Uribe Applying Pressure

[DBAHO]

From our favourites at da Cubune,

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has Willie Harris penciled in as his Opening Day second baseman. Pencil, not pen.

 

"I can still erase it quick," Guillen said.

 

Juan Uribe may be the human eraser.

 

Uribe had a pair of hits in Tuesday's 11-4 loss to Colorado, including his second triple. He also scored two runs to give him four in four games. Uribe is 4-for-13 (.307) this spring; Harris is 1-for-8 (.125).

 

Guillen still is counting on Harris to win the job outright, but Uribe is making things interesting.

 

"The way Uribe swings the bat and plays second base, it's making us think," Guillen said.

 

Uribe has more power than Harris, who has more speed. Guillen likes the fact someone is there to push Harris.

 

"I think that's a great push for Willie," Guillen said. "I don't want him to go put pressure on himself. He has to play hard and play better." …

 

Mark Buehrle didn't get much help from his defense, but still was knocked around a bit in his second outing of the spring. "I just didn't hit my spots as well as I did last game," he said. "You throw the ball down the middle of the plate enough, these big-leaguers are going to hurt you." … With the weather warming up, the fields are going to start baking under the desert sun, making ground balls a challenge. The Sox had five errors Tuesday. "That's not an excuse, because [Colorado] made the plays," Guillen said. … Jose Valentin, normally a switch-hitter, batted left-handed against the left-handed Joe Kennedy and singled and tripled. Last season, hitting primarily right-handed, Valentin hit just .131 against left-handers. … Joe Borchard is scheduled to DH Wednesday against Colorado after resting his left quadriceps Tuesday. Jeremy Reed played center field Tuesday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI. He's 3-for-13 in the spring, all singles.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I agree this will no doubt push Willie to be better. I like what i've seen from Uribe so far.

[YASNY]

As long as one of them comes through with decent major league production, we should be ok.

[southsider2k5]

I'm glad someone is pushing Willie. He just makes me uncomfortable for some reason.

[EvilJester99]

Willie seems like a decent fielder but he really needs to step it up at the plate. I am more confident in Willie as a second baseman than I am of him as a hitter.

[Al Lopez Ghost (old)]

Around the 4th inning during yesterday's broadcast, Farmer said neither Harris nor Uribe is playing well so far.

[EvilJester99]

Uribe was hitting the hell out of the ball but was playing 2b horribly. Willie doesn't hit well but can play the field decent. Which one do we need more? I think solid defense would be best. Hopefully Willie can step up his game even more though. Offensively as well as defensively.

[Queen Prawn]

Uribe was hitting the hell out of the ball but was playing 2b horribly. Willie doesn't hit well but can play the field decent.

Maybe we can find a way to combine the two. That way we get one good player and one crappy player than can be cut or sent to AAA. lol

[EvilJester99]

Maybe we can find a way to combine the two.  That way we get one good player and one crappy player than can be cut or sent to AAA.  lol 

Well there are breaking miracles happening daily in the medical and scientific research so one never knows. I doubt Reinsdorf would fork up the money for it though. LOL

[mreye]

… Jose Valentin, normally a switch-hitter, batted left-handed against the left-handed Joe Kennedy and singled and tripled. Last season, hitting primarily right-handed, Valentin hit just .131 against left-handers. …

I've been begging for him to do that for 3 years! Hopefully he carries it into the regular season.

[Texsox]

How exciting, our major free agent signings, after finishing second in 2003, is the backup 2nd baseman who is "pushing the starter" and a set up guy from Japan.

 

start printing them playoff tickets

 

Why is it so easy to be a bitter old man?

 

I am so hoping that y'all will be making me eat my words by September. Until then I still think it will be a nightmare.

[southsider2k5]

How exciting, our major free agent signings, after finishing second in 2003, is the backup 2nd baseman who is "pushing the starter" and a set up guy from Japan.

 

start printing them playoff tickets

 

Why is it so easy to be a bitter old man? 

 

I am so hoping that y'all will be making me eat my words by September. Until then I still think it will be a nightmare.

Don't you have an old Country Buffet Lunch line to be in, old man?

[mreye]

How exciting, our major free agent signings, after finishing second in 2003, is the backup 2nd baseman who is "pushing the starter" and a set up guy from Japan.

 

start printing them playoff tickets

 

Why is it so easy to be a bitter old man? 

 

I am so hoping that y'all will be making me eat my words by September. Until then I still think it will be a nightmare.

I can't disagree.

[Texsox]

Don't you have an old Country Buffet Lunch line to be in, old man?

No Country Buffet and no White Castle for the .35 all you can drink coffee for old people.

 

Furr's or Luby's for the 3:00 early bird special.

 

We lost Colon, Flash, Graffy, Alomar, Everette and picked up . . . Zero

 

 

 

and a backup 2nd baseman.

 

 

Ozzie "How's the fishin'"

Tex "You should have been here last year"

[Rex Hudler]

As long as one of them comes through with decent major league production, we should be ok.

Problem is, if Uribe wins the 2B job, we have a major problem with the bench. Willie can't play SS or 3B, so either Kelly Dransfeldt or Bobby Smith would almost have to be kept.

 

Bench:

 

Alomar

Harris

Bernard/Borchard/Gload

Dransfeldt/Smith

 

There is a school of thought they may go this route anyway, but I just don't like the lack of flexibility we have, unless a guy like Smith can step up and be a solid bench player.

[SuperSteve]

How exciting, our major free agent signings, after finishing second in 2003, is the backup 2nd baseman who is "pushing the starter" ...

Good thing he was traded for not signed as a FA.

[elrockinMT]

I don't like how our infield at 2B is haping up or the back ups on the bench either. ST is still early though so I don't think we should panic. I would like to see Willie do the job, but hitting at the major league level has been tough for him so far. No doubt the guy has talent, but putting it into action on the field has been tough for him. Rex mentions Smith as a potential back up, but so far he hasn't shown me anything in the field particularly. Where or where are Miles and Hummell when you need them?

[Reddy]

im really looking foreward to this season because i have a feeling ozzie will bring out the best in both these young guys. i have a feeling willie will eventually pull things together. if uribe does too, then great, we've got another tony G. If not, we've still got willie

[Mr. Showtime]

Problem is, if Uribe wins the 2B job, we have a major problem with the bench.  Willie can't play SS or 3B, so either Kelly Dransfeldt or Bobby Smith would almost have to be kept.

I'm of the belief that no matter who starts at 2nd, Kenny will pickup another infielder.

[BigNDfan80]

It's funny this article came out after Farmer or Rooney were ripping Uribe for his 2nd base play. They said he looks absolutely lost defensively. And if you don't know what you're doing, the manager needs to pull you for someone who does.

[greasywheels121]

Chisox.com has posted an article about this same topic.....

 

White Sox News

 

Harris, Uribe battle for second

By Scott Merkin 

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Sitting in front of his locker at Tucson Electric Park before a recent Cactus League game, Willie Harris listened to pitcher Jon Garland talk about the base hit he picked up in his only at-bat during the team's first spring contest against Colorado.

Harris stood patiently, as Garland explained how American League pitchers would be better overall hitters if they just took batting practice every once in a while. After a minute or two, Harris interjected one basic question, getting to the heart of the matter with a broad smile on his face.

 

"How do you already have a hit?" asked Harris of Garland. "I'm doing everything right, and I still don't have a hit."

 

It's been that kind of start to Spring Training for Harris, probably the most important March in the 25-year-old's young career. Harris was all but given the starting second base position before arriving in Tucson, becoming a special project of new manager Ozzie Guillen both in the field and in the all-important leadoff position.

 

But Guillen has mentioned on more than one occasion that while Harris is the favorite, he's certainly far from a mortal lock. The job is won or lost on the field, and Juan Uribe has proven during the first week of games that, if nothing else, Harris' election won't be uncontested.

 

Harris had one hit in eight at-bats during his first three games, before going 1-for-2 Wednesday in Surprise against the Royals, scoring two runs and stealing his second base. Meanwhile, Uribe has knocked out two triples and one double among four hits in his 13 at-bats. Both have been solid in the field.

 

White Sox general manager Ken Williams has talked about judging players differently than fans or media would during Spring Training, looking more at quality at-bats and approach as opposed to raw numbers. Just because Harris isn't hitting now doesn't mean his job is in jeopardy, but Uribe clearly provides another option.

 

Uribe has more power than Harris, having hit 10 home runs in 316 at-bats for the Rockies last season. Harris has speed to burn, swiping more than 30 bases in a single season three times during his minor-league career.

 

Harris, 25, has greater range at second, while Uribe, 24, has been classified as having soft hands when fielding ground balls. Uribe was pegged with the tag of having a less-than-stellar work ethic in Colorado, but seems to be enjoying his time with the White Sox since he was acquired in a trade for Aaron Miles on Dec. 2.

 

"This is a good team," Uribe said. "They have a lot of Latinos here to talk to, and

"I wouldn't say this is better because I was happy in Colorado. But I'm happy here with everyone."

 

Despite his comical plea to Garland for a little hitting advice, Harris certainly isn't panicked over his slow start at the plate. He's trying to see as many pitches as he can with each at-bat, one of the more underappreciated tasks for a leadoff man, while getting his timing down.

 

Harris always considered himself a No. 1 hitter and now has the jersey number to match. His approach hasn't changed from the past, but he's simply working for consistency from game-to-game and following Guillen's sage advice.

 

"I love the way he's talking to me and kind of giving me an idea of what he expects and the way he wants me to play," said Harris of his work with Guillen. "That's how I want to play, the way Ozzie wants -- bunting and running is my game."

 

There seems to be a greater sense of confidence for Harris under Guillen's guidance. Harris started 23 games in center field and seven at second base in 2003, after hitting .400 during a stint in Triple-A Charlotte to begin the season.

 

But with so much at stake for manager Jerry Manuel and the team itself, Harris wasn't really given the chance to play his way out of slumps. His role was reduced to pinch-runner/defensive replacement when Carl Everett was picked up from Texas.

 

Guillen sounds as if Harris remains his choice to start, knowing what speed and bat-handling skills can add to the top of the order. But Guillen wrote Harris' name in pencil on the lineup card, not in permanent ink.

 

"Obviously, I'm still rooting for Willie to do the job he's supposed to do, but the thing is open over there," Guillen said of the second-base battle. "The way Uribe swings the bat and plays second base, it's making us think about it.

 

"Right now, it's early in Spring Training and nobody is going to make the team only five or six games in," Guillen added.

 

Both Harris and Uribe are guaranteed to make the team, and both add versatility to the roster with the ability to play the outfield. The fact that Uribe has stepped up early only can push Harris to strive for greater success.

 

Either way, it's a hit for the White Sox.

 

"I don't know what the manager will decide," said Uribe of the battle for second base. "I'm ready for everything."

 

"It's a challenge," Harris added. "They said it's mine, but you can't trust that or take that and not get work in. Uribe is a great player, and we are glad we have him over here. It's still a competition. We are the same family, but we all want to play."

[YASNY]

Problem is, if Uribe wins the 2B job, we have a major problem with the bench.  Willie can't play SS or 3B, so either Kelly Dransfeldt or Bobby Smith would almost have to be kept.

 

Bench:

 

Alomar

Harris

Bernard/Borchard/Gload

Dransfeldt/Smith

 

There is a school of thought they may go this route anyway, but I just don't like the lack of flexibility we have, unless a guy like Smith can step up and be a solid bench player.

That's no problem. They could always insert Willie at 2B and move Uribe over when the need arises. I'm glad to hear Willie is looking at a lot of pitches. That's important for the leadoff man to do.