Headlines of July 4, 2014 “By the numbers: Gauging White Sox first-half position” … Scott Merkin, Whitesox.com “Robin Ventura: Feeling not as dire as last July” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Olympian Eddy Alvarez trades skates for cleats” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Sox are scrambling to solve depth issues on their pitching staff” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun- Times “White Sox’ making it too easy” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Who should make the All-Star teams” … David Schoenfield, ESPNChicago.com “Sale gets the holiday start as White Sox welcome Mariners” … Associated Press “Rienzo, Quintana gear up for Brazil-Colombia World Cup match” … JJ Stankevitz, CSNChicago.com

By the numbers: Gauging White Sox first-half position

With time before Trade Deadline, reshaping club on the bubble between buying, selling

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Buyers or sellers?

Contenders? Or are they simply moving in that postseason direction for the 2015 and '16 seasons?

Those are the questions asked presently about the 2014 White Sox, who enter their final first-half home series with a 40-46 record.

General manager Rick Hahn still has time to analyze the team's direction as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches, and the reality of the situation is that the White Sox could end up being both buyers and sellers in their current reshaping mode. Let's take a look at where the White Sox stand through three months of the season with some numerical assistance.

7 -- With Leury Garcia's pinch-hit single to left on a rainy Wednesday night, the White Sox produced their seventh game-ending hit of the season and fourth of the non- variety. There are areas needing to be fixed on this team, but fighting until the end is not one of them.

32 -- Chris Sale worked seven of one-hit ball with 10 on April 17 at home against Boston, covering 127 pitches. The White Sox ace missed the next 32 games, or the equivalent of six starts, while dealing with a flexor muscle strain in his left arm.

17 -- The amount of consecutive Yankees hitters Sale retired in his return to the mound on May 22, before Zolio Almonte singled with two outs in the sixth. There are starters in the game as dominant as Sale, but none that surpass him. 8 -- Avisail Garcia played in exactly eight games and had 34 plate appearances before suffering a season- ending torn labrum and avulsion fracture in his left shoulder while diving for a fly ball in right field on April 9 in Colorado. The absence of Garcia, along with the extended absences due to injury for late- stalwarts Nate Jones and , will be factored into the equation as Hahn and his staff analyze the White Sox realistic ability to reach the playoffs in '14.

26, 67, .624 -- If Jose Abreu finished the season with 26 homers, 67 RBIs and a .624 slugging percentage, his rookie campaign in Chicago would be considered very successful. He has posted those numbers through July 3, missing 14 games due to an ankle injury. It begs the question of, and with all due respect to other prime offensive contributors, where would the White Sox be without this rookie from Cuba?

4/25 -- Trailing by a 6-5 margin in the ninth, with two outs, the legend of Abreu began on a Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field. He launched an 0-1 from Rays closer Grant Balfour into the right-field stands for a walk-off grand slam. Abreu's statistics have been mindboggling -- his unchanged, calm demeanor and consistent work ethic are even more impressive.

12, 8 -- The deficit in the loss column for the White Sox compared to Detroit in the Central and to the Mariners for the AL's second Wild Card, respectively.

5 -- The amount of teams (Seattle, Baltimore, Kansas City, Yankees and Cleveland) at least three games ahead of the White Sox in the loss column for that second Wild Card spot.

1,940 -- has gone parts of 14 seasons and 1,940 games without ever playing in the postseason, which stands as the highest number in that category among active players. Dunn has talked numerous times about how the 452 career homers and 1,295 walks don't matter to him as much as playing on a winning team. In the fourth and final year of a $56 million deal, a better-situated playoff contender could have interest in the slugger and strong clubhouse influence.

28 -- Tyler Flowers and Adrian Nieto have combined for 28 RBIs, leaving them tied for last with Detroit in the AL at the catcher's position. Flowers has done a solid job handling the pitchers, playing in 71 of 86 games, while Nieto hasn't played enough to judge long-term potential during his jump from the to the Majors. The White Sox still might be searching for their catcher at the heart of this reshaping process.

29.8 -- John Danks has thrown his changeup 29.8 percent of the time during his 17 starts, per fangraphs.com. It's the highest single-season career percentage with that pitch for Danks, who has worked at least six innings and allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts. Danks, 29, has formed a formidable trio at the top of the White Sox rotation with Sale and Jose Quintana.

7/18 -- This date marks the deadline for the White Sox to sign Carlos Rodon, their top pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft and the third selection overall. While the left-hander's outside shot to pitch for the White Sox in '14 seems to have evaporated, it still makes best sense for Rodon to join the organization. He could potentially join the White Sox rotation as soon as 2015, and with the White Sox getting the fourth pick overall next year if he doesn't sign, Rodon would have to go in the top three to surpass this year's selection.

4 -- This number stands as the longest White Sox winning streak in '14. The White Sox have played much like a .500 team over the season's first three months, while being improved and far more exciting to watch. 54 -- That .500 effort has been influenced by 54 games decided by three runs or fewer, including 12 of the last 15. The White Sox are 26-28 in those contests, including 16-12 in one-run games.

Robin Ventura: Feeling not as dire as last July

Manager expects trade rumors, but playing well solves lots of problems

By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune

Rumors automatically increase in July in anticipation of the trade deadline at the end of the month, and White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he knows his team won't be exempt.

"It's natural for every team to have those kind of things," Ventura said. "For us, it's just taking care of playing the game. We'll play well and then there will be a spurt where you don't do things well and you get beat. It has to be more consistent to be able to make an extended run."

The Sox are 40-46 and were in fourth place in the American League Central, 91/2 games behind the division-leading Tigers entering Thursday.

The Sox have several players who could see the trade block if a downward trend continues. But with a group of young players entrenched in the Sox lineup for the future, Ventura said the feeling this season is not as dire as it was in July 2013, when the month brought the departures of veterans , Jesse Crain and .

"It was bad last year," Ventura said. "I think that was a little more in your face. Here, you see, it's just better, as far as being able to compete with certain teams and playing better. … It's pretty inconsistent, but last year was just bad."

Second guess: Ventura recently said he knows a pitching decision gone wrong often draws second- guessers, and he faced some questions Wednesday when he left starter John Danks, at 117 pitches, in to face Angels left fielder Josh Hamilton in the eighth inning. Hamilton then hit the tying home run.

Ventura said he might have made the same decision even if he had a more stable .

"It's not an easy part of the lineup to go through, but the way he was pitching and previously how he had gone through that part of the lineup, you give him a shot at it," Ventura said. "I felt that was the best way to go."

Danks said he felt great and wanted to be out in the eighth and said he appreciated the confidence Ventura showed in him, even if it wasn't rewarded.

"He's got every bit of faith in us, so it seems at least," Danks said. "He gives us a chance to go out there. He kind of looks at it as we did, as our ballgame. That certainly goes a long way, that your manager has your back. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get out of the eighth."

Extra innings: The Sox requested waivers on left-handed reliever Scott Downs for the purpose of granting his unconditional release. Downs was designated for assignment on June 26 after posting a 6.08 ERA this season. … Sox outfield prospect Courtney Hawkins was placed on the disabled list with Winston-Salem because of a concussion.

Olympian Eddy Alvarez trades skates for cleats

Short-track speedskater playing rookie ball for White Sox after 3-year break from

By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune

Eddy Alvarez won an Olympic silver medal because of his speed, but he now is facing a different kind of fast.

"Seeing a 96-mph fastball thrown at you," Alvarez said. "I don't think I've ever seen pitching that fast coming at me."

The day Alvarez returned home from the 2014 Sochi Olympics with a silver medal for the 5,000-meter relay in short-track speedskating, he traded in his skates for cleats. Speedskating is now behind him, he said, and he is focusing on baseball while playing with the AZL White Sox in the rookie-level Arizona League.

"I loved short-track speedskating, but I could only do it for so long," Alvarez said. "And my true love and my true passion is baseball, so I think it's time for me to move on from skating and see where this goes."

Alvarez was first a baseball player as a child, but until this summer he hadn't played the sport since April 2011 while in junior college in Utah. After accomplishing his goal of becoming an Olympian, he decided he would become either a pro or college baseball player and began preparing in .

A few months later, he worked out with the Sox, who were impressed enough with his athletic ability that they gave him a minor league contract to see what might come of it with more training.

"He's as athletic as anybody we have," Sox assistant general manager Buddy Bell said recently. "You have to be at the level he has competed at. Surprisingly he has really, really good instincts for baseball considering he hasn't done a whole lot the last few years. I'm really interested to see what develops."

Entering Thursday, the middle infielder had played in seven games for the AZL White Sox, hitting .241 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs. The speed of the game has been the biggest challenge.

"Being away from it for three years, it really speeds up the game," Alvarez said. "That's the main challenge for me is trying to slow the game down. … For being out for so long … I've been keeping up well, and I'm thankful that I'm capable of playing at this level with minimal practice."

Alvarez's older brother, Nick, played in the Dodgers system for seven years and offers advice in the transition.

"He tells me, 'Every pitch, step out of the box and take a deep breath,'" Alvarez said. "Just control my heart rate and feel for it and slow it down. He's a huge part of this journey. I'm glad he's dealt with it, so I can cheat a little bit." Alvarez said he has one advantage — his physical conditioning. He was used to training six to eight hours a day while preparing for the Olympics, and he has found himself with plenty of extra time to work on reacquiring his baseball skills.

"I run circles around people here," Alvarez said. "People are like, how do you do this? The transition is fun for me because (we trained) at such a high level for so many hours. When I show up to the baseball field, I'm ready to go. I want to do stuff. I want to lift weights right away, I want to run, I want to stretch. I'm willing to do the extra work because I'm used to two-a-days."

Alvarez said he is not sure what the Sox plan is for him, but he has one in mind — try to improve every day and see what happens.

"It's a little unusual in that he's 24," Bell said. "He's a little late getting started, but considering the type of routine he's had, the grind his body has been through and the shape he is in, he plays like a younger kid who is just starting out. I was actually shocked by the things he was able to do on the baseball field. He's a great kid, and we know he's going to bring it every day."

Extra innings: Triple-A Charlotte shortstop Tyler Saladino has been named to the All-Star Team. He was hitting .307 with 14 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 38 RBIs through Wednesday. … The Sox claimed right-handed Angel Sanchez off waivers from the Rays and assigned him to Class A Winston-Salem. Sanchez was 0-9 with a 7.04 ERA in 14 starts between two Double-A teams this season.

Sox are scrambling to solve depth issues on their pitching staff

By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times

Adding baseball’s top home-run and RBI producer to the middle of the order and a legit leadoff man at the top has given life to a White Sox attack that ranked last in most statistical categories in 2013.

Having two-time All-Star Chris Sale, a solid No. 2 in Jose Quintana and an improving John Danks hasn’t prevented the pitching staff from being the Sox’ weaker link. Its 4.34 ERA ranks 27th, the 325 walks lead all of baseball and the WHIP of 1.42 ranks 28th.

A young bullpen that ranks 18th in the majors with a 3.83 ERA and a majors-worst 142 walks (Oakland A’s relievers, by comparison, have walked 72) is learning on the job because of injuries and ineffectiveness. Since closer Addison Reed was traded during the offseason, no one has grabbed hold of the vacated role, leaving manager Robin Ventura with no choice last week but to go with the dreaded bullpen-by-committee.

If only the Sox could turn to Class AAA Charlotte for help. They’re patching the rotation with 29-year-old Scott Carroll, who is 2-5 with a 5.05 ERA and not in much danger of losing his place. It’s pretty clear what the organization’s greatest need is from top to bottom. “Pitching,’’ Sox director of player development Nick Capra said. “Industry-wide, a lot of people would say the same thing. Starting pitching, we’re thin. That’s an area we really need to get better in.’’

The rotation was iffy coming out of spring training, with rookie Erik Johnson and free agent Felipe Paulino, coming off two surgeries, filling the 4 and 5 spots as the only right-handers. Johnson is struggling in Charlotte, and Paulino is hurt.

General manager Rick Hahn has taken chances on pitchers other teams had waived or not re-signed, including Hector Noesi (the No. 4 starter), relievers Javy Guerra and Eric Surkamp (in the bullpen), Maikel Cleto and Frank Francisco (no longer in pen), Tommy Hanson and Mitchell Boggs. When the system is thin on pitching, you have to look elsewhere, and some have worked out.

The Sox used four of their first five picks and 14 of their first 20 on pitchers in the June draft. With the third overall pick, they selected left-hander Carlos Rodon, the most major-league-ready pitcher in the draft who, if signed by the July 18 deadline, could help the major-league club in some capacity before the season is over.

Rodon will raise the Sox farm system’s rankings, which last year moved up a notch from the bottom of most lists. Thanks in part to a 63-99 record last season, Hahn is armed with more resources than ever to sign draft picks and international prospects who aren’t in the draft. Four Latin American teenagers were signed on the first day of the international period Wednesday, including shortstop Amado Nunez and catcher Jhoandro Alfaro for a reported $900,000 and $750,000, respectively. Both are ranked as top-30 international prospects. The Sox’ bonus pool this year is $4.3 million, so more will be spread around on a market that only a few years ago excluded the Sox because of a bonus-skimming scandal.

“We’re trying to get better,’’ Capra said when asked to assess the team’s farm system. “We’re probably just OK right now. The first half of this season, we’ve struggled at each level win-wise.

“But our objective is to develop. We’re already seeing a little progress as the second half gets started.’’

Notes

The White Sox requested waivers on left-hander Scott Downs for the purpose of granting him his unconditional release.

◆ Two Sox first-round draft choices are sidelined with injuries. OutfielderCourtney Hawkins was put on Class A Winston-Salem’s disabled list with a concussion. Shortstop Tim Anderson, also at Winston- Salem, has a fractured right wrist.

White Sox’ pitchers making it too easy

By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald

When John Danks was breaking in with the White Sox in 2007, he learned a lot from starting rotation mate Mark Buehrle.

Danks said one piece of advice remains with him to this day.

"He used to always talk to me about just being comfortable out there and the importance of throwing strikes," Danks said. "Hitting's hard, you know?"

Yes, it is. But this season Sox pitchers have been making life a lot easier for opposing batters.

Through Wednesday's play, the White Sox led the major leagues with 325 walks, in 763 . By comparison, the had the fewest number of walks (208) in the same amount of innings.

Danks stepped up and shouldered much of the blame for the high count; the left-hander does lead the Sox' staff with 40 walks.

But almost half of that total came in April, when some mechanical issues resulted in Danks issuing 17 walks in 31 innings. Since May 1, he has chopped the total to 23 walks in 76 innings.

Danks has locked in on the strike zone and now -- a la Buehrle -- he is trying to help his younger teammates do the same.

In the first half of the season the White Sox called up a whopping 10 pitchers from Class AAA Charlotte.

"You just have to be comfortable," Danks said. "Speaking to the younger guys, this is their first, second year here. My best years, when I'd get 3 balls, I was able to just rear back and throw it, throw it right down the middle, throw it for a strike.

"It's a lot easier said than done, especially when you're talking to younger guys. Buehrle told me the same thing my first couple years. I think guys are getting more comfortable, trusting their stuff more, and that's why you should be seeing more consistent strikes."

To demonstrate the damage walks can create, flip back to Tuesday's against the .

The Sox lost both games, and starter Hector Noesi issued 7 walks in 5 innings in the opener.

In the nightcap the White Sox scored 3 runs in the sixth inning to cut Los Angeles' lead 6-5. In the top of the seventh, starter Scott Carroll walked the first two batters. The first one scored, and the Sox' momentum instantly faded.

"Those 2 walks really (ticked) me off," Carroll said. "I can't do that. I can't lead off with walks. I can't just walks guys to put guys on base. I need to do better." Much like Danks, manager Robin Ventura said the White Sox' pitching staff has to realize that pitching to contact is not such a bad thing.

"You have to be able to trust going in the zone and making contact," Ventura said. "You get to a certain point where if you're a guy, you're going to be looking for strikeouts. If you're walking too many people you've got to be able to go in and try and hit bats and hopefully the defense will catch it.

"But when you start putting guys on, you're just making it easier on the other team. The negative, inside, it just doesn't make you feel very good when you start walking people. Everybody knows the notion of you walk a guy and that guy inevitably ends up scoring and you kick yourself."

Who should make the All-Star teams

By David Schoenfield / ESPN Chicago

Jim Bowden, Jerry Crasnick, Buster Olney, Jayson Stark and myself presented our 34-man All-Star rosters today. Here are our National League selections and here are our American League selections. Of course, our choices aren't affected by fan balloting or the players choosing the wrong backup (although we did stick to the rule of requiring one rep from each team), so the real rosters will likely include some names that none of us included.

I thought I'd explain my selections in a little more detail.

National League

I thought the NL selections were much easier than the AL. In fact, I struggled to find obvious candidates for the final couple of spots.

Starters C -- Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers 1B -- Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks 2B -- Chase Utley, Phillies 3B -- Todd Frazier, Reds SS -- Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies LF -- Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins CF -- Andrew McCutchen, Pirates RF -- Yasiel Puig, Dodgers DH -- Freddie Freeman, Braves SP -- Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

I thought this was pretty straightforward, with the only debate being Puig or Carlos Gomez for the third outfield spot. I settled it this way: Who would I rather see? And that tiebreaker goes to Puig. I could have made Gomez the DH, but the NL was lacking in other outfield candidates, so I cleared some of the logjam at first base by making Freeman the DH and bringing Gomez off the bench. Sorry, Carlos.

Johnny Cueto and Adam Wainwright certainly have strong arguments to start and if you want to disagree with Kershaw, I won't put up much of a fight. Yes, he missed a month, but he's back, he's dominating and he's the best pitcher in the game.

Reserves C -- Yadier Molina, Cardinals C -- Devin Mesoraco, Reds C -- Buster Posey, Giants 1B -- Anthony Rizzo, Cubs 2B -- Daniel Murphy, Mets 2B -- Dee Gordon, Dodgers 3B -- Anthony Rendon, Nationals 3B -- Matt Carpenter, Cardinals SS -- Hanley Ramirez, Dodgers OF -- Carlos Gomez, Brewers OF -- , Brewers OF -- Justin Upton, Braves

I went three catchers because all are deserving. Molina and Posey maybe aren't having their typical seasons but they're two of the biggest stars in the game and Mesoraco makes it over the injured Evan Gattis for his monster first half. Rizzo was an easy call over Adam LaRoche and Justin Morneau, as nice a story as it would be to see Morneau go back to Minnesota (I have a feeling that he'll somehow make the real All-Star team). Murphy makes it as my lone Mets' rep and I took Hanley over Starlin Castro and Jhonny Peralta, although any of three are justifiable. Rendon is a rising star and second among NL third basemen in WAR. Carpenter isn't having the year he had last year but still has a .378 OBP and 53 runs scored. He's a better player than Aramis Ramirez or Casey McGehee, plus he can play second if needed (the game counts after all!)

After Gomez, the outfield choices were more difficult. In the end, I went with Braun and Upton over Hunter Pence, Jason Heyward's defense and rookie speedster Billy Hamilton. I was the only one to pick Braun, but he's hitting .293/.342/.515 and, like him or not, it's called the All-STAR Game and Braun is a star. My final choice was one of tactics: It came down to Gordon or Hamilton over Pence, to have a pinch-running option late in a close game if needed. Gordon has the better success rate (and has been a little better at the plate), so he gets the nod.

Pitching staff SP -- Adam Wainwright, Cardinals SP -- Johnny Cueto, Reds SP -- Julio Teheran, Braves SP -- Zack Greinke, Dodgers SP -- Madison Bumgarner, Giants SP -- Tim Hudson, Giants SP -- Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals SP -- Jake Arrieta, Cubs RP -- Craig Kimbrel, Braves RP -- Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers RP -- Huston Street, Padres RP -- Aroldis Chapman, Reds

We had to pick four relievers and these four were pretty clear. Street gives me a Padres rep and Chapman, while missing time after his spring training line drive to the head, is one of the game's star relievers and has struck out 46 batters in 23.2 innings. For the starters, the first six listed above were pretty clear selections. I went with Zimmermann over teammate Stephen Strasburg and then Arrieta for the final spot. Maybe that's dubious choice since he's really had just the one dominant month, but he is 5-1 with a 1.81 ERA and has terrific periphals. If you want to go with Strasburg or his Cubs teammate instead, that's fine with me.

The one concern here is that with Kershaw starting, there are only two lefties in the pen in Bumgarner and Chapman. For that reason, I did consider Cole Hamels, who has been great even if his 2-5 record isn't. The actual roster will likely include a couple replacements like it always does, so I could see a lefty setup guy like Tony Watson (0.93 ERA) of the Pirates eventually making it.

Just missed: Hamilton, Pence, Strasburg, Hammel, Henderson Alvarez.

American League

C -- Salvador Perez, Royals 1B -- Miguel Cabrera, Tigers 2B -- Robinson Cano, Mariners 3B -- Josh Donaldson, A's SS -- , Yankees LF -- Michael Brantley, Indians CF -- Mike Trout, Angels RF -- Jose Bautista, Blue Jays DH -- Victor Martienez, Tigers SP -- Felix Hernandez, Mariners

Derek Jeter? OK, Derek Jeter. Of course he doesn't deserve to make the team on his 2014 merit, but in lieu of a Tulowitzki or even half of a Tulowitzki in the AL, he's the guy I want to see start. At third, you could go Donaldson, Adrian Beltre or Kyle Seager. Donaldson holds a slight edge over Seager in FanGraphs WAR and a bigger one on Baseball-Reference, with Beltre well behind on both, so Donaldson gets my nod. Left field could be Brantley or Alex Gordon or Yoenis Cespedes or Nelson Cruz, who is listed on the ballot as a DH although has started 38 games in left. I went with Brantley but, really, any of the four are reasonable selections. DH was just as tough with Martinez, Cruz and Edwin Encarnacion. Again, any of three work. Maybe we can just play Encarnacion at shortstop and hope nobody hits the ball to him.

OK, King Felix versus Masahiro Tanaka. Tough call since their numbers are about identical. Flip a coin. Yes, I'm a Mariners fan, but the difference for me was Hernandez has allowed four home runs and Tanaka 13. I know Tanaka is a great story but Hernandez has been one of the best pitchers for many years now and has never started the All-Star Game. Hey, there's also the chance that Tanaka could turn into a Jack Armstrong pumpkin (just kidding, Yankees fans).

Reserves C -- Derek Norris, A's 1B -- Jose Abreu, White Sox 1B/DH -- Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays 2B -- Jose Altuve, Astros 2B -- Ian Kinsler, Tigers 3B -- Adrian Beltre, Rangers 3B -- Kyle Seager, Mariners SS -- Alexei Ramirez, White Sox OF -- Alex Gordon, Royals OF -- , Orioles OF/DH -- Nelson Cruz, Orioles OF/1B -- Brandon Moss, A's

It will be interesting to see how the real AL roster shakes out. I assume since Cruz and Moss were listed as DHs on the ballot that they weren't considered outfielders for the player vote. So, assuming Cespedes holds on to the fan lead for the third spot, your minimum of three backup outfielders will come from the Brantley/Gordon/Jones group -- except Jones got off to a terrible start and Brantley isn't a big name, so the players may instead vote in guys like Jacoby Ellsbury and Melky Cabrera (who got off to a strong start). If Brantley then makes it as the Indians rep and David Ortiz fares well in the player vote, it's possible that Martinez and Encarnacion both get squeezed off the roster (Cruz is leading the fan voting at DH).

As for the other backup, I actually cheated by including just one backup catcher when we told to include two. (Sorry, boss.) So three catchers from a weak AL group would further squeeze a deserving player off the team. I would have loved to have found room for hometown Twins second baseman Brian Dozier to make it, but I can't justify his selection over Altuve or Kinsler. The second shortstop could be Ramirez, Erick Aybar or Alcides Escobar; I don't really care which one. My final spot came down to Moss or teammate Cespedes. In part, this is a strategic move: Having that big lefty bat off the bench could be important (not that managers actually manage strategically in the game).

Pitching staff SP -- Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees SP -- Yu Darvish, Rangers SP -- David Price, Rays SP -- Jon Lester, Red Sox SP -- Chris Sale, White Sox SP -- Max Scherzer, Tigers SP -- Garrett Richards, Angels SP -- Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays RP -- Greg Holland, Royals RP -- Glen Perkins, Twins RP -- Koji Uehara, Red Sox RP -- Sean Doolittle, A's

Love this staff. Great righty/lefty balance. My automatic selections were Tanaka, Darvish, Price, Lester and Sale, with Scherzer next in line even if his ERA is a little high. Richards and Buehrle got the edge over a strong pool of candidates that included Corey Kluber, Scott Kazmir, Rick Porcello, Dallas Keuchel, Anibal Sanchez and even . Like I said, a lot more difficult calls in the AL.

For the bullpen, Perkins makes it on merit, not just as the Twins rep. He does have a 3.41 ERA but has a 46/7 strikeout/walk ratio and just two home runs allowed and has been very good for four years now. Doolittle is a second lefty and you know his crazy numbers: 57 strikeouts and two walks. Apologies here to Yankees setup man Dellin Betances and his dominant strikeout rate. I'm guessing he finds his way on to the actual roster.

Just missed: Cespedes, Dozier, Kluber, Keuchel, Betances.

Sale gets the holiday start as White Sox welcome Mariners

Associated Press

(AP) -- The are in position to notch their longest road win streak in 11 years.

Standing in their way is the AL pitcher who is toughest to hit in his home ballpark.

The Mariners own more wins against left-handed starters than any team in baseball but face a tough assignment against ace Chris Sale on Friday night.

Seattle (47-38) can match a season high with a fifth straight victory and extend its season-best road streak to seven. The Mariners swept the first half of this six-game trip by taking three games in Houston this week and outscoring the Astros 28-8.

Manager Lloyd McClendon credited the top of his batting order. Rookie James Jones batted second and was 8 for 16 with six runs scored and three stolen bases in the Houston series while leadoff hitter Endy Chavez scored four times.

"I think the addition of Endy as well as Jonesy at the top of the order has given us a shot in the arm," McClendon said. "Those guys, for the most part, have been on pretty consistent, have done a nice job of giving the guys in the middle of the order the chance to drive in some runs and get some pitches to hit."

Seattle's has six hits in the past two games, Kyle Seager has five hits and four RBIs in that span and Robinson Cano is 7 for 16 with eight RBIs in his last four.

The Mariners can notch their first seven-game road win streak since a 13-game run May 15-June 5, 2003. That represents the longest such streak in a single season in club history. Seattle is 20-11 against left-handed starters heading into this formidable matchup. Sale (7-1, 2.30 ERA) is 5-1 with a 2.15 ERA in eight starts at home, limiting opponents to a league-low .162 average.

He is 2-0 with a 3.22 ERA in three starts against Seattle. Cano has faced him the most among Mariners hitters, going 4 for 12 with two doubles.

Sale won his last outing Saturday by limiting Toronto to two runs in seven innings despite a career-high five walks in a 4-3 road victory.

He'll be up against a fellow southpaw in rookie Roenis Elias (7-6, 3.96), who will face Chicago for the first time. Elias is 5-2 with a 3.46 ERA in eight road starts.

Elias had won back-to-back starts, yielding one run in each, before giving up five in six innings in last Saturday's 5-0 home defeat to Cleveland.

He'll get his first look at Cuban countryman Jose Abreu, who is among baseball's leaders with 26 homers and 67 RBIs. Abreu is batting .343 with seven homers and 16 RBIs during his season-best 17-game hitting streak.

The White Sox (40-46) avoided a three-game home sweep by the Los Angeles Angels with Wednesday's 3-2 victory. Pinch-hitter Leury Garcia singled in the winning run in the ninth.

"We could have folded a lot of times," second baseman Gordon Beckham said. "I feel like we do battle and compete the right way."

The Mariners could be close to activating Corey Hart, out since May 18 with a strained left hamstring.

These teams split six meetings a year ago. Chicago has taken 17 of the last 20 home matchups.

Rienzo, Quintana gear up for Brazil-Colombia World Cup match

By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago

Friday's World Cup headline is Neymar vs. James Rodriguez, but in the White Sox clubhouse it'll be Andre Rienzo vs. Jose Quintana with four-year bragging rights on the line.

Brazil — Rienzo's home country — are the odds-on favorites to win the World Cup, despite a near-upset at the hands of Chile in the round of 16. But Colombia — Quintana's home country — has perhaps been the most impressive team in Brazil, storming through the group stage and dispatching Uruguay in the round of 16.

"It's a really good opportunity for Colombia, it's the first time we've (got into) the third round," Quintana said. "I'm excited for that. I want them to win, my country."

It's much more of a grudge match for Colombia than Brazil, the latter of which Rienzo said views Argentina as its chief rival. But Quintana's seen soccer grow in Colombia, and while his home country has had some baseball stars in the past (Edgar Renteria, Orlando Cabrera) it's always been a soccer-first nation, even though its success hasn't come close to equaling that of Brazil. Friday's match will be Colombia's first quarterfinal appearance in World Cup history.

Rienzo and Quintana plan on getting to the clubhouse early and staking out a spot to watch the match, and then hoping the White Sox put the broadcast of it on the scoreboard during warm-ups. The good news is the White Sox have done that a few times during the World Cup, for instance showing Monday's Germany-Algeria match on the center field scoreboard as players stretched and took batting practice.

The two pitchers haven't figured out what the payback will be if their respective country wins, but Rienzo or Quintana won't let the other forget about the result of Friday's match for quite some time.

"(Quintana's) really my best friend here," Rienzo said. "Hopefully we'll enjoy watching the game and making fun of (each other)."