The Chicago Tribune reported the strange news from the White Sox camp. A dejected Chris Sale left his manager's office after being told that he was being replaced in the rotation. He was assigned to the bullpen to be the new team Closer.
As the Tribune noted: "After showing promise with a 3-1 record and 2.81 ERA in his first five starts, the Sox decided to move him to the closer's role after he experienced soreness and tightness in his left elbow."
The White Sox claim that the move was in Sale's best interests.
"We're doing it because we feel it's best for him, his career and his health," pitching coach Don Cooper told reporters. "It's the best way to keep him healthy and strong."
But this is truly a dumb move.
If you want to keep Sale healthy and strong, you skip a start, send him to the doctor to check on the elbow and have him do physical therapy. You don't put him into a more stressful situation of being the bullpen closer - - - on call every game to pitch. There is probably more stress on the arm getting up and down warming up in the pen during a week, and throwing several innings of relief than a starter taking the mound once and throwing five or six straight innings then resting for 5 days.
But what is worse is the mental bomb Sox management exploded on their promising starter. It was a demotion. There is no two ways around it. Sale, after being one of the Sox's best starters this season, was demoted to the bullpen. It makes no sense. Quality starters are harder to find than relief pitchers.
To say that a closer's value is greater in saving one or two games a week is more important than a starter who can win a game a week is comparing apples to oranges. A starter's value is in eating up innings during the course of a season. You want your best pitchers to be starters to have more quality innings of work during the course of a season.
So Matt Thorton blows a save, and as the second Closer of the season fails, the White Sox panic and look for a replacement on their staff. What about Crain? What about the minor leagues? No, the man to fall on the hand grenade of a bad bullpen roster is Sale.
Part of this move has to be to appease the fan base by remaining near the top of the AL Central. The Sox slashed ticket prices in the off season to get more bodies into the Cell for games. The Sox need to continue to have a good record and be near the top of the standings to draw fans. And to do so it costs the team real development of a quality starter, so be it. A truly dumb move.
