ESPN

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel is likely headed to the disabled list due to a bulging disc in his back and will replaced by soon-to-be acquired Orlando Hudson, manager Robin Ventura said on Sunday.

Read the entire story.

Patience had been Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura's mantra as he watched both Brent Morel and Gordon Beckham struggle with the bats this season.

On Tuesday the manager admitted, at that some point, his patience may wear thin if his pair of infielders do not get their act together.

“Eventually you have to do something about it,” Ventura said. “Right now I still believe in what I see and talking to them I am still confident that they are going to perform.”

Read the entire story.

Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura knows his offense has been struggling, but for right now, he’s not losing any sleep over it.

“There’s not a lot you can do, this is who we are,” Ventura said. “You work at it, you look at stuff and try and help guys out. We haven’t spent any all-nighters in here.”

When Ventura says this is who the White Sox are, hopefully he doesn’t mean they’re a team that will average two runs a game, which is what they’ve done during their five-game losing streak.

Ventura decided to give two struggling players, Brent Morel and Gordon Beckham, days off on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox. Beckham is hitting .153, Morel is hitting .178 and neither has a home run on the season. Ventura said he’s just going with a different look with the lineup, but wasn’t committing to any permanent changes. Ventura said he’d wait and see how things go on Sunday, but expected them to both be back in the lineup on Tuesday.

“I think a lot of it has become mental, it mounts up on them,” Ventura said of Morel and Beckham’s struggles. “These are just little mental breaks, giving them this day and they have [Monday] off and then they’ll be back at it. You look at Gordon, the at-bat he had last night, it was a good at-bat. He just didn’t get a hit. But he grinded it out, the competitiveness was there. He competed that at-bat.”

(Read full post)

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Tuesday he hasn’t lost faith that third baseman Brent Morel is going to be a productive hitter in the No. 2 slot this season.

Morel hasn’t gotten off to a strong start like he did a year ago. Last season, Morel compiled 10 hits in the team’s first seven games. This season, he’s had three hits in his first 29 at-bats and has a .103 batting average. He’s also second on the team in strikeouts with 13, including four in the past two games.

“I still think he’s going to be more of a contact hitter, hit line drives,” Ventura said prior to Tuesday’s game. “I believe that, believe in him doing that. He’s going to stay there. He just needs to be a little more aggressive in the zone, and things will turn around for him.”

(Read full post)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel's horrific opening day left him dropped from second to eighth in Robin Ventura’s batting order in Game 2 of the series.

Morel went hitless on Friday, striking out four times. However that was not the worst of it, as he also bobbled a ball on defense that led to the go-ahead run scoring in the sixth inning.

“He is going to save more games than he is going to hurt us [in],” John Danks, who took the loss Friday, said. “He’s a damn good third baseman and he will be there all year helping the pitchers out.”

(Read full post)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It’s not how Robin Ventura would have drawn up the perfect ending to his first game as Chicago White Sox manager, but Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers was a mostly positive experience.

“It’s not the same as when you play,” Ventura, a former All-Star third baseman, said. “When you play there are different things that you go through. This is more mental, thinking about things that are coming up, trying to look ahead and how you react to it.”

Ventura, whose wife and four children were in Texas to watch his first game, and his players were in agreement that it was nice to get the first one out of the way.

“It was a good baseball game,” Ventura said. “At some time, you figure we were going to lose a game this year. You don’t like losing. We got guys on late, we just didn’t get them in.”

Ventura is not afraid to do things his way, as he has confounded the media by not publicly naming a closer. The truth likely being that he is not sure if any one pitcher he has can fill the role on an everyday basis. On Friday he used Addison Reed in the seventh inning and Matt Thornton in the eighth, leading to speculation that he would have used rookie Hector Santiago to close if the team would have taken a late lead.

“He just told us to be ready all of the time,” Santiago said. “Be ready for our turn, be ready for the phone call.”

The day took a strange turn for Ventura before batting practice as former arch rival Nolan Ryan came by the White Sox clubhouse to wish the new manager good luck.The two had not talked since they fought on the field in 1993 after Ryan buzzed the third baseman with a purpose pitch and Ventura charged the mound. The rest became urban legend in Texas as Ryan put a headlock on Ventura, hitting him on the top of the head multiple times.

“[Ryan] was in the hallway and we just talked,” Ventura said. “I congratulated him for the last couple of years, he’s done a great job. It was nice to say, ‘Hey,’ and congratulate him, and it wasn’t anything more than that.”

The new Sox leader will have his ups and downs with this team but it is apparent he will not lose his sense of humor.

“It was fun to get it going, but I can say it’s better to be a player,” quipped Ventura.

The White Sox depart Arizona with their Opening Day roster set, but without a regular closer.

Manager Robin Ventura said the decision could be revealed on Opening Day. Candidates he has mentioned are 2010 All-Star Matt Thornton, rookies Addison Reed and Hector Santiago, or Jesse Crain, who dealt with a strained oblique this spring.

"I will know and they will know," Ventura said. "I don't really feel the need to tell everybody and make a statement about it."

One thing that was announced is the final bullpen spot, which will be filled by rookie Nate Jones.

"[He] didn't necessarily have a spot when you visualize it, and all of a sudden you go through spring and you see how he's progressed and done things. Those are the good surprises," Ventura said.

The White Sox will play two exhibition games against the Astros on Tuesday and Wednesday in Houston.

Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura had finally seen enough on Monday to name his Opening Day starter.

John Danks got the nod to start the season on the road on April 6 against the defending American League champion Texas Rangers.

"I think that's cool," Danks said.

"It's an honor. It's something everyone dreams about, throwing on opening day," he said. "I've had the opportunity to watch five of them. You can't help but think, `Man, what if that were me out there?"

Danks allowed two earned runs and five hits over seven innings on Monday, earning a no-decision in the White Sox's 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dayan Viciedo has had a spring training to forget, now hitting a lowly .100 without a home run or RBI. Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura knows a little about slumps, having begun his career 4-for-44.

“He has had some good sessions in the cage,” Ventura said. “He is more frustrated than anything. He is putting too much pressure on himself. I understand all the frustration because of the buildup, but I am not worried about him.”

Former White Sox manager Tony La Russa was a guest of White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf on Sunday.

LaRussa, who retired from coaching after winning the 2011 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, now has many opportunities to choose from, including being a part of a group that is attempting to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers. LaRussa has also worked with the Detroit Tigers since retiring.

Left-hander Hector Santiago has been the talk of the camp this spring. Not only has he secured a spot in the rotation, he was used as the closer on Sunday. Santiago has a miniscule 1.13 ERA this spring in six appearences. Santiago reminds some baseball people of former Mets closer John Franco.

Right-hander Jesse Crain will make his first appearance in a game since March 12 on Tuesday. Crain strained his right oblique in that outing.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski was booed by the predominantly pro-Giants crowd at the White Sox home game on Sunday. As usual, the Sox catcher got the last laugh, hitting a home run off of starter Barry Zito. Pierzynski played for San Francisco in 2004 and suffered through an unhappy season there.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Chicago White Sox pitcher Phil Humber is finally in a position to feel good about his big-league future. The 29-year-old former No. 1 pick of the New York Mets in 2004 threw six innings of one-run baseball on Sunday in preparation for his first start of the season on April 10 in Cleveland.

Humber’s journey has taken many twists and turns since he was the No. 3 overall pick out of Rice University.

“I feel more comfortable now,” Humber said. “Confidence comes with being prepared. But them knowing what I can do and that I don’t have to prove it in one or two spring games [is big].”

Sox manager Robin Ventura has not named an opening day starter, but it is pretty safe to say Humber is secure in his No. 5 slot in the rotation.

“I don’t think any of us feel [concerned with who pitches first]. The opening day start… that is a neat deal, but opening day is the only time that matters. We all view ourselves as on our game day we are the No. 1 starter.”

Ventura was happy with what he saw from Humber on Sunday, but admitted he is not ready to say where his starters will be placed in his rotation.

“We know who our starters are,” Ventura said. “We just don’t know how [the rotation] is going to go.”

With 10 days left until opening day, the rookie manager has yet to name his closer.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Manager Robin Ventura said it isn’t official yet, but John Danks is in line to be the Opening Day starter when the Chicago White Sox face the Texas Rangers on April 6.

“Right now he is. He’s going to be that guy and we’ll move on from there,” Ventura said. “But I like him as that guy for right now but I’m not making it official. It could schedule out that way. It is for now, but it’s not an ‘official’ official.”

Danks gave up three runs on four hits and three walks in two innings of work in Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

“It wasn’t fun, but it’s the first one out there,” Danks said. “Trying to do well, but in the grand scheme of things, talking to Coop, we got all the work in that we’d hope to get and more, and I’ll be ready to go in five days. That’s part of it. Better now than in April.”

Danks allowed six straight batters to reach base in the first, including a two RBI single by Jose Cantu to put the White Sox in a 2-0 hole. In the second inning, Danks gave up a leadoff double to Kole Calhoun, who later advanced to third on a wild pitch.

“I thought I had enough behind the ball,” Danks said. “My ball was doing what I wanted it to. It just wasn’t going where I wanted to throw it.”

Danks signed a five-year, $65 million contract extension in December after posting an 8-12 mark and 4.33 ERA last season. After starting the season 0-8 with a 5.25 ERA, he went 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA in his next 11 starts.

As expected, the Chicago White Sox's new manager had no real problems handling all the moves that a dugout veteran makes during a ballgame.

The only thing that bothered Robin Ventura in his first game as a manager was the 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I wish we won, but it’s good to get it going,” Ventura said. “You never like losing games, but it is spring training and we go from there.”

That cool demeanor, which was always prevalent when Ventura played, was evident to his players as well.

“There weren’t a lot of moves to make today,” Brent Lillibridge said. “For the most part, he was just like we expected him to be. Just let the game be played and he will make the moves he needs to make and put us in a position to win. It’s different seeing someone different over there that you’re not used to seeing, but it was pretty exciting.”

Ventura made his first trip to the mound in the sixth inning, taking Nestor Molina out after he gave up five runs. Ventura looked like a pro taking the ball and giving the rookie pitcher the usual slap on the behind.

“It’s just different taking the lineup card out, going out to the mound to take somebody out, it’s just odd when you go out there and do it,” Ventura said.

The White Sox players will miss the energy and chaos that previous manager Ozzie Guillen brought to the ballpark every day, however they will enjoy the quiet confidence that the new skipper shows in them and the way he leads his team.

In the case of Ventura, don’t mistake calmness for a lack of intensity. Remember, this is a man who was upset about losing a meaningless spring training game.

GLENDALE, Ariz.-- Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he likes catcher A.J. Pierzynski in the No. 2 spot of the batting order this season.

Shortstop Alexei Ramirez batted second for a majority of last season while Pierzynski occupied the fifth, sixth or seventh spots in the batting order. Pierzynski did not hit in the No. 2 hole once last season. He finished 2011 with a .323 on-base percentage.

“I think he handles the bat great, is always a tough out,” Ventura said of Pierzynski. “Not that he’s going to steal a lot of bases, but he handles the bat and does the appropriate things and he’ll hook it if he has to and put it the other way if you shift on him. Right now, I like him right there.”

Ventura is unsure of whether he’ll bat Paul Konerko third or fourth, but plans to put the veteran slugger at cleanup for Monday’s Cactus League opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Should Pierzynski bat second, it's more likely that Konerko would bat cleanup, which would allow a player with more foot speed to hit in the No. 3 hole. Konerko hit .321 in the cleanup spot last season.

“I’m still shaping on that right now,” Ventura said. “But I’d like Paulie to bat fourth. I think it’s more of a spot for him. He probably feels more comfortable there.”

With lefty Alejandro De Aza occupying the leadoff spot, Ventura added that he probably wouldn't hit Pierzynski second against left-handed pitchers. Pierzynski singled and scored a run in the first and had an RBI double in the second inning of Team Dunn's 8-4 win over Team Konerko on Saturday. Konerko went 0-for-1 with a walk.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A few notes from Chicago White Sox camp on Sunday at Camelback Ranch:

• When asked if he wants to be an everyday outfielder, Kosuke Fukudome was vague, saying through his interpreter that “I’m going to take it step by step, game by game and just contribute all I can.”

Manager Robin Ventura said Fukudome does a lot of things well but, “I don’t know exactly how that fits in right now... You get different situations where somebody needs a day, or a tough righty you put him in there. Fundamentally, a really good player.”

• Time and again, Ventura has said that players are getting a clean slate to start the season. But how long of a leash he’ll give players who need to perform better than last season remains to be seen.

Players who are on the comeback trail from injury, like former 2009 first-round draft pick Jared Mitchell, are also receiving the benefit of the doubt.

Mitchell, who won a College World Series title and BCS title with LSU in 2007, missed the entire 2010 season with a torn ACL. He hit .222 with 183 strikeouts in 477 at bats at Class A-Kannapolis last season.

“He’s a great talent,” Ventura said. “For me, you look at what he’s had done in the past couple of years and injuries have really slowed him down. I’m looking forward to him being healthy and seeing what he can do. You just look at him as an athlete. You see a lot of potential.”

• When it comes to this season’s expectations for Adam Dunn, Gordon Beckham and Alex Rios, Ventura said he won’t put numbers on them.

“Again, that’s a tough one, to already put numbers on somebody,” he said. “Again for me their approach, you can just tell when guys are playing to potential and when they’re kind of getting down because sometimes that can swallow you up. We’ll kind of assess it as it goes along but, again, we’re looking for them to do obviously more than they did last year.”

• Ventura likes what he’s seen from Addison Reed, the organization’s top-ranked prospect according to Baseball America, and thinks he has all the qualities of a closer.

“He’s confident, a live arm and kind of a weird angle, too, so he has a lot of deceptiveness as well as everything else you’d like to have,” Ventura said. “But I just like his attitude, his confidence going out there and being able to do a couple of different things.”

In terms of when Reed will be ready to step in the closer role, Ventura said: “I don’t know if that’s going to happen right now.”

CHICAGO -- Sorry Brent Morel, it’s going to be awfully hard to avoid the comparisons between you and your new manager Robin Ventura.

Last season Morel was being compared most often to Joe Crede, but with Ventura occupying the manager’s office now, a new comparison has taken over. It’s enough to make Morel cringe.

“I don’t feel like there should be a comparison [with Ventura] at all, or anything like that,” Morel said, suggesting he isn't worthy of it at this stage of his career. “But I’m happy he’s my manager and will be open and will help me to get to that next level offensively and defensively. I’ll be able to pick his brain. He’s so open about it. He wants everybody to get better and I’ll try to help as much as possible.”

The two have their differences of course, the biggest being that Morel bats from the right side while Ventura batted left. And while asking Morel to reach Ventura’s power numbers is pushing it, the final month of last season suggests that Morel can deliver the long ball at the major-league level.

Where Morel might rank ahead of his manager is on the defensive end. In a SoxFest seminar with fans on Saturday, broadcaster Hawk Harrelson noted how Ventura struggled with the glove early in his big-league career before turning himself into one of the best in the game in that category.

Morel showed numerous instances of brilliance on defense last year, with some miscues mixed in. His biggest room for improvement on defense figures to come on throws, especially when he is rushed or there is traffic on the base paths.

While it seemed clear that Alexei Ramirez's growth at shortstop was aided by a former shortstop in Ozzie Guillen, it’s going to be hard to track Morel’s progress without giving an assist to Ventura.

Helping the bond between Morel and Ventura is the fact they hail from the same region of California. <!--Morel grew up in Bakersfield and went to college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Ventura grew up in nearby Santa Maria and still makes his home there.

“Obviously growing up there I had a chance to meet him and stuff like that but I don’t know if there is a better fit for this team than he is,” Morel said. “I’ll be able to learn from him and pick his brain a little bit. It will be nice.”

Ventura shouldn't get the credit for all of Morel’s future progress, though. The young third baseman made huge strides offensively in September when his approach at the plate completely changed.

Not only did he become more aggressive as evidenced by hitting eight of his 10 home runs over the final month, he also mixed in some patience. Morel had 15 walks in September after walking just seven times before the final month.

That month won’t completely erase a season when he batted a pedestrian .245 with a .287 on-base percentage, but the fact that he heads into 2012 with a little bit of momentum is reason for optimism.

“I was a little disappointed, more with just my mental approach to the game, trying not to mess up, make the team, be on the team and really got caught up in being that good defense third baseman and living with it,” Morel said. “[In September] I really just got selfish and aggressive, putting time in and developing an approach. So I will just carry that over the next year.”