DiCaro: Advice For White Sox Fans Ahead Of Carlos Rodon's Debut
By Julie DiCaro--
(CBS) Just as the frenzy over Kris Bryant's debut for the Cubs on Friday begins to to wane, the White Sox are preparing to introduce their own top prospect, Carlos Rodon, at U.S. Cellular Field on Monday night. The 22-year-old Rodon will begin his career in the bullpen for the White Sox after he was officially called up to the big leagues on Monday morning.
Curiously, while the Cubs took a beating from fans, media and Scott Boras for their decision to leave Bryant, a Boras client, in the minor leagues long enough to delay his free agency by a year, the White Sox have managed to escape such scrutiny, despite handling Rodon in exactly the same manner. In fact, while the debate over when Bryant would see major league pitching raged on the North Side, Rodon was flew under the radar for most of spring.
On Monday night, the spotlight finally shifts in Rodon's direction. And now that Bryant has been in the majors for a whopping three days, Chicago baseball fans are certified experts in observing the elevation of top prospect.
Here then, are some bits of advice for White Sox fans ahead of Rodon's debut:
Whatever expectations are for Rodon's first appearance, adjust them downward: Rodon pitched six games for the White Sox this spring in Glendale, posting an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 1.25 in 17 2/3 innings -- not too shabby for a rookie who rocketed through the minor leagues.
Since that time, Rodon has pitched 10 innings for Triple-A Charlotte, registering a 3.60 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in two starts. While it's encouraging to see a top prospect succeed immediately as he progresses to the major leagues, don't be worried if Rodon struggles at first.
If there's one thing Bryant's 0-for-4, three-strikeout debut taught us, it's that expecting rookies, even those more than ready for the major leagues, to dominate during their debut it unrealistic. By keeping expectations low to begin with, fans both save themselves disappointment and give Rodon some room to breathe. And if Rodon does manage to blow everyone away during his first few appearances, it's icing on the already exciting cake.
What Rodon does initially is less important than how he handles it: Bryant's introduction to the major leagues was ugly in the box score. However, the way Bryant handled the entire day, from the media feeding frenzy to the postgame press conference, was impressive. Perhaps the most important quality Rodon can demonstrate during his early major league days is poise, particularly for a reliever. Worry less about what Rodon does during his first trip to the mound than how he carries himself in the hours and days afterward, because the White Sox will need him this year to compete.
Get ready to enjoy yourselves: There's a reason Rodon was ranked the No. 15 prospect in baseball by Baseball America and the No. 14 prospect by MLB.com. During Rodon's two starts at Charlotte this season, he struck out 13 batters while waking only four. Possessed with a hard slider widely considered to be the best breaking pitch in his prospect class, Rodon also boasts a fastball that can reach 97 mph on occasion. That's a quality weapon to trot out of the bullpen when needed.
Eventually, the White Sox aim to have Rodon be a front-end starter in the rotation. To that end, expect to see a lot of Rodon in the coming days, as the White Sox look to get him quickly acclimated to the majors before determining if he should be stretched as a starter this season. When Rodon's fastball is popping, get ready to hear Hawk Harrelson proclaiming "He gone!" often.
Julie DiCaro is a columnist for CBSChicago.com. Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieDiCaro or on Facebook. The views expressed on this page are those of the author, not CBS Local Chicago or our affiliated television and radio stations.
