Future Rookies: White Sox No Longer

Last week it was Chris Tillman, and this week Brian Matusz makes the leap to the majors. Check here for some solid discussion on the rookie. Also making a jump is Desmond Jennings, although he’s merely moving up a minor-league level and joining the Rays’ Triple-A team. Carlos Santana is working on an 11-game hitting streak. Jason Heyward hasn’t slowed down a bit in Double-A. And for some sad news, Jesus Montero will miss the rest of the season with a fractured finger. He attained the injury while catching, and since most don’t see him behind the plate in the majors, this might be the straw that breaks the Yankees into moving him to 1B/DH full-time. So who should we add to the Future Rookies class this week? How about a couple players formerly in the White Sox organization?

Featured Add – Hitter

Brandon Allen, 1B, Ari, Age 23, Triple-A

	AB	R	HR	RBI	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2009 AA	241	39	7	35	1	30	47	.290	.372	.452	.825
2009 AAA ChA	61	6	1	8	0	0	13	.262	.262	.377	.639
2009 AAA ARI	83	17	9	19	4	11	12	.361	.442	.759	1.201
Last 10	43	6	2	3	1	2	7	.326

Talk about responding to a change of scenery. After the 23-year-old Allen held his own in his second Double-A stint early in the season, he struggled when called up to the International League. When the White Sox wanted to deal for Diamondbacks reliever Tony Pena, Allen was the bait. Since coming into the Arizona organization, Allen has been on fire, with an OPS of about 1.200. He’s done much better with his plate patience, drawing double-digit walks already after not walking once in 61 ABs at Charlotte. He’s got the body to be a HR hitter in the majors, which will play well in Arizona. With the Diamondbacks not getting much production from 1B this season, Allen could be making his big-league debut very soon.

Hitter Performance Review (as of 8/3/09)

		AB	R	HR	RBI	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Matt LaPorta	AAA	295	55	13	49	1	32	50	.295	.374	.515	.889
Last 10	AAA	37	3	1	2	1	4	7	.162
Justin Smoak	AAA	107	13	3	15	0	14	25	.224	.315	.355	.670
Last 10	AAA	37	6	2	8	0	5	7	.351
Brett Wallace	AAA	260	29	7	25	0	19	50	.292	.341	.427	.768
Last 10	AAA	38	7	1	6	0	4	8	.289
Michael Taylor	AAA	65	10	3	11	2	11	15	.262	.367	.462	.829
Last 10	AAA	34	3	1	7	0	6	7	.235
Alcides Escobar	AAA	398	70	3	31	37	27	60	.302	.351	.412	.763
Last 10	AAA	37	6	0	2	4	1	2	.351
Buster Posey	AAA	58	10	0	5	0	9	10	.241	.338	.328	.666
Last 10	AAA	32	6	0	1	0	7	5	.281
Desmond Jennings	AA	383	69	8	45	37	48	52	.316	.395	.486	.881
Last 3	AAA	11	1	0	0	2	2	3	.182
Mat Gamel	AAA	162	27	8	34	0	27	55	.278	.378	.512	.890
Last 10	AAA	33	2	0	3	0	5	16	.121
Kila Ka’aihue	AAA	338	64	14	42	0	82	72	.257	.401	.462	.862
Last 10	AAA	31	7	1	2	0	11	4	.226
Gaby Sanchez	AAA	238	39	10	40	5	30	38	.282	.364	.445	.809
Last 3	AAA	6	2	1	1	0	7	1	.167
Mike Carp	AAA	309	55	11	42	0	51	70	.269	.381	.447	.827
Last 10	AAA	34	6	1	3	0	4	8	.235

		AB	R	HR	RBI	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jason Heyward	AA	86	19	4	21	1	15	10	.419	.500	.733	1.233
Last 10	AA	33	9	3	11	1	7	6	.455
Pedro Alvarez	AA	121	22	7	21	0	15	35	.298	.370	.545	.915
Last 10	AA	31	6	2	6	0	10	5	.323
Carlos Santana	AA	323	69	19	77	0	66	61	.282	.401	.533	.934
Last 10	AA	37	9	4	14	0	3	6	.432
Jesus Montero	AA	167	19	9	33	0	14	21	.317	.370	.539	.909
DL	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Josh Vitters	A+	88	8	0	10	1	2	9	.227	.253	.307	.560
Last 10	A+	43	4	0	4	1	1	5	.233

Former features Nolan Reimold, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Whitesell and Kyle Blanks have moved on to the majors.

Featured Add – Pitcher

Aaron Poreda, SP, SD, Age 22, Double-A

	IP	ERA	WHIP	HR	BB	K
2009 AA	64.1	2.38	1.27	1	35	69
2009 AAA	10.0	3.60	1.10	0	3	9
July 30	6.0	1.50	1.00	0	1	6

After being rebuffed by Jake Peavy earlier in the season, the White Sox were able to convince the San Diego ace to waive his no-trade clause and come to Chicago. Of course, acquiring a player of Peavy’s caliber doesn’t come without a steep price; in this trade, the top prospect surrendered was Poreda. He’s a groundball pitcher than strikes out a lot of people with a great fastball. Pitching in the NL West and in Petco Park, he’s likely to post some great fantasy seasons in the near future. I added him in my dynasty league immediately, as I think he’ll be up by the beginning of 2010 and be an every-week fantasy starter by mid-season.

Pitcher Performance Review (as of 8/3/09)

		IP	ERA	WHIP	HR	BB	K
Michael Bowden	AAA	100.1	2.96	1.15	11	35	70
July 30	AAA	7.0	1.29	0.86	0	0	6
Jake Arrieta	AAA	56.2	4.92	1.48	7	20	53
Aug 3	AAA	5.0	7.20	2.00	0	2	4
Carlos Carrasco	AAA	120.0	5.25	1.38	15	39	118
July 31	AAA	5.1	6.75	1.69	1	1	6
Jeremy Hellickson	AAA	12.0	1.50	1.08	0	5	10
July 30	AAA	6.0	0.00	0.83	0	2	4
Hector Rondon	AAA	29.0	2.79	1.17	2	6	31
Aug 2	AAA	6.0	3.00	1.00	1	2	7
Junichi Tazawa	AAA	11.1	2.38	0.71	0	1	6
Aug 2	AAA	5.1	3.38	0.94	0	1	3

		IP	ERA	WHIP	HR	BB	K
Brian Matusz	AA	46.1	1.55	0.91	2	11	46
Aug 1	AA	1.0	0.00	2.00	0	1	1
Madison Bumgarner	AA	76.0	2.01	1.07	5	21	54
Aug 1	AA	5.0	3.60	1.60	1	1	2
Kyle Drabek	AA	73.2	3.42	1.22	7	22	54
Aug 1	AA	6.0	7.50	1.50	3	3	5
Jarrod Parker	AA	78.1	3.68	1.48	2	34	74
July 30	AA	4.0	11.25	2.25	2	1	5
Jeanmar Gomez	AA	99.0	3.27	1.18	7	29	87
Aug 2	AA	5.2	0.00	1.06	0	2	8

Former features Mat Latos, Scott Elbert, Jhoulys Chacin, Kris Medlen, Derek Holland, Chris Tillman, and Tommy Hanson have moved on to the majors.

We’re taking questions at fbcmailbag@gmail.com, so send any you have along. I’ll see you back here next week.

R.J. White is a fantasy blogger at the sports site FanHouse. Check out his work both here and there, and feel free to talk to him in the forums, where he posts under the name daullaz.

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