AAP: CJ Retherford

[scenario]

Chris J. Retherford

Birthdate: August 14, 1985

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 190 lbs.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

 

Signed as a free agent*, during the week of June 23rd, 2007

Played at Arizona State University

 

*We also signed his teammate Joe Persichina as a free agent.

 

 

Here are notes I found about Retherford from various sites including the Arizona State baseball website.

 

College World Series - June 16, 2007:

Arizona State third baseman C.J. Retherford hit his fourth home run of the season in Saturday's win over UC Irvine. All four homers have come in the postseason. "I think I'm just seeing the ball better," Retherford explained ASU coach Pat Murphy interrupted, telling Retherford to go ahead and blame Murphy for not playing him enough this season. Retherford started just seven games this season. "I'm saying that we saved him as a secret weapon all year," said Murphy.

 

2006 (Junior): A versatile utility player who saw action at five positions...appeared in 49 games, starting 34 of them...hit .305 (40-131) with 29 RBI and 27 runs scored...hit three homers, two of which came against Arizona on 5/2...pitched in three games, recording one save...turned a rare feat on 6/3 against Prairie View A&M in the NCAA Tournament, catching and pitching in the same inning (7th).

 

Junior College: Played two years at South Mountain Community College for head coach Todd Eastin... helped lead the Cougars to the 2005 JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo... was a two-way player throughout his junior college career... combined to hit .329 (126-for-383) with 22 doubles, five triples, four home runs and 58 RBI in his two years at SMCC... on the mound was 15-7 with one save and combined for a 3.14 ERA... recorded 148 strikeouts in 186.0 innings... as a sophomore in 2005, hit .341 (75-for-220) with 11 doubles and 31 RBI... named to the All-ACCAC first-team as a utility player and also earned NJCAA All-Region I honors... named the MVP of the Region I Tournament to help SMCC clinch a spot in the JUCO World Series... ranked among the league leaders in batting average... as a freshman in 2004, hit .341 (51-for-163) with 41 runs, 11 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 12 stolen bases and 27 RBI in 58 games... on the mound went 7-3 with a 2.25 ERA... struck out 75 and walked only 20 in 92.0 innings... named second-team All-ACCAC and All-Region I second-team... ranked ninth in the ACCAC in ERA... played summer baseball for Subia in the 2004 Connie Mack World Series and was named to the all-tournament team.

 

High School: A 2003 graduate of Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz... earned three varsity letters under head coach Mike Woods... team captain his junior and senior season... as a senior hit .325 with six home runs and was 10-1 on the mound... helped lead Hamilton to the 5A state championship in 2003... was the winning pitcher against Horizon in the state championship game, beating current teammate Matt Trink... was a first-team All-State selection by the Arizona Republic... named to the All-Tribune (East Valley Tribune) team his junior and senior seasons... two-time 5A all-state selection by the AZBCA... hit .320 as a junior with two home runs and was 11-1 on the mound with 99 strikeouts in 93.0 innings pitched.

 

 

 

[scenario]

Here's a link to an article about him with text below...

 

Retherford's roles help ASU

 

By Mark Armijo

The Arizona Republic

May. 31, 2006 12:00 AM

 

Is there a position on the diamond that Arizona State University junior C.J. Retherford can't play?

 

Retherford has played third base, second base, catcher and pitcher this season. He played some outfield at South Mountain Community College and was shortstop for one season at Hamilton High.

 

About all that remains for Retherford is to attempt to play every position in a single game.

 

"We've actually joked about doing that," Retherford said.

 

What isn't a joke is how ASU coach Pat Murphy views Retherford's contributions. Although 10 teammates have a higher batting average than Retherford and only two have committed more errors, Retherford has been indispensable, Murphy said as the Sun Devils open NCAA tournament play in Houston against Baylor on Friday.

 

"He's just a winning player. He can help you in so many different ways.

 

"He's a ball rat and I think he's going to be playing baseball for a long time."

 

Retherford was a standout pitcher at Hamilton, going 21-2 his final two seasons, and was the winner in the Class 5A championship game. But Retherford also could hit, which is why Hamilton coach Mike Woods played him at third base and shortstop when he wasn't pitching.

 

Retherford was a two-way player at South Mountain, where he hit .329 in two seasons and was 15-7 on the mound with a 3.14 ERA.

 

At ASU, he hit .287 during the regular season. However, Retherford has made only two pitching appearances. "I'll do whatever (ASU) asks me to do," Retherford said. "If they want me to pitch, I'll pitch. If not, I won't. I have no problem with that. I kind of got off to a shaky start this season, but I kind of like playing a lot of different positions. It gives you more opportunities to play."

 

Murphy asked him to fill in as a backup catcher and now believes it's Retherford's future in baseball.

 

"We may lose him in the (draft next week), but if we don't, we've got a big role for him next year. I'm just very thankful we have someone like him on this team."

 

And Retherford is thankful for the opportunity.

 

"It's a whole other game in the Pac-10 and I think I should have hit a little better," Retherford said. "But it's my first year up here and I guess I'm not too disappointed."

 

Neither is Murphy.

 

[BearSox]

sounds like he has some potential as a versatile bench guy. Can hit for some pop it looks like, and his ability to play every spot in the infield is great as well.

[scenario]

A thread with some discussion of Retherford.

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...p;#entry1646965

 

 

[JDsDirtySox]

I absolutely love everything I am reading and hearing on this kid.

What a pickup.

 

Could be be a poor man's Pedroia?

[OilCan]

I absolutely love everything I am reading and hearing on this kid.

What a pickup.

 

Could be be a poor man's Pedroia?

 

If CJ can be a 1/16th of a Pedroia, then that is fine by me.

 

He has had a pretty darn good minor league career so far, hope he keeps it up.

[scenario]

5/11/2009 - CJ named Southern League Hitter of the Week

 

CJ Retherford joined Poreda on the awards ceremony this week as the second baseman was chosen as the Southern League's Hitter of the Week. The 5-10 Retherford doesn't garner the same attention as some of his teammates, but he's put up better numbers than most all of them on the season. The Chandler, Az. native batted .381 on the week while hitting two home runs and knocking in a league-high 11 runs. His .905 slugging percentage on the week was also a league-high, and he now leads the league in that category on the season at .651. He currently has the top average on the Barons at .337 and is second on the team in both home runs (5) and RBI (19).

[southsider2k5]

For those who have not seen it, here is an interview from October with CJ

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=68361

[ThunderBolt]

Retherford is the ultimate combo of a great player with a great story. I have no doubt that he'll make it to the Big Leagues, and when he does we can all say that we saw it coming.

[Princess Dye]

Could CJ Retherford be our utility guy next year? I have a wish to have Flowers DHing some nights and thus we'd need an emergency catcher in our utility guy

[JPN366]

Retherford is the ultimate combo of a great player with a great story. I have no doubt that he'll make it to the Big Leagues, and when he does we can all say that we saw it coming.

 

He will.

[scenario]

C.J. Retherford opening eyes with bat and glove

 

October 29, 2009

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- C.J. Retherford is not tall, lanky, graceful or swift. He can hit the long ball but lacks a true power stroke. He can field his position, though it's not always pretty.

 

But playing for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, the White Sox infield prospect continues to thrive on the intangibles that have propelled him to Major League Baseball's finishing school without much in the toolbox.

 

"I want to prove to myself that I can do it even though people doubt me," said Retherford, a stocky 5 feet 10 inches, 190 pounds. "Deep down I know I can do it."

 

Only lightly recruited out of high school, Retherford spent two years at a junior college before landing a spot as a utility player at Arizona State. He never became a regular, and his numbers were underwhelming.

 

The size of his heart wasn't.

 

"I don't fit the typical image of a ballplayer," said Retherford, 24. "But I was always taught to have a work ethic and play the game hard for all nine innings."

 

Retherford went undrafted after his senior year but signed with the Sox as a free agent in 2007.

 

"I wanted to play every day, and I went out and played and have done well since," he said.

 

That's for sure. He has hit at every level -- rookie ball, high Class A and Double A -- averaging 35 doubles, three triples, 13 homers and 65 RBIs.

 

He led all of minor-league baseball last summer with 46 doubles. And last week in Arizona, he homered in his first at-bat against superstar-in-waiting Stephen Strasburg.

 

"The White Sox said I deserved to be here and wanted to see me up against the best of the rest," said Retherford, hitting .364 with four multiple-hit games in nine starts and just four strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. "So I'm trying to get better every day, offensively, defensively, in all areas of the game."

 

But can he find a position? He played primarily third base his first two pro seasons but spent most of 2009 at second, where he put up a .981 fielding percentage.

 

"I've felt more comfortable at third, but now that I've been playing more at second, I feel good there," said Retherford, who has made three errors in Arizona. "There's a lot more responsibility there. I feel like I'm locked into the game better in the middle of the field. It sort of highlights my ability to help the team."

 

Retherford is a classic overachiever. And Sox fans love grinders.

 

Stereotype, meet generalization.

 

"I feel I can prove myself at every level," Retherford said. "I want a shot."

Edited October 29, 2009 by scenario

[JPN366]

C.J. Retherford opening eyes with bat and glove

 

October 29, 2009

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- C.J. Retherford is not tall, lanky, graceful or swift. He can hit the long ball but lacks a true power stroke. He can field his position, though it's not always pretty.

 

But playing for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, the White Sox infield prospect continues to thrive on the intangibles that have propelled him to Major League Baseball's finishing school without much in the toolbox.

 

"I want to prove to myself that I can do it even though people doubt me," said Retherford, a stocky 5 feet 10 inches, 190 pounds. "Deep down I know I can do it."

 

Only lightly recruited out of high school, Retherford spent two years at a junior college before landing a spot as a utility player at Arizona State. He never became a regular, and his numbers were underwhelming.

 

The size of his heart wasn't.

 

"I don't fit the typical image of a ballplayer," said Retherford, 24. "But I was always taught to have a work ethic and play the game hard for all nine innings."

 

Retherford went undrafted after his senior year but signed with the Sox as a free agent in 2007.

 

"I wanted to play every day, and I went out and played and have done well since," he said.

 

That's for sure. He has hit at every level -- rookie ball, high Class A and Double A -- averaging 35 doubles, three triples, 13 homers and 65 RBIs.

 

He led all of minor-league baseball last summer with 46 doubles. And last week in Arizona, he homered in his first at-bat against superstar-in-waiting Stephen Strasburg.

 

"The White Sox said I deserved to be here and wanted to see me up against the best of the rest," said Retherford, hitting .364 with four multiple-hit games in nine starts and just four strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. "So I'm trying to get better every day, offensively, defensively, in all areas of the game."

 

But can he find a position? He played primarily third base his first two pro seasons but spent most of 2009 at second, where he put up a .981 fielding percentage.

 

"I've felt more comfortable at third, but now that I've been playing more at second, I feel good there," said Retherford, who has made three errors in Arizona. "There's a lot more responsibility there. I feel like I'm locked into the game better in the middle of the field. It sort of highlights my ability to help the team."

 

Retherford is a classic overachiever. And Sox fans love grinders.

 

Stereotype, meet generalization.

 

"I feel I can prove myself at every level," Retherford said. "I want a shot."

 

That's C.J. being C.J.

[NorthSideSox72]

Retherford started hot in the AFL, but cooled off, and then took a week off with a minor injury (which may have cause the slump). But after he came back on 11/11, he started to hit a bit more, and hit a HR in the championship game to help his team to victory.

 

His final numbers included a .246/.333/.348/.681 line, but as noted, that doesn't really tell the full story. It appears CJ is continuing to open some eyes, and had been talk of him making the team out of ST possibly. This is now unlikely with the recent moves on the Sox, but, he should be fun to watch in AAA in 2010.

 

[DirtySox]

Evidently CJ will be working on his catching during the new pitching mini-camp.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

 

One of the more interesting twists from this weekend involves C.J. Retherford, the solid-hitting Minor League infielder who launched the game-winning home run in the 2009 Arizona Fall League title game.

 

Much like his work during instructional league action, Retherford will have a chance to catch at the minicamp.

 

"He did a good job at the instructional league, although I don't know about his transfer and throws," said Bell of Retherford's catching. "He's seen as more of a super-utility guy. He can play anywhere on the field, and catching makes him even more valuable."

Edited January 9, 2010 by DirtySox

[scenario]

Sox sleeper Retherford waking people up (Trib article by Mark Gonzalez)

 

When the White Sox break camp for the regular season, it was expected Jayson Nix or Brent Lillibridge would make the roster. Not both. And now maybe neither, after manager Ozzie Guillen said he is "very, very disappointed" in both of them.

 

Enter C.J. Retherford, a 24-year-old who has never played above Double A and has never been considered a top prospect.

 

"I love that kid a lot," Guillen said. "So far (everything) we ask him to do in spring training he does — move the guy over, get big hits. He's a sleeper, but he has started waking people up.

 

"The report I had was everything he does is ugly, but he gets it done. As long as you get it done, you have a chance to play in the big leagues. I like those types of players that go out and do the little things and let the big boys do the rest.''

 

Retherford basically is a second baseman, and the last infielder will have to be versatile enough to also play shortstop and third.

 

"You can put this kid anywhere, I think he will play (well)," Guillen said.

[JPN366]

Sox sleeper Retherford waking people up (Trib article by Mark Gonzalez)

 

When the White Sox break camp for the regular season, it was expected Jayson Nix or Brent Lillibridge would make the roster. Not both. And now maybe neither, after manager Ozzie Guillen said he is "very, very disappointed" in both of them.

 

Enter C.J. Retherford, a 24-year-old who has never played above Double A and has never been considered a top prospect.

 

"I love that kid a lot," Guillen said. "So far (everything) we ask him to do in spring training he does — move the guy over, get big hits. He's a sleeper, but he has started waking people up.

 

"The report I had was everything he does is ugly, but he gets it done. As long as you get it done, you have a chance to play in the big leagues. I like those types of players that go out and do the little things and let the big boys do the rest.''

 

Retherford basically is a second baseman, and the last infielder will have to be versatile enough to also play shortstop and third.

 

"You can put this kid anywhere, I think he will play (well)," Guillen said.

 

C.J. being C.J. I'm glad people are seeing what I saw all last year. He's going to be a great major leaguer.

[BigEdWalsh]

Hmmmm. Maybe my vote for CJ in the Final Bench Spot Poll wasn't sooo crazy.

[JPN366]

Hmmmm. Maybe my vote for CJ in the Final Bench Spot Poll wasn't sooo crazy.

 

Not crazy at all. He's competing with Lillibridge and Nix, I'd give him more of a chance than either of them. Funny thing is, when Nix started his rehab assignment in B'ham last year, Retherford was forced to the bench.

[kane0730]

Can he play an average 3B with the glove? If so, I'm all for him beating out Nix/Lilliterrible.

[jamesdiego]

I envision CJ beating winning the backup infielder job. And I also predict Alexei struggling so much that there will be cries for Becks to move to SS and CJ to 2B. And it would be successfull. You heard it here first!

[witesoxfan]

I envision CJ beating winning the backup infielder job. And I also predict Alexei struggling so much that there will be cries for Becks to move to SS and CJ to 2B. And it would be successfull. You heard it here first!

 

OK. In the meantime, can I have some of your crazy pills? I think you've had enough of them.

 

I'd say the chances of Retherford making the opening day roster are slim to none, simply because he has options and Nix does not. It doesn't mean he's necessarily an inferior player to Nix (though he might be right now), it just means that they have him under control for longer.

 

I do think he's going to be a major leaguer, and he could be a very serviceable player, perhaps even starting. I'm thinking something along the lines of Mark DeRosa, a guy who could be a capable starter but may have to take his beatings first.

[Balta1701]

I'd say the chances of Retherford making the opening day roster are slim to none, simply because he has options and Nix does not. It doesn't mean he's necessarily an inferior player to Nix (though he might be right now), it just means that they have him under control for longer.

I dunno, I know there's precedent in the opposite direction (see: Anderson coming north with the team), but Ozzie's been pretty vocal about not liking how Nix plays the game with the bat, and he's starting to get complimentary towards CJ. If Nix keeps being as godawful as he has looked so far...

[knightni]

Released.