RH Setup Man – Jesse Crain: Gets a lot of crap for someone who has put up a 2.54 ERA and stranded a slightly above-average percentage of inherited runners in two years on the South side.

LH Setup Man – Matt Thornton: Not sure how long this fair-to-middling production can last as his velocity dips and reliance on breaking stuff ramps up, but it’d be easier for him if he could be more specialized.

Middle Relief – Nate Jones: As Jim Margalus got into earlier, Jones by all means had a good 2012 where he performed better than what could have been expected, but neither showed the dominant slider nor good enough control to earn a promotion to a larger role.

LOOGY – Donnie Veal: What a LOOGY!

From here, two more right-handers are needed to fill out the pen area. The Sox certainly have numbers, with Brian Omogrosso, Nate’s boy Jhan Marinez, Deunte Heath or even Hector Santiago (who is obviously left-handed). Spring Training will open up even more possibilities.

That’s fine. But with Thornton fighting regression, Reed finding himself, Crain looking to brutally defy what logic says should happen when a flyball pitcher plays in a softball stadium for a third-straight year, and Nate Jones, it might be best to have another above-average arm to move around in the very likely scenario that one of the top-4 is not up to the requirements of their prescribed role.

That was the logic of the Brett Myers acquisition, and just because picking up Brett Myers’ option would have been crazy doesn’t mean the need has been removed. Just like the backup catcher slot discussed on Sunday, a bullpen is a fine area to trim the financial fat, but the Sox lack notable impact relief prospects that can help in 2013, and can find affordable help in early January, now that markets have cooled.

Vaguely capable arms Matt Lindstrom, Brandon Lyon, Scott Atchison, and even Franciso Rodriguez is milling about. I’d suggest crazier reclamation projects like Jose Contreras and Bobby Jenks if it could be confirmed that either was physically capable of standing up and throwing a pitch, which should indicate how welcome a veteran flier would be.

Crowing for bullpen help is an easy route to madness, as is checking every day to see if the White Sox will do anything during this off-season. But so little investment and interest is needed to shore up what has been an openly stated goal, that something just has to happen soon.

 
Follow James Fegan on Twitter @JRFegan

After Hector Santiago walked the first two batters of the 6th inning Monday night, Ventura needed to seek relief help, and opted for Nate Jones–a fine choice.  Jones was looking to add to a streak of 10 straight scoreless appearances, and was sporting an ERA that had recently slid to under 3.00 on the year.  He’s easily the best reliever on the team seated outside the regular selection of setup men.

Jones rewarded Ventura’s faith.  He was the beneficiary of a caught stealing, but also used some of his upper-90′s heat to induce a pop-up from Josh Willingham that kept a runner at 3rd.  At which point he was pulled before he could face Justin Morneau, in favor of lefty Donnie Veal.

It’s not the greatest example of Ventura’s new tinkering spirit with the bullpen, since Justin Morneau has the most intense platoon splits known to man and neglecting to use a lefty against him whenever possible would just be bad management.  But Ventura showed no hesitance to conserve resources as early as the 6th inning in a series opener against the Twins, and didn’t stop there.

Over the next two innings, he alternated between Jesse Crain, Matt Thornton, and Brett Myers for reasons of handedness (though not enough to avoid having Myers pitch to Morneau), because it was a very close game, and because he could, dammit.

The new expanded roster setup gives Ventura three lefties to work with: Thornton, Veal, and Leyson Septimo.  Now, the White Sox had three lefty relievers last year: Chris Sale, Thornton, and Will Ohman, but two of those guys served as top set-up men, expected to retire batters of either hand in crucial situations.

That’s….not really the case with this group.  Veal and Septimo are pure LOOGY’s, and Thornton’s increasing vulnerability versus righties are apparent.

It’s a setup that invites a lot of tinkering:

That list even excludes Hector Santiago and Dylan Axelrod because they’ve been starters, and Philip Humber because bleeaggh! 

But even if this list is all there is, and Jhan Marinez doesn’t get added after the AAA playoffs, that’s a lot of tools to play matchups with–Addison Reed’s over-arcing mediocrity and the neutrality of Nate Jones aside.  Three lefties specialists is a lot to work with, and takes a lot of pressure of fJesse Crain and Brett Myers, who lack the tools to be left in against top lefties…especially if it can be avoided.

And if Monday night was any indication, they won’t be.  Robin has not been afraid to aggressively dip into his recently expanded pen, and there’s a reason for that–they’re all tested.  The utility of having a bullpen full of rookies gets oversold during every White Sox broadcast, but there’s some advantage to be had when the typical five live bullpen arms foisted upon the manager during the heat of a playoff race are actually players their manager is familiar with, and acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of each.

The Sox have a one game lead on September 6th, they need whatever advantage they can get their claws on.

Here’s one.

Follow James Fegan on Twitter @ JRFegan.  Also check out his full-time, daily blog, White Sox Observer

Adam Dunn gazes lovingly at his ninth inning two-run no doubt home run off of Tigers closer Jose Valverde. Image: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

After Jhonny Peralta‘s late-inning heroics last night Adam Dunn must have decided he’d counter with a two-run ninth inning bomb of his own. And by bomb, I mean bomb. Peralta’s home run barely cleared the wall but Dunn’s home run cleared the entire bleachers and bounced around on the concourse for a little bit. The thing was crushed. I ate a whole sandwich while it was in the air. Dunn’s homer was his eighth of the season. Paul Konerko cracked his sixth homer of the year, a solo shot in the seventh inning.

I’ve heard many times that baseball teams shouldn’t rely on home runs for their offense but a run is a run no matter how it is scored and the Sox have shown that they can move runners around or go homer happy for their offense, so whatever they need to do to win is fine with me. If that means six runs on eleven hits then fine. If that means three runs on two swings then great. Just win ballgames.

Gavin Floyd pitched a dominant seven innings but left with the Tigers ahead so Nate Jones gets the credit for the win, his first of the year, Hector Santiago recorded a hold, his first of the year, and Addison Reed nailed down a save, his first of the year. The Sox bullpen has been putting in some quality work as of late – even with Thornton surrendering the walk-off last night.

According to people who know more about math than I do Adam Dunn is on pace to hit 48 home runs this season. I think we’ll all gladly take that.

Rick Porcello (2-2, 5.64) will toe the rubber for the Tigers in the third and final game of this series against Dylan Axelrod (0-0, 2.70) who is making his first start of the season now that Chris Sale has (begrudgingly) moved back to the bullpen. Here’s hoping the Sox offense can help the kid out tomorrow!