Prior to a 9-5 loss to Seattle Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox made nine more roster moves to slim the Spring Training roster to 29.
The biggest surprise was that Alejandro De Aza was optioned to AAA Charlotte – I really thought he would make it right up to the end, though I didn’t have him making the team. I guess Ozzie Guillen and the coaching staff didn’t want to drag out the inevitable – Lastings Milledge and Brent Lillibridge will fight for the final bench spot while De Aza develops in the minors.
– Catcher Tyler Flowers and RHP Gregory Infante were also optioned to AAA Charlotte. Donny Lucy will be the team’s third catcher for the rest of camp.
– RHP Brian Bruney, OF Jordan Danks, RHP Jeff Gray, RHP Josh Kinney, RHP Shane Lindsay and INF Dallas McPherson were all reassigned to minor-league camp.
This leaves the White Sox with 13 pitchers. Guillen still hasn’t decided whether to go with 11 or 12 pitchers for his 25-man roster, but with so much uncertainty still surrounding Jake Peavy, expect them to go with 12: Mark Buehrle, Edwin Jackson, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Peavy, Will Ohman, Sergio Santos, Jesse Crain, Chris Sale and Matt Thornton are the definites, Tony Pena, Phil Humber and Jeff Marquez fighting for two of the final three spots.
In a perfect world I’d leave Pena off, but his experience in long relief and emergency starting will probably snag him one of the spots. Humber starts Thursday, giving him a chance to make a big statement as camp winds down.