Why is Crede still playing?

[Wong & Owens]

We should have been shut out yesterday.  We weren't and we won, yipee.  Why isn't Konerko hitting behind the runner or swinging for the fences to try and get a sac fly. 

 

Also, has any player on our team gotten better in the last 4 (2000-2004) years;

 

Valantin

Thomas

Konerko

Lee 

 

Crede hasn't improved one bit since he has come up.  Harris and Olivo have shown signs, Uribe is up in the air. 

 

The difference between Beltre and Crede --- Beltre is 2 years younger.

 

Garland has improved and is only 25 years old.

 

This is what frustrates the hell out of me, the inconsistency.

Konerko is a dead-pull hitter, we'll have to get used to it, at least until he's traded.

 

Lee had his best year last season.

[Queen Prawn]

I don't believe this.  We are now to the point of criticizing Konerko for HOW he gets base hits and drives in runs. 

 

Those things balance out.  He can hit on right on the screws but right at the left fielder and it's just an out, or he sneak a grounder through the infield and it's a hit.  I supposed you would have been happier with a screaming line drive at the shortstop that was turned into a DP?

 

There's an old baseball saying:  Hit 'em where they ain't.  That's what Paulie did.

No kidding. I haven't been happy with his play this year, but he got the job done, why whine and b**** when we have a 5th (or lack thereof) pitcher to whine and b**** about?

 

The one I saw last night was bases loaded (I thought) and he knocked in 2 with a decent hit.

[T R U]

Thats because Beltre has been in the majors since he was like 17... the Dodgers got in trouble for that I believe...

[WSox30]

I think crede does need to grab some bench for a while and uribe needs to play more. he shouldve started every single game against minnesota and should start every game until he goes into a huge slump. Willie stays in the line up. He'll adjust eventually to center.

[witesoxfan]

Yes, but I want to win now, not in 6 years.

 

We need Crede hitting well. He can't be an automatic out all the time.

Well said. And I agree 100%

[YASNY]

Look - I think we're talking about two different things: what's good for the team and what's good for Konerko.

 

Clearly, getting a base hit was good for the team and better than a screaming line drive for an out.

 

But don't try to tell me that a weak ground ball that finds its way between 3rd and short is a better indicator of a hitter's ability than a screaming line drive for an out.  If I'm just trying to gage whether a hitter is mechanically sound, I'd rather see the screaming line drive than the weak ground ball. 

 

The fact is that with a slug like Konerko hitting with men on 1st and 3rd the LAST thing Konerko was trying to do was hit a ground ball.  He's just off right now and it was pure luck that weak grounder found its way into left.

I watched Frank Thomas take 3 consecutive strikes in the same situation on Sunday. I'd much rather see a guy put the ball in play. I also pointed out that those kind of things even out over the course of a season.

 

There is so much player bashing that goes on at this board. It really gets old. And when someone actually gets the job done and then to see him get criticized because it wasn't "pretty" enough, that's just a bit over the top.

[BrandoFan]

Crede must produce...NOW.

 

He's been very steady defensively, no question, but he is playing a power position and he's just getting overmatched at the plate. Those who say he's been clutch in '04 have not looked at the numbers:

 

-on pace to 20+ GIDP

-.160 with RISP

-.180 close and late

 

He's been touted as a rising star for a few years now. Well, let's see it.

[Ozzietheairedale]

There is so much player bashing that goes on at this board.  It really gets old.  And when someone actually gets the job done and then to see him get criticized because it wasn't "pretty" enough, that's just a bit over the top.

You know what there is alot of on this board? Alot of posters like this who have this "holier than thou" attitude that they can criticize players, managers, owners, ballparks, whatever but anybody else who does it is "player bashing". Nobody is criticizing players' families, races or religion. But I, like fans for decades, can criticize the playing ability of whoever I want and I don't need Yasny to tell me whether or not it's OK.

 

Also, could you at least be accurate in your description of my criticism of Konerko's ability. Putting words in quotes as if I actually wrote them is misleading. I never said Konerko's hits weren't "pretty" enough. But any dope who knows anything about baseball knows that a grounder from a slow player with men on 1st and 3rd and 1 out is not what he's looking for.

 

Even Konerko said he was "lucky".

[YASNY]

You know what there is alot of on this board?  Alot of posters like this who have this "holier than thou" attitude that they can criticize players, managers, owners, ballparks, whatever but anybody else who does it is "player bashing".  Nobody is criticizing players' families, races or religion.  But I, like fans for decades, can criticize the playing ability of whoever I want and I don't need Yasny to tell me whether or not it's OK.

 

Also, could you at least be accurate in your description of my criticism of Konerko's ability.  Putting words in quotes as if I actually wrote them is misleading.  I never said Konerko's hits weren't "pretty" enough.  But any dope who knows anything about baseball knows that a grounder from a slow player with men on 1st and 3rd and 1 out is not what he's looking for.  

 

Even Konerko said he was "lucky".

The word in quotes was meant for emphasis. Similar to your use of "holier than thou" in your reply to me. However, I was able to read it as it was intended instead of assuming you were trying to put words in my mouth, so to speak. I should have used bold text. I apologize.

 

As for the player bashing, I never said you couldn't do it. I just said it was getting old. Feel free to continue if that is what trips your trigger. Keep in mind, though, there is something to be said about the manner in which one goes about being critical. One can be critical of a player's performance without being critical of the player himself. Though, in this case, you were criticizing the performance.

 

And yes, a seeing-eye grounder is "lucky". A screamer at the leftfielder is unlucky. As I said, these all even out. Which is why I don't see any point to criticizing an RBI base hit.

 

Why don't we just bury this hatchet and pull for a Sox sweep this weekend. Deal?

[beck72]

I think Ozzie is being patient w/ Crede and deservedly so. The Sox need Joe for the entire season. Sitting him down for a long spell could hurt him for the year. Ozzie putting Joe in vs guys he'll have success against is the best bet for now, and letting him work through his struggles. Give him a day or two off a week, so he can be fresh when he gets in.

 

Crede's shown how dangerous he can be when he gets hot. Though Uribe might be able to fill in at 3B for a spell, the Sox need Joe's bat and glove for 2004 and beyond. Not many quality 3B out there as far as I can tell.

 

Crede has shown the ability to go 0 for 3 and then hit a HR. Most guys look horrible and offer nothing when they're struggling. At least he's been able to get some HR's while he's been at his worst. His being "streaky" also wouldn't matter as much if Konerko, Lee, Maggs and Frank weren't streaky as well. Yet at the salary differential [particularly PK and Lee], I say let Crede be Crede. He'll bounce out of it.

[Wong & Owens]

I'm going to bring it up again as a reminder that, back in 2000, 2001, and most of 2002, we had no third baseman. All the talk was about this 3B down in AAA who was supposed to make everyone forget about Robin Ventura. Yet, at every opportunity, the Sox held Crede down in AAA. At the start of 2000, nobody was happy with the prospect of Herbert Perry as the everyday 3B. In 2001 and 2002, even after the Sox were clearly out of the race, the Sox contiued to leave Perry and Valentin at 3B, instead of bringing up Crede(they did bring him up in both years, but both times very late in the year--he got little playing time). I still think Sox management didnt like something they saw in Crede, obviously pertaining to his hitting ability. Maybe he's just not that good, and never will be.

[BrandoFan]

Maybe he's just not that good, and never will be.

 

Who knows, this season he's been pretty terrible.

 

But in 2002, he was flatout raking. The talent is there. The problem is that talent alone not enough.. Mentally and mechanically, Joe is not a major leaguer right now.