Palka called up; Avisail put on DL
Daniel Palka picked up his phone after Class AAA Charlotte’s game in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday night and made the calls every minor- leaguer dreams about. The chance finally had come to let his parents and siblings in South Carolina and Massachusetts know: For the first time, the 26- year- old outfielder was going to the Show.
Only one problem: It was after midnight in the Eastern Time Zone— everybody was asleep.
Oh, well. Sometimes real life gets in the way of a good story.
The important thing is that Palka, a 2012 Diamondbacks draft pick whom the White Sox claimed off waivers from theTwins last November, is making progress in his third major- league organization. He batted .286 in 17 games at Charlotte and has 109 career minor- league home runs.
“My game is pretty obvious to most,” he said Tuesday before the Sox lost 1- 0 to the Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field. ” It’s going to be my bat.”
A roster spot opened up when right fielder Avisail Garcia was put on the 10- day disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Garcia was injured Monday while running out a ground ball.
“It’s considered mild to moderate,” manager Rick Renteria said. “So, depending on how quickly he’s able to heal and the exercise they do to put him back on track, we’re hoping it’s not a long, extended DL stint.”
Palka didn’t get into the game on his first day in Chicago, but he’ll be used in a variety of ways in the coming days. What about the Sox suits him?
“The whole embrace of the culture,” he said. “Everything these guys are about. It seems like a big grinding mentality. It’s a lot different than a lot of other organizations. You [ could] tell in spring training it’s kind of one of those bring- your- lunch- pail- to- work environments and get ready to go.”
Gotta be the glasses
Chris Beck, 27, who threw a career- high three innings and got his first career saveMonday against the Mariners, has been up and down between Chicago and Charlotte the last four seasons. But this is the first time he’s donning eyewear on the mound.
What gives? It’s a case of nearsightedness, especially at night. During the offseason, Beck found himself squinting to read road signs. His new pitching specs were delivered a couple of weeks before the end of spring training.
“Maybe it can become, like, a persona thing,” he said. “Usually, I keep them off until right before I go into the game. Maybe I can pop them on real fast, kind of like a lock- in moment for me.”
It could be just crazy enough to work.
‘ Feeling good’ about Farquhar
Tuesday brought no update on reliever Danny Farquhar, who suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm during Friday’s game and remains in critical but neurologically stable condition in the intensive care unit at Rush University Medical Center. Doctors reported Monday that Farquhar was progressing well after surgery.
“He’s not out of the woods yet, but we’re feeling very, very good about how he’s trending,” Renteria said. “I think the guys took the news very, very well yesterday.”