The One-Hitter Hector Santiago

This is the One-Hitter, don’t forget to exhale……

The White Sox signed an old friend to a minor league deal this week, one Hector Santiago….do you remember Hector Santiago?  In 2012 he came onto the scene bum-rushing his way into the closer role to start the season.  After a few shaky performances, he was outta that role and into a more permanent relief role, before the White Sox finally decided to give him a shot as a starter.  At the end of 2012 and through 2013 he had okay results as a starter, but enough promise that the White Sox were able to send him to the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim Los Angeles, in a deal that got the White Sox Adam Eaton.  Since leaving the White Sox he had two decent years in LAA, including one all-star appearance and two gauge your eyeballs out BAAAAAAD seasons in Minnesota.  All the while kicking the White Sox asses materially every time he faces them.

So what’s he here for?  I thought the White Sox have binders full of young pitchers.

The White Sox are flush with young pitching, he’s just here as an insurance policy on a couple of those “battled tested” (read: OLD, INJURED) starters that are still hanging around (side-eyes Miguel Gonzalez and James Shields). I don’t expect you see him taking up valuable development time on the big club from anyone that matters.  This is a case of a guy who has had a couple of bad years that is probably happy to have a job anywhere.  This is a guy that had some of his greatest success working under this regime and probably likes his chances of landing employment in the shambles that are the White Sox bullpen and back end of the starting rotation.  IF…..and it’s a BIG OLE IF, Hector Santiago makes this team, expect his role to look at lot like DJ Carrasco circa 2009, long relief appearances, the occasional spot start when you have an injury, that sort of thing.  It’s a nice role for him and something our White Sox can definitely use.