Levine: Jeff Samardzija, Chris Sale Mum On Suspensions
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Now that the suspensions are official for the White Sox pitchers involved in the fight with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday evening, the next step is more confusing for the team and the players. Both Jeff Samardzija and Chris Sale refused to talk about their five-game suspensions Sunday when approached by media relations representatives.
This was probably the smartest road to travel for both pitchers. The appeal process, with the intent to reduce the suspensions, will consider all behavior and comments in the aftermath of the brawl between the two division rivals.
The convoluted issues of replacing the two pitchers for one start each could be solved with the ascension of rookie Carlos Rodon going into the rotation mix. Promoted from Triple-A last week, Rodon was put in the bullpen with the idea to slowly be brought along as a starter. Now that timetable most likely will be escalated.
"It is a possibility he gets a start in there for one of those guys," manager Robin Ventura said. "He definitely gets into the equation of getting a start out of one of these."
The players association, on the behalf of Sale and Samardzija, will try and get the suspension days knocked down. There appears to be little chance of that happening though, considering the extra-curricular activities of the fracas. The best-case situation appears to be one pitcher missing a rotation start concurrently with the other the following five-day period.
Meanwhile, Rodon feels he's ready to step right back into a rotation role.
"I am taking it day by day. If I have to make a start, I will make a start," Rodon said. "I will find out when it happens. I threw 60 pitches last time out and 88 before that. I can handle that load."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.