Five Players that Need to Perform

Other than staff-ace Chris Sale, just about every member of the Chicago White Sox organization can improve on what they did last season. Following a 99-loss season, the front office has added several new additions to help rebuild the roster into a perennial contender. For that to work, there are certain players that need to perform up to their capabilities in order to make the White Sox a successful franchise in 2014 and beyond.

Jose Abreu

The White Sox signed Cuban defector Jose Abreu to a six-year; $68 million deal in the offseason to be the anchor of their rebuilding process. The first baseman is projected to hit in the middle of the order, and should provide the White Sox with some much needed power. During his last few seasons in Cuba, Abreu put up huge numbers, but it remains to be seen how the slugger will perform at the major league level. Most scouts believe that Abreu has the ability to hit 30-plus home runs, but some scouts do not think that he will hit for a high enough average to be an all-star caliber player. At just over $11 million a season, the White Sox certainly hope that Abreu will prove his doubters wrong. As you will see, Abreu is the only new addition that I have on my list and that is for one reason, money. If the Abreu signing turns out to be a flop, the $68 million that he is owed could cripple the organization for the remainder of his contract.

John Danks

Following the 2011 season, the White Sox signed John Danks to a five-year, $65 million extension. With the new deal, the left-hander was expected to be the team’s number two or three starter through the 2016 season. Unfortunately, the deal has been a severe disappointment to date. After struggling mightily in 2012, Danks underwent shoulder surgery in August and missed the remainder of the season. After rehabbing all offseason, Danks was unable to return until late-May. When he did return, Danks was not his old self while posting a 4.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 138.1 innings. Although the numbers look underwhelming, Danks was mildly impressive upon his immediate return. In ten starts prior to the all-star break, Danks owned a 4.31 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 62.2 innings. Probably the most encouraging sign was that Danks only walked eight batters during that span, good for a 5.63 strikeout-to-ratio (more than doubling his career average of 2.38 SO/BB). Obviously, Danks fluttered down the stretch, but hopefully that was due in large part to his shoulder not be strong enough to handle the increased workload. Coming into camp this season, Danks has stated that his shoulder feels as healthy as it ever has and he is expecting to return to his 2008-2011 form. With three years and about $43 million remaining on his deal, the White Sox need Danks to stay on the mound and reach his potential. If that happens, then the White Sox will either have an above-average starter for the next three years, or they might be able to trade Danks for a group of prospects and save some of the money owed.

Gordon Beckham

After bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2009, second baseman Gordon Beckham has failed to live up to the hype since then. From 2010 to 2013, Beckham has topped out as a .267 hitter with 16 home runs, hardly the numbers one would expect from the 8^th overall selection in the 2008 MLB draft. Prior to last season, I thought Beckham was on the verge of a breakthrough season, but that ended when he suffered a fractured hamate bone in his right hand. As a result, Beckham only played in 101 games and failed to get into a rhythm offensively. Now that he should be fully recovered from the injury, 2014 is a huge season for Beckham who is entering the final arbitration stages of his contract. The White Sox currently have Beckham under their control through the 2015 season, so the clock is ticking for him to prove that he can be the second baseman for years to come. If Beckham can reach his potential this season, the White Sox will have a tough decision to make on whether or not to sign the former first-round pick to an extension before he hits free agency.

Catcher Position

This is a cop-out, but it is impossible to pinpoint one catcher on this roster that needs to reach expectations this season. As spring training begins, Tyler Flowers, Josh Phegley, and Adrian Nieto will compete for the two backstop spots on the roster. Flowers was expected to be a serviceable option when the White Sox elected to let A.J. Pierzynski leave via free agency, but 2013 showed that was a huge mistake. Flowers endured a brutal 2013 campaign by hitting .195 with 10 home runs and just 24 RBIs. As a result, Josh Phegley was recalled from Triple-A, but failed to provide any increase in production. Phegley batted just .206 with 4 home runs and 22 RBIs in 204 at-bats. If you can do the math, the catching position in 2013 was a complete disaster. With no apparent in-house candidate, the White Sox were expected to acquire a catcher during the offseason via free agency or trade, but that did not happen. Instead, the White Sox used their third overall selection of the Rule 5 player draft on Adrian Nieto. Nieto was a former fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft, and enjoyed his best season in 2013 with a .285 average, 11 home runs and 53 RBIs. Despite only be 23 years old, the problem is that Nieto has not played above high-A ball. Since Nieto was a Rule 5 pick, the White Sox must retain him on their 25-man roster when camp breaks, or they lose him. Although Nieto may have talent, it will be tough for him to earn a starting spot in2014, let alone a roster spot.

Adam Dunn

Adam Dunn is the final player on my list, yet he is the only one that has no direct impact on the future. After three miserable seasons, Dunn is entering the final year of a horrendous four-year, $56 million contract. The sole reason that Dunn needs to perform well is so he can be traded prior to the July 31^st MLB trade deadline. The White Sox know that this deal was a bust, and they will be looking to trade Dunn if the opportunity presents itself. In a perfect world, Dunn will get hot enough to entice a few teams to acquire his services. At this point, the White Sox should be looking to get whatever they can for the “Big Donkey”. With any luck, Dunn’s numbers during the first three months of the season will force a team to either give up a decent prospect, and/or take on the rest of his contract. As long as Adam Dunn is not in a White Sox uniform by August 1^st, I will consider his season a success.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

White Sox: 3 Things to Watch this Spring

With pitchers and catchers set to report to White Sox camp tomorrow, it is time to look at some of the storylines heading into the 2014 Spring Training.

1) How will the new position players perform?

If you include the Avisail Garcia acquisition last July, the White Sox have added four young position players to their roster. In addition to Garcia, Jose Abreu, Adam Eaton, and Matt Davidson are expected to be key contributors for many seasons to come. With all four players having little to no major league experience heading into Spring Training, it will be interesting to see how each player performs. Garcia and Eaton having limited major league experience, but I’m excited to see how they will react to having starting positions locked up heading into a season. Hopefully, both players will show up to camp confident and play with something to prove after both were traded from their parent organizations as top prospects. With Abreu and Davidson, I want to see how they will adjust to their new surroundings and situations. This will be Abreu’s first major league baseball experience, and it should give us a sense of how he can handle major league pitching on an everyday basis. The biggest question with Abreu is whether or not his bat speed is quick enough to handle major league fastballs, particularly on the inner-half of the plate? If Abreu appears to have trouble hitting those pitches consistently, then it could be problem for the young slugger as he enters his first season. For Davidson, this will be his first appearance in a big-league camp with a chance to make the Opening Day roster. With only a Conor Gillaspie and Jeff Keppinger platoon blocking his way, it will be intriguing to see if Davidson can force the White Sox’ hand with an impressive spring.

2) What will the back-end of the starting rotation look like?

After Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, the White Sox starting rotation is full of question marks. If healthy, John Danks is guaranteed a rotation spot, but how effective will he be in 2014? Danks will now be roughly 18 months removed from the shoulder surgery that he had in August of 2012, and he should be fully recovered. After missing all of April and most of May last season, Danks returned to the mound to make 22 starts in 2013. Unfortunately, the results weren’t ideal as Danks finished with a 4.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 138.1 innings. After a rocky last few years, it remains to be seen if Danks can return to his old self. The last two slots will likely be filled by Erik Johnson and Felipe Paulino. Of the pair, Johnson appears to have the most stability as manager Robin Ventura and pitching coach Don Cooper have stated the young righty is a clear favorite to land a spot in the rotation. Johnson is the White Sox best pitching prospect and impressed in five starts last season with a 3.25 ERA. Johnson has the stuff to be an above-average middle-of-the-rotation arm, so 2014 will be a big year for him to prove he belongs in the big leagues. That leaves one final spot. The White Sox signed Felipe Paulino to a one-year, $1.75 million deal as the veteran right-hander attempts to make a comeback after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2012. Prior to the injury, Paulino was off to a great start in 2012 with a 1.67 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in seven starts, and he also struck out 39 batters in 37.2 innings. Obviously, I don’t expect Paulino to be that type of pitcher in 2014, but the potential is there for him to be a quality fourth or fifth starter. If either Johnson or Paulino can’t earn a spot in the rotation, look for Andre Rienzo to get an extended look as well. Despite the question marks surrounding the back-end, I believe this can be an above-average rotation in the American League.

3) Who will emerge as closer?

The White Sox appeared to have their long-term answer at closer with Addison Reed, but he was shipped to Arizona for Matt Davidson. Now, who will emerge as the closer in 2014? The early favorite appears to be Nate Jones. Jones has electric stuff with his fastball reaching the mid-to-high 90s, and he has shown an ability to overpower hitters by having 154 strikeouts in 149.2 career innings. The question is whether or not he has the control and command to succeed in the ninth inning? Jones has allowed more base runners (career 1.30 WHIP) than you would typically want a closer surrender, especially when trying to hold a one run lead. I believe Jones as a quality reliever, but I’m skeptical of his chances of locking down the closer spot. If Jones can’t get the job done, the White Sox may turn to either Matt Lindstrom (45 career saves) or Scott Downs (26 career saves). Neither pitcher is the answer for the future, but both veterans have experience in the ninth inning. The dark horse for the job in 2014 and beyond is Daniel Webb. Webb saw brief action last season with nine relief appearances. The 24-year-old righty flashed his potential by racking up 10 strikeouts to go along with a 3.18 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 11.1 innings. Webb was able to crack the majors last season after starting the year in Single-A and working his way up through both Double-A and Triple-A. During his ascent through the White Sox system, Webb pitched 62.2 innings in just 42 appearances and the results were promising. Webb struck out 78 batters and owned a 1.87 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. The White Sox wouldn’t have traded Addison Reed unless they felt they have a suitable replacement in their system. If Nate Jones can’t grab a hold of the job as the season wears on, don’t be surprised if Daniel Webb is closing out games in the second half of the season.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

2014 Notre Dame Recruiting Class

Earlier this week, twenty-three recruits faxed in their Letter of Intents to become members of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program next fall. Two of the new members have already joined the team by enrolling early for the 2014 spring semester at Notre Dame, but the rest will join the Irish for summer practices. Amongst the 23 recruits, there was one five-star player, 10 four-star players, and 12 three-star players. While this class might not be considered elite, it does check-in as a very respectable 11^th best class according to rivals.com.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the recruits by position.

Quarterback

Four-star dual-threat quarterback DeShone Kizer will join the Irish this summer and has a ton of upside. The 6-foot-4, 205 pound QB will likely be slotted third on the depth chart behind Everett Golson and Malik Zaire, meaning a redshirt season is all but a guarantee. Kizer was the ninth-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation, continuing the recruiting trend by Brian Kelly. With Golson, Zaire, and Kizer all being dual-threat quarterbacks, it is apparent that Brian Kelly is trying to solidify that position with the type of skills desired to run his offense. Despite Kizer’s potential, don’t expect him to compete for playing time until 2016 at the earliest.

Wide Receiver

The Irish added a pair of four-star receivers in Corey Holmes and Justin Brent, improving the depth they already have at the position. Brent, who is an early-enrollee, is a 6-foot-1, 196 pound receiver that runs a 4.5 40-yard dash. Brian Kelly has already stated that Brent is one of the most physically developed players he has ever recruited. Considering his early-enrollee status, Brent could have a chance to make a major impact next season. Holmes is another big receiver at 6-foot-2 and also runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, but his slight frame (174 pounds) makes me think a redshirt season is a distinct possibility. Either way, Brent and Holmes give the Irish a pair of playmakers for the future.

Tight End

Notre Dame has adopted the moniker of “Tight End U” over the past decade, and two newcomers will be looking to join the list of successful players at the position. Four-star Nic Weishar and three-star Tyler Luatua give the Irish two tight ends in the top 12 of this year’s class. Both players have good height with Weishar listed at 6-foot-5 and Luatua at 6-foot-4, but both check-in at an under-sized weight of 230 pounds. Obviously both players will have a chance to put on the weight during the summer, but they both have some work to do in order to play immediately. Although Troy Niklas is gone, Ben Koyack, Durham Smythe, and Mike Heuerman will all be ahead of them on the depth chart. Given that, it wouldn’t surprise me to see both Weishar and Luatua redshirted.

Offensive Line

Addressing offensive line depth has been a calling card for Brian Kelly the past few seasons, and this year’s class in no different. Notre Dame added four top-30 linemen to join their already stacked depth chart. Five-star beast Quenton Nelson and four-star recruits Sam Mustipher, Jimmy Byrne, and Alex Bars will join the Irish this summer. Out of the group, Nelson probably has the best chance of seeing the field next season. He has been described as a lineman that carries a “mean-streak” and is considered a “nasty” player. Probably the most impressive stat amongst this group is their size. As seniors in high school, this group averages a height of 6-foot-5 and nearly 300 pounds. With the talent that is already on the roster, most of these guys will redshirt which gives the Irish a bright future up front.

Defensive Line

In addition to offensive line, Brian Kelly has also focused heavily on adding depth to his defensive front-seven over the past few years. This class was a perfect example, as the Irish added seven players to their depth chart. Defensive tackles Jay Hayes, Pete Mokwuah and Daniel Cage will join defensive ends Jhonathon Williams, Andrew Trumbetti, Jonthan Bonner and Grant Blankenship in what Notre Dame believes is a talent bunch. However, Hayes is the only four-star player, with the other six being three-star recruits. Obviously star rankings don’t determine the success of a player, but it does mean that they will have to be developed into better players. Since Brian Kelly arrived at South Bend, he has preached player development, so this group will be a good bar to judge Notre Dame’s player development program in the next two or three years. Outside of Hayes and Trumbetti who enrolled-early, the other linemen will likely be redshirted.

Linebackers

The Irish lost three starters at linebacker, so adding depth at the position was a major goal of the recruiting class. Four linebackers will be new members of the Fighting Irish this summer, with four-star stud Nyles Morgan leading the pack. Morgan is listed as an inside linebacker and will likely compete for a starting spot. The other three recruits are all three-star players, and will have to impress to see the field this season. Despite needing three new starters next fall, Niles Sykes, Greer Martini, and Kolin Hill will be hard pressed to see the field early in the season.

Defensive Backs

The defensive backfield has been an area of concern for the Irish the past few seasons, but the future looks bright after a solid recruiting class last season. To add to that talent, Brian Kelly picked up two additions in four-star cornerback Nick Watkins and three-star safety Drue Tranquill. Watkins will have a chance to crack the corner rotation with a unique combination of size and speed. Watkins is listed a 6-foot-1, 189 pounds and was clocked at a 4.5 40-yard dash. Unlike Watkins, Tranquill might be more of a project. The 6-foot-2, 205 pound safety has decent size, but he has a slew of talent safeties ahead of him on the depth chart. I would be shocked to see him on the field this season.

Special Teams

The 2014 class ends with the addition of three-star kicker Tyler Newsome. Newsome is rated as the 6^th best kicker in the country, and his three-star ranking speaks volumes to his leg as most kickers are two-star recruits. With Kyle Brindza securely entrenched as kicker and punter, Newsome will have to greatly impress the coaching staff to bump Brindza from one of his jobs.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Super Bowl XLVIII Preview

Super Bowl XLVIII kicks off tomorrow night when the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks will meet at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The game features the NFL’s best offense (Denver) versus the best defense (Seattle) in what figures to be an exciting matchup. Who will ultimately prevail?

Seattle’s offense has struggled of late, but obviously they have done just enough to win in their playoff games. Unfortunately, I don’t think Seattle can rely on their defense to hold the Broncos under 17 points like they did against the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. How will Seattle score enough points to win?

Russell Wilson has been solid all year and seems to make enough plays when he has to as he did in the NFC Championship. However, if he has to throw the ball more than 30 times on Sunday, then Seattle might be in trouble. As always, the Seahawks’ offensive game plan will be centered around running back Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is a workhorse and proved that by rushing for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns on 50 carries in Seattle’s two playoff games. Lynch will likely be asked to carry the ball at least 25 times, and will have to eclipse 100 yards again for Seattle to win. If Lynch can move the ball consistently and pile up first downs, then Seattle will be able to keep Manning and the Broncos off the field. Not only will a solid running game keep Manning off the field, it will also set up play-action opportunities for Russell Wilson. When that occurs, Wilson will have to convert on those opportunities.

One key aspects of the game could prove to be the effectiveness of Percy Harvin. Harvin had been out for most of the regular season after recovering from offseason hip surgery, playing in only one regular season game. Harvin did return for the Divisional Round versus New Orleans, but he was knocked out of the game after suffering a concussion. When healthy, Harvin is explosive and is one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL. It will be interesting to see how active Harvin is and if he can stay in the game.

The most exciting part of the game will be whenever the Broncos offense is on the field. I am really excited to see what Peyton Manning can do against this Seattle defense. Everyone likes to poke fun at “Omaha” and Manning’s pre-snap calls, but watching the chess match between Manning and the Seattle defense prior to the snap will be one of the most intriguing aspects of the game.

When the ball is snapped, Manning will have plenty of weapons to try and attack this Seattle defense. With Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the outside, and Julius Thomas and Wes Welker in the inside, Seattle will have their hands full trying to stop Manning. Fortunately for Seattle, the Seahawks’ defense has the perfect combination of skill and scheme to keep Manning in-check. Seattle’s cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell are two of the best cover corners in the league and should be able to give Demaryius Thomas and Decker fits on the outside. Honestly, I don’t expect either receiver to have a major impact in the game.

With the outside passing game being limited, Manning will have to lean heavily on Julius Thomas, Wes Welker, and his running backs against Seattle’s zone coverage in the middle. Seattle has a great pair of safeties in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, so I don’t see Julius Thomas making plays deep down the middle of the field. Therefore, look for Manning to attack Seattle’s linebackers with short passes to Welker, Julius Thomas, and his running backs. Manning is great at taking what a defense gives him, and I think he will have to move the ball methodically with short passes in order to score points. The short passing game will also keep Seattle’s outstanding defensive line from getting pressure on Manning.

It won’t be easy for Peyton Manning and the Broncos to score points against the Seahawks’ defense, but they will score enough to win. I picked the Broncos to beat the Seahawks back in August, and I can’t go against my pick with this game being a virtual coin-flip in my opinion.

Prediction: Denver Broncos 20, Seattle Seahawks 17

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07