This Week in White Sox Minor League Baseball

This short week:

• In a move that surprised no one, Dayan Viciedo was sent to Charlotte to start the season.  In the wake of the Lastings Milledge situation, though, I'm left wondering if how he was sent to Charlotte is a sign of more sub-optimal roster management by the White Sox.  Because Viciedo was placed on the DL with a broken right thumb, the White Sox could have chosen to send him to Charlotte on a rehabilitation assignment for up to 20 days.  Instead, they decided to use up his final option.  Perhaps this can just be taken as a sign that the White Sox want him to work on some things, particularly acclimating to right field, and he wouldn't be the first guy to be called up in case of an injury.  And, sure, a lengthy injury to a Konerko or Dunn during those 20 days may be remote and they'd have ended up optioning him in the end anyway.  But I'd like the organization to be thinking ahead a bit and they weren't doing that with Milledge.
• Rehabilitation assignment pro Jake Peavy began his latest tour of the minors on Friday.  Pitchers are permitted up to 30 days for rehabilitation assignments and Peavy's schedule appears to be for up to five starts, as he works his way up to the goal of consecutive 100 pitch outings.  His first step was 72 pitches for Birmingham, for a final line of 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 WP. His velocity was reportedly in the low 90s.  His next start is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, again for the Barons for Charlotte.
  
• In other injury news, both 3B Jon Gilmore and SS Tyler Saladino are out with hand injuries.  Both should be back in May.  2010 3rd round pick RHP Thomas Royse is out for the season after offseason Tommy John surgery.  RHP Kyle Bellamy is also injured (not sure what) and expected to miss the season.
• C Miguel Gonzalez is in extended spring training, hoping to remedy the offensive problems he had last year in his first foray to full season ball for Kannapolis.  Here's a recent scouting report and video on him.

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