Sure, But Can He Sing?: David Cook has spent six years in the White Sox system, and while he’s repeated some levels along the way, he’s consistently drawn many a walk and shown decent power. This year at Double-A Birmingham, the 26-year-old outfielder has taken everything up a notch, batting .313/.467/.577 for the Barons, and leading all of the minor leagues with 62 walks in just 208 at-bats to go along with 12 home runs. His age and a short, stocky build prevent him from being seen as much of a prospect, but one scout said his team, size, and style of play couldn’t help but remind him of a former White Sox player with a bowling-ball build and lots of secondary skills–-Warren Newson. Promoted to Triple-A last week, Cook went 11-for-24 with three doubles and three walks in his first seven games with Charlotte, including a 4-for-4 showing with a triple on Wednesday.

Still Slugging: Your current minor league home run leader is former Pirate Brad Eldred, who’s popped out 24 in just 71 games and 265 at-bats for Charlotte. He is still, however, the same Brad Eldred, as evidenced by a .260 batting average and 78 strikeouts against just 18 walks. Chances are that he’ll get every opportunity to maintain his home run lead, because with Jim Thome and Paul Konerko in the big leagues at DH and first base, there’s no room in Chicago for him. Eldred is the kind of player who could do very well performance-wise and popularity-wise in Japan.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7680

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080617&content_id=418847&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

Triple-A Charlotte third baseman Josh Fields was placed on the disabled list Monday because of a strained right knee. Fields is batting .251 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs with the Knights.

Juan Silverio, a smooth-fielding 6 foot 2 shortstop, steered a two-run homer over the right field fence. The next batter, designed hitter Jose Vargas, launched a homer in nearly the exact same place.

87. Aaron Poreda, LHP, White Sox
Eligible Next Year? Yes
Production: 3.31 ERA at High-A (73.1-67-18-46); 6.00 at Double-A (6-6-0-5)
Stock Report: Slightly down. He’s been promoted to Double-A for the second half of the season, but Poreda is not missing bats despite his size and velocity, as he’s made almost no progress with his breaking ball has.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7684

Minor League Transactions

Chicago White Sox

Signed: C Erick San Pedro

Draft picks signed: SS Lee Fischer (46), OF Justin Greene (20)

Released: RHP Matt Anderson, RHP Rob Bell, RHP Justin Klipp, RHP Joe Winkelsas, LHP Jacob Jean

Acquired: 1B Mark Fleisher from Orioles for future considerations

Traded: SS Gookie Dawkins to Royals for future considerations

Traded: OF Tom Collaro to Reds for future considerations

Voluntarily retired: 1B Jeff Liefer

Recalled: RHP Adam Russell

Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Ehren Wassermann

Outrighted off 40-man roster: OF Dewayne Wise

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Juan Moreno, C Cole Armstrong

Reinstated from DL: RHP Daniel Carrasco, RHP Michael Dubee, RHP Leroy Hunt, RHP Justin Klipp, RHP Johnnie Lowe, RHP Jason Rice, RHP Clevelan Santeliz, RHP Joe Winkelsas, C Eric Hollis

Placed on temporarily inactive list: C Francisco Hernandez, OF Salvador Sanchez

Reinstated from inactive list: OF Salvador Sanchez

Option transferred: RHP Dewon Day (Triple-A Charlotte to Double-A Birmingham)

Just 22, Gonzalez already has been traded three times in his young career. And after last night’s start, it’s easy to see why teams are so eager to acquire him. The young lefty, who led the minors in punchouts last season, struck out 12 Fresno batters in eight innings, while walking none and allowing only one hit. Righthander Jeff Gray pitched the ninth to preserve the Sacramento one-hitter, a 4-0 win. The start was Gonzalez’ best this season, by far, though he has resuscitated his strikeout-to-walk ratio in June, where it stands at 2.7-to-1 after sitting at 1.8-to-1 in April and May.

also

Northwest Arkansas (Royals) righthander Dan Cortes had his best outing of the season yesterday against Tulsa. Cortes, the top pitching prospect in the Royals organization, left after allowing one run and three hits through seven innings. The 21-year-old Cortes struck out 10 and walked just one, giving up season totals of 53 strikeouts and 21 walks in 50 1/3 innings with a 3.58 ERA.

5 IP, 6 hits, 7 runs including two homers (oh where did the GBs go?); dj carrasco again showing he’s an option if need be.

nevin griffith debuted at GF and when 5 IP with 2 runs (neither earned), 4 hits, 4Ks, no walks.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080620/NEWS01/806200328/1002/news01

Juan Silverio was projected as a five-tool talent when he signed with the Chicago White Sox as a 16-year-old shortstop. He flashed a few of those tools on Saturday night.

Silverio hit his first career grand slam and drove in a career-high seven runs to lead the Bristol Sox to a 10-4 triumph over the Burlington Royals at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

The native of the Dominican Republic stroked an RBI single and scored in the first inning, plated a run with a groundout in the sixth before hitting the slam, his second homer of the season, in the seventh. He added an RBI base hit in the ninth.

Sox manager Bobby Thigpen likes what he’s seen in only five games from Silverio.

“He’s a great kid and he’s gotten off to a good start,” said the former All-Star closer. “I’ve only seen him for a few weeks, but he’s been working hard.”

Silverio is batting .381 (8-for-21) with two homers and 16 RBIs in five games. Signed as a non-drafted free agent, he began the year in extended spring training before arriving in Bristol. He is viewed as a five-tool prospect and could move quickly up the organizational ladder. ...

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_06_23_noraaa_chraaa_1&did=t494&sid=t494

and since no one seems willing to quote BP

Juan Silverio, SS, Rookie-Level Bristol (White Sox)
While the White Sox have one of the worst minor league systems in the game, one of the positives is a renewed focus on Latin American talent. They signed a number of players during last year’s international signing period, and none garnered more attention than Silverio, a long, lean shortstop with monster-level tools. After going 3-for-12 in his first three professional games to start the season, Silverio turned up the heat over the weekend by going 2-for-4 with a double on Friday, and then 3-for-5 with his second home run of the year and seven RBI in Saturday’s 10-4 drubbing of Burlington. Only 17 years old, Silverio’s plus power/speed combination, as well as athleticism to stay up the middle long term, could have him shooting up the prospect charts by the time the season ends.

egbert getting absolutely rocked today. already three home runs in four innings. by way of reference, egbert gave up three home runs last year. as in, over the whole season.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_06_24_noraaa_chraaa_1&did=t494&sid=t494

plus, the charlotte roster just gets more and more amusing. noah hall and his .298 slugging at b-ham was enough to get him called up to DH. and something called blasi has been acquired to play the outfield.

Chicago White Sox

Signed: RHP Brent DeFoor (NDFA—Faulkner (Ala.)), RHP Chad Dawson (NDFA—Indiana State), RHP Michael Lucas (NDFA—Xavier), LHP Enrique Lechuga (NDFA—Concordia (Calif.)), LHP Shane Buriff (NDFA—St. Leo (Fla.)), C Zack Larson (NDFA—San Diego Mesa JC), 1B Brett Bonvechio, OF Nick Damas (NDFA—Marshall), OF Estee Harris

Draft picks signed: RHP Brett Graffy (24), RHP Dan Hudson (5), RHP Dexter Carter (13), RHP Stephen Sauer (10), 2B Drew Garcia (21), 3B Brent Morel (3), SS Doug Thennis (27), OF Ken Williams Jr. (6)

Recalled: RHP Adam Russell

Added to 40-man roster: OF Dewayne Wise

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Brian Omogrosso, LHP Israel Chirino, 3B Josh Fields, OF Jerry Owens

Reinstated from DL: C Cole Armstrong

Reinstated from inactive list: C Francisco Hernandez

lasted all of six games there before being promoted to kanny. i guess a 1.200 OPS will do that.

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=32807

1B/DH nick mahin, who is a bit older than escobar (if you’re of the ilk who believe in dominican ages), also reportedly promoted to kanny as well.

http://www.warthogs.com/content/News/items/News_20080625_8-14-30?c=on

Pitcher Clayton Richard and second baseman Chris Getz of Triple-A Charlotte were named to the Team USA squad that will play in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium on July 13.

Double-A Birmingham manager Carlos Subero is a coach on the World team staff.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/06/futures-game-se.html

http://birmingham.barons.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_06_26_biraax_msbaax_1&did=t247&sid=t247

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_06_26_noraaa_chraaa_1&did=t494&sid=t494

he was ripping it up in great falls so clearly a fully deserved promotion.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Oney%20Guillen&pos=2B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=518750

organizational move, of course.

http://www.bransondailynews.com/story.php?storyID=7876

6 IP, 2 runs, 1BB, 5K, 1HR for the win. and carrasco shows he’s still a backend option if need be.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t494&gid=2008_06_28_chraaa_ricaaa_1&cid=494&t=g_box

bourgeois continues to be hot, 4-5 with 2 3B. getz 3-4. armstrong 5-5. 17 hits overall for the knights.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7731

Chris Getz, 2B, Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox)
A fourth-round pick out of Michigan in 2004, Getz does not have a whole lot going for him in terms of tools or athleticism, but the one thing that he can do is hit, and that’s continued this year at Triple-A, as Getz had back-to-back three-hit games over the weekend and is now 12-for-23 in his last five games (.313/.363/.446 overall). He began the year exclusively at second base, but since then he has also seen time at shortstop (where his range is below average) and in the outfield. Developing that kind of flexibility could indicate that the White Sox are trying to figure out a way to get him onto the big league roster.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7738

Chicago White Sox

Signed: LHP Dan Puls (NDFA—Eastern Michigan), SS Bunky Kateon (NDFA—South Alabama), OF Nick Blasi

Draft picks signed: RHP Steven Upchurch (12), C Kevin Dubler (8)

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Nathan Jones, 1B Brad Eldred, OF Anderson Gomes

Reinstated from DL: RHP Lucas Harrell

Option transferred: RHP Lucas Harrell (Double-A Birmingham to low Class A Kannapolis)

Team League AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG OPS
BRI APP .267 12 45 11 12 2 0 2 17 20 4 13 0 0 .333 .444 .778

For Jordan Danks, quite the tryout
By Mark Gonzales, 3:15 p.m.

Jordan Danks, the seventh-round pick of the White Sox, took batting practice Tuesday in front of team executives that included chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, general manager Ken Williams, assistant GM Rick Hahn and scouting director Doug Laumann.

Throwing batting practice to Danks, Monsignor Pace High School (Miami) junior Ozney Guillen, Paul Konerko and Dewayne Wise was Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Danks was taking a brief break from his Beatrice, Nebraska, summer team and probably won’t sign until later this summer.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/07/quite-the-tryou.html

Pat Venditte – Switch Pitcher

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080620&content_id=420873&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

and bourgeois is getting those numbers up…

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_07_03_chraaa_dubaaa_1&did=t494&sid=t494

Needing only a single for the cycle, Dale Mollenhauer got a bit of simple advice before his final plate appearance Thursday.

“I didn’t start thinking about it until some of the guys started saying stuff, and then it was on my mind,” Mollenhauer said. “Juan Moreno was coaching first base, and the only English I think he could say was, ‘Home run? No. Triple? No. Double? No. Single? Yes!’” ...

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&gid=2008_07_05_kinafa_wswafa_1&cid=580&t=g_box

i imagine he’ll be back in charlotte soon.

call me up. i’m hot.

and i think konerko may be a major league baseball player. i know, i know. small sample size.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_07_06_rocaaa_chraaa_1&did=t494&sid=t494

http://birmingham.barons.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t247&t=g_box&gid=2008_07_06_biraax_hunaax_1

Still getting groundballs and keeping the walk rate down.

Chicago White Sox

Draft pick signed: RHP Ryan Strauss (9)

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Matt Davis

Option transferred: C Cole Armstrong (Double-A Birmingham to Triple-A Charlotte)

Charlie Haeger is best known as one of baseball’s few knuckleball specialists.

But the Charlotte Knights right-hander has added an improved fastball to his repertoire, which he used to his advantage during a deceptively easy-looking 9-1 victory against the Rochester Red Wings on Sunday at Knights Stadium.

Haeger (7-7) scattered seven hits and pitched a seven-inning, rain-shortened complete game to tie Heath Phillips for the all-time lead in victories (27) by a Knights pitcher. Previously this season, he’d become the Knights’ all-time leader in starts (64) and strikeouts (332). ...

It stays above all spam. Just saying.

Charlotte Knights outfielder Jason Bourgeois has been selected the Topps International League Player-of-the-Month for the month of June as selected by the league’s field managers.

Manager Ozzie Guillen was impressed with the scrappy infielder during spring training.
“Getz is good,’’ Guillen said on Tuesday. “He’s in our picture.’‘
Many Trillo, the Sox’ minor-league infield instructor, has been raving about Getz the past two years.
“Every time we talk about infielders and people, Manny always comes up with his name,’’ Guillen said. “This kid got a lot, lot better in spring training. He can catch the ball and he can run.’‘
Can he hit?
“Maybe like (David) Eckstein,’’ Guillen said. “Maybe a little better than Eckstein.’‘

2 hits, 7 Ks, no BB for egbert

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=g_box&gid=2008_07_09_rocaaa_chraaa_2&did=t494&sid=t494

and game 1 of the DH

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t494&gid=2008_07_09_rocaaa_chraaa_1&cid=494&t=g_box

We haven’t seen him do much lately, but Stockton’s (Athletics) Chris Carter deserves some credit for last night’s performance. Carter was 2-for-4 with three RBIs on two home runs giving him 24 on the season. Sounds like one of his typical big nights, but a closer look reveals that he was playing third base, his sixth straight start there and 10th in the last 11 games.

Chris Getz doubled, homered and drove in two. It was his seventh, and all have come at home.

Class AAA Charlotte center fielder Jason Bourgeois was 2-for-3 with 1 RBI and a stolen base in Thursday night’s win over Richmond.

Bourgeois has a 14-game hitting streak, batting .453 (24-for-53) over that stretch.

As the separation begins between contenders and pretenders, fans and organizations alike begin to look toward the upcoming off-season, planning for what the winter might bring and which free agents might be worth pursuing. This year, of course, the big names are C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, and Mark Teixeira, and it’s almost certain that they’ll command the three biggest paychecks when they sign.

However, there’s one free agent-to-be that generally doesn’t get included in the discussion of impact talents, but depending on how the bidding goes, could be the bargain of the winter. That player is Orlando Hudson. ...

update of his top 50/50, with new additions based on removal of no longer eligible prospects.

14) Aaron Poreda, LHP, Chicago White Sox
Power lefty is having a few adjustment issues in Double-A, but ceiling remains excellent.
50) Lance Broadway, RHP, Chicago White Sox
Not overpowering, but throws strikes, gets grounders, eats innings. Fourth starter type with little left to prove in Triple-A.

The White Sox were informed that left-hander Clayton Richard will start for Team USA in Sunday’s Futures Game at Yankee Stadium.

Richard, an eighth-round pick from the University of Michigan in the 2005 draft, is 6-0 with a 2.37 ERA in six starts for Triple-A Charlotte.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=633

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=1612

this is “rookie” level. a few interesting looking guys, like 17 year old catcher miguel gonzalez who is raking. rosters made of players from all across latin america – dominican, venezuela, colombia, etc. provided more as an fyi considering the extremely low level.

Chicago White Sox

Signed: LHP Matt Wickswat (NDFA—Santa Clara), 3B Kyle Shelton (Gateway (Frontier))

Added to 40-man roster: RHP D.J. Carrasco

Placed on 7-day DL: 2B Logan Johnson

Reinstated from DL: 3B Josh Fields

Reinstated from inactive list: LHP Eric Stephenson

Option transferred: RHP Lucas Harrell (low Class A Kannapolis to Double-A Birmingham)

http://www.tricities.com/tri/sports/professional/professional_baseball/article/breaking_news_brisox_and_chicago_white_sox_agree_to_two_more_years_in_brist/11644/

Mark Gonzales wrote:

Now that Jordan Danks has dumped pariah agent Scott Boras, what are the Sox chances of signing him? He sure would make up for losing the Sox’s second pick in last month’s draft due to the Scott Linebrink signing.—Pasquali, Crown Point, Ind.

A: I think the Sox will sign Jordan. I was told by a source familiar with the situation that they just started negotiations and I think he’ll be signed before the Aug. 15 deadline. Jordan wants to sign with the Sox.

Any news of Gordon Beckham signing? Is there a problem here? Or did I miss it?—T. Maze, Wantagh, N.Y.

I think the Beckham negotiations will go close to the Aug. 15 deadline but he’ll get signed. I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs a 2009 contract, which would mean the Sox wouldn’t have to put him on the 40-man roster until 2013. But I see him moving through the farm system quickly.