Ben

Davis

Jamie Burke is set to be Chicago’s backup receiver. Manager Ozzie Guillen seems more concerned with Davis’ defense, which has been excellent, than his hitting ability.

He is hitting .307 over his last 29 games and has played solid defense.

Melvin has hinted that he’d like Davis to supplant Dan Wilson as the starting catcher, but it may not happen. They could split time, making them each $1-$2 catchers.

Davis was awful in the second half of last year, so this comes as a bit of a surprise. Melvin is probably more interested in motivating Davis than really making him the starter behind the plate.

Hopefully, he will hit better than he did with the Mariners earlier in the season.

Davis might soon reclaim a spot as Dan Wilson’s backup.

Davis is recovering from Tommy John surgery. He’ll be a candidate to act as the Yankees’ third catcher in September.

The White Sox got Davis signed on their terms, giving him a $400,000 pay cut from what he made last year. Unless there’s a surprise A.J. Pierzynski signing on the way, Davis will be the team’s primary catcher. Jamie Burke will back him up.

A waste of $1 million? The White Sox will open the season with Chris Widger as A.J. Pierzynski’s backup. ''It was not fair for me and my coaching staff to put Ben in that situation where he wouldn’t get that many at-bats,’' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''Every time he would come to hit, it would just be against left-handed pitchers. It’s not fair for him to spend a week on the bench, and all of a sudden I have to expect something.’' Frankly, we stopped expecting things from Davis years ago.

Davis lost the backup catcher job to Chris Widger this spring and was hitting just .242 at Triple-A Charlotte.