Monday, March 16, 2015
Today’s News
This Afternoon’s Game
White Sox vs. Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (3:10 p.m., CT). Probable starters: LHP Carlos Rodon for the Sox, LHP Robbie Ray for Arizona.
Yesterday’s Highlights
Catcher Rob Brantly homered (click link below) and Alexei Ramirez (double), Melky Cabrera and Conor Gillaspie each drove in a run as the Sox defeated the Angels for the second straight day, 5-3…Logan Kensing got credit for the win, David Robertson pitched a scoreless inning and Zach Putnam struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save.
The Big Dance
Like so many other sports fans around the country, the White Sox will be watching closely as the NCAA tournament unfolds. And you can count on the Sox for their annual bracket frenzy.
While the players and staff all have their favorites, several players in camp are products of the participating schools. And in two cases, teams connected with five
Sox players will be facing each other, sure to prompt some good-natured razzing.
On Thursday in the East Region at Pittsburgh, Jared Mitchell‘s LSU Tigers go up against Rodon’s and Erik Surkamp‘s N.C. State Wolfpack. On Friday it will be Gillaspie’s Wichita State Shockers vs. Micah Johnson‘s Indiana Hoosiers in the Midwest Region at Omaha, Neb. As we know, Rodon had an outstanding college baseball career, good enough to be the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft, and Surkamp was drafted in the sixth round. Gillaspie earned All-America honors on the diamond while Johnson was an All-Big Ten selection.
Take a look at all five back in their college days–Gillaspie and Johnson are pictured above and Mitchell, Rodon and Surkamp are shown below.
Here are some other players and staff in camp who will be rooting for their schools.
* Oklahoma State: Manager Robin Ventura
* Georgia: INF Gordon Beckham
* Purdue: INF Dan Black, RHP Scott Carroll
* Ohio State: OF J.B. Shuck
* Arkansas: 1B Andy Wilkins, RHP Nolan Sanburn
* Notre Dame: RHP Jeff Samardzija
* Kentucky: Assistant Athletic Trainer Brian Ball
Quote of the Day
Adam Eaton, who spent a good amount of time on the disabled list last season, gives some advice to Micah about taking care of his body (via CST_soxvan):
“He’s more explosive than I am on the basepaths. I’m trying to instill in him the lessons I learned last year. Hopefully we can kind of be buddies in the cold tub together and make sure we maintain ourselves and police each other when we’re tired and don’t want to do that.”
Tomorrow’s Schedule
White Sox vs. Mariners at Camelback Ranch-Glendale (3:05 p.m., CT). Probable starters: Samardzija for the Sox, RHP Hishashi Iwakuma for Seattle.
Photo of the Day
Here’s Eaton taking another step toward getting healthy.
