White Sox draft Keenyn Walker, Danks WINS!

The Chicago White Sox selected outfielder Keenyn Walker with their first pick, the 47th overall, in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday night.

The 20-year-old switch-hitting sophomore, batted .402 (86-214) with 11 doubles, eight triples, four home runs, 50 RBI, 76 runs scored and 65 stolen bases in 63 games with Central Arizona this season.  The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Walker posted a .502 on-base and .584 slugging percentage and was successful on 95.6 percent (65-68) of his stolen-base attempts.

Walker was drafted previously by the Chicago Cubs in the 16th round of the 2009 draft and by Philadelphia in the 38th round in 2010.

The Sox’s first-round pick went to type-A free agent Adam Dunn’s 2010 team, the Washington Nationals.

I’m not saying anything. He’ll come around.

And hey! John Danks finally won a game!

The lefty’s changeup and cutter were working like a charm Tuesday  night as the Sox took out Michael Pineda and the Seattle Mariners 3-1.

Danks lasted 7 1-3 innings, supported by Jesse Crain and Sergio Santos to seal the series opener.

Paul Konerko’s wrist is fine, as his solo home run can verify.

Again, the real story was the Sox’s defense. Brent Lillibridge saved a run with a another tremendous catch in the center field, playing for Alex Rios, who is getting a couple days off to clear his head.

Brent Morel was busy on the hot corner all night, really helping out Danks when his cutter or changeup induced a ball hit down the line, which there were several. Alexei Ramirez was solid at short and the offense did enough to get Danks out of the donut shop.

The Sox face Felix Hernandez Wednesday night, so runs will be precious as Phil Humber looks to keep a struggling Mariners offense down.