Thanks to Conor Gillaspie's bone bruise, the White Sox get to hold off on making a difficult decision.
The White Sox placed Gillaspie on the 15-day disabled list with a left hand contusion, retroactive to April 22. The White Sox originally thought he might be able to return to the lineup as early as last Wednesday, but it hasn't improved.
Third baseman Conor Gillaspie said he could be out another few games with a sore hand, which he said is bruised on the pad below his thumb, just where the bat sits when he hits. He tried to hit Thursday morning and said it didn't go well.
"Until I stop hitting for an extended length of time, I just don't think it's going to go away," Gillaspie said. "… If I'm scared to make contact, that ain't good."
It's unfortunately timed, since Gillaspie started the season hitting safely in 15 of the first 16 games. Three middle infielders stand benefit from Gillaspie's bad news, though, at least over the next 10 days or so. Marcus Semien will get to keep playing every day at third base, Gordon Beckham can try to get back into action at second without anybody pressing him, and Leury Garcia doesn't have to worry about losing a utility job to Semien.
Hector Noesi takes his place. The White Sox apparently owed him one after ending his Texas Rangers career, so they claimed him off waivers and gave him a 25-man roster spot.
While it's theoretically possible that Don Cooper saw something while the Sox pounded him for seven runs in the ninth inning of their 16-2 victory in Arlington last Sunday, it's far more likely that Noesi is merely fresh-armed, long-relief fodder as the Sox navigate a minefield of short-start candidates (Scott Carroll, Andre Rienzo and Erik Johnson).
His track record paints a picture of a pitcher who fools fewer and fewer people with each passing year.
Year | Age | Tm | W | L | G | GS | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | 24 | NYY | 2 | 2 | 4.47 | 30 | 2 | 56.1 | 63 | 6 | 22 | 45 | 96 | 4.09 |
2012 | 25 | SEA | 2 | 12 | 5.82 | 22 | 18 | 106.2 | 107 | 21 | 39 | 68 | 66 | 5.53 |
2013 | 26 | SEA | 0 | 1 | 6.59 | 12 | 1 | 27.1 | 42 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 57 | 4.37 |
2014 | 27 | TOT | 0 | 1 | 14.21 | 5 | 0 | 6.1 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 33 | 4.19 |
2014 | 27 | SEA | 0 | 1 | 27.00 | 2 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 12.08 |
2014 | 27 | TEX | 0 | 0 | 11.81 | 3 | 0 | 5.1 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 38 | 2.71 |
4 Yrs | 4 | 16 | 5.81 | 69 | 21 | 196.2 | 225 | 31 | 75 | 140 | 68 | 4.91 |
So this is probably the first of a few moves over the weekend intended to keep available arms in the bullpen while also shuttling in an off-roster starter (Carroll). Noesi's stay will probably be a short one. Hell, if John Danks runs into early trouble tonight, Noesi could be the one gone tomorrow.