CSF Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 03/30/2004 7:12 PM ET The future may arrive soon Top outfield prospects take advantage of camp By Scott Merkin / MLB.com Tickets Scoreboard Fantasy SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Opposing general managers looking to work a trade with the White Sox should be warned in advance. If a young outfielder is offered to general manager Ken Williams and the South Siders as the main thrust of the deal, there's a strong possibility it will be refused. The White Sox leave Arizona in five days with more than a few questions to be answered as Opening Day approaches, ranging from how their bullpen will stack up to what kind of start they can expect with a tough first-half schedule. But one thing proven certain during the club's six weeks out west was the abundance of talent in the organization's minor league system. Most of that vast potential seems to be covering the outfield, or maybe it simply appears that way because those particular young players have been on display so much during Cactus League action. With early injuries to Joe Borchard and Magglio Ordoñez and Marvin Benard never getting on the field, the White Sox moved Brian Anderson, Ryan Sweeney and Jeremy Reed into action with the Major Leaguers. Reed was the best known of the bunch, a second-round draft pick from Long Beach St. during the 2002 First-Year Player Draft who turned in one of the best minor league seasons in recent memory during 2003. The left-hander hit .373 between stops at Single- A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, with 11 home runs, 95 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Basically, I learned about discipline at the plate and being able to get your pitch and take advantage of a pitcher's mistake. I learned you have to perform on a consistent basis and can't be streaky, or you are going to get sent down. -- Brian Anderson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strangely enough, it was Reed who was the least productive during Spring Training, despite being the only one of the three with a non-roster invite. Reed hit .196 in 46 at- bats, with five RBIs and his lone home run during a final appearance Sunday before being reassigned. Talk lingered as to whether a partially-torn ligament in Reed's left wrist, suffered during the offseason, hampered him offensively or if Reed is further off from the Majors than first anticipated. But Reed said he felt no soreness, even though he opted against surgery when the problem arose. Williams believes the 22-year-old put a little too much pressure on himself after last season's Herculean numbers. "I put my arm around him in the batting cage (the other day) and told him, 'Listen, when are you going to start having some fun here? When are you going to start to relax?'" said Williams. "He has the same problem as Joe Borchard. "They are guys that really want it badly. You have to admire that. But at the same time, it's kind of a hindrance in allowing them to bring the best to the table every day in the form of their ability and production. But he's still very much in our plans." The self-imposed pressure didn't seem to be an issue for Anderson, who turned 22 on March 11 and was last year's first-round pick, or Sweeney, the 19-year-old phenom who gave the White Sox a first-round quality player late in the second round of the same draft. Anderson, a native of Tucson, hit .233 with five RBIs over 30 Cactus League at-bats, while Sweeney hit .367 in 30 at-bats with four RBIs. Both also had outfield assists. Sweeney's numbers are that much more amazing, considering he was playing high school baseball in Iowa one year ago. Now, he's ripping line-drive singles off Bartolo Colon, LaTroy Hawkins and Jeremy Affeldt. "Ryan is legit. I call him the 'golden child'," said Anderson of Sweeney. "He's that mature and shows such great poise, and he's only a kid." "He probably has the purest swing of any of the young guys in the minors, and he's only been there half of a season," added White Sox director of player development Dave Wilder of Sweeney. "He stands out and doesn't look nervous at all. But we just want to get him experience and let him have fun." Anderson and Sweeney's minor league numbers weren't quite on par with those produced by Reed, but they were nothing to gloss over. Anderson hit .388 in 49 at-bats with Great Falls before his season ended prematurely due to wrist surgery, while Sweeney hit .320 between stops at Bristol and Great Falls. The two most recent high draft picks will start their season at Winston-Salem, while Reed figures to begin at Birmingham, with a chance to move quickly on to Triple-A Charlotte. The trio can bring along the volumes of knowledge picked up during Spring Training from not only hitting and playing against Major Leaguers but also watching how their teammates prepare for a game. "Basically, I learned about discipline at the plate and being able to get your pitch and take advantage of a pitcher's mistake," said Anderson, who according to his contract, will get an invite to Spring Training in 2004. "I learned you have to perform on a consistent basis and can't be streaky, or you are going to get sent down. "(Sweeney and I) took advantage of the situation and had fun. I figured I would get in a couple of games, with a couple of at-bats, and that would be it. Not many guys where we are at get the chance to do what we did." Somewhat lost in the enthusiasm over the production from Anderson, Sweeney and Reed, not to mention Ricardo Nanita, a 22-year-old who had a 30-game hitting streak in his first season with Great Falls in 2003, is the youthfulness of the All-Star outfield already in place. Magglio Ordoñez is 30, Carlos Lee turns 28 in June and Aaron Rowand, getting his first chance to start on an everyday basis in center, hits 27 in August. There's also the 25-year-old Borchard, a first-round pick from 2000, who will begin the season in Charlotte. A great deal of uncertainty surrounds Ordoñez's future with the team, the $14 million man in his walk-away year and having already expressed interest in testing the free-agent market. But if the White Sox need an outfielder, this spring has proven they don't have to look outside the organization or wait too much longer for another front-line player to appear. "I'll be here next year," Anderson said. "Hopefully, I'll take advantage of that chance and make the team." "Spring Training was about what I thought," Reed added. "I feel like I gave everything I could. Obviously, I'm not playing up to my potential right now, but I would rather go through struggles here and now than during the season." Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSF Posted March 31, 2004 Author Share Posted March 31, 2004 The Future: :headbang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Reed hit .196 in 46 at- bats, with five RBIs and his lone home run during a final appearance Sunday before being reassigned. Talk lingered as to whether a partially-torn ligament in Reed's left wrist, suffered during the offseason, hampered him offensively or if Reed is further off from the Majors than first anticipated. I never knew that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Reed in Birmingham. Looks like Borchard, Valenzuela and mayb Bikowski mite be the outfielders for Charlotte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 I'll tell you what if 2 of Borch, Reed, Sweeney, and or Anderson lives up the hype we are going to have a bad ass OF for a long long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz56 Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 That sucks that Reed is starting in Birmingham, I was hoping to see him here in Louisville come early May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 I'll tell you what if 2 of Borch, Reed, Sweeney, and or Anderson lives up the hype we are going to have a bad ass OF for a long long time. That's what i'm hoping for...I want all them to live up to the hype. But if we can get 2 of them to produce i'll be happy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubsSuck1 Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Wow, there already trying to get us ready for Maggs departure. :headshake I'm gonna start a damn riot :fyou :banghead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Reed isn't starting in Birmingham.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Reed isn't starting in Birmingham.......... Ya he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Wow, there already trying to get us ready for Maggs departure. :headshake Not necessarily. They could ease these guys in, and eventually throw Maggs as a DH in the latter years of a long extension, if Frank is retired by then, which I assume he will be. Carlos Lee may be an option for that too. Besides, these guys look real good, but sometimes things happen. We can't consider them locks just yet. Although it does look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Ya he is. Where is this news coming from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Where is this news coming from? I guess he just figures to start there, but he was assigned to minor league camp whereas Borchard was assigned to AAA. We'll see I guess, but either way he should be on his way up there soon. The two most recent high draft picks will start their season at Winston-Salem, while Reed figures to begin at Birmingham, with a chance to move quickly on to Triple-A Charlotte. The trio can bring along the volumes of knowledge picked up during Spring Training from not only hitting and playing against Major Leaguers but also watching how their teammates prepare for a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 I guess he just figures to start there, but he was assigned to minor league camp whereas Borchard was assigned to AAA. We'll see I guess, but either way he should be on his way up there soon. The two most recent high draft picks will start their season at Winston-Salem, while Reed figures to begin at Birmingham, with a chance to move quickly on to Triple-A Charlotte. The trio can bring along the volumes of knowledge picked up during Spring Training from not only hitting and playing against Major Leaguers but also watching how their teammates prepare for a game. Reed will be in AAA. See the other minor league thread where Jim Bullard said who was on Birmingham's roster. The outfielders will be (barring any last minute changes): Micah Franklin Mike Spidale Darren Blakely Nate Murphy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Reed will be in AAA. See the other minor league thread where Jim Bullard said who was on Birmingham's roster. The outfielders will be (barring any last minute changes): Micah Franklin Mike Spidale Darren Blakely Nate Murphy I hope so, but he may end up in AA temporarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz56 Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Thanks for the info Rex, looks like I'll get to see Jeremy after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 I hope so, but he may end up in AA temporarily. I guess that could happen if they felt he was still nursing the wrist. But if that were the case, I would think they would hold him back in Extended ST for treatment. I'd love to have him in Birmingham, but I haven't heard any indications that will be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkokieSox Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 I guess that could happen if they felt he was still nursing the wrist. But if that were the case, I would think they would hold him back in Extended ST for treatment. I'd love to have him in Birmingham, but I haven't heard any indications that will be the case. I'm not trying to start a debate, because I really don't know. However, they said it was the most likely case in that www.whitesox.com excerpt to start, with a move soon to AAA if all went well. Regardless, unless Borchard is tearing it up I'm assuming, Reed was implied to get a call up if anyone went down in the majors by KW. That wasn't in the article, but I remember him referring to that during ST. I hope they can nurse that wrist a little bit. The last thing we need is one of our future outfielders having problems like Prior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Reed will be in AAA. That's good to hear Rex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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