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Levine: Sox Could Reconsider Beckham Timetable


DaveBrown85

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Watch White Sox front office

No. 1 pick Beckham may be promoted soon

May 19, 2009, 8:32 PM

By: Bruce Levine

Start watching for some trends from the White Sox front office if the team's offense continues to sputter.

 

The fact that third baseman Josh Fields, shortstop Alexei Ramirez and second baseman Chris Getz aren't hitting might encourage general manager Kenny Williams to change his mind on when to accelerate the baseball education of the team's No. 1 pick from 2008, Gordon Beckham.

 

The Georgia product impressed everyone who watched him in spring training, both on the field and in the clubhouse. Just lockering next to catcher A.J. Pierzynski was a great education for Beckham during the six weeks of exhibition baseball. If you're a White Sox fan and watching this situation develop, keep your eye on whether or not the team switches Beckham to third base at Triple-A Charlotte.

 

If they do that, then the timeline might pick up on when Beckham joins the team, possibly in place of the struggling Fields.

 

The organization has been adamant about keeping Beckham in the minor leagues for at least one more year of seasoning. That plan could change if the team's offense doesn't surge over the next couple of weeks.

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Beckham isn't quite ready yet. He has the maturity to handle the ups and downs but right now it would be a real short sighted move to call him up and I don't believe this is anything more than Levine speculating. I do think that if the club struggles and Gbeck hits well for half a season in AA, you will see the Sox bring him up, potentially shifting Ramirez to CF.

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 21, 2009 -> 12:13 AM)
Beckham isn't quite ready yet. He has the maturity to handle the ups and downs but right now it would be a real short sighted move to call him up and I don't believe this is anything more than Levine speculating. I do think that if the club struggles and Gbeck hits well for half a season in AA, you will see the Sox bring him up, potentially shifting Ramirez to CF.

 

 

Maybe we will be looking at changes even if some minor league players aren't deemed ready yet? Jordan Danks may be ready defensively and gets a dose of the bigs ready with the bat or not; Vicideo at 3B or Beckham at 2B or 3B. Could be interesting, but hopefully our present players start producing and we don't have to think about or see these possibilities.

Edited by elrockinMT
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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 21, 2009 -> 12:15 AM)
Has no one noticed that Beckham just came back from an injury and is mired in the first slump we've seen from him?

 

 

I did and it seems Danks and Beckham are coming back to reality with the bats and Vicideo might be picking it up a bit

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QUOTE (elrockinMT @ May 20, 2009 -> 05:20 PM)
I did and it seems Danks and Beckham are coming back to reality with the bats and Vicideo might be picking it up a bit

Danks. Just. Got. Promoted.

 

Beckham. Just. Got. Back. From. Injury.

 

Coming back to reality? These guys are going to be really, really good for us...but they need time. Danks was looking better and better in A ball and now they've promoted him and he has to work on the K's again. Beckham just came off the DL. They need time. They're going to be really really good, but they need time and people need to accept it.

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QUOTE (Brian @ May 20, 2009 -> 05:47 PM)
I really don't wanna waste an option on Gordon this year, unless we get hot and are in contention.

We're not going to be in contention until one of our SS candidates starts picking it up.

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QUOTE (Brian @ May 20, 2009 -> 05:47 PM)
I really don't wanna waste an option on Gordon this year, unless we get hot and are in contention.

If options are an issue with Gordon, than we are in trouble cause it means he isn't 1/10th of the ball player we think he'll be. The only issues are starting his clock and I believe at this point, starting him now won't really impact him and the next benefit point would be if you called him up like next May or something. Can someone give light to me on that though cause I'm far from an expert on that stuff.

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 20, 2009 -> 06:03 PM)
If options are an issue with Gordon, than we are in trouble cause it means he isn't 1/10th of the ball player we think he'll be. The only issues are starting his clock and I believe at this point, starting him now won't really impact him and the next benefit point would be if you called him up like next May or something. Can someone give light to me on that though cause I'm far from an expert on that stuff.

Here is a good summary from a Brewers site.

For the first three seasons of a major leaguer's career, his salary is determined entirely by his team, and his contract can be renewed by the team if the two sides cannot reach an agreement on his salary (this happened to Prince Fielder in 2008). After the third season, the player becomes eligible for salary arbitration, which usually creates a large increase in salary. After three seasons of arbitration, the player is eligible for free agency.

 

The exception to the three-year rule listed above is a "Super 2" player. A player who has only played two full major league seasons and part of a third can qualify for arbitration if he:

 

* Played in the majors for at least 86 days in the previous season

* Is among the top 17 percent for cumulative playing time in the majors amongst others with at least 2 years, but less than 3 years experience

 

(via Wikipedia)

 

So a player called up in April of his first season could qualify for arbitration after his third season, despite not having played three full seasons. The rule protects a player from having a team hold him off the major league roster for one day to delay him from reaching arbitration.

 

So, a team can prevent a player from being arbitration eligible for one year by keeping them in the minors on Opening Day and not calling them up until after 17% of that season's in-season callup rookies have been added to their respective rosters. Feel free to skip this if you've already got it, but if you don't, here's an example:

 

Player A is on an MLB roster on Opening Day 2009, as a rookie.

Player B is called up on April 15, 2009.

Player C is called up on June 1, 2009.

 

Assuming all three players are not sent back down:

 

Player A will have three years of ML service time following the 2011 season, and will qualify for arbitration for 2012 and free agency for 2015.

Player B will likely qualify for abritration as a Super 2 following the 2011 season, and will qualify for free agency for the 2015 season.

Player C will not qualify for arbitration until completing his third full season in 2012, and will not be a free agent until the end of the 2015 season.

More details at the site...but basically, after June 1 of this year is equivalent to any point until about mid-April next year.
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QUOTE (DaveBrown85 @ May 20, 2009 -> 05:56 PM)
If you're a White Sox fan and watching this situation develop, keep your eye on whether or not the team switches Beckham to third base at Triple-A Charlotte.

 

Ummm...does he realize that Beckham's with B'ham?

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They probably meant that the Sox would promote Beckham to Charlotte and move him to 3B, with Viciedo staying at 3B for the Barons.

 

Just a thought....too early for anyone to think about moving him off SS or where he will end up in the majors in 2010 until we watch the major league team for at least another 4-6 weeks.

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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 20, 2009 -> 08:36 PM)
Coming back to reality? These guys are going to be really, really good for us...but they need time. Danks was looking better and better in A ball and now they've promoted him and he has to work on the K's again. Beckham just came off the DL. They need time. They're going to be really really good, but they need time and people need to accept it.

 

+1

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Looks like KW is sending a message:

 

White Sox may have plans for Gordon Beckham

 

The White Sox's first-round pick in 2008, Gordon Beckham, was not among the names mentioned in the trade for Padres pitcher Jake Peavy, and part of the reason is that the Sox may have plans for him sooner than expected.

 

Beckham had started 26 games at shortstop and four at second base for Double-A Birmingham before starting at third base in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Friday. Why third?

 

"Because we wanted him to," Sox general manager Ken Williams said.

 

What is Williams' thinking behind the move?

 

"I'm thinking I want to see some production out of some people or I'm going to start making some changes," he said.

 

The Sox already have sent infielder Brent Lillibridge to the minor leagues and have watched third baseman Josh Fields and second basemen Chris Getz and Jayson Nix struggle. Veteran backup Wilson Betemit has been shaky in the field.

 

Beckham, who went 3-for-8 in the doubleheader, is hitting .299 and has been charged with seven errors.

 

Trib

 

 

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He is the only guy that is ready to be called up. Danks Ks way too much and still needs two more years in the minors. Allen needs at least another half season as he continues to improve his contact rate. Flowers same deal as Allen hitting, but also really needs 1-2 more years defensively. And Viciedo obviously needs at least two more years. Beckham doesn't really have any flaws in his game, it's just experience he needs.

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