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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A young artist has a canvas, a budding musician has the stage, and the biggest of Chicago White Sox prospects have the approaching Cactus League schedule to make an impression. Micah Johnson finally gets a chance to show what he can do at second base, while Carlos Rodon is taking advantage of the injury to Chris Sale to get in some action in big league games. Beginning Wednesday, the White Sox have 32 scheduled games in 31 days, including an exhibition at Triple-A Charlotte on April 3. “It’s just time to see what you’ve been working on,” Johnson said Monday after a workout cut short by rain. “It’s a little different being in the [covered batting cage] than against live pitching, just a different situation. So now it’s a chance to see what you’ve been working on every single day in the offseason and early in spring training and see the team out there working on stuff.”  Johnson’s speed and offensive abilities are well known, but the major league coaching staff wants to see how the 24-year-old handles himself on defense before possibly naming a second baseman for Opening Day. Carlos Sanchez, another second-base candidate, rates more highly with the glove than Johnson.
“Some days I take more ground balls than are planned on the schedule because that day I didn’t feel a certain way,” Johnson said. “Right now it’s about being real picky and meticulous with your work. If you’re slightly off a little bit, focus-wise, just get back out there and finish what we didn’t accomplish.” Rodon is just 11 days into his first big league camp and won’t pretend he knows the details of how it all works. He is confident with his pitching, though, and until he learns the intricacies, he will let his left arm speak for him. “You’re in front of everybody; you’re throwing against big league hitters, getting experience,” Rodon said. “I’m looking forward to that and I’m ready to make my start.” His first Cactus League action is set to come Friday, taking the spot that otherwise would have been occupied by Sale, who is out for three weeks with a fractured bone in his right foot. “Just stay on the path I’m on and keep trucking along day by day, keep working,” said last year’s first-round draft pick. “Nothing changes, like I said. I’m hoping Sale comes back as soon as he can -- a quick, speedy recovery for him.” White Sox manager Robin Ventura admitted that Rodon has been a major topic of conversation with the coaching staff, but this week that talk will be replaced by an actual inning or two of pitching against major league-caliber hitters. More innings are expected as the spring progresses. “Yeah, there is an opportunity there for him as well as some other guys,” Ventura said. “How far that’s going to go, we don’t know. We want to see him get out and pitch and do well just like everybody else. There is an opportunity with Sailor going down. Who fills in at that spot? It’s going to take some time. We’ve got a lot of time down here to figure that out and have guys pitch.”
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