Third Base Options for 2009

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Third base going into the 2009 season is probably going to be one of, if not the most, debated hole we have to fill. Some people are going to want to bring back Crede while overlooking his continuing back problems, others will want to turn to Fields, and then others will want to make a trade or sign a free agent.

 

Here are the options for 3B next year:

Certainties (options we have no matter what):

Josh Fields

 

Free Agents (per Kalapse's list mainly):

Joe Crede

Casey Blake

Rich Aurilia

Wes Helms (TO)

Morgan Ensberg

Geoff Blum (TO)

Russell Branyan

Greg Norton

Juan Uribe - have to include him if we're including these other guys

 

Unlikely Free Agents (again per Kalapse's list):

Chipper Jones - team option should be picked up

Troy Glaus - should exercise his option

Hank Blalock - option should be picked up

 

Likely Trade Candidates:

Scott Rolen (TOR)

Marco Scutaro (TOR) - FA after '09, UT player

Bill Hall (MIL) - change of scenery?

Craig Counsell (MIL) - FA after '09

Felipe Lopez (STL) - sucks

Chad Tracy (AZ) - FA after '09

Andy Marte (CLE) - career over?

Adrian Beltre (SEA)

Dallas McPherson (FLA) - second chance?

Aubrey Huff (BAL) - can he still play even a mediocre 3B?

Melvin Mora (BAL) - salary dump guy, FA after '09

Eric Hinske (TB)

Garret Atkins (COL) - probably the best available bat at 3B

Clint Barmes (COL)

Mike Lamb (MIN) - sucks so bad the Twins would probably love to dump him on us

 

Possible Trade Candidates:

Chone Figgins (LAA) - due to be a FA after '09

Brandon Wood (LAA) - could there be a fit? Doesn't seem to be in LA's plans

Ty Wigginton (HOU) - FA after '09

Blake DeWitt (LAD) - Dodgers don't seem to like him very much

Greg Dobbs (PHI)

Pedro Feliz (PHI)

Akinori Iwamura (TB) - played 3B in Japan

Mark Teahen (KC) - played well at 3B before they moved him to RF

Wilson Betemit (NYY) - part time player with full time talent that he's never shown

 

Unlikely Trade Candidates:

Mark Reynolds (AZ)

Johnny Peralta (CLE) - should be available, should move to 3B, but he's not getting dealt to us

Ryan Zimmerman (WSH) - bad this year, Crede-like last year, is there a chance he's moved?

Chase Headley (SD) - will he stay in LF?

Kevin Kouzmanoff (SD) - logjam at 3B, will he stay?

Ian Stewart (COL) - if Atkins extends it's possible he's available, just not for what we've got

Brandon Inge (DET) - fulltime catcher now? Tigs still regret the contract? intra-divisional trade unlikely

 

Wildcards:

Dayan Viciedo - Cuban defector, how much time does he need?

Hirokazu Ibata - Japanese SS, worth a chance?

Tomohiro Nioka - Japanese SS, could he move to 3B?

 

Is there anyone else to add? Who would you want to go after?

[DaTank]

I wouldn't mind Viciendo, but I doubt he'd be able to make the majors by Opening Day. I like Zimmerman too, but it'd take a ton to pry him away from the Nasty Nats. I can't really see DeWitt moved either unless they keep Blake or sign another 3B (Crede perhaps?).

[Balta1701]

Frankly, I want to see Fields get a full season to sink or swim if Joe walks.

[EvilJester99]

Probably couldn't get him because I would bet TB would ask a ton for him is Iwamura. I'd wouldn't mind seeing him in a Sox uni.

[Metz]

Frankly, I want to see Fields get a full season to sink or swim if Joe walks.

 

Agree completely.

 

Aside from that, Figgins, Wood, Zimmerman, Stewart fits my liking

[whitesoxbrian]

I'd love to get Zimmerman, but we might have to give up Poreda and Fields for him.

 

Can Aubrey Huff still play an OK 3B? If so, he'd be great- one of the most under-rated players in baseball.

[caulfield12]

We would never want Teahen at 3B defensively (I lived in KC for ten years and saw enough, no matter what the stats say)...and he's a little like Ross Gload, not hitting for enough power to play corner infield or outfield spots and not quite athletic enough to play the middle of the field.

 

Peralta is a disaster defensively, I'd like to try to improve our defense if we are giving up offense (see Uribe).

 

Inge would be a great utility player and back-up catcher and still has a very good arm, but I don't want to see him whiffing 200 times of playing 140+ games for us.

 

I think the Angels will hold onto Wood and see if they can increase his value again. A lot depends on the Figgins situation. They held onto McPherson and Kotchmann for a long time, same with Kendry Morales. At different points, they could have had huge returns for these players, along with Wood and Aybar.

 

[GoodAsGould]

I wouldnt mind McPherson, Beltre, or Zimmerman. Zimmerman would ofcourse prob cost the whole farm but you do what it takes to bring an impact player in to a contending team. McPherson can be next years Carlos Quentin.

[Kyyle23]

I'd love to get Zimmerman, but we might have to give up Poreda and Fields for him.

 

Can Aubrey Huff still play an OK 3B? If so, he'd be great- one of the most under-rated players in baseball.

 

He could never play an OK 3rd base. The guy is a butcher at the hot corner, thats why he has pretty much been a career DH

[GreatScott82]

He could never play an OK 3rd base. The guy is a butcher at the hot corner, thats why he has pretty much been a career DH

If KW cant get Figgins, im guessing he will try his best to get Roberts for 2b. If both fails im guessing he will attemp to sign free agent 2nd basemen Orlando Hudson, but thats a risk as he is coming off a pretty bad injury... If the Angels sign Crede like many people think, i can see the Angels offering Figgins for a decent price. Im almost certain one of these 3 will be here next year: Figgins, Roberts, or Hudson.

[RME JICO]

Fields and Uribe.

[GoSox05]

I don't think crede is going to get a big contract because of his back. I think Fields will be there, but he looked awful for us this year. Garret Atkins or Beltre would be nice.

[YASNY]

I don't think crede is going to get a big contract because of his back. I think Fields will be there, but he looked awful for us this year. Garret Atkins or Beltre would be nice.

 

I love to hear what Ozzie said to Fields when he was sent back down. Probably something along the lines of get your head out of your ass and learn how to play 3B.

[DABearSoX]

Honestly I think you could sign Juan to a pretty cheap/decent contract and spend some money else where, as in a starting pitcher...

 

Trade Fields....

[WCSox]

Frankly, I want to see Fields get a full season to sink or swim if Joe walks.

 

Unless Kenny decides to scrap next season and rebuild (which is unlikely), they're going to need a backup plan. Fields was terrible at the dish this year and he's mediocre defensively.

 

Fields and Uribe.

 

I like this idea. Sign Juan to a two-year deal and have a pseudo-platoon at 3B. If Fields plays like he did this year, the Sox can send him back down and at least have Uribe's defense. Juan can also sub for Alexei and whoever we have at 2B (Getz?).

 

Of course, this assumes that Kenny doesn't get somebody like Beltre or Blake.

 

[maggsmaggs]

I want Casey Blake. He can hit well in the clutch, plays very good D and seems like a good clubhouse guy. I would rather no see Fields and his shotty D and I think he has been messed up mentally since last year (not sure how but I think it has happened). If the Sox are too be consistent next season offensively, we can't have .220 hitters in the lineup.

[Kyyle23]

I want Casey Blake. He can hit well in the clutch, plays very good D and seems like a good clubhouse guy. I would rather no see Fields and his shotty D and I think he has been messed up mentally since last year (not sure how but I think it has happened). If the Sox are too be consistent next season offensively, we can't have .220 hitters in the lineup.

 

Casey Blake plays very good defense?

 

News to me

[maggsmaggs]

Casey Blake plays very good defense?

 

News to me

he plays solid D (only 13 errors this season) but he seems to make the clutch plays especially against us.

[Kalapse]

he plays solid D (only 13 errors this season) but he seems to make the clutch plays especially against us.

So you're judging him based on fielding percentage? I'd think just watching Sox games this season would teach people how useless errors are when judging a player's defensive abilities. Besides, he had the second worst fielding percentage of any qualified AL 3B this season, so even that worthless stat says he sucks. His defensive metrics suck, he has a reputation for being pretty bad at the third (just look around the internet), he's going to be 36 years old and his lateral quickness is pretty much non-existent.

[chiguy79]

If KW cant get Figgins, im guessing he will try his best to get Roberts for 2b. If both fails im guessing he will attemp to sign free agent 2nd basemen Orlando Hudson, but thats a risk as he is coming off a pretty bad injury... If the Angels sign Crede like many people think, i can see the Angels offering Figgins for a decent price. Im almost certain one of these 3 will be here next year: Figgins, Roberts, or Hudson.

 

Ditto, good thinking I think that will be the plan as well...that being said I doubt we get any of these guys with the exception of Hudson (injury risk)

[BearSox]

I personally wouldn't mind taking a chance on McPherson. Perhaps have him and Fields in a platoon at 3rd?

[BearSox]

I want Casey Blake. He can hit well in the clutch, plays very good D and seems like a good clubhouse guy. I would rather no see Fields and his shotty D and I think he has been messed up mentally since last year (not sure how but I think it has happened). If the Sox are too be consistent next season offensively, we can't have .220 hitters in the lineup.

As long as we have a solid offense around him, we can handle developing him, and he would provide a lot more power then your usual .220 hitter. I believe Fields can be a guy who hits .250-.260, with 30+ homers year in and year out. And the only way he will ever get there is by actually getting a chance to face ML pitching every day.

Edited August 16, 2008 by BearSox

[WCSox]

As long as we have a solid offense around him, we can handle developing him, and he would provide a lot more power then your usual .220 hitter. I believe Fields can be a guy who hits .250-.260, with 30+ homers year in and year out. And the only way he will ever get there is by actually getting a chance to face ML pitching every day.

 

If Fields is going to hit .220, I'd rather go with Uribe. At least Juan is a defensive asset. If Fields isn't hitting .250+ and/or has a weak slugging percentage, there's no room for him in chicago.

 

Either way, I don't think that Fields is ready yet. Kenny's better off giving a veteran a two-year deal and allowing Josh to work his way in.

 

[caulfield12]

If Fields is going to hit .220, I'd rather go with Uribe. At least Juan is a defensive asset. If Fields isn't hitting .250+ and/or has a weak slugging percentage, there's no room for him in chicago.

 

Either way, I don't think that Fields is ready yet. Kenny's better off giving a veteran a two-year deal and allowing Josh to work his way in.

 

 

Kind of the same thing we did with Crede (Herb Perry in 2000/01)...although Crede had more of a track record (at least two All-Star teams and maybe a league MVP) in the minors than Fields. Of course, as a college player, Josh was expected to be closer than a HS player, but Josh's time as QB at OSU took time away from his baseball development.

 

I don't think we need to sign someone for two years though...I would rather go on a year-by-year basis at the position until things are clarified.

 

I guess, in some ways, Brian Anderson has received even worse treatment (Rowand went through the same doubts) than Fields. We'll see what Josh is made out of...and how much the injuries figured into his performance this season. It is pretty unusual when an MLB rookie puts up less than a full season with more than 20 homers and then completely disappears the next season. That talent didn't just disappear. It's not like Borchard went out and accomplished anything close to approximating Fields' 2007 season.

 

 

 

 

[witesoxfan]

I think Fields' time to sink or swim has past and he fell straight to the bottom. He's been banged up at AAA, mediocre when playing, and was terrible when he was called up. I think he's done in the White Sox organization.

 

And Beltre.