John Danks

Infobox MLB player


width = 300px
name = John Danks
team = Chicago White Sox
number = 50
position = Starting pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1985|4|15
birthplace = city-state|Austin|Texas
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = April 8
debutyear = 2007
debutteam = Chicago White Sox
statyear = September 30, 2008
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 18-22
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 4.23
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 268
teams =
*Chicago White Sox (by|2007-present)

John William Danks (born April 15, 1985 in Austin, Texas) is a left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball currently playing with the Chicago White Sox.

John graduated from Round Rock High School in Texas in 2003 and he was named the Texas player of the year. [Davis, Danny. [http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/10/30/1030danks.html "Diamonds are for her brothers, but Danks also a gem"] , "Austin American-Statesman", October 30, 2007. During high school, he played for Andrew Prater's Austin Baseball Club (ABC) summer league team. "John Danks, who graduated in 2003, just finished his first complete season as a starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox."] Danks was drafted in the first round, ninth overall in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers. 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.

Danks, along with pitchers Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner, was traded by the Rangers to the White Sox for pitcher Brandon McCarthy and outfielder David Paisano on December 23, mlby|2006. [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/122406dnsporangerstrade.39fa6227.html]

As a top prospect for the Chicago White Sox in mlby|2007, 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 start on short rest in the one-game playoff for the American League Central Division title, Danks defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins 1-0 with eight dominant innings of two-hit ball. The victory propelled the White Sox into the postseason.

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