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http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines

 

Podsednik's play puts charge in Sox

 

By Mark Gonzales

Tribune staff reporter

 

March 23, 2006, 10:14 PM CST

 

 

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik made up for lost time Thursday, and the White Sox hope Tadahito Iguchi does the same.

 

Podsednik, playing in his first Cactus League game since March 6, passed all his medical tests while sparking the Sox to a 5-4 victory over Texas.

 

"It feels like he recharged the batteries for everyone," manager Ozzie Guillen said.

 

Podsednik went 3-for-4, including a triple off Kevin Millwood in the first inning.

 

More importantly, Podsednik felt no discomfort from the tendinitis in his left shoulder that had affected his swing.

 

"I feel really comfortable at the plate," Podsednik said. "I hope we really have turned the corner, and it's definitely feeling like it.

 

"I'm pretty much playing pain-free. The timing and comfort will come at the plate."

 

Podsednik, not known for a strong arm, made a long throw from near the warning track to second base in the third inning.

 

"I'm not saying I'm going to throw anyone out this year," Podsednik said. "But I might have strengthened my shoulder a bit, and hopefully that will carry over into my throwing."

 

Podsednik showed no signs of the leg injuries that harassed him much of the second half last season and prevented him from breaking Rudy Law's 1983 franchise record of 83 stolen bases; he finished with 59.

 

In addition to legging out his first-inning triple, Podsednik hustled to second after singling in the fifth, and his speed forced third baseman Hank Blalock to make an errant throw that allowed Gustavo Molina to score the tying run.

 

In the sixth, Podsednik delivered an RBI single off left-hander Fabio Castro.

 

"I'm surprised with how comfortable I feel this early," Podsednik said.

 

Podsednik said he would play through Sunday, take Monday off and then play the rest of the Cactus League schedule.

 

The game also marked the first time this spring that Iguchi, who was 5-for-39, hit in the second spot in the order, where he flourished last season.

 

He went 1-for-5 with a double off the third-base bag in the eighth inning and drove in two runs, but he didn't say much about the switch.

 

"It's not going to make any difference," Iguchi said through translator Ryan McGuire.

 

Iguchi reverted to his unselfish ways when he hit a grounder to second that scored Podsednik with the first run.

 

Guillen immediately walked over to congratulate Iguchi as he returned to the dugout.

 

"Everyone feels comfortable with Iguchi in the second hole as well as Juan (Uribe)," Podsednik said. "They both can handle the bat. Obviously, Iguchi and I have a year together at 1-2, but it's a matter of where Ozzie feels most comfortable with those two guys."

 

Guillen said Uribe, who was batting .250 in the second spot, will bat seventh or eighth for the rest of spring training.

 

Guillen reiterated he wouldn't juggle the top of the batting order.

 

Iguchi will remain in the second spot for the regular season if he shows improvement in the final nine exhibition games.

 

"I have to help Iguchi help out the ballclub," Guillen said. "I don't want to move [iguchi] from two to seven, two, eighth, because all of a sudden they're going to have an excuse when they fail."

 

Guillen said he would juggle Uribe, Joe Crede and Brian Anderson among the final three spots in the batting order, depending on who is producing the best.

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Keeping Scotty legs healthy would have to be right up there on Herm Schneider's priority list.

 

We nit-pick his obvious flaws such as his weak arm, bad reads in the outfield, and striking out a ton with runners in scoring position, but when he's up and running and producing and causing havoc on the bases, you have to look past those things.

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QUOTE(Jordan4life_2006 @ Mar 24, 2006 -> 07:48 AM)
Interesting.  So Gooch starts the regular season in the 2-hole if he hits well the rest of the spring?  That was a rather short-lived experiment.

This is great news! I love Uribe, but nobody can beat Iguchi in the #2 spot. Ozzie just wanted to see if it could work, but it obviously didnt. This is what spring training is for.

 

How about moving Dye to the 3 hole and Thome to the 5 hole now? Its important to have quicker guys at the top 3, Thome and Konerko would be the perfect 4,5 in my opinion.

 

This is what i think Ozzie should do:

Pods, Gooch, Dye, Konerko, Thome, Uribe, Pierzynski, Anderson, Crede

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This is great news! I love Uribe, but nobody can beat Iguchi in the #2 spot. Ozzie just wanted to see if it could work, but it obviously didnt. This is what spring training is for.

 

How about moving Dye to the 3 hole and Thome to the 5 hole now? Its important to have quicker guys at the top 3, Thome and Konerko would be the perfect 4,5 in my opinion.

 

This is what i think Ozzie should do:

Pods, Gooch, Dye, Konerko, Thome, Uribe, Pierzynski, Anderson, Crede

Nah, you want your best hitter in the 3-hole. That would be Thome. Also, I'd rather have Thome's .408 career OBP in front of Konerko's 40-homer self than Dye and his .334 career OBP. It's the best way to optimize our lineup's run scoring ability.

Edited by SSH2005
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Yes, I'm happy Pods is back...just like last season, as soon as he got hurt, the Sox had a harder time it seemed.

 

And Iguchi's experiment of dropping him lower in the order was stupid from the get-go...and I hope they make the right decision and put him in the 2 slot...he's not greedy, and I think Uribe would be too greedy to bat in the 2 spot, just based on the fac t that every time he talks to our radio announcers, he tells them he's "going deep". Yeah...#2 hitters can't have that attitude...at all.

 

Iguchi doesnt. Keep him in the 2 hole. Plz.

 

Thanks.

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No. Dye bats 5th, Thome 3rd--for every reason SSH mentioned. I like that he even said "optimize".

 

Did you see that work that BTBS did on lineup optimzation SSH? Rather interesting stuff. I'm currently trying their findings out in my simulated baseball league online. I tell you, it pains me every time I see my C- contact, C+ power guy come up in the 3 hole. However, I'm beating my expected RC numbers by a healthy margin, so I'm going to stick with it.

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QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Mar 24, 2006 -> 10:00 AM)
This is great news! I love Uribe, but nobody can beat Iguchi in the #2 spot. Ozzie just wanted to see if it could work, but it obviously didnt. This is what spring training is for.

 

How about moving Dye to the 3 hole and Thome to the 5 hole now? Its important to have quicker guys at the top 3, Thome and Konerko would be the perfect 4,5 in my opinion.

 

This is what i think Ozzie should do:

Pods, Gooch, Dye, Konerko, Thome, Uribe, Pierzynski, Anderson, Crede

 

The Red Sox seem to do OK with their slow-footed 3,4 hitters...

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QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Mar 24, 2006 -> 11:00 AM)
How about moving Dye to the 3 hole and Thome to the 5 hole now? Its important to have quicker guys at the top 3, Thome and Konerko would be the perfect 4,5 in my opinion.

No, the offensive production would go down a great deal. And quicker guys in the top 3 has nothing to do with it really, its more about OBP in the top 3.

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