Fields = a cheaper Crede with no back problems

[ShoeLessRob]

Really?

In Joe's first stint with the Sox in 2002 he hit .285 with 12hrs and 35 rbis in 53 games.

In Josh's first 43 games he has hit .255 7 hrs and 26 rbis.

 

Just so you know

Touche my good sir... touche.

[RibbieRubarb]

Touche my good sir... touche.

I'm just trying not to be irrelevant.

Edited July 24, 2007 by RibbieRubarb

[shoota]

Wha...????

Now listen... I agree he should have researched having the surgery more than he did.. but to call him an attitude problem because he chose to not risk possibly ending his career is ridiculous. Crede has one of the BEST attitudes on this club.

 

As for Josh.. give him time. Brandon wasn't a smart ass punk right out of the gate either.

 

Crede's attitude problems don't stop at his selfish refusal to have back surgery, but include his refusal to play winter ball at the team's request. After his dismal 2004 campaign, (.239 BA .299 OBP) the Sox asked Crede to play winter ball to improve his regressing skills.

 

Not only did the surly Crede shun the request of his employer to improve his game, but his response when asked by a reporter was something like, "There's no reason for me to play winter ball now because there's nothing more I have to learn."

[Rishard101]

Here's what I would do for next year:

 

CF Free Agent

RF Jerry Owens/Ryan Sweeney

LF Josh Fields

1B Pual Konerko

2B Free Agent/Trade

SS Free Agent/Trade

3B Crede

DH Thome

 

Let's face it KW has a ton of work to do his sitting around the last year and a half has caused many holes in this team and getting rid of Crede would just create more holes

[Flash Tizzle]

Crede's attitude problems don't stop at his selfish refusal to have back surgery, but include his refusal to play winter ball at the team's request. After his dismal 2004 campaign, (.239 BA .299 OBP) the Sox asked Crede to play winter ball to improve his regressing skills.

 

Not only did the surly Crede shun the request of his employer to improve his game, but his response when asked by a reporter was something like, "There's no reason for me to play winter ball now because there's nothing more I have to learn."

You're reaching quite a bit with these examples.

 

See, where you look at refusing back surgery as selfish, I consider it a precautionary move. It wasn't as if he sat around all offseason in agony, all the while fooling the organization into believing he was fine. He conducted specialized weight training and exercise techniques to strengthen his lower body. Considering who is advising him, if Boras believed back surgery was in his client's best interest it would have been addressed in the offseason. There's inherent risk with any medical procedure requiring incisions in the back. I don't blame him for holding off. Crede cares about Crede; no different than any profressional baseball player.

 

About his refusal to play winterball, it may be suggestive of someone shunning his employer to some, but I wouldn't consider it an attitude problem. The quote you referenced doesn't change much. If he believes there's nothing to improve in his game, what else can you say? Atleast he had limited success in 2002 and a full season thereafter of decent production in 2003 to fall back on.

[WCSox]

Josh's defense has actually been a pleasant surprise as I think there is only a small drop off from Crede. Also Josh appears to have more power to all fields and seems to be developing at a faster rate.

 

I still think that Josh is a significant drop-off defensively from Crede. But I completely agree with your second point.

 

Crede will get 5 million next year no matter what. You don't throw 5 million at an injury prone player and risk him getting injured again when you already have possibly a better option available at a fraction of the price.

 

+1 I hope that they don't offer arbitration to Joe next year. I hate to say that, but the Sox need to move on.

 

[Dick Allen]

If Crede is over his back issues, he's a .280 hitter with 30 home run power and close to gold glove leather. It would be foolish to non tender him. Check out Crede's numbers in 2002 and check out Fields' numbers now. Crede blows him away at that point, and Crede was so crucified on this board later on it wasn't even funny. Fields does appear to be better than I thought, but I don't know if he's a regular thirdbaseman on a championship calibur team yet. He fans an awful lot, and defensively is about average I would say. We'll see how he does the rest of the season.

[Balance]

An attitude problem? Joe Crede?

 

I think not. Joe Crede doesn't have an attitude problem. He has a Boras problem.

[The Ginger Kid]

crede>>>>fields

 

mucho

[Whitewashed in '05]

Wha...????

Now listen... I agree he should have researched having the surgery more than he did.. but to call him an attitude problem because he chose to not risk possibly ending his career is ridiculous. Crede has one of the BEST attitudes on this club.

 

As for Josh.. give him time. Brandon wasn't a smart ass punk right out of the gate either.

"Wasn't" as in he became one later?

[Whitewashed in '05]

I still think that Josh is a significant drop-off defensively from Crede. But I completely agree with your second point.

+1 I hope that they don't offer arbitration to Joe next year. I hate to say that, but the Sox need to move on.

He is, now Fields isn't a butcher, but Crede gets to everything at the corner. Just shows how good Crede is. I miss his GG defense.

 

 

[Steff]

"Wasn't" as in he became one later?

 

I forgot the "t". I have never, ever, heard a peep about Joe being anything but loved by his peers and his bosses.

[briguy27]

Crede wasn't exactly Brooks Robinson when he was brought up either. I don't think Josh will ever be what Crede was/will continue to be at 3B, but I think Fields could be a .300 hitter with 20-30 HR's in 3 years, as long as he continues to play. It will be a waste of a great prospect in Josh Fields if Crede is back next year. With his back issues, we can't afford to pay him as much as we want, unless we put Fields in LF

[Whitewashed in '05]

I forgot the "t". I have never, ever, heard a peep about Joe being anything but loved by his peers and his bosses.

No, I was asking about McCarthy since you said he wasn't a smart ass out of the gate.

[Steff]

No, I was asking about McCarthy since you said he wasn't a smart ass out of the gate.

 

 

Oh good grief....

 

Depending on who you talk to... Brandon got a bit too big for his britches and that was a huge factor in him being shown the door.

 

 

 

[Whitewashed in '05]

Oh good grief....

 

Depending on who you talk to... Brandon got a bit too big for his britches and that was a huge factor in him being shown the door.

I see.

Edited July 24, 2007 by Whitewashed in '05

[Heads22]

I forgot the "t". I have never, ever, heard a peep about Joe being anything but loved by his peers and his bosses.

 

I think you forget a little comment from Jerry about his HAIR.....

 

 

 

 

:P

[Balta1701]

The best possible option overall might be to pencil Josh into LF for the 1st half next season if Joe is ready to play. If somehow we manage to hold onto Joe, that would give him 3 months or so to rebuild his trading value before the deadline so that he could be moved for something valuable. If he's pain-free, it makes no sense to non-tender him this offseason at least to me. If he comes out and struggles next year, then try to dump him. He'll be pretty cheap for someone for a 1/2 season anyway.

 

The only issue is how much money we're willing to spend to hold onto Joe this offseason, and admittedly, that's the tricky part.

[daa84]

seeing fields out there on D really makes me appreciate how good crede was. It got to the point where i took his D for granted, and he really was an excellent defensive third baseman. that said fields isn't terrible, but i notice a significant drop off, but i think fields is and will be much better offensively

[Steff]

I think you forget a little comment from Jerry about his HAIR.....

:P

 

 

Well, he was starting to look like a girl.

[Heads22]

Well, he was starting to look like a girl.

 

 

tsk tsk tsk

 

you leave that little bit out, i can NEVER believe a word you say again.

[greg775]

Crede's next contract should be interesting.

Nobody is going to pay him squat because of the back woes.

[fathom]

Crede's next contract should be interesting.

Nobody is going to pay him squat because of the back woes.

 

Just like how no one would pay Randy Wolf.

 

[Jeremy]

It's a shame that Kenny wasn't smart enough to come to this conclusion in the offseason. Can't say I understand people taking Crede's best season and counting on him to repeatedly reproduce those numbers at the drop of a dime. Basically, Fields' season is on par with Crede's career averages despite the fact that he's a 24 year old rookie. You have to consider Josh the better bet going forwards.

[Vance Law]

The best possible option overall might be to pencil Josh into LF for the 1st half next season if Joe is ready to play. If somehow we manage to hold onto Joe, that would give him 3 months or so to rebuild his trading value before the deadline so that he could be moved for something valuable. If he's pain-free, it makes no sense to non-tender him this offseason at least to me. If he comes out and struggles next year, then try to dump him. He'll be pretty cheap for someone for a 1/2 season anyway.

 

The only issue is how much money we're willing to spend to hold onto Joe this offseason, and admittedly, that's the tricky part.

 

I agree with all of this. We have offensive holes in the outfield which Josh would certainly help with. Crede as a 1 yr rental coming off back surgery has little to know trade value unless he can play and put up some numbers. His upside (2006) is waaaaaaay higher than his value to any other team (before he proves he's healthy).