White Sox pitcher Erik Johnson didn't have an ideal 2014 campaign. He pitched in just 23 2/3 innings and posted a 6.46 ERA with a 1-1 record. Pitching coach Don Cooper still thinks he can get the job done.
"Listen, he didn't have the year he was looking for, but this kid is still a top-notch, quality prospect and it's up to us and him to help him get back to that spot," said Cooper. "That doesn't worry me, we do that in a lot of cases."
Johnson also posted a 6.73 ERA in 20 starts for Triple-A Charlotte.
"But we've got to get him back going to where he was, and if we do, we're better. We've got him in case something goes wrong. We've got Brad Penny, we've got Beck, [Frank] Montas, Danish. These are all the kids who are coming, but we just bought more time by getting shored up at the big league level."