Sweeney could see Major time in 2006

[SSH2005]

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

Sweeney could see Major time in 2006

Youngster adjusts, once again considered a top prospect

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- During a recent morning meeting with his coaching staff, manager Ozzie Guillen asked the question that many White Sox fans have been wondering for the past year or so.

 

What about Ryan Sweeney?

 

But the tenor of Guillen's inquiry was slightly different from the tone of questioning presented by many interested observers during the 2005 campaign.

 

Despite hitting .298 for Double-A Birmingham in his first full season as part of the talent-rich Southern League, Sweeney's status as a top prospect in the organization seemed to slip a bit. He once was considered on par with first-round pick Brian Anderson, with Sweeney being selected one round after Anderson in the same 2003 First-Year Player Draft class. Anderson will be the White Sox starting center fielder when the 2006 regular season opens on April 2 at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

Maybe that somewhat negative perception came from Sweeney hitting just one home run, coming late in the 2005 season off a buddy from back home in Iowa, although he was never a power-hitter in his two previous Minor League seasons. Sweeney joked that he launched his fair share of long balls in high school, but back then, he had the chance to use aluminum bats.

 

Any "What about Ryan Sweeney?" question seemed to double for "Where has Ryan Sweeney gone?" The left-handed hitting outfielder has answered that question with an exclamation point during this year's Spring Training.

 

Sweeney has a .314 average in Cactus League play over 35 at-bats. And that one-year absence of power has been replaced by three home runs this spring. His effort has been impressive enough to earn Sweeney serious consideration for the final White Sox roster spot, even though he came to Tucson well off the Major League radar.

 

In regard to the slight bit of doubt concerning Sweeney's abilities, friends and teammates alike don't understand its origin. That fact becomes especially surprising when considering that Sweeney just turned 21 on Feb. 20.

 

Most 20 year olds would love to be able to hit .200 or .250 in the Southern League, let alone .300.

 

"This kid was 20 years old in Double-A last year, which a lot of people forget, and he still hit .300," said center fielder Jerry Owens, who Sweeney flanked in the Birmingham outfield last year. "Sure, he only hit one home run but the power will come. He's learning about himself as a player and improved tremendously from the first day to the last day last season."

 

"To be 21 and possibly be in Triple-A, it's really unbelievable," added third baseman Josh Fields, who was also part of the high-powered Birmingham offense last year. "He's definitely a very mature 21-year-old. How he carried himself, even when he was struggling, that's why his average stayed where it did."

 

In 2004, while playing for Class A Winston-Salem, Sweeney hit seven home runs and produced 66 RBIs. Sweeney's drop down to one home run and 47 RBIs in 2005 is very easy for the top prospect to explain.

 

Sweeney suffered from torn cartilage and a sprained tendon in his right wrist, making it painful for him to swing the bat. The injury did not require offseason surgery, but Sweeney received a cortisone shot and the wrist was immobilized in a cast for six weeks.

 

That seemed to provide the proper amount of healing, as Sweeney has been swinging all spring without any pain. He also has been banging out line drives all over Cactus League fields as he did in Arizona as a frequent Minor League callup two years ago at the age of 19.

 

"The first year here, he might have had as impressive of a Spring Training as a 19-year-old kid can have. It was unbelievable," said White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker of Sweeney, who had hits off Bartolo Colon, Carlos Zambrano and LaTroy Hawkins during that first spring. ""He's back to what we saw two years ago, and he's got a chance to be a really good big-league player."

 

"I didn't want to use my wrist as an excuse, but it really did bother me a lot," Sweeney added. "Now it feels much better. I'm taking nice and easy swings, and good things are happening."

 

Along with possessing composure well beyond his years, Walker pointed out that Sweeney had natural fluidity and tempo where his swing was concerned two years ago. Last year, Sweeney made some changes to that same swing, causing it to become, "herky-jerky and lose the fluidity and tempo that made him special," according to Walker.

 

That adjustment could have come from Sweeney having to deal with the first struggles in his baseball career, at any level. Whatever the reason, the problem has been corrected and Sweeney is back in play as an organizational force.

 

Guillen has talked about Sweeney as a possible last man standing on the roster in more than just his private meetings. In the end, the desire to have Sweeney develop on an everyday basis most likely will have him playing the outfield for manager Razor Shines and the Knights in the International League.

 

It would not be a surprise if Sweeney contributed at the Major League level at some point during the 2006 campaign. His wrist is healthy, his swing has returned to its special state and his demeanor is far more indicative of an older, veteran player.

 

What about Ryan Sweeney? The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is doing just fine.

 

"We tease him about Iowa," Owens said with a smile. "I'm from California, so I have it going on, so to speak, and we ask him how the cornfields and cows are. It's fun. But he has a good head on his shoulders. I'm no expert, but he's going to be a very talented player."

 

"I'm happy with my progress, and I'm happy the organization is giving me the opportunity to move up as quickly as I have," added Sweeney, whose primary goal at the plate is to keep his stance the same all season, after changing it during a slump in 2005. "I would like to get a callup this year, and if they need me, I'll be there. I just have to work hard and handle those bumps in the road."

[TheBlackSox8]

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

I would love to see the Sox develop a guy and have him Major league ready at 21/22 like Cabrera, Pujols, Rodriguezs. It's fun watching guys like them just f***ing rake at such a young age.

[chitownsportsfan]

I would love to see the Sox develop a guy and have him Major league ready at 21/22 like Cabrera, Pujols, Rodriguezs. It's fun watching guys like them just f***ing rake at such a young age.

 

Yea, there's a reason Sweeney isn't being compared to any of those guys--he's not that good yet.

 

If Sweeney puts up monster numbers in 2006 down in Charlotte then maybe he'll get a cup of coffee in september and be ready to push for a roster spot in 2007. That's the only way I see him making the roster this year.

[RME JICO]

After losing Young, it is nice to see some of the other OF prospects step up. I hope he can increase his power numbers in Charlotte this year. An outfield of Anderson, Owens, and Sweeney could definitely be a possibility within the next couple of years as long as Owens and Sweeney continue to improve.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Personally, I don't want to see Sweeney anywhere near Chicago this year. He's had a fantastic spring, but I want to see him do it for a full year in the minors. We're set in the outfield for '06.

[Rowand44]

Sweeney is a guy I want the Sox to be slow with. This guy has to much talent and still a lot of work on to rush him. Let him work out some kinks and see how much he has improved for 07.