White Sox: Hector Santiago Back on Minor League Deal
By Matt Manetti
The White Sox agreed to terms with Hector Santiago on a minor league deal. The 30 year old pitched for the Twins last season.
The Chicago White Sox agreed to terms with Hector Santiago on a minor league contract this past Wednesday. The lefty will be a non-roster invitee to Spring Training. The 30-year-old comes to the Sox from Minnesota where he was 4-8 with a 5.63 ERA in 15 games, 14 of which were starts.
Santiago got his start with the Sox when they drafted him in 2006. His best season with the Sox was in 2012 when he was 4-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 42 appearances, including four starts.
"“We saw firsthand how valuable he can potentially be in various roles, whether it’s in the rotation or the bullpen. The versatility certainly had an appeal to us and as a player we drafted and helped develop, I think we have a special fondness for Hector. He’s a tremendous, tremendous individual and a great fit in the clubhouse.”-Rick Hahn, White Sox General Manager"
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Since leaving the Sox, Santiago really hasn’t stuck anywhere. For his career he is 40-46 with a 4.00 ERA. It’s been a tough road for him but he should be given every opportunity to get a roster spot. The team could use another lefty in the bullpen. And he could make the occasional spot start if need be.
This is a really low risk way of adding some depth to the pitching staff. It’s a minor league deal and he’ll get to be with the team in camp. That will give the White Sox pitching coaches a chance to see where he stands and maybe make some adjustments to make him more effective. Don Cooper has a knack for getting the most out of pitchers, so this should be a good challenge for him.
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The organization is already familiar with him so this was an easy move to make. Cooper already has an idea of how he pitches and may have a plan for him already. Or a plan wouldn’t be that hard to formulate. This again isn’t a flashy move but one that could pay dividends if he is somewhat effective, although it wouldn’t be surprising to see him spend a lot of time in the minors.