Chisox73
03-02-2006, 10:50 PM
Goin' deep: White Sox proud of rotation
South Siders a far cry from their 2004 starting pitching woes
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060302&content_id=1331185&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws
You know things are going well when a starter-worthy pitcher like Brandon McCarthy is available out of the bullpen. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
TUCSON, Ariz. -- With the plethora of riches that currently defines the White Sox starting rotation, it's hard to imagine a time when the South Siders couldn't fill out their top five on a regular basis.
But the memory doesn't have to be jogged too far in order to come across that somewhat rough period. It was the 2004 season, and the problem developed primarily in the fifth starter's hole. Actually, it started as an issue in Spring Training and gradually tumbled into a downright nightmare for manager Ozzie Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper.
Eight different pitchers tried to fill the void at the back end of the White Sox rotation, including one start by Scott Schoeneweis, in which he allowed nine earned runs over 1 1/3 innings in Kansas City. Neal Cotts was unsuccessful in one attempt at the Metrodome, a spot start that Guillen later apologized for, putting the reliever in an almost impossible situation. Cotts has bounced back just fine from that particular night.
Arnie Munoz was tattooed for 11 runs on 10 hits over three innings during his lone 2004 start in Montreal, but currently stands in contention for a bullpen spot on the defending World Series champions' roster. The rest of the fifth starter's list was made up of pitchers no longer with the organization such as Felix Diaz, Jon Rauch, Dan Wright, Josh Stewart and Jason Grilli.
It was a rotation slot that finished with a 5-16 combined record and an astonishingly high combined ERA near 11.00. That lack of pitching depth, along with a couple of key injuries, cost an offensively charged White Sox lineup a viable chance to reach the postseason for the first time since 2000.
"All year, every time that fifth starter went out there, it felt like we had to score 20 runs just to win," said White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle of the 2004 troubles.
"But last year and this year, we don't have that feeling," Buehrle added. "Just get that feeling out of the way because we don't have to deal with it anymore."
Having a stellar starting rotation from top to bottom was a significant factor in the White Sox first championship since 1917. In fact, possessing a fifth starter who checks in at the .500 mark is a common trait among playoff contenders -- assuming the first four perform their respective jobs as expected.
According to statistician John Dewan from the Stat of the Week Web site, if the four best starters on each Major League team in 2005 are excluded, the average win-loss record of the remaining starters is 14-21 with a 5.37 ERA. The same average record for playoff teams was 16-16 with a 4.99 ERA.
St. Louis was tops in baseball with a 17-10 record and 3.49 ERA from its fifth starters. The White Sox fifth starters ranked 10th, according to DeWan's Web Site, with a 12-11 record and 4.90 ERA. Jon Garland originally began 2005 as the fifth starter, but the slot eventually was filled by Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and Brandon McCarthy.
In 2006, with McCarthy entering on the power of last year's dominant finish, the White Sox could be looking to create a new sixth starter statistical category.
"Any of these guys could be a 1 or 2 [starter] on any other team," said Buehrle, echoing a familiar refrain heard throughout White Sox Spring Training. "McCarthy is the odd man out, but he deserves to be in there. I guarantee if we have an injury or need him, McCarthy will do a good job."
"I think we have more confidence going into this year, seeing what we did last year and how we ended the year," Garland added. "We still felt strong and still wanted to get back on the mound, even when we were done. Hopefully, we can come back in with that aggressiveness and compete."
The interesting dynamic about the White Sox staff is that labeling the one through five starters wouldn't exactly be an easy task. All six are capable of 15-to-18 victories, an ERA in the mid 3.00's, 200 innings and 33 starts.
Buehrle serves as the team's ace, making his fifth straight Opening Day start and looking for his sixth straight season with at least 15 victories. After Buehrle, any order could be possible with Jose Contreras, Javier Vazquez, Freddy Garcia and Garland.
Garland started 2005 as the last starter to take the mound but finished with a team-high 18 victories. He pointed out numerous times that the rotation label really only exists the first time through. His logic makes sense.
Vazquez, as the team's possible fifth starter to open 2006, could finish with more victories than Buehrle.
"The key to winning is pitching," Vazquez said. "So, it's always a good thing when you have five solid starters."
"I don't think we have a fifth starter," reserve catcher Chris Widger added. "Our No. 1 is Buehrle because he's done what he's done for so long. We basically have Buehrle and four No. 2s. Our fifth spot is a guy who falls in the rotation that way, but that's how deep of a rotation we have."
And that was the plan put in motion by general manager Ken Williams during the 2004 season, when he acquired Garcia and Contreras. With every starter but Contreras contractually locked up through at least 2007 and the talented young trio of Lance Broadway, Ray Liotta and Charles Haeger practicing their craft in the Minors, there should be no replay of 2004 any time in the near future.
Posting a .500 record at the fifth spot would be a disappointment for this group.
"They have a pitcher like Brandon McCarthy working in the bullpen," said White Sox reliever Jeff Bajenaru with a smile. "It's a tough lineup to crack."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
South Siders a far cry from their 2004 starting pitching woes
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060302&content_id=1331185&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws
You know things are going well when a starter-worthy pitcher like Brandon McCarthy is available out of the bullpen. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
TUCSON, Ariz. -- With the plethora of riches that currently defines the White Sox starting rotation, it's hard to imagine a time when the South Siders couldn't fill out their top five on a regular basis.
But the memory doesn't have to be jogged too far in order to come across that somewhat rough period. It was the 2004 season, and the problem developed primarily in the fifth starter's hole. Actually, it started as an issue in Spring Training and gradually tumbled into a downright nightmare for manager Ozzie Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper.
Eight different pitchers tried to fill the void at the back end of the White Sox rotation, including one start by Scott Schoeneweis, in which he allowed nine earned runs over 1 1/3 innings in Kansas City. Neal Cotts was unsuccessful in one attempt at the Metrodome, a spot start that Guillen later apologized for, putting the reliever in an almost impossible situation. Cotts has bounced back just fine from that particular night.
Arnie Munoz was tattooed for 11 runs on 10 hits over three innings during his lone 2004 start in Montreal, but currently stands in contention for a bullpen spot on the defending World Series champions' roster. The rest of the fifth starter's list was made up of pitchers no longer with the organization such as Felix Diaz, Jon Rauch, Dan Wright, Josh Stewart and Jason Grilli.
It was a rotation slot that finished with a 5-16 combined record and an astonishingly high combined ERA near 11.00. That lack of pitching depth, along with a couple of key injuries, cost an offensively charged White Sox lineup a viable chance to reach the postseason for the first time since 2000.
"All year, every time that fifth starter went out there, it felt like we had to score 20 runs just to win," said White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle of the 2004 troubles.
"But last year and this year, we don't have that feeling," Buehrle added. "Just get that feeling out of the way because we don't have to deal with it anymore."
Having a stellar starting rotation from top to bottom was a significant factor in the White Sox first championship since 1917. In fact, possessing a fifth starter who checks in at the .500 mark is a common trait among playoff contenders -- assuming the first four perform their respective jobs as expected.
According to statistician John Dewan from the Stat of the Week Web site, if the four best starters on each Major League team in 2005 are excluded, the average win-loss record of the remaining starters is 14-21 with a 5.37 ERA. The same average record for playoff teams was 16-16 with a 4.99 ERA.
St. Louis was tops in baseball with a 17-10 record and 3.49 ERA from its fifth starters. The White Sox fifth starters ranked 10th, according to DeWan's Web Site, with a 12-11 record and 4.90 ERA. Jon Garland originally began 2005 as the fifth starter, but the slot eventually was filled by Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and Brandon McCarthy.
In 2006, with McCarthy entering on the power of last year's dominant finish, the White Sox could be looking to create a new sixth starter statistical category.
"Any of these guys could be a 1 or 2 [starter] on any other team," said Buehrle, echoing a familiar refrain heard throughout White Sox Spring Training. "McCarthy is the odd man out, but he deserves to be in there. I guarantee if we have an injury or need him, McCarthy will do a good job."
"I think we have more confidence going into this year, seeing what we did last year and how we ended the year," Garland added. "We still felt strong and still wanted to get back on the mound, even when we were done. Hopefully, we can come back in with that aggressiveness and compete."
The interesting dynamic about the White Sox staff is that labeling the one through five starters wouldn't exactly be an easy task. All six are capable of 15-to-18 victories, an ERA in the mid 3.00's, 200 innings and 33 starts.
Buehrle serves as the team's ace, making his fifth straight Opening Day start and looking for his sixth straight season with at least 15 victories. After Buehrle, any order could be possible with Jose Contreras, Javier Vazquez, Freddy Garcia and Garland.
Garland started 2005 as the last starter to take the mound but finished with a team-high 18 victories. He pointed out numerous times that the rotation label really only exists the first time through. His logic makes sense.
Vazquez, as the team's possible fifth starter to open 2006, could finish with more victories than Buehrle.
"The key to winning is pitching," Vazquez said. "So, it's always a good thing when you have five solid starters."
"I don't think we have a fifth starter," reserve catcher Chris Widger added. "Our No. 1 is Buehrle because he's done what he's done for so long. We basically have Buehrle and four No. 2s. Our fifth spot is a guy who falls in the rotation that way, but that's how deep of a rotation we have."
And that was the plan put in motion by general manager Ken Williams during the 2004 season, when he acquired Garcia and Contreras. With every starter but Contreras contractually locked up through at least 2007 and the talented young trio of Lance Broadway, Ray Liotta and Charles Haeger practicing their craft in the Minors, there should be no replay of 2004 any time in the near future.
Posting a .500 record at the fifth spot would be a disappointment for this group.
"They have a pitcher like Brandon McCarthy working in the bullpen," said White Sox reliever Jeff Bajenaru with a smile. "It's a tough lineup to crack."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.