By the time Jordan Danks’ 11th inning tie-breaking/game-deciding blast slammed into the concourse behind the center field wall, Sox fans were already misery-fatigued from Chris Sale’s trying early innings, James Shields taking a no-hitter into the sixth, four outs on the basepaths, including one by Danks himself between third and home to end the Sox’ game-tying rally in the tenth.

It would be impossible to write anything beyond a sardonically amused recap in the immediate wake of Monday afternoon’s voyage through baseball hades. Luckily, through the magic of competing deadlines, class and loved ones needing help moving, I can provide hindsight…or at least be not as furious as I was ten hours ago.

This was, after all, a Chris Sale game, and wound up being a particularly choice Sale game in its own way. After an ugly looking first inning where he threw 36 pitches and generated as many Billy Butler RBI doubles as he did swinging strikes, Sale somehow found his way to gliding through 7.1 one-run innings. The resolve of an ace and all that jazz.

Even more improbably, Sale’s didn’t settle down until halfway through his second trip across the batting order (typically one can only waft their way through the heart of an order once). He racked up 70 pitches through three innings, but finished at only 119 despite never having wipeout stuff. Top velocity covers up a lot of flaws, it seems. I missed top velocity.

Sale’s recovery kept the Sox curiously in a game that they mostly spent getting eviscerated by James Shields, who allowed all of four baserunners over eight innings with nine punchouts. Shields is both familiar with complete games and familiar with complete games against the White Sox, yet had his day end after 102 pitches in favor of closer Greg Holland.

The White Sox immediately rallied on the erratic Holland, but exemplified organizational waste at every turn. They managed to squeeze out three consecutive singles from “Struggling” Jeff Keppinger, slumping Alex Rios, and low-contact Adam Dunn, yet didn’t score, despite having a pinch-runner in front. They had their best hitter of the past decade of the franchise bounce into a 1-3-2 double play to put the game at immediate risk, and even Alexei Ramirez’s heroic game-tying single was immediately interrupted by Jordan Danks getting caught in a rundown to end the fram.

The eleventh inning brought not just redemption for Danks but also for Addison Reed, who got right back upon the horse and nailed the game down after his first blown save of the season on Sunday. The redemptive actions weren’t until after the White Sox had submitted everyone to two hours of misery and inept offense.

Follow James Fegan on Twitter @JRFegan

Heath optioned, corresponding move on Wednesday, will be position player

— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) April 17, 2013

Oooooh, what’s in the box? What’s in the box? What did Momma Rick and Papa Kenny put in the box from Charlotte underneath the treeeee– 

Outfielder Jordan Danks will be promoted from Triple-A Charlotte to join the Sox on Wednesday.

— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) April 17, 2013

We put a bow on the bike you already own, that’s it, that’s what Christmas is…ok, goodnight

Jordan Danks is more than a repackaged bike, but there was a reason he was sent off to Charlotte for storage. We probably mentioned it the last time Danks was discussed on this site. Word search….

“…The White Sox felt the need to be proactive in securing Dewayne Wise‘s services with a guaranteed contract, which left Jordan Danks and Blake Tekotte pressing for a role that didn’t exist…”

Right. Jordan Danks didn’t make it on the roster as a left-handed, speedy spare outfielder because the White Sox already had a left-handed spare outfielder, whom they were committed to paying.. Dewayne Wise, while lightly-used so far perhaps, is still around, still left-handed and still relatively fleet of foot. Jordan Danks is faster, but that’s the limit of where we can figure Jordan fits in through straight-forward thinking.

After going 0-4 with two strikeouts Tuesday, Danks’ early-season line in Triple-A Charlotte is .333/.433/.510 in 60 plate appearances, with two home runs and a 21.7% strikeout rate. That rate is lower than he’s been at it in previous seasons, but a lot higher since he’s struck out five times in his last three games–it’s hard to say he’s established a new level of performance. These are for all intents and purposes the same numbers he put up in Triple-A last season so far.

Throughout this past week, while we were all in the deepest throes of Dayan Viciedo-related horror, Nick Schaefer wondered aloud in our staff email threads about Jordan Danks. Well, it wasn’t so much about Jordan as it was about wondering how many PA’s does Dayan pile up before he becomes a known quantity in need of a platoon partner? A partner like Jordan.

But even in the most frenzied moment of rage after Dayan pops up a meatball, none of us think that moment is now, or even particularly soon. Nor is Danks particularly close to proving any of his gains in contact ability are real. It’s been two and a half weeks.

Yet Danks is here now, and since the timing doesn’t align with a great purpose, an enticing assumption is that there is not much purpose at all. Jordan is another left-handed bat off the bench (they were down to just Tyler Flowers on the pine during the ninth inning Tuesday) and just has a spot until the next situation that necessitates a roster move comes along. If that’s the case, delving into what his spot on the major league club is long-term might be as useful as doing the same for Tyler Greene, who in the hubbub of all the actual games, we never got around to writing up at all.

Follow James Fegan on Twitter @JRFegan

Dewayne Wise continues his timely hitting and will likely be taking most of the day-to-day center field duties in De Aza’s absence.