Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010
Updated: 12:06 AM
By Brett Ballantini & Jeremy Lynn
CSNChicago.com
DETROIT Theres no word on whether he packs a bat called Wonderboy or will stop on the train ride way up to Detroit to strike out the Whammer, but Chris Sales remarkable ascendance up Chicagos organizational chart does look to be finally grinding to a halt on Wednesday, when the White Sox call the lefty up from Triple-A Charlotte.
While the move hasnt been officially announced, with lefthander Erick Threets on the DL the White Sox are limited to only southpaw Matt Thornton in the pen. Randy Williams, another lefty available to the White Sox and one who pitched for the team earlier in the season, threw out of the bullpen for Charlotte on Tuesday, likely eliminating him from callup contention.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who famously claims to be concerned only with the 25 men on his current, major-league roster, was fully ignorant of any pending Sale tomorrow.
Who? The skinny kid? asked the manager postgame. I just manage. They give him to me, and I just manage him.
General Manager Ken Williams made no comment on Tuesday, but had projected Sale as a possible late-season call-up, likening his potential impact to that of Bobby Jenks in 2005 and Mark Buehrle in 2000. In both of those seasons the pitchers were significant stretch-run rookies who would go on to have long careers in Chicago.
MLB
While Guillen and Williams are tight-lipped about Sale's immediate future, his father Allen made told news-press.com that his son "will be in Detroit (Wednesday)."
Sale is projected to be a future member of the starting rotationand not coincidentally is said to sport a changeup that compares well to Mark Buehrles killer slowballbut has seen his innings monitored in his first pro season.
Tuesday nights starter, Carlos Torres, was sent down after his six-inning, five-run effort vs. the Detroit Tigers, leaving a roster spot open for Wednesday.
Guillen speculated that Williams would need to talk to Charlotte pitching coach Richard Dotson before making a decision on bringing Sale up. Upon Sales signing in June, Williams sent the rookie specifically to Single-A Winston-Salem so he could be tutored by White Sox all-time saves leader Bobby Thigpen, who is the Dashs pitching coach.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 170-pound lefty has compiled some impressive numbers in his Winston-Salem and Charlotte stints. In 11 total games hes logged a 2.61 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and 16.5 K9. In Charlotte alone, Sale sports an astronomical 21.3 K9.
Brett Ballantini is CSNChicago.coms White Sox Insider. Follow him @CSNChi_Beatnik on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Sox information.