White Sox appear set on a catching platoon ... for now

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CHICAGO -- Behind the plate, the Chicago White Sox http://www.authenticlakersstore.com/authentic-10-steve-nash-jersey.... appear settled on shared playing time after left-handed-hitting catcher Alex Avila was signed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal announced Wednesday.

Avila, a seven-year major league veteran, figures to split time with the right-handed-hitting Tyler Flowers as the White Sox look to get more offensively out of a position that ranked in the bottom half of the American League in batting average (ninth at .230), slugging percentage (10th at .376) and on-base percentage (11th at .293).

Avila essentially replaces the right-handed-hitting Geovany Soto, who signed a free-agent deal Tuesday with the Los Angeles Angels. Avila also comes with more of a financial commitment since Soto made $1.5 million in 2015.
The White Sox are obviously projecting more than Hiroki Kuroda Womens Jersey the .191 batting average over 67 games Avila posted last season with the Detroit Tigers, to go along with four home runs and 13 RBIs. The 29-year-old dealt with a bone bruise in his left knee last season that kept him out of action for nearly two months.

Avila's best season came in 2011 when he finished 12th in the AL MVP voting. He batted .295 that season with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs, while playing in his only All-Star Game.

Not only was Avila's knee an issue last season, he also suffered a concussion in 2014 that cost him time. So he comes to the White Sox as a bit of an injury risk.

"He came through all our exams yesterday without Ryan McDonagh Youth Jersey restriction," general manager Rick Hahn said. "Our doctors are very optimistic about where he is right now, what it means for his ability to perform through the next year.

"Obviously there's a little bit of a health risk with any guy, much less someone who is coming off injury issues the last couple years, but it is one of the areas -- knock on wood -- that we've been pretty good at in terms of keeping guys healthy and getting them on the field."
How much he plays, even if healthy, remains to be seen. A straight platoon would figure to give Avila more playing time over Flowers since there is far more right-handed pitching than left-handed.

"How the playing time will break down http://www.authenticbruinsshop.com/authentic-carl-soderberg-jersey.... between the catchers at the start of the season, we're going to leave that to [manager] Robin [Ventura] and hopefully provide him with some good options depending on that day's matchups," Hahn said.