Fields to sit one day, Nix to start at 3B

[caulfield12]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...,0,254400.story

 

 

Kind of an interesting move, as Getz has a lot more experience at that position over his recent career than Nix...Fields will sit one game as a precautionary move due to swelling throughout last night's game.

 

Also, possibility that Dye might come back today...

[fathom]

FREE WILSON BETEMIT

[BearSox]

I like Wilson Betemit and thought he would add some good depth and versatility... but I'm with Fathom on this one. Why the hell did we trade for him if we aren't gonna use him. So far in most of the the games he's played in (which seems like 3), he's hit. I don't get it... maybe he's assosiated with BA too much.

[southsider2k5]

I like Wilson Betemit and thought he would add some good depth and versatility... but I'm with Fathom on this one. Why the hell did we trade for him if we aren't gonna use him. So far in most of the the games he's played in (which seems like 3), he's hit. I don't get it... maybe he's assosiated with BA too much.

 

If he could actually catch a baseball, it would be a nice reason to put him into the line up.

[NorthSideSox72]

I'm good with this. Nix looked pretty good last night, tore up spring training, and tore it up in AAA. And he sure did look like an above average defender at 2B. Fields needs a day off occasionally, why not keep the hot hand in the lineup?

 

I have not been impressed by Betemit, defensively, at any position I have seen him play (and I've seen at least 3).

 

[caulfield12]

The problem is, you sacrifice a lot defensively with Betemit.

 

OTOH, Nix has very little experience at other positions...and Betemit was pretty good against RHP last year.

 

We just don't have very many complete offensive AND defensive players on this team. Betemit was one of the few players to look good batting yesterday (even against a LHP), and yet he's going to sit again tonight against Greinke, unless Thome doesn't play again.

 

Then you have the "benching" of Getz against all LH starters, which isn't terribly logical either, especially with how ineffectual Lillibridge has been offensively (yes, I realize he slapped two more singles to RF last night, but that's all he can do).

[fathom]

If he could actually catch a baseball, it would be a nice reason to put him into the line up.

 

All of baseball knows he's more of an offensive player than a defensive player. Our offense is in a huge funk, and he's easily one of our 5 best offensive players. If you're not going to play him against Greinke, then it's really just a waste of a roster spot. Go get someone who can play 1B better defensively and/or hit LHP better if you're not comfortable playing him at 3B.

 

Hopefully Nix can look competent at the plate against a RHP.

[lostfan]

All of baseball knows he's more of an offensive player than a defensive player. Our offense is in a huge funk, and he's easily one of our 5 best offensive players. If you're not going to play him against Greinke, then it's really just a waste of a roster spot. Go get someone who can play 1B better defensively and/or hit LHP better if you're not comfortable playing him at 3B.

 

Hopefully Nix can look competent at the plate against a RHP.

I think Konerko was in the lineup as the DH last night right? And Betemit was playing 1B... that doesn't make much sense to me. Why couldn't Betemit DH if Thome was sitting (whether Thome should have been sitting is another discussion entirely)?

[NorthSideSox72]

I think Konerko was in the lineup as the DH last night right? And Betemit was playing 1B... that doesn't make much sense to me. Why couldn't Betemit DH if Thome was sitting (whether Thome should have been sitting is another discussion entirely)?

Ozzie's thought process was probably something like... give Konerko a little more rest, and keep Betemit from getting rusty. Problem is, Konerko is just a better 1B on defense (and he is better than he is often given credit for as well).

 

[Dick Allen]

Ozzie's thought process was probably something like... give Konerko a little more rest, and keep Betemit from getting rusty. Problem is, Konerko is just a better 1B on defense (and he is better than he is often given credit for as well).

What I don't understand is why does Ozzie consider DHing someone giving him a rest, but then needs to rest Thome who only DH's?

[Balta1701]

What I don't understand is why does Ozzie consider DHing someone giving him a rest, but then needs to rest Thome who only DH's?

Because different bodies can take different amounts of punishment. Thome's a 38 year old with nearly 550 home runs on his record who's had a bad back for a while and who's body is just starting to wear down. Konerko and Dye are a fair amount younger and haven't necessarily taken the same duration of punishment, although different people break down from different amounts.

 

Go 2-3 years down the road...if Konerko's bat doesn't drop off, you'll want him at DH and getting a few games of rest the same as how you use Thome now.

 

I have zero problems with Ozzie giving Thome extra rest, esp. against lefties, and moving Konerko or JD to DH for those games. I thought the last couple years we should have done that more often.

[sin city sox fan]

Will Betemit be our DH next year?

[NorthSideSox72]

Will Betemit be our DH next year?

I really doubt it. I don't think that Konerko, Thome and Dye will ALL be gone, so there are plenty of available good DH's. Also, Brandon Allen is waiting in the wings to potentially take over 1B next year. I think Betemit stays a bench guy, barring more injuries.

 

[greg775]

Fields seems to be another guy who can't hit and won't make it.

Do the Sox ever develop players who can actually, you know, play?

Was Frank Thomas the last non pitcher to be drafted who hit it big? Crede? I guess Getz is going to turn out to be a good one, like Durham was.

I guess we are good at drafting second basemen.

[NorthSideSox72]

Fields seems to be another guy who can't hit and won't make it.

Do the Sox ever develop players who can actually, you know, play?

Was Frank Thomas the last non pitcher to be drafted who hit it big? Crede? I guess Getz is going to turn out to be a good one, like Durham was.

I guess we are good at drafting second basemen.

What are you talking about? As a rookie in 2007 he hit 23 homeruns in only 373 at bats. This year he is getting on base at a .354 clip and has an OPS of .714, as he adjusts and the league adjusts. And he's improved noticeably at third. What else do you want?

 

By the way, and this from a Crede fan... his OPS in his first three full seasons (2005 being one of them) were .741, .717, .757. Not a whole lot different than Josh right now, except Josh gets on base more often.

 

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Fields seems to be another guy who can't hit and won't make it.

Do the Sox ever develop players who can actually, you know, play?

Was Frank Thomas the last non pitcher to be drafted who hit it big? Crede? I guess Getz is going to turn out to be a good one, like Durham was.

I guess we are good at drafting second basemen.

 

 

Have you seen the White Sox approach at the plate. Pull the ball and fly out, every f***in time. Just for once, can we find someone to get some solid singles!!!

[caulfield12]

Rowand, Crede and Ray Durham are the answer to your question, that's pretty much it.

 

Of course, Ordonez and Lee were non-drafted, so you have to give them credit for having a Latin American pipeline in the 90's.

 

I wouldn't be comparing Getz to Ray Durham just yet.

 

 

[caulfield12]

Have you seen the White Sox approach at the plate. Pull the ball and fly out, every f***in time. Just for once, can we find someone to get some solid singles!!!

 

 

You've just diagnosed the main problem (right now) with Carlos Quentin, although nobody seems to have a problem with it, as long as we're winning.

 

The only hitters who have consistently sprayed the ball all over the field have been Konerko and Getz, and AJ, when the mood strikes him, but not consistently, as he'll go through lulls where he'll roll over and pull almost everything to the right side. Dye just is very streaky, but he can hit the ball anywhere when he's going good.

 

Alexei is really pull-happy right now.

 

Corky Miller can't even manage to hit the ball to the right-side of the diamond to advance a runner, but he's never been asked to contribute anything with the bat in his career.

 

I think the biggest concern has to be with Fields, Pods, Ramirez, Anderson and Lillibridge. If they're not power hitters (in the case of Alexei and BA), are they doing enough of the "small ball/fundamental" things to help the team win??? And answer has been pretty muddled or unclear so far.

 

I also noticed that Alexei looked up at the scoreboard right away last night to see if he had been charged with an error. It's a natural tendency for many players, but it's annoying and reminds me of Cabrera from last year. He should be more concerned with hitting at least .260-.280 in order for his power and low OBP to be worth anything to the White Sox this season.

Edited May 4, 2009 by caulfield12

[Jimbo's Drinker]

You've just diagnosed the main problem (right now) with Carlos Quentin, although nobody seems to have a problem with it, as long as we're winning.

 

The only hitters who have consistently sprayed the ball all over the field have been Konerko and Getz, and AJ, when the mood strikes him, but not consistently, as he'll go through lulls where he'll roll over and pull almost everything to the right side. Dye just is very streaky, but he can hit the ball anywhere when he's going good.

 

Alexei is really pull-happy right now.

 

Corky Miller can't even manage to hit the ball to the right-side of the diamond to advance a runner, but he's never been asked to contribute anything with the bat in his career.

 

I think the biggest concern has to be with Fields, Pods, Ramirez, Anderson and Lillibridge. If they're not power hitters (in the case of Alexei and BA), are they doing enough of the "small ball/fundamental" things to help the team win??? And answer has been pretty muddled or unclear so far.

 

I also noticed that Alexei looked up at the scoreboard right away last night to see if he had been charged with an error. It's a natural tendency for many players, but it's annoying and reminds me of Cabrera from last year. He should be more concerned with hitting at least .260-.280 in order for his power and low OBP to be worth anything to the White Sox this season.

 

The Sox have been home run or naught for 5 years(or so). We have had pretty good pitching to at least save us in some instances. Now, we are stuck with 2 young and getting better kids, one solid foundation, and 2 pitchers who have already had their 9 lives. It is amazing that this management can widdle away so much money and try to sell us on an improved product.

 

I cannot even imagine how we will ruin next offseaon with a ton of money off the books.

 

[caulfield12]

The Sox have been home run or naught for 5 years(or so). We have had pretty good pitching to at least save us in some instances. Now, we are stuck with 2 young and getting better kids, one solid foundation, and 2 pitchers who have already had their 9 lives. It is amazing that this management can widdle away so much money and try to sell us on an improved product.

 

I cannot even imagine how we will ruin next offseaon with a ton of money off the books.

 

 

Besides MacDougal and Contreras, where would you have cut away from the team to be more "payroll efficient" like the $65 million 2005 World Series champions?

 

Konerko? Thome's option vested, and we couldn't have deliberately prevented him from getting to that mark without a huge fight with the union. Of course it's silly to spend $13 million on a DH, but we also received $22 million from the Phils, so a good part of it was subsidized.

 

There's even rumors of a "handshake" agreement between Gillick and KW that the Phillies would kick in money if the White Sox 2009 option for Thome vested.

 

Besides jettisoning Swisher (which looks debatable now), Cabrera, Uribe, Crede and Vazquez, what could we have done realistically?

 

Nobody was going to take Paulie's contract unless we sent them money, and probably no AL team would take Thome for $13 million.

 

If Thome wasn't around, our best DH candidates would be Betemit and either Kroeger, Flowers or Brandon Allen.

Edited May 4, 2009 by caulfield12

[fathom]

What are the Sox hitting with RISP this year? I know Dye has been absolutely terible (2 for 20 range), while PK seems to have been great with RISP. Quentin's around .250, even though it seems like he's stranded a gazillion runners on base.

[witesoxfan]

Have you seen the White Sox approach at the plate. Pull the ball and fly out, every f***in time. Just for once, can we find someone to get some solid singles!!!

 

Chris Getz says "QFT"

[Kalapse]

What are you talking about? As a rookie in 2007 he hit 23 homeruns in only 373 at bats. This year he is getting on base at a .354 clip and has an OPS of .714, as he adjusts and the league adjusts. And he's improved noticeably at third. What else do you want?

 

By the way, and this from a Crede fan... his OPS in his first three full seasons (2005 being one of them) were .741, .717, .757. Not a whole lot different than Josh right now, except Josh gets on base more often.

When I read greg's post I was going to come right back with this, it's quite perfect. Unfortunately, you beat me to it.

 

Josh Fields 100 PA into this age 26 season: .256/.354/.360/.714

Joe Crede in his age 26 season (2004): .239/.299/.418/.717

 

Add on .036 points of slugging to Crede's '04 numbers and you have his '05 numbers. Just comparing their offensive output here Josh is producing much like pre-2006 Crede only with a whole lot more walks and K's and less power and infield popouts.

[BobDylan]

When I read greg's post I was going to come right back with this, it's quite perfect. Unfortunately, you beat me to it.

 

Josh Fields 100 PA into this age 26 season: .256/.354/.360/.714

Joe Crede in his age 26 season (2004): .239/.299/.418/.717

 

Add on .036 points of slugging to Crede's '04 numbers and you have his '05 numbers. Just comparing their offensive output here Josh is producing much like pre-2006 Crede only with a whole lot more walks and K's and less power and infield popouts.

 

I don't consider him a #2 hitter and don't think I ever will. Not his fault, though. There aren't any other options.

[jamesdiego]

Fields getting hit is a nice reason to keep the hot hitting Nix in the lineup. Oz & KW read my emails. I'm really curious to see how he's plays third, since he's only been playing it for a couple weeks, right? Move over Lil' Bridge, Nix my man.