Sox want Pods at top of lineup

[TLAK]

Thinking down the road. If Pods were out or ineffective for a period of time because of bad wheels, I think the guy in the organization who is best equiped to take over his role is Jerry Owens.

[GoSox05]

I think Marte is having shoulder problems now too. So that trade just looks better and better.

 

I think Thome having such a poor spring may have to spend spend some time in AA. Get Everett back. Maybe Alomar too.

[Heads22]

Thinking down the road.  If Pods were out or ineffective for a period of time because of bad wheels, I think the guy in the organization who is best equiped to take over his role is Jerry Owens.

 

 

I'll agree. Owens is Pods Light. Still don't think he's ready, nor is there a place for him anytime soon. Sweeney may have leapfrogged him in some people's eyes this spring.

[Balta1701]

Still tell me if Boone Logan was to give up a 3.77 ERA in 2006 like Marte did in 2005, would you take that right now?

 

Logan may give up less walks, but he could have a higher .BAA. Marte had a .223 .BAA over the last 3 seasons, which was an underrated part of his pitching (although because he was walking 1 guy every 2 games last season). And that could be dangerous for Logan, especially if he doesn't have the propensity to be a groundball pitcher.

A metric f*ckton of runners put on base by Marte were stranded by Cotts, Politte, Hermanson, et al. last year. Hell, our most memorable 1/2 inning of the ALDS was another reliever getting out of a jam made by Marte.

[Balta1701]

I'll agree. Owens is Pods Light. Still don't think he's ready, nor is there a place for him anytime soon. Sweeney may have leapfrogged him in some people's eyes this spring.

Owens and Sweeney each have obvious guys who they're in position to replace if everything goes well for them. Owens = Pods and Sweeney = Dye. So IMO, it doesn't really matter who's leapfrogged over whom, if they both have success at AAA this year, then each of them would stand in line to replace the guy they're more like should there be injuries out there.

 

But I do agree with you, I don't think Owens is ready yet, and if nothing else I'd much rather have him complete a season at AAA before we annoint him our new leadoff hitter.

[GoSox05]

i think Pods is more suited for the 4 spot utilize his power more.

[Heads22]

Owens and Sweeney each have obvious guys who they're in position to replace if everything goes well for them.  Owens = Pods and Sweeney = Dye.  So IMO, it doesn't really matter who's leapfrogged over whom, if they both have success at AAA this year, then each of them would stand in line to replace the guy they're more like should there be injuries out there.

 

But I do agree with you, I don't think Owens is ready yet, and if nothing else I'd much rather have him complete a season at AAA before we annoint him our new leadoff hitter.

 

 

Seems like that's gonna be the deal in AAA this year. If Fields is down there, we've got our 3B replacement, a LF and RF replacement, A guy in Chris Stewart who I feel will replace the Widge soon enough....looks like there may actually be a reason to watch this year.

 

But wait.....who's pitching?

[knightni]

Jenks is like the guy with the mohawk in "Vision Quest". Gonna run in the plastic suit.

 

Although, he reminds me of the fat guy in "Full Metal Jacket" who got caught with the jelly donut.

 

 

/movie references

[Balta1701]

But wait.....who's pitching?

Nomo. Hideo Nomo.

[Whitewashed in '05]

A metric f*ckton of runners put on base by Marte were stranded by Cotts, Politte, Hermanson, et al. last year.  Hell, our most memorable 1/2 inning of the ALDS was another reliever getting out of a jam made by Marte.

Well while Marte did suck, wasn't that ump squeezing our pitchers big time that inning? I know ozzie was yelling at him when El Duque was pitching.

[SSH2005]

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

Leading man has starring role

Podsednik is crucial component to champ's offensive attack

 

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Scott Podsednik steps into the batter's box, takes three or four pitches, then rips a sharp single to right field.

 

It's a scenario that hasn't played out too often during current Cactus League action, with Podsednik battling through left shoulder soreness and now a slightly strained left groin. But once Podsednik reaches base, there's a noticeable change to the game.

 

The opposing pitcher spends almost as much time focusing on the fleet-footed Podsednik leading off first base as he does on the White Sox hitter at the plate, whether it be Tadahito Iguchi, Juan Uribe or someone further down in the order such as Jim Thome or Paul Konerko. That diverted attention usually means a pretty good offering for some hitter and possibly leads to a run scoring right from the start or a two-run blast later in the inning.

 

At one time in his career with Milwaukee, Podsednik was a bit of a power hitter himself at the first spot of the batting order. He hit nine home runs in 2003 and came back with 12 long balls the next season. Okay, "power hitter" is a relative term for the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Podsednik.

 

But during the offseason leading into Podsednik's most memorable individual year, as part of the White Sox most memorable year as a team in the modern era, Podsednik found his true offensive calling. He's a professional nuisance, whether it be legging out an infield hit or laying down a perfect bunt, and then following one of those maneuvers with a stolen base or two.

 

He's actually a professional nuisance with a plethora of raw talent, who understands his responsibilities as part of the overall White Sox team concept.

 

"Everybody here knows their role, and my job is to get on base, obviously," Podsednik said. "I know that. An offense needs somebody at the top of the lineup to get on base and provide some spark up there.

 

"I take pride in getting myself on base and competing on a daily basis. That's what we do."

 

Podsednik, 30, toiled for nine years in the Minors, including a successful 1997 stop with the Kane County Cougars, before having a breakout rookie season in 2003 with the Brewers. That tremendous effort was followed by a 2004 campaign in which his on-base percentage was lower than his .314 batting average from the previous year, not a particularly good sign for a leadoff hitter.

 

Topping his 2005 effort, or even matching the performance, will take quite a bit of work from Podsednik in 2006. He hit .290 for the World Series champion, with 59 stolen bases, the second-highest total in franchise history (Rudy Law swiped 77 in 1983). Podsednik also led the American League with 39 infield singles and 16 bunt hits.

 

His speed and expressed purpose of getting on base in any way possible proved to be an essential igniter to the White Sox inconsistent offensive attack. The numbers don't lie.

 

The White Sox finished 28-11 when Podsednik stole a base during a game, 9-4 when he stole two or more and 42-16 when he scored a run. A strained left adductor sent Podsednik to the disabled list from Aug. 15 to Aug. 29, and the White Sox could only produce an 18-20 record overall when he wasn't at the top of the order.

 

Ozzie Guillen's crew finished 81-43 with Podsednik on the field, and that number doesn't include its 11-1 postseason run.

 

"He's the sparkplug that starts it off," said White Sox third baseman Joe Crede of Podsednik. "He gets on base and starts wreaking havoc on the basepaths. Once you get the pitchers starting to think about anything other than the hitters, that's good for us."

 

"I personally believe he changed his game," added White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker of Podsednik. "Mechanically, he's in a position where he can use the whole field. He wasn't in that position when he came over here. He made some simple adjustments that allowed him to use the whole field."

 

Walker pointed to Podsednik's pure athletic ability and a much simpler swing as reasons for why he wasn't worried about Podsednik's ability to bounce back at the plate following his two-week absence this spring due to shoulder problems. Both Walker and Mike Gellinger, the Major League Computer Scouting Analyst who works frequently with the White Sox hitters, receive a heaping amount of praise from the humble Podsednik in return.

 

In reality, Podsednik simply would like to play his game without any fanfare and then enjoy life as a newlywed when he leaves the park with wife Lisa Dergan. It's not that Podsednik dislikes the media or has trouble answering questions. He actually provides thoughtful responses on everything from his own game to the team itself.

 

Simply put, Podsednik does not seek out attention. Fortunately for the White Sox faithful but unfortunately for Podsednik, the attention came to him after hitting a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the World Series.

 

There's very little problem getting Podsednik to talk about that great individual moment, although he views it more in the context of what it meant to the White Sox as a team. But it's a different story when Podsednik is asked about being the lone member of the White Sox offense who can't lose any significant time to injury. There's a point he chooses to ignore.

 

"I try not to pay attention to that sort of talk," Podsednik said with a smile. "We have 24 other guys here and they all play a big role."

 

"Pods is a big part of our ballclub, but we play a lot of games without him," Guillen said. "I really think we win with pitching."

 

Questions of Podsednik's importance have arisen this week, as Podsednik tries to get his sore groin ready for Opening Day. Guillen doesn't want Podsednik to rush back and neither does Podsednik.

 

Losing Podsednik for three or four games is far less detrimental to the team than Podsednik being out of action for two or three weeks. Pablo Ozuna or Rob Mackowiak can take Podsednik's spot in the lineup in the interim, but they can't replace one of the few great leadoff hitters in the game over the long haul.

 

"You get a guy like him on base and it changes the pitches the next guys are going to get because they are worried about him stealing," said Mackowiak of Podsednik. "Once he gets on base, it changes the whole game."

 

"Pods is like a Porsche. Everything has to be running really smooth," athletic trainer Herm Schneider added. "He's a high performance vehicle. He has to have everything running good or he gets a little concerned."