Everett ready for expanded role

[greasywheels121]

http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cws/new...s_cws&fext=.jsp

 

Everett ready for expanded role

With Thomas hurt, healthy Everett could be key for Sox

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com 

 

CHICAGO -- It started with a right shoulder contusion and torn labrum in mid-April. A sprained left ankle followed that particular malady shortly thereafter.

Thus began Carl Everett's 2005 season, which seemingly featured almost as many trips to the trainer's room as it did at-bats. His list of injuries also included a strained lower left quad suffered in Detroit, a bruised right thumb suffered at home against Oakland and a pulled left abductor that happened on Sept. 8 at Texas, limiting Everett to one game the rest of the year.

 

There's little room for wonder as to why Everett's seven home runs and 35 RBIs, accumulated between stops with the White Sox and Montreal, fell well below his production of past years. He finished with approximately two or three physically-fit weeks for the entire season.

 

But now 100 percent healthy and close to 20 pounds lighter than the end of last season, Everett could be an important and overlooked cog in the White Sox's drive for the 2005 postseason.

 

"Carl is the X-factor, to tell you the truth," said White Sox outfielder Aaron Rowand, who shared time in center with Everett after the team acquired him from Texas midway through the 2003 campaign.

 

"He can run, he can hit, he can throw and he can play defense," Rowand added. "We need to have a big year out of Carl. If he goes, we go. He looks good, trim and fit."

 

Everett, 33, is an intense competitor, whose main focus seems to be honed in on the White Sox's success as a team. His sardonic wit and direct responses on a variety of subjects put forth by the media have been mistaken for abrasiveness, at times, but Everett has developed a strong bond with the White Sox and the city of Chicago.

 

Contributions on the field stand far more important than anything remotely to do with Everett's personality or quirky humor. The Tampa native possesses power from both sides of the plate and joins an elite list made up of Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Ted Simmons, Ken Singleton and J.T. Snow as the only switch-hitters to drive in 100 or more runs in both the American and National Leagues.

 

In 2003, a healthy Everett hit .287 with 28 home runs and 92 RBIs between stints with Texas and the White Sox. After exercising his $4 million player option to return to the South Side in October, Everett's 2005 role figured to be as Magglio Ordonez's replacement in right. That definition existed prior to general manager Ken Williams' flurry of offseason moves.

 

Everett is almost certain to open the season as the team's designated hitter, while Frank Thomas rehabs his surgically-repaired left ankle. Everett seems ready for any responsibility, whether it's starting or coming off the bench, and looked fit and trim during a January appearance at SoxFest.

 

After returning to the White Sox on July 18, in a trade that sent pitchers Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski to Montreal, Everett fell victim to a condition that anyone who holds a full-time job and is over the age of 30 can relate to. His workouts dropped, due to the injuries, and his metabolism didn't operate quite as fast now that he's grown a little older.

 

Allen Thomas, the team's director of conditioning, laid out an offseason plan for Everett to follow, but gives almost all of the credit for success to Everett himself. He's in the third stage of a three-part program, with Spring Training just a few weeks away.

 

"It's functional training, getting him prepared for what he's going to be doing," Thomas said of the third part of Everett's program. "He's working on his drops, cutting the balls off (in the outfield) and his angles of pursuit.

 

"There are three parts to the plan -- one is diet, then the training part of it and then the functional training part of it. That's followed by the preparation in Spring Training, and then the White Sox championship season starts.

 

"He's healthy and he can move around," Thomas added. "I was training him pretty intensely at the end of the year, and he just carried it over. It's nothing madly scientific. It's just Carl's determination."

 

Everett's workouts during the SoxFest weekend made it clear to Thomas that he was running much better than he did at the end of last season. Everett should be able to get a few stolen bases under his belt, along with competing for significant playing time in the outfield.

 

Along with the weight loss, Everett has increased his muscle mass. He works out five or six times per week, adding in drills focused on plyometrics and agility, while cutting down on fried foods, increasing his protein intake and staying away from carbohydrates later in the day.

 

The end result could leave Everett as a viable contributor, in all facets of the game, just as he has been with the Astros, Red Sox, Rangers and White Sox previously.

 

"My concern was his (physical) shape," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen of Everett. "If he shows up in shape, Carl will be ready to go and he can put up some numbers. We need him, with the loss of Carlos (Lee) and not having Frank. He's going to be a big part of the team this year."

 

"Carl made up his mind to do what he has done," Thomas added. "He's very interesting, and a lot of people misunderstand how he is. He's a great guy to work with. He's different from other guys, but I like that."

 

Of course, Everett's success is predicated on staying healthy. Factoring in Everett's hard-nosed attitude, as long as he can function somewhat efficiently, he will be on the field. That determination some times can prove costly.

 

"You can't control injuries, no matter how you try," said Everett, after admitting he came back too soon from his shoulder rehab last year with Montreal. "But I'm trying to get back to where I was.

 

"I'm trying to get on a preventive role. The only way to get to that is start with the body during the offseason. I just want to stay healthy and get in shape."

[Chisoxmatt]

In 2003, a healthy Everett hit .287 with 28 home runs and 92 RBIs

 

Im hoping he can put those numbers up again. He could definitely be a key to a good season.

[Gene Honda Civic]

I thought Carl was E X P A N D E D last year.

[TheBlackSox8]

so basically we're looking at Carl to replace Carlos-so to speak, and for Dye to replace Magglio-so to speak.

 

If they can at least produce 80% of what Maggs and Carlos did(which i expect them to do)....we didn't lose out on offense as much as all these critics are saying.....but the thing is that they have to stay healthy in order to do this...and i'm optimistic about that, and this season

[Leonard Zelig]

so basically we're looking at Carl to replace Carlos-so to speak, and for Dye to replace Magglio-so to speak.

 

If they can at least produce 80% of what Maggs and Carlos did(which i expect them to do)....we didn't lose out on offense as much as all these critics are saying.....but the thing is that they have to stay healthy in order to do this...and i'm optimistic about that, and this season

 

 

Do you expect Carl to get enough ABs to replace 80% of Lee's stats?

[TheBlackSox8]

Do you expect Carl to get enough ABs to replace 80% of Lee's stats?

Once Thomas comes back I expect him to "platoon" with Thomas, Dye, Rowand, and Podsednik. When he's in for Rowand....Pods can play CF.

And there's always a possibility that Pods/Dye/Rowand/Thomas don't do well and they always have a Luxury to go to Everett. I don't see him getting a full season of at-bats....but I do see him getting enough at-bats to produce 24 homers, .270(which is higher than 80% or Lee's average), 60-70 RBI's.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Nice article. Looks like Carl is gonna be ready this year.

[greg775]

20 pounds lighter?

Very nice.

Good job Carl.

This article gives me renewed hope about Carl.

20 pounds lighter sounds pretty good to me.