Gload re-signs for 1 year

[Rowand44]

If Gload was a starter for the Sox next year, you would have alot of unhappy White Sox fans by July, just a hunch.

Or a lot of newly converted Gload fans.

[RockRaines]

If Gload was a starter for the Sox next year, you would have alot of unhappy White Sox fans by July, just a hunch.

Well, there are alot of stories in sports of players who finally get their chance and excel after being labeled a supersub and whatnot. Maybe Gload is one of those guys?

[southsider2k5]

It's very possible Rock.

 

I just would think if thats the case with Ross, he would have been given that shot already, with the Sox or with someone else.

 

As many teams as Gload was with before Chicago, I tend to agree with you Tony. I think we are getting a little enamoured with a guy who does his particular job well.

[NorthSideSox72]

As qwerty has said before... one big reason Ross Gload hasn't started yet is that he has had the spectacularly bad luck of playing behind some of the best firstbasemen in baseball (Thomas, Konerko, Thome come to mind), and they all remained healthy enough that at least one of them was playing regularly. He also got injured in 2005, when he was coming off a 400+ AB, .300+ season (2004) and had his best shot to break out. Add to that the fact that he was older when he came up, and that he's been a sub for too long to be called a "prospect". So, his value to other teams is lower, because those last two things are sort of red flags to scouts.

 

Its not like the guy had one good season. He has been a consistently very strong hitter in the last 3 seasons, has some speed, plays great D at 1B, hustles all the time, and seems to have a head for the game. He's also done better against lefties than righties. All this indicates to me he's the type that would probably succeed if allowed to start. But the only place he has that shot on this team is left field, where he is not a native player and, at best, would be an average defender.

 

I say start him in LF (where, unlike Pods, he might learn and improve), and use the trade bait and money for a great shortstop. But that won't happen.

 

What might happen, though, is he gets traded to a team with a real need at first base or DH. Or, he rides the pines again for the Sox, which as a Sox fan makes me feel pretty good about our bench.

[Texsox]

In the back of my mind, until the season starts, he isn't back with the Sox, he just is under contract. He has that "toss in" a trade as an extra nudge feel to me.

[Gregory Pratt]

Ross Gload could be a .300 hitter given a full season. As Sox Machine put it, that man can roll out of bed and come out hitting.

[Chisoxfn]

Gload has been with the Sox for 3 years now, makes dirt, and really has no spot on the team. If he really was that good, why wouldn't he have been traded?

 

I like Gload, an happy to see him back, but I think the role he is in now is the right one.

 

If Gload was a starter for the Sox next year, you would have alot of unhappy White Sox fans by July, just a hunch.

I have very little doubt that if I ran a team one of the first things I'd do would be to pick up Gload for pennies on the dollar because the guy would come in and hit .280 with 15 HR and a decent amount of runs driven in from left field (and yes I think he can play out there just fine if you let him play there). I wouldn't even be shocked to see him hit .300 over the course of a full season.

 

Yes, I think Gload is that good and have thought so from the first time I saw him down in Charlotte.

 

 

It's very possible Rock.

 

I just would think if thats the case with Ross, he would have been given that shot already, with the Sox or with someone else.

You guys got to remember. He was dubbed as a first baseman for a long time and has since expanded his arsenal. We already know he's a good defensive first baseman (when he plays it consistently) and in the field he isn't bad. He's also got decent wheels and is a smart base runner.

 

Oh and did I mention the only other two places he was in the minors he hammered the ball but was stuck behind legends like Todd Helton and Mark Grace.

[Gregory Pratt]

Gload wants to stay here because he likes it here.

A noble concept.

[The Ginger Kid]

With PK's bad back, I'm glad we got a reliable defensive backup.

[NorthSideSox72]

.300 hitters don't grow on trees. They also usually don't sign a new contract for 6 figures. It's clear the Sox have no spot for him, so why he not been traded? GM's know alot more about the game than us, so wouldn't you think there would be teams beating down the door of Williams for a cheap, .300 hitter???

As Tex pointed out... he may have been signed for the purpose of trading him later. Still a possibility.

[kwolf68]

I have a question: Is Gload worse than Pods in LF?

[TLAK]

I have a question: Is Gload worse than Pods in LF?

Gload would be servicable had he not hurt his arm. He DL'd a lot of 2005 because of it. I hoped against hope that rest would improve him but as recently as September he still looked just awful. I mean awful like every single team in both leagues will run on him every chance they get. There are some things you can do like sending Uribe with his cannon real deep on sac plays but there is no way to finesse a ball down the line, with Gload out there the guy is automatically on second base.

 

It's a shame, but I think you can't play him anywhere everyday except 1B or DH and he doesn't have the power to hold down those positions. That's why he's so cheap.

 

Pods' arm is nothing to write home about but overall, he has decent tools for an OF. He just makes a ton of mistakes, perhaps the coaches can teach, cajole, threaten or beat him into improving. With Ross's arm as it is, he can't get any better so there is no question in my mind that putting him out there regularly would be a disaster.