John William Danks is a left-handed

Left-handed

Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...

 starting pitcher

Starting pitcher

In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....

 in Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 currently playing with the Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

.
John graduated from Round Rock High School

Round Rock High School

Round Rock High School is a 5A high school within the Round Rock Independent School District in Round Rock, Texas. During the late 1990s, it was the largest high school in Central Texas.Five middle schools feed into this school:*Chisholm Trail Middle School...

 in Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 in 2003 and he was named the Texas player of the year. Danks was drafted in the first round, ninth overall in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft

2003 Major League Baseball Draft

The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...

 by the Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers (baseball)

The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

. His brother Jordan Danks was drafted by the White Sox in the 2005 MLB Draft in the 19th round, and again in the 2008 MLB Draft in the 7th round.

Minor Leagues

Danks, along with pitcher

Pitcher

In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

s Nick Masset

Nick Masset

Nicholas Allen Masset is a right-handed pitcher for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. He was selected in the eighth round of the entry draft by the Texas Rangers. After graduating from Pinellas Park High School, Masset attended St...

 and Jacob Rasner, was traded by the Rangers to the White Sox for pitcher Brandon McCarthy

Brandon McCarthy

Brandon Patrick McCarthy is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2001....

 and outfielder David Paisano on December 23, . http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/122406dnsporangerstrade.39fa6227.html

Chicago White Sox

As a top prospect for the Chicago White Sox in , he was selected as the team's fifth starter in their rotation. The 72-90 White Sox provided Danks with little support in the first half of the season; he was 5-6 with an acceptable 4.62 ERA before the break. Down the stretch, Danks tired, and he was shut down for the year after a sole September start. Danks finished the second half 1-7 with a 7.11 ERA and the season 6-13 with a dismal 5.50 ERA in 26 starts.

The White Sox opted to use Danks in the starting rotation again in 2008 and he did not disappoint. The second-year lefty pitched masterfully, ranking among the league leaders in ERA all season and taking no-hit games beyond the fifth inning on several occasions. Danks set career bests in nearly every major statistical category, finishing with a 12-9 record, 3.32 ERA (fifth in the American League) and 1.23 WHIP in 33 starts. Danks finished just short of the benchmark 200 regular-season innings, hurling 195.

Making his first career short-rest start in the one-game playoff

2008 American League Central tie-breaker game

The 2008 American League Central tie-breaker game was a one-game playoff for Major League Baseball's American League Central division. The game took place on September 30, 2008 between the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins at US Cellular Field. It was necessary after both teams finished the...

 for the American League Central Division title, Danks defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 1-0 with eight dominant innings of two-hit ball. The victory propelled the White Sox into the postseason.

Scouting Report

Danks has a very live arm, and has a good four seam fastball in the 92-94 mph range. Danks can also take a little off the fastball to get some cutting action on the pitch. His best strikeout pitch is a sharp 10-4 breaking slider that comes in at 86-88 mph. Danks also has a very good straight change that he uses very effectively against righties at 82-84 mph. In addition, Danks has a big, slow curveball in the mid 70 mph range that he'll throw early in the count to get strikes.

External links