GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen loves what he brings to the table, especially a glove that is generally considered the best among outfielders in the organization, but Jordan Danks remains a long shot to make the major league team.
Just give him time.
“He’s got too big of a future to put him in a limited role,” Sox general manager Ken Williams said at So Fest. “So probably not.”
Danks, the younger brother of Sox pitcher John Danks, just wants to keep making a good showing, as he did last spring.
“It’s great to be back big-league camp again,” Danks said Saturday. “I’m not on that roster but if I go out and have a good spring and leave it up to them … I just want to come out here and perform to the best of my ability.”
Danks batted .245 in 445 at-bats with eight home runs and 42 RBI for AAA Charlotte last season. He knows his bat needs to catch up to his defense.
“I spent some time this off-season at a [hitting] facility in Los Angeles that had some really cool video equipment, so we were kind of nit-picking little things that need to be tweaked,” Danks said. “My stance is completely different than it was but I feel comfortable that it’s working for me now.”
Making better contact is Danks’ biggest bug-a-boo. He struck out 151 times at Charlotte last season.
“[The Sox] told me the defense is there,” Danks said. “‘If we can lock down the hitting, and cut down on the strikeouts I’ll be ready to go. That’s my main focus this spring, putting the ball in play, especially with two strikes.”