Danks 'not throwing enough quality strikes'

BALTIMORE -- John Danks has been a stalwart in the White Sox rotation since 2007, but time might be running out on the veteran left-hander after another rocky outing to start the 2016 campaign.
Danks dropped to 0-4 after lasting just five innings plus one batter in Chicago's 10-2 loss to the Orioles on Thursday, a performance that may force White Sox manager Robin Ventura to move the highest-paid player on the team out of a starting job, although he was noncommittal about making a move after the game.
"Right now, we're trying to make him better," Ventura said. "We're going to continue to work at that and try to make him better so he can help us."
After the game, a glum Danks was most upset that his bad outing stopped the Sox win streak at six games.
"There are 24 guys in here that are setting the world on fire," Danks said. "That's probably the most disappointing part of it, today at least. Shoot man, we were hot. And still are. These guys are going to bounce back, and we'll be fine, but I got in the way of something special tonight."
Dating back to last September, Danks is now 0-7 with a 6.81 ERA in his last seven starts and 25-48 since the start of the 2012 season. He is 1-6 in April over the last two seasons.
"It's been a pretty miserable April," Danks said. "I'm just not throwing enough strikes, just not throwing enough quality strikes. There's been games where I can full on eliminate a pitch, because it doesn't have a chance."
While Danks recorded three 1-2-3 innings during his time on the hill, he was undone by a big third inning in which he gave up back-to-back home runs to Baltimore's Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo. He finished the night allowing six earned runs on nine hits, with four strikeouts and two walks, raising his ERA to 7.25.

"You see the highlight on the board and he's just living in the middle of the plate," Ventura said. "This is not the team to do it with."
Ventura had already bumped Danks' start from Monday to Thursday, and his next move may have to be more drastic. Danks understands his situation is precarious, but said he will continue to work to get out of this funk.
"I've pitched myself into that position and I know that," he said. "I've got enough to worry about here than anything else. I'll be ready to go. I'm going to work hard and I'm not going to pout or anything. I never have, never will. It's not easy, but there's only one thing to do -- and that's work hard and get ready to take the ball."