July 2012 - Chicago White Sox Wiretap

Looking to bounce back from a tough 2011 season, Adam Dunn will seek advice from White Sox manager Robin Ventura and first base coach Harold Baines. "I haven't really picked (Ventura's) brain as much as I'm going to about hitting," Dunn said. "We have some pretty good left-handed hitters on this staff in (Ventura) and Harold. I don't think I utilized Harold enough last year. Nothing against Jeff Manto, but these guys were left-handed hitters who could flat-out hit. Any advice they can give me, I'll definitely take."

Adam Dunn has four home runs this spring after hitting a pair on Thursday against the Royals. Dunn hit a grand slam and two-run home run and finished 2-for-3 on the afternoon. "Where he's at and what he's doing and his mind and what he brings to the ballpark every day, that's the stuff I'm happy about," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. Dunn hit .159 with 11 home runs in 122 games last season.

Jake Peavy is open to closing games in the future. "If I can't stay healthy for 200 innings, if somebody says something about closing or being a reliever, I can do that, I can be a reliever," Peavey said. "How do I know that? I can be a reliever because I think I can. That's the bottom line. I can do something because I believe I can do it. If it comes down to that, I'll do it because I love this game. "When I walk away, you guys will know it because it's time." Peavy pitched five innings of scoreless, no-hit ball as the White Sox defeated the Mariners, 5-0, in Cactus League action at Camelback Ranch on Saturday.

Jake Peavy has heard talk that he isn't throwing the baseball as hard as he should be this spring, but the right-hander isn't concerned. Peavy says "that's for other people to be concerned with. I'm as healthy as I can be at this time." He has an 18.69 ERA after two starts this spring. "Not one thing that happens in spring training, a good outing or a bad outing, sways me in any way. This place is so skewed," he said.

After a horrific 2011 campaign, White Sox slugger Adam Dunn is preparing for bounce back season. Dunn told Chicago broadcaster Ken Harrelson at the end of last year that he planned to win baseball's Comeback Player of the Year award this season. "He said: 'Hawk, I'm sorry you had to cover for me all season. I promise you I will be comeback player of the year,'" Harrelson recalled to the Chicago Tribune.

Robin Ventura is in no hurry to name a closer, but the White Sox will likely go with either Matt Thornton or Jesse Crain in the role. "When we get closer to the end [of camp]," the manager said. "I don't think it's necessary to name someone now. We have capable guys. You see what you have first and see what your needs are." Ventura said that Thornton and Crain are the best options to grab the job with the Addison Reed hype having cooled a bit. "Not making it just those two, but from a body of work, they're the best options," Ventura said.

The Blue Jays were on hand to watch Gavin Floyd make his second start of the spring on Monday, according to sources. Despite Toronto's interest, Chicago may not be willing to trade the right-hander. "I am not looking to move him," White Sox general manager Kenny Williams said. Floyd's four straight seasons of at least 30 starts and at least 187 innings, not to mention just one year left on his four-year deal at $7 million, makes him an attractive addition.

The Rangers don't plan to show memorable video of Nolan Ryan putting Robin Ventura in a headlock and punching him when the White Sox come to town for the first series of the season. Ryan is the CEO of the Rangers, while Ventura is in his first year as Chicago's manager. "We may show it on the day it happened as part of the 40th anniversary moments, but that's probably it," Texas public address announcer Chuck Morgan said. "I just thought this offseason that we didn't need to be showing that anymore. I watched how St. Louis treated Stan the Man during the playoffs and that's how we should treat Nolan as the face of the franchise. We'll celebrate his no-hitters and other moments."

The White Sox have only played two exhibition games this spring, but Adam Dunn is still focused on enjoying the game of baseball. There has been much talk about Dunn's awful debut season with Chicago when he hit a mere .159. "It's why you play. This is a fun game," he said Tuesday. "Sometimes, when you take that out and you take the fun part out of it ... . That's not who I am. "That won't happen this year, I promise you. I don't care what happens."

Gavin Floyd continues to be targeted by teams in need of another starting pitcher as the season nears. The Red Sox and Blue Jays could be strong suitors. The White Sox aren't necessarily looking to move the right-hander, but general manager Kenny Williams could be convinced for the right package.