White Sox Minor League Update: September 25

Norfolk gets Romy-ed in the ninth, while DSL falls in a snoozer.

The Knights won tonight, 6-5, on a WALK-OFF FOUL OUT.

By now, it is not a news flash. But Romy González is a true marvel. He won’t win our Player of the Year for the White Sox minors, in part because such aggressive movement up a system, and the constant challenges (he’s almost universally met) tend to dull some of a player’s shine. But there has been no greater triumph in the White Sox system this season than González. And with due respect to José Rodríguez, it’s not even a close race.

Presumably, on plays we have not been devoted enough viewers to watch on MiLB.tv, Romy has been doing things like his game-ending superba on Saturday all season, which is what got him noticed by brass, who then pushed him to Charlotte (when it would have been reasonable to keep him in Birmingham all season), then to Chicago (when it absolutely a what-the-hell moment, and again, a challenge he somehow managed to meet in spite of this being just a second full season in the minors).

So, THESE are the types of plays that tend to get you noticed, and tend to pencil you onto the 2022 Opening Day roster despite it being just your third full pro season:

Here’s the thing: This isn’t even an overly-aggressive play. The throw from the third baseman is WAY off, but look at where Romy is when the catcher, off-mark, receives the ball; just a hunch, but he’s under that tag even with a perfect peg. THAT is IMPRESSIVE. It wasn’t even just this tag-up play that impressed with Romy in the ninth, though: He singled for his third hit of the game to lead off the inning, stole second after Mikie Mahtook struck out and advance to third on a throwing error. ROMY MANUFACTURED THE WIN.

Of course, when the White Sox disappoint us by not chasing any of the choice middle infielders on the market in free agency this offseason, including a reunion with Marcus Semien in what seems to be a very nice fit on the South Side, the White Sox will point to plays like this as the reason why they are handing over second base to Romy in 2022.

And in other future potential news, let’s address John Parke, for in spite of having no strikeout power and apparently winning on wile and wile alone, he’s now chiseled his Triple-A ERA under 4.00 and absolutely would not look ridiculous getting a White Sox spot start next season. You don’t always get what you deserve, but Parke has pitched himself into the No. 2 starter on deck in the system, behind Jimmy Lambert.

(Injury note: Jake Burger was replaced early in the game, but nothing online or in the Knights recap indicates why, so we’ll keep an eye on that situation tomorrow.)

This was a decidedly less fun game, as losses always will be. But seven walks by the pitchers, just two gained by DSL Sox hitters (against 14 Ks) in nine innings isn’t great. Carlos Gomez had two of DSL’s three hits today, and added an assist to second base as well. Dionicio Jiménez was a bit wild, but calmed things down in the final third of the game. If only the offense could have rallied.

(Injury note: Godwin Bennett left the game early, not sure if that was also an injury issue.)