. The Ohio State product was primed to pitch again in 2015 — he made seven appearances in the Padres' farm system — before a staph infection ended his season.

Luebke persisted despite his troubles and made the ' Opening Day roster in 2016, pitching in nine games before he was sent to Triple-A. Though he struggled in the majors, Luebke found a rhythm at Indianapolis, posting a 2.45 ERA in 18 1/3 innings with 29 strikeouts.

"Just looking back, I probably wasn't quite ready yet," Luebke said. "Stuff was good, (the Pirates) liked the upside they saw. Had my old stuff back, just wasn't locating well. After that first month I went down to Triple-A for a few months and it all started to come back."

Luebke has continued to feel well this offseason and signed a minor league deal with the White Sox in January. FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman said Luebke would earn $1 million if he makes the big league roster. Given how good he feels, it's no wonder Luebke wanted to get to camp as quickly as possible. The White Sox could potentially keep a second left-handed reliever this season, and Luebke is in the mix.

But Luebke's son, Jackson, didn't arrive until eight days after his due date. In labor for 30 hours starting last Wednesday, Luebke's wife had a C-section. While the couple's child was healthy, the procedure resulted in complication's for Luebke's wife.

"The first few hours I didn't know how to feel because you look over one way and you've got a baby boy and he's doing great and you look over the other way and see your wife struggling," Luebke said. "It was tough. But it all worked out, and they're doing good now."

Roughly three hours after they arrived home Sunday night, the player, his dad and the dogs headed for Phoenix after packing. Luebke's mother stayed in Nashville to help out his wife and the baby, who are expected to join him later this spring. In the meantime, Luebke has spent much of the first few days in camp on FaceTime or looking at baby pictures. He also has managed to catch up on rest after five sleepless nights, which he said left him in a dream-like state.

Despite being a little out of it, Renteria said Luebke has looked good in camp so far.

"He's starting to hit his spots," Renteria said. "He looks like he's progressing to where he's ultimately going to be where he was previously, hopefully."

The team's new manager also said he was surprised to see Luebke report on time. Luebke, who was with the Padres at the same time as Renteria, had been in constant contact with his former coach and kept him apprised of the situation.

"He said he was going to make every effort and he did," Renteria said.

Carlos Rodon to Start Throwing for White Sox on Friday By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Carlos Rodon’s throwing program is expected to begin on Friday after a slight planned delay.

The White Sox have asked their young starting pitcher refrain from throwing activity for each of the first three days in camp in an effort to combat a lengthier spring training schedule. The 2017 spring training calendar includes a handful of extra days so players could prepare for the World Baseball Classic.

Rodon is one of several pitchers the White Sox are measuring out, according to manager Rick Renteria.

Instead of having Rodon throw the entire time in camp, the White Sox asked him to limit his activity early because they need him to carry a heavier workload this season. Rodon went 9-10 with a 4.04 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 165 innings pitched last season.

“Ease him into it a little bit,” pitching coach Don Cooper said. “With the World Classic, we are here (44 days). We’ve got a whole lot of time and we are going to take our time with him.

“He’s throwing tomorrow. Tomorrow his program starts like I said. He’s fine. He’s good. He’s good. He’s good. We are not going to ask somebody to do something if they are not.”

The White Sox operated the same way with Chris Sale last spring. Cooper held Sale out of exhibition games until mid-March, preferring to have him work in extended bullpen sessions and simulated games. The schedule allowed for more focused work, Cooper said. Sale sang the schedule’s praises throughout the season, saying he felt refreshed.

The White Sox need Rodon to step up in Sale’s absence. The hope is he can provide the team with 180- 200 innings pitched. Rodon threw a combined 149 1/3 innings in 2015 and slightly increased that total last season.

While most of his teammates have spent the first three days playing catch, participating in bullpens and taking pitcher’s fielding practice, Rodon’s schedule has been limited. The left-hander has spent the warmup time talking to coaches and hasn’t even thrown the ball to first during PFP’s.

But Cooper, Rodon and Renteria have said all week that the pitcher is healthy and working on an individual schedule.

“There are certain guys we’re going to be measuring in terms of their work and as soon as we get that structured out there in the longer format we’ll get them out there and do what we need them to do,” Renteria said on Tuesday.

James Shields Embraces White Sox Rebuild as He Tries to Rebound By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — James Shields wants to move on from last year's nightmare season and he's excited to do so for the rebuilding White Sox.

During his career, Shields has pitched for several rebuilding clubs and has discovered that he likes to provide an example for his younger teammates. The veteran — who has pitched more innings than any other starter in baseball since 2007 — has no issues if the White Sox ask the same of him this season. Many of those teammates would be better served if they kept a close eye on how Shields conducted himself during a trying 2016 campaign.

Shields, who was traded to the White Sox in June, finished with 19 losses, 40 home runs allowed and a 5.85 ERA. He went 4-12 with a 6.77 ERA in 114 1/3 innings for the White Sox.

"I wish it could have been better," Shields said. "There's no doubt about it. I'm a competitor and I don't like to lose and I don't like to get hit around like that. Shocking factor? Not really. Sometimes those things happen, but unfortunately it happened too often. But this season I'm feeling good. I've got a lot of confidence right now in my ability and what I did this offseason and I'm going to carry it on."

Shields was acquired from the San Diego Padres on June 4. Not only was he brought in to boost a sagging White Sox rotation, there was hope he could be one of the final pieces of the puzzle to help them reach the postseason for the first time since 2008.

But fresh off a public lambasting by the Padres' Ron Fowler — one of two shots the chairman took at him during the season — Shields struggled. He allowed 21 runs in 8 2/3 innings in his first three starts with the White Sox.

Pitching coach Don Cooper thinks all of those factors resulted in Shields getting away from the pitcher who has led all of baseball with 2,169 2/3 innings since 2007. Cooper also thinks Shields still has the stuff to rebound in 2017.

"He was traded midseason, trade deadline, after getting hammered by the owner out there," Cooper said. "It couldn't have been a great situation. He comes to a new team, with us, trying to impress, trying to really want to jump in there and help, tried to do a lot more than he was capable of doing. He wasn't there. It didn't turn out the way he wanted it to.

"He still has everything he needs stuff-wise to get people out. He has movement. He has a great changeup. He commands that fastball. We're hoping for a whole lot better for sure. And I'm sure he is, too."

Shields certainly arrived in camp in the right frame of mind. Having played for the for the first seven seasons of his career, Shields isn't one to shy away from a potential rebuild. He likes showing younger pitchers how to handle themselves over the course of a major league season and sees a lot of potential in the prospects the White Sox acquired.

"I'm smiling because I've been a part of rebuilds quite a bit," Shields said. "So for me, I love it. I absolutely love it. I love having the young kids, being a veteran, being a leader on the team and showing these guys what is all about. I've been very successful with the teams I've been on with the rebuilds. We've got a good group of guys. Lot of young talent, lot of good talent and I'm excited to see these guys.”

As an 11-Year-Old Cubs Fan, Rick Hahn Wrote GM Dallas Green Suggesting Some Moves — And Green Wrote Back By Chuck Garfien / CSN Chicago | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Rick Hahn spends just about every waking moment trying to rebuild the White Sox. As the team’s general manager, his mission in life is to bring another title to the South Side.

Growing up in Winnetka, Hahn had a much different desire.

He wanted to see the Cubs win a championship, and as an 11-year-old kid, he went to great lengths attempting to make it happen.

In 1982, as the Cubs were in the midst of an 89-loss season, young Hahn wrote to Cubs executive vice president and general manager Dallas Green with ideas of how to improve the ballclub.

“I actually wrote a number of letters to Dallas, and out of the kindest of his heart and perhaps mistakenly, he wrote me back,” Hahn recalled in an interview with CSN. “There were a plethora of things ranging from trade ideas — I was a big Leon Durham guy. I wanted him to move (Bill) Buckner from first to make room for Durham at the time. I had some lineup ideas. (Green) was kind enough to write back a couple of times. The first time he responded very favorably, so me and my buddy Rod Blunck (who now works in athlete representation in Chicago) sat down and wrote a few more letters.”

Green wrote back.

Dated Sept. 14, 1982, it read:

Dear Rick and Rod:

Thanks for your recent letter regarding your thoughts on our players and suggested trades.

During the offseason we will make some changes to improve the Cubs for 1983. We will work hard to develop a team our fans will be proud to support.

Keep rooting!

Sincerely,

Dallas Green

The Cubs executive would soon back up his words, getting the Cubs to the NLCS in 1984.

“The (Ryne) Sandberg trade was that offseason and that obviously got him going, so he was very much true to his word,” Hahn said.

More than 30 years later, Hahn recognizes that seeds of him becoming a baseball general manager were being planted back then. Now whenever he receives a letter from a young White Sox fan, he thinks back to what Green did for him.

“Anytime I get a letter similar to that, I try to sit down and respond, trying to pay it forward, so to speak. Dallas is the originator of that,” Hahn said. “Anyone who has received a letter from me is because Dallas Green was kind enough to do the same when I was a kid.”

Hahn’s youngest son, Charlie, a diehard White Sox fan, is 11 years old, the same age Rick was when he sent those letters to Green.

Like father, like son, Charlie is not afraid to give the general manager of his favorite team some sharp criticism about the job he’s doing with the White Sox.

“He hasn’t written any nasty letters, but at the breakfast table he can tell me directly and voice his displeasure,” Hahn said laughing.

The White Sox rebuild won’t happen overnight. There are tough times ahead at the ballpark — and as Hahn’s son learned this past fall — at the playground, too.

“He gave a lot of (his classmates) grief at school during the postseason because the Cubs hadn’t won the World Series yet. We had a ring in his lifetime, albeit he was six months old, but he counts it,” Hahn explained. “And then when the Cubs were down three games to one, he started ramping up the crap he was giving his friends. During Game 7 when the Cubs were up 5-1, it was time for him to go to bed and he couldn’t sleep. He was pretty distressed. I think because he was going to have to pay the piper for all the smack he talked about at school.”

As we know, Chicago is a divided baseball town. There always seems to be an ebb and flow with the White Sox and Cubs. One is up, while the other is down — and often times both have been down. We have the scars to prove it.

But the night the Cubs won the World Series, it immediately tested the mettle of every White Sox fan, including Hahn’s son.

“As he and I sat there for about 45 minutes being happy for other people having success, wanting to get to that level ourselves, he was pretty pointed in saying, ‘How long is this going to take, because I want to know when the White Sox are going to be back in the playoffs, why and how?’”

Hahn won’t publicly answer that question, but if it’s any consolation, he does admit that the two big trades they made this winter has sped up the process.

“We have in our minds how long we think it’s going to take. In all candor, if I had answered that question transparently as possible prior to the winter meetings I would have given you a timeline a little farther out than I would have given after we made the Sale and Eaton trades,” Hahn said.

When will the White Sox start spending big money on free agents? Hahn says not until the White Sox are within striking distance of being a championship-caliber team. But the hope is that time will arrive in the “near future.”

Green promised young Hahn that he would “work hard to develop a team our fans will be proud to support.”

Hahn has the same promise for White Sox fans. The rebuild has started. More changes are coming.

And if your son or daughter have some questions for Hahn, you know how to reach him.

White Sox infielder Carlos Sanchez changes his name By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | February 16th, 2017

The White Sox no longer have a player on their roster who will be called Carlos Sanchez.

The infielder with that name who played 201 games with the Sox during the past three seasons would now like to be called Yolmer Sanchez, he and the team announced this week.

"New year, new expectations for me," Sanchez said Thursday after reporting early to Camelback Ranch.

Carlos is actually one of Sanchez’s middle names, and his full given name is Yolmer Carlos Javier Sanchez Yanez. Carlos is also his father’s name, and growing up his family often called him Carlito, which translates as "little Carlos."

But he liked the idea of taking his first name, one he feels is unique. A search of the name Yolmer on the statistics site baseball-reference.com brings up only Sanchez.

"Yes, that’s what I want to do — the first Yolmer in baseball," Sanchez said. "Same guy, but different name."

Sanchez said his teammates have joked with him about the name change, but shortstop Tim Anderson gave him a nod of approval while sitting at his locker in the Sox clubhouse.

With that out of the way, Sanchez said he’s ready to work hard for a spot on this year’s roster. He is competing with Brett Lawrie and Tyler Saladino for a spot in the major-league infield. He hit .208 with nine doubles and four home runs in 163 plate appearances in 2016.

"I’m waiting for the opportunity," he said.

Time for White Sox veteran James Shields to start living up to his billing By Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune | February 16th, 2017

White Sox starter James Shields reiterated Thursday that he never gave himself the nickname "Big Game James."

The nickname was thrown in Shields' face last June after he arrived from the Padres with a big contract and was touted as the guy who could take the Sox to the postseason.

Shields flopped in his first season on the South Side, going 4-12 with a 6.77 earned-run average in 22 starts. Overall he was 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA in 33 starts last year, the worst ERA in baseball.

Shields said he was "trying too hard" with the Sox and has put 2016 "in the past."

"I have nothing to prove, man," he said. "Nothing to prove. I think my career speaks for itself. (But) I definitely want to prove to the Chicago White Sox fans who I really am. There's no doubt about it. I'm a competitor. I want to compete this year and do well."

History says Shields is capable of a turnaround, which the Sox are counting on because they were unable to deal him in the offseason.

"I had a really bad season in 2010 and came back and had a really good season in 2011," he said. "So we'll see what happens."

Shields had a 5.18 ERA in 2010 with the Rays and reduced it to 2.82 in '11. He said he's focusing on his biomechanics and staying healthy, working with pitching coach Don Cooper, though he said they "fine- tuned some things" the last couple of starts last year. He gave up five runs in seven innings in his final start, a 6-0 loss to the Twins.

If Jose Quintana sticks around for opening day and Shields returns to form, the Sox rotation could be solid despite losing Chris Sale. Ace-in-waiting Carlos Rodon will be eased into things this spring, according to Cooper and manager Rick Renteria, and prospect Michael Kopech has been impressive with his triple-digit fastball, though Cooper warned he's "trying to throw the (bleep) out of it" with every pitch.

"The roadsides in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto and the United States are strewn with dead bodies of guys that, man, they had a really good arm," Cooper said. 'Nobody ever told them, 'Oh, it's about throwing it to the glove. It's about throwing strikes.'"

Shields' body is still in working order, but he was guilty of that problem as well, averaging 4.06 walks per nine innings, fifth worst in the majors. Cooper said Shields' resume is what matters, adding, "Nobody is like they were when they're 22. He's 33 now."

Well, 35, but who's counting?

No one is making excuses for Shields, including Shields, who never ducked the media during his hard times. Cooper acknowledged it was "horrible" but said Shields wasn't in a "great situation" with the Sox because he was "hammered by the (Padres) owner" before the deal and was trying to do too much after coming to Chicago.

"I'm hoping with a clean start, fresh season and all of that stuff," Cooper said, adding that he's looking at the 2016 season as "an aberration."

While Shields was already in the spotlight, newcomer Derek Holland delivered some light comedy to Sox camp after reporters tried to goad him into doing a Cooper impersonation, asking him whether his accent resembled "Tony Soprano."

"I'm not going to do that," Holland said with a laugh. "That's like me asking you to go imitate one of your bosses. I can't do that."

But doesn't he have a special talent for impersonations?

"I want to keep that talent," he said. "I don't want to be in trouble."

Just a taste?

"We'll try it another day," he said. "Remember it's only Day 3. On Day 3 I'm not trying to get on the bad side. Let's stay on the good side."

Staying on Cooper's good side is always a good plan.

It's a long season.

White Sox’ Michael Kopech throws heat but doesn’t know its spark By Rick Morrissey / Chicago Sun-Times | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Nothing in his family history points to this, nothing that would make anyone stop and say, ‘‘Yes, there, that explains it.’’ Maybe an ancestor from generations ago could throw a rock through a barn wall, but if there is such a person, White Sox prospect Michael Kopech doesn’t know about him or her.

His father played baseball growing up in Texas, but just with friends, not organized ball, and his mother had a similar history with softball. If you’re seeking genetic answers for why a 20-year-old can throw a baseball 105 mph, you’re on your own.

So where does it come from?

‘‘My dad always says the milkman,’’ a laughing Kopech said Thursday. ‘‘My mom likes to take credit.’’

He can throw hard. And he always could.

‘‘When I was a kid, I remember the opposing team’s dugout just saying, ‘That’s so fast,’ ’’ Kopech said. ‘‘Little things like that made me realize that throwing hard made the game easier. When I figured out I had a good arm and I threw harder than most people my age, I just wanted to pursue that and keep throwing hard. Once I realized I had a gift, I kind of worked on that gift.’’

He was 8.

Kopech was 14 the first time he reached 90 mph on a speed gun. He had bet his mom he would hit 90 before his sophomore year of high school. He won. He doesn’t think his mom ever paid up.

When Kopech was 16, he broke a batter’s elbow with a pitch during a summer-league game.

‘‘I felt bad about that,’’ he said. ‘‘He passed out in the dugout.’’

Kopech, one of the Red Sox’ first-round picks in the 2014 draft, came to the White Sox with infielder Yoan Moncada, one of the top prospects in baseball, in a trade that sent ace Chris Sale to the Red Sox in December. He is one of the reasons for hope as the White Sox rebuild.

He threw 105 mph during a game for the advanced Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League last summer.

‘‘I put my glasses on because when they start putting three digits in those little boxes, they get hard to read,’’ Salem pitching coach Paul Abbott told the Boston Globe. ‘‘He hit 103 a couple of times the last start. . . . Matt Kent, a pitcher, and I did the chart. I looked at it and went, ‘Man, is that really a 5?’ I went and asked somebody, ‘105?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, and it wasn’t just my gun. Others had it, too.’ ’’

Kopech actually threw a baseball 110 mph in January, but that was during a drill in which he took four or five steps before releasing it. And it was a 3-ounce ball, not a regulation 5-ounce model. Still, 110. Jeez. Video of the feat went viral.

During games, he consistently throws in the upper 90s to 100.

‘‘I try not to look at the gun,’’ Kopech said. ‘‘I know I throw hard. It’s not something I try to pay too much attention to. But when there’s a big crowd and they see the pitch speed, you occasionally hear an ‘ooh’ or an ‘aah’ early in the game. But once they get used to it, it kind of calms down.’’

He has not stung any White Sox catchers. Yet.

‘‘If you catch it wrong, it’ll hurt,’’ said White Sox catcher Geovany Soto, who caught flame-throwing Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter with the Cubs in 2008. ‘‘If you catch it wrong in the middle of your hand, you’re going to feel every bit of it.’’

There have been some bumps in the road for Kopech since he signed with the Red Sox out of Mount Pleasant (Texas) High School. He broke his hand during a fight with a teammate last year and was suspended 50 games in 2015 after testing positive for a banned stimulant. On the field, he has had some issues with control.

‘‘Every single pitch, he’s trying to throw the s— out of it, to tell you the truth,’’ White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. ‘‘What we do need is, how good can we be throwing the ball where we need to throw it? The roadsides in the Dominican, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States are strewn with dead bodies of guys [who] had a really good arm. But nobody ever told them, ‘Oh, it’s about throwing to the glove, about throwing strikes.’ ’’

Kopech said he got to where he is now — at a big-league camp two months before his 21st birthday — because of more than a big arm.

‘‘I think it’s just from the will to do something that I’ve always dreamed about,’’ he said. ‘‘My dad dreamed about being a lawyer for years and years, and he put in the time and the work and paid his way through law school and made his dreams come true. I think the drive and want-to came from that. It’s just how my family is. We say we’re going to do something, we do it.

‘‘The athletic part, I can’t really explain.’’

It’s a good bet Kopech will start this season in Class AA, but he said his goal is to be with the big-league club sometime in 2017. Wherever he’ll be, he still will be the first college or pro athlete in his family. However that happened.

Carlos Rodon set to begin throwing Friday By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said left-hander Carlos Rodon will throw Friday, something he hasn’t been seen doing through the first three days of spring training.

Rodon, 24, has stood on the sidelines while the other pitchers have played catch and has refrained from making even short throws during fielding practice, scooping the ball to first with his glove. That has sparked some concern about his health, but Cooper said Rodon is easing his way into a long camp.

‘‘He’s throwing [Friday],’’ Cooper said Thursday. ‘‘He’s fine. He’s good. He’s good. He’s good. We are not going to ask somebody to do something if they are not.’’

Rodon, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 draft, is 18-16 with a 3.90 ERA in his first two seasons. He threw 165 innings last season, missing 24 days in July with a sprained left wrist.

‘‘Ease him into it a little bit,’’ Cooper said. ‘‘With the World Baseball Classic [this spring], we’ve got a whole lot of time, and we are going to take our time with him.’’

‘‘It’s a long spring,’’ manager Rick Renteria said. ‘‘He’s a guy we’re going to try to control and make sure we measure his workload so that we have him as much as we can during the season.’’

Broadcast news CSN and CSN+ will televise 107 games, starting with Opening Day on April 3. WGN-TV will televise 55 games, including two of the four Sox-Cubs games. The Sox-Cubs game July 26 will be televised on ESPN as well as on CSN.

Ken Harrelson, who is beginning his 33rd season in the Sox’ TV booth, will do play-by-play for Opening Day, the crosstown games at Guaranteed Rate Field and all but three road games (June 16-18 in Toronto). is beginning his eighth season as the analyst and Jason Benetti his second as the play-by-play man for 78 of the 81 home games.

WLS-AM (890) will broadcast all 162 games on radio, with Ed Farmer as the play-by-play man and Darrin Jackson as the analyst.

Don’t call me Carlos The infielder previously known as Carlos Sanchez heretofore will be called Yolmer Sanchez.

‘‘My family called me Yolmer, so I want to switch to that this year,’’ Sanchez said. ‘‘Yolmer Sanchez is going to be my new name.’’

Sanchez said his full name is Yolmer Carlos Javier Sanchez Yanez. He went by Carlos, his dad’s name, or Carlito growing up.

The bottom line?

‘‘I’m the same guy,’’ Sanchez said. ‘‘I’m going to work hard.’’

This and that Right-hander Carson Fulmer, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2015 draft, on his struggles last season: ‘‘I needed to learn more about myself and my ability. I got kicked around a little bit, and I think that’s beneficial for me. It definitely helped me prepare myself for this year and really get ready to have a good year. It’s a new year.’’

*Because of excellent weather in Chicago, groundskeeper Roger Bossard said sprinklers will be on at the Sox’ ballpark in February for the first time in his 50 years caring for the home field. Meanwhile, rain is expected Saturday and Sunday in Arizona.

Embracing White Sox ‘rebuild,’ Shields puts 2016 behind him By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — James Shields says he has nothing to prove.

But the 35-year-old right-hander, who owns a 133-116 record with a 3.91 ERA and nine consecutive seasons with more than 200 innings in an 11-year career with the Rays, Royals, Padres and White Sox, had a disastrous 2016 season, and he knows it. So he is focused on performing more like the workhorse right-hander the Sox thought they were getting in a midseason trade with the Padres.

“It’s not the first time I’ve had a rough season,’’ Shields said. “I’ve been in the game a long time.

“I have nothing to prove. My -career speaks for itself. I definitely want to prove to White Sox fans who I am, when I was facing them. I want to go out and compete this year and do well.’’

Shields was 4-12 with a 6.77 ERA with the Sox, and 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA overall last season. Shields kind of laughed after he was asked if he was “shocked” at some of the beatings he took last season.

“Yeah, I mean, you know I wish it could have been better. I’m a competitor. I don’t like to lose or get hit around like that. Shocking factor? Not really. Sometimes those things happen. Unfortunately it happened too often. But I have a lot of confidence in my ability and what I did this offseason.’’

Shields will earn $21 million this season, and the Sox will owe him $10 million of that.

“I’m trying to put that in the back of my mind and moving forward,’’ he said. “I had a really bad season in 2010 [5.18 ERA] and a really good season in 2011 [2.82, finishing third in AL Cy Young voting], so we’ll see what happens.’’

“I’m hoping last year was an aberration, and that’s where I’m going to enter it,’’ Cooper said. “He still has everything he needs stuff-wise to get people out. He has movement. He has a great changeup. He commands that fastball. We’re hoping for a lot better, and I’m sure he is too.

“It was a horrible start, and then we saw a good amount of starts, where we said, ‘Hey, there it is, he’s throwing the ball better.’ ’’

“We need more consistency from him. We need to see more of the good ones and kick out some of the lemons he had.’’

Shields, who has made 11 postseason starts, says he’ll embrace “being a leader and showing these guys what professional baseball is all about.

“We’ve got a lot of good, young talent.’’

With Chris Sale and Adam Eaton gone from a team that finished six games below .500, the Sox don’t figure to contend, but Shields isn’t throwing in the towel.

“Look in our clubhouse, what did we get rid of, a couple of guys? It’s not a complete rebuild. I know they’re talking about it but we have a good group of guys and a lot of the same core guys while adding some young pieces into the organization.

“I actually embrace that role. In Tampa, it seemed like we were rebuilding every year and we ended up in the playoffs five times. I don’t worry about the rebuild, I worry about this season.’’

It’s been a while since he was called “Big Game James.”

“I never really was Big Game James to be honest with you,’’ Shields said. “That’s Big Game James Worthy, man.’’

After last season, the Sox would be more than happy with Quality Start James.

Cooper to White Sox prospect Kopech: Ease up on the gas By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- When asked about rocket-armed pitching prospect Michael Kopech after Thursday's workout at Camelback Ranch, Chicago White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper was typically glib.

"Michael, obviously, is a talented kid," Cooper said of the 20-year-old pitching prospect acquired from Boston in the Chris Sale trade. "He's got a heck of an arm. He seems to be a guy so far, and I've only had one or two short conversations with him, let him go out and play, he does everything really hard.

"Every single pitch, he's trying to throw the (bleep) out of it, to tell you the truth. I'm anxious to get to a sideline with him to see if he can do the touch and feel. I don't need game stuff on practice days."

Kopech registered 105 mph on the radar gun last season when he was pitching for high Class A Salem in the Red Sox's system, and he threw 110 mph last month in a throwing drill.

Cooper knows the young Texan has a big arm, but Kopech needs to learn how to pitch before he reaches the major leagues.

"The roadsides in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States, the roadsides are strewn with dead bodies of guys who man, they had a really good arm," Cooper said. "But nobody ever told them it's about throwing it to the glove and it's about throwing strikes. It has nothing to do with stuff. Some guys can throw it 95. Some guys throw it 85. It has do to with throwing the ball to the glove with movement, whatever style. What good is a tremendous arm if you are not going to throw it over?"

While Kopech was throwing his first bullpen on Wednesday, Cooper was constantly in his ear.

"He basically had to tell me, 'Don't do everything 100 percent right away. It's going to be a long spring,'" Kopech said. "That's something I have trouble grasping. I'm a guy who likes to do everything 100 percent. He was basically telling me, 'Relax a little bit, settle in, hit the glove.'"

Ready to roll? For the third straight day, starting pitcher Carlos Rodon was a spectator at the White Sox's training camp on Thursday.

The 24-year-old lefty insists he is healthy, and so do the White Sox.

Expected to log heavy innings this season with Chris Sale already traded and Jose Quintana expected to be moved, Rodon is being eased into the long season.

"We've got a whole lot of time and we are going to take our time with him," pitching coach Don Cooper said. "(Friday), his program starts. He's fine. He's good. He's good. He's good. We are not going to ask somebody to do something if they are not."

The quote: Shortstop Tim Anderson was asked about newcomer Yoan Moncada, one of baseball's top prospects and the Sox's second baseman of the future.

"He kind of reminds me of me," Anderson said. "Speed, everything, but he has more power than me. He's a really good guy."

Shields looks to hit reset button with Chicago White Sox By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- At SoxFest in late January, general manager Rick Hahn and manager Rick Renteria were up bright and early on a Saturday morning at the Hilton Chicago fielding questions from curious fans.

The first inquiry? It was directed at Hahn.

"What were you thinking with the James Shields trade?"

It was an obvious question -- and it was stinging.

Coming to the Chicago White Sox in a trade from San Diego last June with a big salary and fading reputation, Shields was a disaster in 22 starts, going 4-12 with a 6.77 ERA. In 33 combined outings with the Padres and Sox, the right-hander gave up 40 home runs, most in the major leagues.

Hahn got where the question was coming from, and he said an ongoing dearth of quality pitching depth in the minor leagues continually forced the White Sox to go outside the organization for help.

Hahn also said that was a big reason the Sox finally decided to rebuild, and they got back five premium pitching prospects in trades that sent Chris Sale to Boston and Adam Eaton to Washington.

Shields obviously has little or no trade value after going a combined 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA last season, but the 35-year-old righty said he expects to have a big year for the Sox.

"That's not the first time I've had a rough season," said Shields, an 11-year veteran. "I've been in the game a long time and I know how to come back from that and combat that. I worked real hard in the off- season, worked on some things in the gym and I'm ready to go."

Shields referenced his 2010 season with Tampa Bay, when he was 13-15 with a 5.18 ERA. The next year with the Rays he was 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA and finished third in Cy Young Award voting.

"I've been doing this a long time and I know how to get myself ready for the season," Shields said. "I'm not really worried about last season. Just putting that in the back of my mind in the past and moving forward."

When asked if he has anything to prove this year, Shields had an interesting response.

"I have nothing to prove," he said. "Nothing to prove. I think my career speaks for itself. I definitely want to prove to the Chicago White Sox fans who I really am."

The Sox owe Shields $10 million in each of the next two seasons, with San Diego paying the one-time workhorse just over $30 million total in 2017-18.

At 35, it is extremely doubtful Shields is going to bounce all the way back, but pitching coach Don Cooper expects him to be much better.

"Look at his numbers over the years," Cooper said. "This guy has been one of the top guys for a long time as far as taking the ball, being a gamer, logging innings, giving his team a chance to win. I'm hoping last year was an aberration, and that's where I'm going to enter it.

"He still has everything he needs stuff-wise to get people out. He has movement. He has a great changeup. He commands that fastball. We're hoping for a whole lot better for sure. And I'm sure he is, too."

Not only does Shields want to markedly improve his 2016 performance, he wants to be a part of the White Sox's rebuilding project.

"Look at our clubhouse," Shields said. "What did we get rid of? A couple guys? It's not a complete rebuild. I know they're talking about it, but we've got a good group of guys in here and we have a lot of the same core guys in here. We just added a few young pieces in the minors and all the way to the top.

"I actually embrace that role, embrace rebuilding. When I was in Tampa it seemed like we were rebuilding every year and we ended up going to the playoffs five times. I don't worry too much about the rebuild; I worry about what we're going to do this season."

White Sox Rebuild May Be Painful, But It Also Brings Relief By Tim Baffoe / CBS Chicago | February 16th, 2017

(CBS) The other day, I was feeling all backed up.

We’ve all been there. All day, feeling not quite right and bloated, usual constitutional not going to plan whatsoever. Ruins the whole mojo of the day really.

So I’m sour all day, and Murphy’s Law is catching me extra hard with every little micro-annoyance magnified, and it’s all because of a plumbing issue. I refuse to chalk it up to the giant bucket of taco meat and corn and rice that I ate with Dorito utensils because that would make me hesitate to make it again.

But I’m alive, so we all know how it ends. Afterward, there was relief, and my world was back on its proper axis.

Such is the bowel movement that comes to mind when I ponder the Chicago White Sox. On Wednesday, I happened to catch former White Sox and current minor league contract infielder Jimmy Rollins answering questions regarding the dysfunction during his brief time in Chicago last season.

“It was a clubhouse in disarray after that point, although we did great, we did great (early on),” Rollins told Courtney Cronin of the Bay Area News Group. “It was just, you know, there’s always a little players- versus-the front office (mindset), but I think just because of the way it was handled that a lot of the guys that were outspoken are no longer there. They’re in better places if you ask me, but they’re no longer there.”

“That point” was the sudden retirement of Adam LaRoche last March after he was told his son, Drake, could no longer be part of a professional working environment that is a baseball clubhouse. Rumors have hovered since then that a few players at the time — perhaps even Rollins — took issue with a child being in their workspace every day and had complained to powers that be.

At the time, Rollins didn’t seem all that busted up about losing the older LaRoche.

“He has done well for himself in the game and he said he had enough,” Rollins told the Chicago Tribune soon after LaRoche’s retirement. “Once you get to that point, it’s hard to talk a guy out of that. They know what they have to get through to get prepared every single day to play, what the offseason is like.

“And he has a family that he cares about. And he spends a lot of time away from his family. Now he gets to enjoy his Fourth of July and travel around the country and do the things he wants to do in his retirement.”

Fast forward to Wednesday, and that lack of sorrow over LaRoche retiring because his kid couldn’t live in a fantasy camp is still evident in Rollins.

“Maybe my third day there and the funny part was, when Adam came in, I had just went to the bathroom so I didn’t hear anything,” Rollins told the Bay Area News Group. “And I came out and like, ‘He’s retiring.’ I’m like, ‘Why is everybody so sad?’ You celebrate a guy retiring. He had a great career and he made his decision. Then I found out why and then… chaos.”

Much of that chaos involved ace left-hander Chris Sale, who blasted both executive vice president Kenny Williams and former manager in the media — over losing a liability hitter and his kid — without repercussion from the organization. It was the start of a long season that felt constipated the whole way. Rollins gained his freedom from the cancerous intestine with the team releasing him in June, so he wasn’t around when Sale went full-on child himself last July and cut up team jerseys that he didn’t want to pitch in in conjunction with a promotion. Sale was traded in December for a haul in return from the this offseason. Shipped off in another steal of a deal by general manager Rick Hahn was outfielder Adam Eaton, a Drake defender and a player annoying enough to make the pretty easygoing Todd Frazier move his locker. He’ll now be a sentient motivational poster with the .

Eaton’s a good ballplayer, and Sale is one of the game’s most dominant starting pitchers. Yet to lose guys like that in a blowup process to commence a rebuild, there’s a sense of cool satisfaction — even with the White Sox entering the 2017 season with the worst odds to win the American League pennant and World Series, per Vegas.

It’s not unlike a quick but really painful episode in the bathroom in order to finalize a much longer period of discomfort that had to be done with and was exacerbating every other little negative aspect about the team. The talent on the South Side is far less than that of 2016, and it still may decrease as the season goes on and more players like left-hander Jose Quintana and closer David Robertson are possibly sold for prospects. But as the White Sox start up spring training this week, along with an actual big boy plan for the first time since winning a championship before some junior high kids were born, there’s a quiet relief to this team of which not much is expected.

I’ll take a healthier feeling of being regular even though it means swallowing the tasteless fiber of a rebuild. It beats a knotted-up colon that was 2016.

Regarding that chaos, Rollins added, “Don’t have to worry about that here (with the Giants).”

Well, we shouldn’t have to worry about it this year with the White Sox either. At least that feels good.

James Shields Looks To Rebound From Disastrous 2016 Season By Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago | February 16th, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. (CBS) — White Sox right-hander James Shields had the worst season of any starting pitcher in baseball last year, which both the numbers and eye test support. Even Shields himself won’t deny it after going 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA and 1.60 WHIP while allowing 40 homers in 181 2/3 forgettable innings.

The question now is how does the 35-year-old Shields rebound from a career-worst season to reach his quality old form? Shields has been contemplating and reflecting on that himself, and he knows hard work is the answer.

“Last year was not the first time I have had a rough season,” Shields said. “I have been in the game a long time. I know how to deal with it and combat it. I worked really hard in the gym this offseason. I looked at some video as well. I am ready to go. Let’s see what happens.”

The White Sox were criticized on some fronts after making the trade to acquire Shields from the Padres last season. He was reeling at the time, having given up 10 runs in his last start before Chicago sent right-hander to San Diego for him. Despite seeing the poor results, the White Sox’s reasoning was that that Shields had thrown at least 200 innings in nine straight seasons and was highly regarded as a competitor. The White Sox were also only on the hook for about half of the money left on Shields’ contract.

Now, the White Sox owe Shields about $22 million through 2018, and it doesn’t appear to be a movable contract. None of that is on Shields’ mind, though. He’s just focused on improving.

“I really do not want to go too deep on this,” Shields said. “I am focusing on my mechanics. I worked on things in the gym to get me going. My main focus in spring training is to remain healthy and get my work in.”

Not hiding from the harsh reality of 2016, Shields fielded questions about his failure to get the job done.

“I of course wish it could have been better,” Shields said. “There is no doubt about it. I am a competitor. You ask anybody, I am a competitor and I do not like to lose and get hit around like that. Was it a shocking factor? Not really. Sometimes those things just happen. You just want to make sure it doesn’t happen to often. Right now, I feel great. I have a lot of confidence in my ability and the hard work I put in during the offseason.”

Being a part of a rebuild like the White Sox are undergoing now is nothing new for Shields, who had to deal with that in both Tampa Bay and San Diego.

“I am smiling because I have been a part of rebuilds before,” Shields said. “For me, I love it. I love having young kids around. I love being the veteran and a leader on a team. I like the idea of showing these guys what professional baseball is all about and how to go about their business. I have been very successful with teams that were rebuilding. We have a great group of guys here. We have a lot of young talent. We have a lot of good talent. I am excited to see these guys work here this spring.”

The reality of losing teammates Chris Sale and Adam Eaton was shocking to many players,including Shields, who formed a fast and close relationship with Sale after coming over in the trade.

“Those things happen,” Shields said. “Chris is one of my favorite teammates I have ever played with. He is the ultimate teammate. A lot of the people from the outside really don’t know what a great teammate he was. He will definitely be missed around here. There is no doubt about that as a player, you know these things happen. We have a lot of talent to work with in this clubhouse right now.”

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