March 03--White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Wednesday that he expects veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins to make the opening-day roster.
How often Rollins starts at shortstop, however, remains the bigger question.
Rollins joined the Sox last week on a minor-league deal worth $2 million if he makes the team, but he is in competition for the starting job with Tyler Saladino. Ventura indicated they could share the starting role.
"I expect (Rollins) to make the team, unless something happens physically where it wouldn't work," Ventura said on the eve of the Cactus League opener.
"(Rollins and Saladino) have a complement to a certain lineup, and it depends on who you're facing and what makes sense to put those guys in there. But they both bring something to the table."
Ventura said he expects to be in "constant communication" with the 37-year-old Rollins about how he is feeling.
"With Jimmy's age, if he goes on a run, you want to make sure you're not wearing him out," Ventura said. "You have those conversations about what it's like to get to that age. It's a compliment to him, a feather in his cap that he's gotten this far at that age still playing shortstop. ... At that age you realize you can't go every day like you used to."
Shortstop will be one of few positions where there is a competition for a starting spot when the Sox take on the Dodgers on Thursday. Carlos Sanchez also could be in the mix to play at short or in a utility role, while top prospect Tim Anderson, likely to open at Triple-A Charlotte, tries to speed up the Sox's timetable for him.
New order: Ventura has several new players to work with when arranging his lineup, and one unknown is who will bat second behind leadoff man Adam Eaton.
Melky Cabrera had 239 plate appearances batting second last season, but Ventura said slow starts by Eaton and Cabrera sometimes made the pairing ineffective. Saladino had 170 plate appearances batting No. 2 last year, and newcomer Brett Lawrie could be another option for the two hole.
Jose Abreu had 148 plate appearances batting second, but Ventura likes him better in the No. 3 spot.
"Eaton's still leading off, so Melky can do a lot of things," Ventura said. "He would be pretty good protection for somebody being a switch hitter behind either (Todd) Frazier or Abreu or (Adam) LaRoche."
Done deals: The Sox signed 20 players and have all players on their 40-man roster under contract. Among players with the potential to make the major-league roster in the group were pitchers Jake Petricka and Carlos Rodon, infielders Saladino and Sanchez and outfielder J.B. Shuck. Petricka will be the highest paid of the group, making $535,000.
