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4th OF possibilities


Guest JimH

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Looks like there are two open slots on the White Sox now. Lefthanded reliever and 4th OF.

 

Who fits the bill for 4th OF?

 

I like Owens but am concerned about having two rookies out of 4 spots and would prefer they at least bring in a veteran to compete.

 

Borchard IMO is not suited for the role and I think he'll be traded, and Timo will not be on the team.

 

A perfect fit is Jeff Davanon, recently DFA'd by the Angels. Fast, switch hitter, can play all 3 spots.

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Possibly but I don't think Mackowiak will see that much time in the OF, I see him playing a lot of 2B and 3B. You may be spot on though, but even still they will need another position player and it makes sense for it to be an OF.

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Owens should not be up stunting his growth with sparse at bats and wasting a year of service time.

 

I tend to agree. If he's clearly ready, then he's ready but I would rather see him get regular AB's and then call him up if Podsednik gets dinged up along the way.

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- No doubt in my mind Willie's gone

- We need a 4th outfielder who can hit righty

 

Agree, Davanon is a switch hitter which is another reason he's at the top of my list. He's always been impressive when he plays vs. the White Sox for what that's worth.

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Jim, I'm with you on Jeff DaVannon. He'd be a nice little addition...nothing to write home about, but, he doesn't have to be.

 

Truthfully, I want to see Joe Borchard given every opportunity to compete for that spot. I'm supporting the big guy and I think with a solid ST under his belt and a little incentive to stay with the big-leauge club, he might be able to start piecing the puzzle together.

 

Borchard. DaVannon. I'm alright with either.

 

He's got no minor-league options left, let's give him a solid crack at it.

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QUOTE(AddisonStSox @ Dec 9, 2005 -> 01:08 PM)
Jim, I'm with you on Jeff DaVannon.  He'd be a nice little addition...nothing to write home about, but, he doesn't have to be.

 

Truthfully, I want to see Joe Borchard given every opportunity to compete for that spot.  I'm supporting the big guy and I think with a solid ST under his belt and a little incentive to stay with the big-leauge club, he might be able to start piecing the puzzle together.

 

Borchard.  DaVannon.  I'm alright with either.

 

He's got no minor-league options left, let's give him a solid crack at it.

 

The way Kenny talks about Joe B. needing lots of at bats at this time in his career, I tend to think he is out of the picture. What about a fairly equal split between Anderson and Owens in center? With the non-starter being available for pinch hitting, they could both get around 300 at bats in their first year. Each other's presence would also ease first year pressures. Reminds me of the righty-lefty catching duo of Josephson/Hermanson that worked well, decades ago.

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I see Anderson locking down the CF spot during Spring Training and as someone said previously, I don't want to see Owens waste away on the bench as the 4th OF. He was raw when he was drafted and is making steady progress. What he needs most is regular at-bats to continue to work out the kinks so that he can take over for Pods in 2007 and we can utilize the money savings on re-tooling the pitching staff (i.e. re-signing Garland, Contreras , a FA and/or re-working Buerhle's deal).

 

Owens should get the call-up in September to see if he is ready to take on the role if we were to let Pods go due to age/ loss of speed/ big contract, etc. Hopefully by then, Young is ready and can take over center with Anderson moving to right if we can't re-sign Dye or determine he is expendable. We can also keep Dye and/or Pods if we think Owens is no better than a 4th OF after another season in the minors, a Sept call-up and ST.

 

With that said, Borchard should be the 4th OF in my opinion this year. I hope he has turned the corner and gets a good long look in ST. He can be the switch-hitting bopper off the bench for those 1-run down no one on and 2-out rally starters in the 9th. If he strikes out, okay we take the loss but if he connects....brand new ball-game. He came in with way too many expectations so if he settles in as a 4th OF with no pressure, its almost the same as a change of scenery that is mentioned so many times. Give the guy a real shot with no pressure (kind of like Garland as the 5th starter...he really excelled with no pressure and then eventually came up big in pressure situations).

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--Let Owens and Anderson battle it out for the starting CF job (sounds like Ozzie goes back and forth there right now)

--Loser of that battle goes to AAA so they can play every day (Likely this will be Owens, but not 100% for sure - Owens is looking awfully good and could hit 2nd)

--Make Borchard your 4th - he's out of minor league options, has a lot of talent, and wouldn't benefit from more minor league time anyway.

--If Borch gets traded, put the loser of Anderson/Owens in the 4th spot.

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QUOTE(heirdog @ Dec 9, 2005 -> 11:23 AM)
With that said, Borchard should be the 4th OF in my opinion this year.  I hope he has turned the corner and gets a good long look in ST.  He can be the switch-hitting bopper off the bench for those 1-run down no one on and 2-out rally starters in the 9th.  If he strikes out, okay we take the loss but if he connects....brand new ball-game.  He came in with way too many expectations so if he settles in as a 4th OF with no pressure, its almost the same as a change of scenery that is mentioned so many times.  Give the guy a real shot with no pressure (kind of like Garland as the 5th starter...he really excelled with no pressure and then eventually came up big in pressure situations).

 

Very well put. Couldn't have said it any better.

 

He's an in-house option with some serious pop in that bat. His swing has a lot of holes in it, but, if he connects, as you've said, it's a brand new ballgame.

 

I'm not saying he should be promised the position; I just want to see him get a square-deal in spring training. Supposedly, he's a great guy with an excellent work ethic, let's give him the shot.

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From what I see...the 25 man will play out like so:

 

C- AJP

1B- PK

2B- Tad

3B- Crede

SS- Juanny

DH- Thome

LF- Pods

CF- Ando

RF- Dye

 

C- Widge

IF/OF- Mack

IF/OF- Ozuna

If/OF- Willie? Prospect?

 

SP- Count

SP- MB

SP- Jon

SP- Freddy G

SP - BMac

 

RP- El Duque

RP- Cliff

RP- Munoz? FA?

RP- Jizz

RP- Cotts

RP- Hermy

RP- Jenks

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QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Dec 9, 2005 -> 11:55 AM)
From what I see...the 25 man will play out like so:

 

C- AJP

1B- PK

2B- Tad

3B- Crede

SS- Juanny

DH- Thome

LF- Pods

CF- Ando

RF- Dye

 

C- Widge

IF/OF- Mack

IF/OF- Ozuna

If/OF- Willie? Prospect?

 

SP- Count

SP- MB

SP- Jon

SP- Freddy G

SP - BMac

 

RP- El Duque

RP- Cliff

RP- Munoz? FA?

RP- Jizz

RP- Cotts

RP- Hermy

RP- Jenks

 

 

:lolhitting :huh I think you mean Viz, correct?

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Reminds me of the righty-lefty catching duo of Josephson/Hermanson that worked well, decades ago.

 

Duane Josephson and Ed Hermann, flashback time. :bang

 

I remember that ... 1968 ... 1969 ... or was that Gerry McNertney?

 

Either way, I'm not so sure it worked out all that well, the White Sox lost tons of games in '68, '69, '70. :P

 

But I agree with you on Borchard. Yes he's a great guy, works hard, is out of options, it'd be nice to give him a shot etc. etc. but KW's statements saying they can't get him the # of AB's to let him develop leads me to conclude he's out of the picture.

 

Plus I think Ozzie wants a speed/contact guy in reserve so he has another option at #2. Could be Owens for sure, could be someone from the outside. The key, it seems, is speed, defense, ability to handle the role, and a contact hitter. None of which is Borchard, to be blunt.

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