Jayson Nix confident he can take second

[southsider2k5]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-0...0,1396104.story

 

Jayson Nix confident he can win job as Chicago White Sox second baseman

Carney Lansford calls him best fielder at position he has seen

 

By Mark Gonzales | Tribune reporter

March 4, 2009

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. — In a span of one year, Jayson Nix went from a starting rookie second baseman to being designated for assignment twice and from international hero to injury victim.

 

Those are just two reasons Nix isn't fazed as he competes with Chris Getz and Brent Lillibridge to become the White Sox's second baseman.

 

"I was all over the place, but it was a good year," Nix said.

 

Good enough, at least from a talent standpoint, that the Sox signed Nix, 26, to a major-league contract Oct. 24.

 

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One of Nix's former minor-league coaches thinks highly of his former pupil, based on his 2007 season at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

 

"Jayson's upside is that he's probably the best second baseman I had ever seen play," said Carney Lansford, now the hitting coach with the San Francisco Giants. "The only guy who comes close to him is Manny Trillo. He has more range at second base and turns the double play better than anyone I've ever seen."

 

Trillo, 58, the Sox's minor-league bunting/base running instructor, was a three-time Gold Glove award winner.

 

The comparison may be lofty, but Nix could make it difficult for the left-handed hitting Getz to win the starting job outright.

 

Nix came off the bench and doubled in the Sox's first exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels, and he ripped an opposite-field double to right-center for the first of two hits Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

Sox hitting coach Greg Walker said Nix has met each of the requirements he looks for in a batter.

 

But it will be Nix's ability to hit enough while possessing the defense that Lansford raved about and that manager Ozzie Guillen demands to earn at least a roster spot.

 

"All you want as a player is to go somewhere where you have an opportunity," Nix said.

 

That chance vanished quickly last year when he earned the starting job with Colorado, only to go hitless in seven consecutive games before being designated for assignment April 26.

 

He cleared waivers and went to the Sky Sox for a third consecutive year and batted .303 in 67 games, thus earning himself another promotion to the Rockies.

 

But he went 2-for-11 and was designated for assignment a second time.

 

"I'm past all that," Nix said when asked whether he thought he was being made a scapegoat for the Rockies' poor start after their National League title season.

 

Nix received a consolation prize when he was selected to the U.S. Olympic baseball team and hit a game-tying home run off Cuba's Pedro Lazo, one of the top pitchers in international play, in the eighth inning of a qualifying game.

 

In the 11th, however, Nix fouled a pitch from Lazo off his left eye, causing a severe cut that caused him to miss five games.

 

"It was like nothing else," Nix said of the Olympic experience. "There's nothing you can compare it to. Not only was I in China, but I was with the best athletes in the world. It was unique and very special."

 

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http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....pring-training/

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Jayson Nix has hit the best out of the three candidates for the White Sox's starting second base position, manager Ozzie Guillen said Monday.

 

Guillen emphasized that a month of evaluation awaits the Sox's staff before they finalize the 25-man roster. But there are signs that Nix has improved on an area he worked on during his 2007 season at Colorado Springs, Colorado's Triple-A affliate.

 

That season, Nix hit .292 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs in 124 games. Those numbers would have been greater, according to former coach Carney Lansford, had he concentrated solely on statistics.

 

"The only thing in 2007 we tried to work on was for him to become a better two-strike hitter and think more about hitting to the opposite field and stay back and not chase balls in the dirt," said Lansford, now the hitting coach with the San Francisco Giants. "It just seemed like at that point, he almost made up his mind he was going to swing, but he made tremendous progress in 2007.

 

"At that time, we talked about it a lot. We changed his mechanics to the way they were in Class A (in 2003 at Visalia), and he took off. At the time we made the changes almost halfway through the season, he had few home runs. Once we changed him, he took off. He hit (11) home runs. If he had started the season like that, he would have led the team in home runs."

 

After signing with the Sox last October, Nix continued to play winter ball and hit six home runs in 119 at-bats for Obregon of the Mexican Winter League. In a B game last Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Nix rallied from a two-strike count to draw a walk off veteran Jason Schmidt. Nix is 4-for-6 with two doubles in Cactus League play.

 

"I was excited for him because I kept telling him he was a human highlight film at second base," Lansford said. "I told him there's no reason he can't be on a "play of the game" highlight in major league baseball every day. I like him. He's a great person. He's on time, plays hard and takes a lot of pride in his play and has great work habits."

rated 3.75 by 4 people [?]

[caulfield12]

I'm actually hoping that he wins the position. Getz will always be around in Charlotte, and I like Lillibridge as the utilityman that can play CF, SS and 2B with Betemit at 3B and 1B.

 

With Ramirez and Lillibridge, we have two more players that can fill in for CF, so there's no reason at all to keep Owens or Wise. I'm not sure we really need EITHER player, but it seems like we will end up keeping one or the other. That also provides you a nice balance of speed on the bench (with Lillibridge and/or Wise/Owens).

 

I'm starting to think they really knew (once again) what they were doing with Nix, and also the rationale for signing him to a major league contract. This has happened time and time again when the White Sox identified something in a player that almost everyone else (scouts/GM's) missed.

 

 

[thedoctor]

i know he was pretty awful in his major league appearances with colorado but it doesn't sound like he got a legitimate shot.

[caulfield12]

It sounds a lot like the Sox with Borchard or the Cubs with Pie and Hill...

 

They really couldn't afford to stick long-term with younger players who weren't performing in the heat of a pennant race. It's one of the things that really held up Crede/Rowand over 2-3 seasons and also hurt Borchard, although it seems he was never fated to become a regular at the major league level. For a time, it seemed he might stick in Florida but he could never keep at least a .250 BA.

[Dick Allen]

I'm actually hoping that he wins the position. Getz will always be around in Charlotte, and I like Lillibridge as the utilityman that can play CF, SS and 2B with Betemit at 3B and 1B.

 

With Ramirez and Lillibridge, we have two more players that can fill in for CF, so there's no reason at all to keep Owens or Wise. I'm not sure we really need EITHER player, but it seems like we will end up keeping one or the other. That also provides you a nice balance of speed on the bench (with Lillibridge and/or Wise/Owens).

 

I'm starting to think they really knew (once again) what they were doing with Nix, and also the rationale for signing him to a major league contract. This has happened time and time again when the White Sox identified something in a player that almost everyone else (scouts/GM's) missed.

I don't think they expect Nix to make the team. Why would they not have claimed him on waivers if they saw so much potential?

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I don't think they expect Nix to make the team. Why would they not have claimed him on waivers if they saw so much potential?

Because at the time the Sox were in a division race and had no need for a 2B. They didn't want to give up a roster spot to a guy they didn't even have room for on the bench and who also would enter the organization probably behind Getz on the depth chart. The whole purpose of making a guy clear waivers once he's out of options is to give the player a chance in the Majors, but the Sox at the time couldn't have done that. You don't always have to suck ass to clear waivers, but if that happens, it is a sign that you need more work and experience, and generally the only teams that can provide that midseason are ass-suck teams like Pirates. Why did they pass on Nix? Who knows, but just because Nix got past us doesn't mean we didn't want him.

[southsider2k5]

Because at the time the Sox were in a division race and had no need for a 2B. They didn't want to give up a roster spot to a guy they didn't even have room for on the bench and who also would enter the organization probably behind Getz on the depth chart. The whole purpose of making a guy clear waivers once he's out of options is to give the player a chance in the Majors, but the Sox at the time couldn't have done that. You don't always have to suck ass to clear waivers, but if that happens, it is a sign that you need more work and experience, and generally the only teams that can provide that midseason are ass-suck teams like Pirates. Why did they pass on Nix? Who knows, but just because Nix got past us doesn't mean we didn't want him.

 

At that stage of the season, especially in a pennant race, you don't have space on the 25 man roster for a reclaimation project. In spring training you bring 50-60 guys or more into camp. There is much more time for that.

[Steve9347]

Nix has looked good... but let's see a few more at bats before anointing him.

 

Of the three candidates, he looks the most like a Major League hitter, but he's also the oldest.

[DBAHO]

I hope it's an open competition, but right now it seems Getz's job to lose.

 

Lillibridge should be the utility man because of his versatility, while Nix will probably start the year in AAA and put up some pretty good numbers I would imagine.

 

He seems like one of those AAAA players to me.

[103 mph screwball]

May the best player win. May the second best player be versatile enough to be the utility man. May the next best guy be ripping the cover off of the ball in Charlotte chomping at the bit to get a shot if someone stumbles. I'm no longer worried about second base. I'm more worried about Fields and the CF battle.

 

So far, I think it will end up with Nix starting, Getz at utility, and Lillibridge heading to the minors. Beckham will get some time in the minors even if he has a great spring.

[Dick Allen]

May the best player win. May the second best player be versatile enough to be the utility man. May the next best guy be ripping the cover off of the ball in Charlotte chomping at the bit to get a shot if someone stumbles. I'm no longer worried about second base. I'm more worried about Fields and the CF battle.

 

So far, I think it will end up with Nix starting, Getz at utility, and Lillibridge heading to the minors. Beckham will get some time in the minors even if he has a great spring.

If Ramirez is as good of SS defensively as the White Sox believe he is, Beckham is going to be the 2B eventually and maybe even very soon, unless the two 3B candidates totally flame out.

 

Getz, I think, is the best bet to start the season at 2B if Beckham doesn't play his way on the team. He is the type of offensive player the Sox need. A guy who can handle the bat and get on base. Nix and Lillibridge, while better defensively, strikeout an awful lot. Lillibridge can run, but as they say, no one has figured out how to steal first base. We'll know more in a few weeks. Results now really mean little although if you're fighting for a job, its probably not good to feel that way.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

My top hopes on the position battles are these:

 

1. Owens has nothing to do with this team in any fashion and BA becomes at least a serviceable starter

2. Every player involved in this 2B competition raises his trade value exponentially over the course of the 2009 season

3. Fields hits a ton and Viciedo hits a ton in the minors, becoming a top-5 hitting prospect in baseball

 

That way, once Beckham and Viciedo arrive we've got enough ammunition to go out and land a stud on the trade market PLUS deal a veteran and eat a bit of salary in the process in order to pick up some prospects and continue to deepen the farm.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Kenny Hates Prospects

[bmags]

My top hopes on the position battles are these:

 

1. Owens has nothing to do with this team in any fashion and BA becomes at least a serviceable starter

2. Every player involved in this 2B competition raises his trade value exponentially over the course of the 2009 season

3. Fields hits a ton and Viciedo hits a ton in the minors, becoming a top-5 hitting prospect in baseball

 

That way, once Beckham and Viciedo arrive we've got enough ammunition to go out and land a stud on the trade market PLUS deal a veteran and eat a bit of salary in the process in order to pick up some prospects and continue to deepen the farm.

 

Yeah, hopefully in this Fields/Viciedo battle Fields becomes a Drew Brees player and then Viciedo is better than Rivers.

[BaseballNick]

I don't think they expect Nix to make the team. Why would they not have claimed him on waivers if they saw so much potential?

 

Don't forget they had an extension offered to OCab, so the Sox probably felt that 2B and SS were on the verge of being locked up.

[caulfield12]

May the best player win. May the second best player be versatile enough to be the utility man. May the next best guy be ripping the cover off of the ball in Charlotte chomping at the bit to get a shot if someone stumbles. I'm no longer worried about second base. I'm more worried about Fields and the CF battle.

 

So far, I think it will end up with Nix starting, Getz at utility, and Lillibridge heading to the minors. Beckham will get some time in the minors even if he has a great spring.

 

I'm not very comfortable running Betemit out there 15-20 times at SS.

 

And Ramirez seems like he will be susceptible to wearing down in the 2nd half if we don't rest him enough...especially playing the most physically demanding position on the field after catcher.

 

I really think having Lillibridge on the team provides the most infield versatilty (he can play 2B and SS, Betemit's two weakest infield positions) and also an additional threat/weapon as a PR and CFer.

 

It has to be Getz OR Nix. I don't really trust Getz at SS much more than Betemit, and Betemit makes a lot more sense at the back-up at 3B over Getz, too.

 

So Getz should either be starting in Chicago or Charlotte. Same thing with Nix. Lillibridge is the best fit for back-up, and he also alleviates the need for either Owens/Wise/Anderson (probably Owens or Wise). But he has to make more contact and get on base at least at a .350 clip, just like Owens, to be halfway effective.

 

Nix seems like he has a lot more extra-base/gap power than either Getz or Lillibridge, also.

 

[Balta1701]

Nix seems like he has a lot more extra-base/gap power than either Getz or Lillibridge, also.

From looking at his stats in the minors and watching him in limited action so far, Nix looks like he could be a version of Cabrera offensively with somewhat more pop in his bat. Neither one of them lit you on fire with walk totals, steals totals, average, etc. I'm not sure what we can get out of him based on his stats though, it looks like it takes him a long time to adapt every time he gets put in a new level, and that might have hurt him.

[caulfield12]

From looking at his stats in the minors and watching him in limited action so far, Nix looks like he could be a version of Cabrera offensively with somewhat more pop in his bat. Neither one of them lit you on fire with walk totals, steals totals, average, etc. I'm not sure what we can get out of him based on his stats though, it looks like it takes him a long time to adapt every time he gets put in a new level, and that might have hurt him.

 

 

Your description could also be of Iguchi (although more pop) or Getz, too. None of these guys will put up eye-popping stats, so it's just which player can do the most "little" things that might be the deciding factor.

 

From an offensive standpoint, our best infield would be some combination of Ramirez/Beckham up the middle and PROBABLY Brian Anderson in CF, but that would almost force Beckham into the leadoff spot...that's a lot of pressure to put on Beckham, and he's never going to steal more than 10-15 bases, so the best strategy might be to keep looking for that CFer who can hit leadoff and use some of our depth and/or Konerko/Dye to get him.

[Balta1701]

From an offensive standpoint, our best infield would be some combination of Ramirez/Beckham up the middle and PROBABLY Brian Anderson in CF, but that would almost force Beckham into the leadoff spot...that's a lot of pressure to put on Beckham, and he's never going to steal more than 10-15 bases, so the best strategy might be to keep looking for that CFer who can hit leadoff and use some of our depth and/or Konerko/Dye to get him.

Beckham really shouldn't make the team out of ST this season regardless of what he does or what anyone else does. Take a little more time with him and buy us another year before he hits Arbitration.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Beckham really shouldn't make the team out of ST this season regardless of what he does or what anyone else does. Take a little more time with him and buy us another year before he hits Arbitration.

Yes, plus also from a trade value perspective I want to see Beckham in the minors and one of these 2B turn into a Major League player. Same with the Fields/Viciedo battle. The Sox have a ton of young talent now and logjams all over the place, and it would sure help to be able to deal Fields and Getz for an ace at the deadline knowing you've got two better players coming up behind them. With the Sox top prospects and young players all primarily being right-handed, I expect Kenny to eye a big deal if we get good numbers out of Fields and Getz/Nix at 2B this season. Allen, Getz, and Danks are the only lefties, and the Beckham-Alexei combo looks like it will end up pushing Getz out of the picture.

[Soxbadger]

Beckham played 14 games in Single A last year.

 

He will start the season in AA, and unless he is killing the ball he will stay there the full season.

 

Spring Training 2010 is probably going to be the earliest Beckham is competing for a starting job. (Barring injury etc.)

 

 

[ThunderBolt]

Speaking as a Lillbridge guy, i'd be fine with Nix getting the job instead. He has less speed, but his glove is spectacular and his numbers in the minors were pretty impressive.

[bmags]

Considering the offensive improvement (I believe) we'll be getting on the left side of the infield, but perhaps lowered defensive quality, I wouldn't mind going with best defense in 2b and Cf, but I feel that is not feasible, as that would truly leave us with no leadoff hitter. Nix certainly doesn't seem to fit that profile, Getz could. BA obviously doesn't.

[ThunderBolt]

While I’m not comparing the three in terms of talents Nix, Quentin, and Kroeger have very interesting surface similarities. Wherein all three were once top prospects who were pushed aside by injuries and the "next big thing" Nix by Ian Stewart, Q by Upton/Young, and Kroeger by Carlos Quentin (irony) I like redemption stories, and those are usually the best part about spring training.

[Balta1701]

Considering the offensive improvement (I believe) we'll be getting on the left side of the infield, but perhaps lowered defensive quality, I wouldn't mind going with best defense in 2b and Cf, but I feel that is not feasible, as that would truly leave us with no leadoff hitter. Nix certainly doesn't seem to fit that profile, Getz could. BA obviously doesn't.

Nix could fit that profile along the Orlando Cabrera mold from last year, if his minor league numbers are any indication. Not a ton of speed, not a ton of walks, but also not a ton of strikeouts, decent enough speed to keep people honest, probably better slugging than Cabrera. The question is whether he can hit a reasonable average. He hits .280 or better and you can put him in that role and he'll perform like Cabrera did last year just with better slugging. It's again not exactly ideal, but at least he makes contact. No idea how he does on taking pitches.

[bmags]

Nix could fit that profile along the Orlando Cabrera mold from last year, if his minor league numbers are any indication. Not a ton of speed, not a ton of walks, but also not a ton of strikeouts, decent enough speed to keep people honest, probably better slugging than Cabrera. The question is whether he can hit a reasonable average. He hits .280 or better and you can put him in that role and he'll perform like Cabrera did last year just with better slugging. It's again not exactly ideal, but at least he makes contact. No idea how he does on taking pitches.

 

I saw you make that comparison earlier, but it's also been stated that it appears it takes this guy some time to get acclimated to each level. It doesn't appear he got that time last year. It's hard for me to give him the time in the beginning of the season in such an important part of the lineup. If we are having an 07 year, than I'm fine, but even then...it's tough.