White Sox Minor Keys: Aug. 15, 2018

Last year, a jump to an upper level of the minors gave Ian Hamilton a reality check. But he handled Birmingham with no issues his second time around this season, and Charlotte isn’t posing him a challenge over his first 16 games at Triple-A.

Hamilton has a 1.86 ERA over 19⅓ innings with peripherals to match — 16 hits, four walks to 21 strikeouts. Baseball America profiled him this week, and said that reliever was the role he was supposed to play all along.

With the burden of pacing himself for seven innings at a time off his back, Hamilton’s stuff jumped up. On Monday night against Buffalo, he sat between 97-99 mph with his fastball and touched 100 mph once. He finished his inning with a flourish, striking out Jason Leblebijian with a wicked 92 mph slider. […]

Beyond the success in the stat line, Hamilton is having more fun letting it go for an inning at a time.

“I hated throwing five or six innings, sitting down for however long it was and waiting to throw again,” he said. “Here, it’s like throw one day and the next day you could be hot again. If not, the next day after that, so it’s a quick bounceback.”

Buffalo 4, Charlotte 2

  • Ryan Cordell went 2-for-5 with two strikeouts.
  • Eloy Jimenez, 1-for-4 with a walk.
  • Jose Rondon went 0-for-4 with a  K.
  • Seby Zavala, 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.

Tennessee 1, Birmingham 0

  • Luis Basabe went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
  • Danny Mendick was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
  • Zack Collins walked twice and struck out twice.
  • Alex Call went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
  • Jameson Fisher, 0-for-3 with a K.

Buies Creek 5, Winston-Salem 0

  • Luis Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Luis Robert was 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout.
  • Blake Rutherford, 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
  • Gavin Sheets, 1-for-3 with a K.
  • Laz Rivera and Ti’Quan Forbes both were 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

Kannapolis 7, Augusta 6

  • Luis Curbelo wore the collar and silver sombrero.
  • Steele Walker went 1-for-3 with a double, an HBP and a stolen base.
  • Carlos Perez went 1-for-3 with a sac fly.
  • Will Kincanon: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP
  • Andrew Perez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Ogden 10, Great Falls 4

  • Romy Gonzalez went 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.
  • Lenyn Sosa, 0-for-4 with a K.
  • Bryce Bush went 2-for-4 with a double.
  • So did Amado Nunez, who also struck out.
  • Maiker Feliz went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
  • Gunnar Troutwine doubled, singled and struck out twice.
  • Codi Heuer: 3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

AZL White Sox 10, AZL Reds 6

  • Anderson Comas went 1-for-6 with a double and two strikeouts.
  • Kelvin Maldonado went 1-for-6 with two strikeouts.
  • Lency Delgado was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Camilo Quintero walked in both of his plate appearances.
  • Harvin Mendoza went 3-for-6 with a double.
  • Cabera Weaver, 2-for-5 with two strikeouts and a stolen base.
  • Luis Mieses went 2-for-5.
  • Sam Abbott, 0-for-3 with two walks and a strikeout.
  • Brayant Nova went 3-for-4 with a steal.
  • Hunter Kiel: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

DSL White Sox 4, DSL Orioles 3

  • Sidney Pimentel went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
  • Jose Rodriguez, 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
  • Jerrick Francees was 0-for-2.
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roke1960

Bring Hamilton up now and give him the closers job. It’s obvious Ricky has no clue how to manage the 9th inning.

PauliePaulie

I wouldn’t want the saves added to his arb resume so soon. Closers get really expensive, really fast.

Marty34

They certainly don’t want to improve the pen for the rest of this year because they want the best pick possible. I don’t think it has anything to do with Hamilton’s future salary. Remember the Sox are swimming in cash.

roke1960

With Abreu hitting again and Rodon looking like an ace, they might want to give them convenient DL stints. We wouldn’t want to win too many games!

PauliePaulie

I’d hope they haven’t been saving to spend an extra $15mil on a guy who could end up a 7th inning arm. It’s better spent elsewhere.

Marty34

This isn’t directed at just you, but the micromanaging of future payroll is maddening. Things happen and most not good for this front office. We should be so lucky if Hamilton is good enough to be worth an extra $15M.

PauliePaulie

I feel like I’m already beating a dead horse, so I’ll end on this: Paying him an extra $15mil wouldn’t have anything to do with how “good” he is. It’s poorly managing his development that costs the team that $.
Closer pay is unlike other roster spots.

roke1960

Not having to see Ricky mismanage the 9th inning for the next month and a half would be worth $15 million.

roke1960

You’re absolutely right. There are no good choices. So let’s give him one.

PauliePaulie

I learned it by watching you, Jim! I learned it by watching you!
Feb. 13th, 2014.

Marty34

Only one guy is going to get the save opportunities to warrant the arbitration payday. If it’s Hamilton great, they’ll save money on Johnson and Burdi.

metasox

40 man roster management will be a factor as well

Lurker Laura

Is the 40-man an issue with bringing Hamilton up? I know they have lots of moves to make in the offseason regarding that, but I don’t really know the status right now.

Lurker Laura

How convenient, thanks!

PauliePaulie

Cease moved to tomorrow. Will pitch on 7 days rest. Kopech still listed for tonight.

Jason.Wade17

Great Falls has a pretty good infield, including 2-18 year olds and a 20 year old. It might be fun to watch them move up together over the next couple years.

5742mail

Bring up Hamilton, Cease and Kopech now to get experience and give the fans hope for the upcoming season.