Fields feeling more comfortable

[SSH2005]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

Fields feeling more comfortable

Guillen praises progress of 2004 first-round draft choice

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Two long home runs coming off Josh Fields' bat at Tucson Electric Park probably stand out more than anything else where the third baseman is concerned during the first week of Cactus League action. But manager Ozzie Guillen points to Fields' work with the glove as the area that has truly impressed him.

 

"We always knew this kid has good potential with the bat," said Guillen of Fields. "But the progress this kid has made from last year to this year is unbelievable, especially defensively."

 

Fields replaced Joe Crede at third base late in Sunday's 6-5 loss to Arizona and capped off the White Sox scoring with a long two-run blast to left-center off Casey Daigle in the ninth. Fields has three hits in four at-bats early on this spring, with two clearing the fences and one going for a double.

 

It's a much more comfortable situation for the team's first pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, as part of his second big league Spring Training.

 

"You aren't completely comfortable in here, but it's definitely a better feeling," Fields said. "It was a tad bit intimidating walking into the clubhouse with these guys last year, and it actually should be more intimidating this year, since they won the World Series.

 

"But it's relaxed and fun and the guys make you feel a lot better by saying hello. It's more relaxed for me this year."

 

The intimidation factor also has disappeared for Fields at the plate. He worked hard on completely revamping his swing during the 2005 campaign with Double-A Birmingham, finishing with 16 home runs and 79 RBIs while hitting .252 in his first full season of only baseball. Currently, he has that swing at a confident place.

 

"I'm glad I'm at the point where I don't feel intimidated walking up to the plate," Fields said. "I feel like I have a good chance, and that's a better feeling than being constantly frustrated."

 

On the move: Ray Liotta is one of nine left-handed relievers in White Sox camp, but Liotta is the only left-hander without a viable chance to make the Opening Day roster. The organization has set designs on Liotta as a starting pitcher and doesn't intend to change the plan.

 

With Freddy Garcia (Venezuela) and Javier Vazquez (Puerto Rico) participating in the World Baseball Classic, Liotta still will get frequent opportunities to take the mound. Liotta threw two scoreless innings of relief Friday against Arizona, allowing two hits, and he will start Wednesday's first real Cactus League road game for the White Sox in Tempe against the Angels. Liotta, who is a distant cousin to the famous actor of the same name, finished 14-5 in 2005 between stops at Class A Kannapolis and Class A Winston-Salem.

 

Names in the game: Jerry Hairston began with the White Sox as a player in 1973 and seemingly has been with the team ever since, aside from a brief 51-game stop with Pittsburgh in 1977. Hairston will serve as the hitting coach for the Advanced Rookie team from Great Falls in 2006 and has been working with the Minor Leaguers in minicamp and now as part of Spring Training.

 

They're No. 1: Lance Broadway, the White Sox top pick in the 2005 First-Year Player draft, struggled in his debut against Arizona on Friday. Broadway allowed six runs on four hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning, but only two of those six runs were earned. ... Brian Anderson's swing seems to be coming around. The team's first-round selection from 2003 has a double and a triple in his last two games.

 

Class of '05: Broadway is the only draft pick from last year to see any significant time in the first week of games. Christopher Getz, a fourth-round pick out of the University of Michigan, has one at-bat in the first six games as a Minor League addition.

 

Stat machine: Shortstop Robert Valido tripled home two runs during Sunday's loss to Arizona. Valido hit .288 for Winston-Salem last year, with 52 stolen bases. ... Knuckleballer Charles Haeger has struck out three and walked two during two appearances. He was on the mound Saturday when a ground ball got stuck in the jersey of first baseman Paul Konerko for a base hit.

 

What they're saying: "We will sit over there and talk and joke around. He's kind of got the stereotype of being the quiet guy. Over there, he's definitely a comedian, popping off jokes. He's a lot funnier than I thought."-- Fields, on working during Spring Training with Crede, the team's incumbent third baseman at the Major League level

[Jordan4life_2007]

Keep it going, Josh.

[iWiN4PreP]

Josh has got it going on. .

Keep it going indeed, well need it next year.

[TripleThreat]

Or Sooner :rolly

[Jordan4life_2007]

Fields with another extra basehit today.

[rventura23]

hes certainly looking good, Im glad hes feeling good

[Jordan4life_2007]

Another 3-run bomb today.

[mannyfast]

Saw Fields today in Tucson. He looked very good at the plate. He worked the count in his favor and promptly crushed a double to center field.

 

He laid off the junk off the plate and in the dirt.

 

He looks much bigger now too... maybe his uniform was baggy in Birmingham.

 

I must say he does look more comfortable out there albeit it was only one at bat...