March 23--GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Adam LaRoche hasn't found the spring at Camelback Ranch to be a particularly good training ground to figure out how to be a successful designated hitter.
LaRoche has played 1,420 games at first base in his 11-year major-league career and only served as the DH seven times, but he knew when he joined the White Sox on a two-year, $25 million contract in November that he would probably be doing more of the latter while Jose Abreu played at first.
He said he is "really good either way" when it comes to the amount of time he will spend in each spot, but he knows figuring out ways to stay focused while being the DH will take some work.
In the spring, when he sits between innings in a crowded dugout without a batting cage or exercise bike to retreat to, he hasn't much been able to determine what his routine should be when he's not on the field. While Cactus League games have been good for chatting with his new teammates during the downtime, he imagines he will get a better feel for the role when the season starts.
"Right now I'm trying to get my timing down, work on seeing pitches and getting the swing going, but it will be fine," LaRoche said. "I just have to find ways to stay locked in the game."
LaRoche said he hadn't much thought about not being able to help the team on both ends until he moved into his new job. A Gold Glove winner at first base in 2012, LaRoche said playing defense often helps to stay focused and to forget about a bad plate appearance.
"Guys that have struggled at DH are guys who probably don't have as much of a short-term memory, that maybe think about that bad at-bat, bad game," LaRoche said. "Defense you go out and have no choice but to get your mind off it. ... Because I've had enough bad games in my career, I'm pretty good at getting over a bad at-bat and moving on to the next one. I don't think that will be a huge issue."
LaRoche has played six games at first base and five at designated hitter this spring, missing two games last week with lower back stiffness. It's an issue he has most springs because of all of the standing around, he said, but the back stiffness was starting to fade and hasn't ever lasted well into the season.
LaRoche has gone 7-for-30 with three doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, nine strikeouts and one walk this spring. He is expected to hit between Abreu and Avisail Garcia during the season, though the Sox haven't used their expected regular lineup much this spring. LaRoche is excited to see how it works when games matter.
"From an offensive side, I love where we're at, but I've had years we've had great lineups on paper and looked great in spring, but it didn't translate in the season," LaRoche said. "You get a taste of it here, what you're capable of, but you've got to go out and do it during the year."
Rodon in relief: Sox prospect Carlos Rodon pitched in relief Saturday and is on the tentative schedule to do so again this week. Manager Robin Ventura said using Rodon out of the bullpen in the spring is more a product of wanting to let Brad Penny work as a starter rather than a change in how the Sox view Rodon for this year.
"He has stuff to be able to do that (be a part of the bullpen), but right now you're trying to make sure he's extended and ... getting his endurance up," Ventura said.
Rodon has a 5.40 ERA over 81/3 innings this spring. Improving his changeup has been a major goal, and he said recently he has sought advice from other Sox pitchers like Tyler Danish and Chris Beck.
"The one thing I got out of Danish was he doesn't hold it as tight, has got a real loose grip that takes off the velocity," Rodon said. "From Beck it was just extension and almost turning it over."
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