Sox are tempted to promote Sanchez

[southsider2k5]

http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...tm_medium=email

 

DAN HAYES

 

With a vacancy at third base and no easy solution, there’s no doubt the budget-conscious White Sox are tempted to promote prospect Carlos Sanchez to the majors.

 

The Venezuelan-born middle infielder is the franchise’s most buzzworthy prospect after he sped through the farm system last season. Sanchez, 20, followed it with a stellar Arizona Fall League performance.

 

How strong was his showing? Enough for the White Sox -- who are already near or past their $97-100 million budgeted payroll for 2013 -- to at least consider the second baseman/shortstop as an option at third if they can’t sign free agent Kevin Youkilis or someone else even though Sanchez has only 158 at-bats above Single-A.

 

But for now the White Sox plan to ward off those temptations, discover a different solution and leave the 20-year-old alone.

 

“He’s the kind of kid who can deal with any kind of adversity,” assistant general manager Buddy Bell said by phone Wednesday. “The track he was on is very quick. He has tremendous makeup. He knows how to play and how to survive.

 

“But I don’t think there’s any question about (delaying his arrival).”

 

But boy is a promotion tempting.

 

With only 10 players under contract, the White Sox have already spent $89.95 million for 2013. That leaves general manager Rick Hahn with very little wiggle room as he expects payroll to be similar to last season, when the White Sox boasted an opening day figure of $97.7 million.

 

The top free agent at third, Youkilis might be difficult to fit into the budget.

 

Sanchez -- who was 17 when the White Sox signed him in May 2009 -- has done just about everything to put himself squarely in the conversation. Bell admits freely the White Sox have discussed the possibility of a move to third for Sanchez.

 

“When you’re as talented as this kid you would have to consider it,” Bell said.

 

But the team likely prefers to keep Sanchez up the middle.

 

In a recent Baseball America write up, Single-A Kannapolis manager Tommy Thompson is quoted as calling Sanchez one of the best defensive players he has ever seen.

 

After he hit a combined .281 in 2011, Sanchez’s bat improved significantly in 2012. He hit a combined .323/.378/.403 with a homer, 56 RBIs and 26 steals in a season that started at Single-A Winston-Salem, included a stop at Double-A Birmingham and ended at Triple-A Charlotte.

 

As if that weren’t enough, Sanchez has White Sox decision-makers drooling after he hit .299 in the Fall League and finished with 12 runs, 16 RBIs and 11 steals in 22 games.

 

“He’s a good little player,” Hahn recently said. “He’s (on the radar) for good reason. We’re very enthusiastic about his future, but at the same time we have to resist the temptation to rush him. He has been swinging it real well. He’s a solid contact hitter with good plate awareness and can drive the ball, good line-drive stroke. The glove is pretty good. The first go-around (Kannapolis) was defensively, but all he has done since then is hit. He’s a very well-rounded player.”

 

Baseball America has Sanchez rated as the No. 3 prospect in the organization, a noteworthy jump from 2011 when the publication didn’t have him listed among the White Sox top 30 minor-leaguers.

 

“He kind of came from out of nowhere,” Bell said.

 

Though Sanchez isn’t on the 40-man roster -- he doesn’t have to be protected until next November -- an invite to big league camp sounds like a strong possibility. At the GM meetings in California earlier this month, Hahn noted the White Sox have a history of bringing the best players with them to Chicago when they leave spring training.

 

At the same time, the White Sox must continue to remind themselves Sanchez has only 1,151 plate appearances in four professional seasons.

 

“I don’t think we’re at the point of talking big leagues yet,” Bell said.

[Balta1701]

Pushing him up so fast that he winds up getting into a permanent rut with the bat whiel at the same time changing his position does fit the Sox's recent M.O. regarding infield prospects.

[witesoxfan]

During all the commotion, I must have missed where Bell was promoted to assistant GM. No problem with the move, he's got a great eye for talent.

[iamshack]

I had a dream last night that we traded Gordo finally.

 

As for rushing Sanchez, I think you have to resist the temptation to lump him in with other players who have struggled with quick promotions just because that is what has happened recently. We need to evaluate each on a case-by-case scenario.

[bigruss]

During all the commotion, I must have missed where Bell was promoted to assistant GM. No problem with the move, he's got a great eye for talent.

Teahen agrees.

[witesoxfan]

Teahen agrees.

 

That 25 homer season he had was pretty incredible. So many of those balls that were doubles at Kaufman were homers at USCF!

[farmteam]

I had a dream last night that we traded Gordo finally.

 

As for rushing Sanchez, I think you have to resist the temptation to lump him in with other players who have struggled with quick promotions just because that is what has happened recently. We need to evaluate each on a case-by-case scenario.

I'm usually better at realizing it's time to cut players loose, but I just can't do that with Beckham for some reason. He's done nothing to earn this, but I still think he has it somewhere in him. He was so hot in the 2-hole right before Youkilis got here last year, so maybe that's prolonging it for me.

[iamshack]

I'm usually better at realizing it's time to cut players loose, but I just can't do that with Beckham for some reason. He's done nothing to earn this, but I still think he has it somewhere in him. He was so hot in the 2-hole right before Youkilis got here last year, so maybe that's prolonging it for me.

Yeah, I wouldn't trade him either. You're not going to get much for him and there aren't any significantly better options, so you may as well hold out a bit longer and hope that talent of his resurfaces in a more consistent form.

[elrockinMT]

I just don't understand the lack of appreciation for Gordon Beckham. He plays gold glove defense and has improved with the bat. He wants to learn and improve and makes no excuses. He was a #1 pick and we want to just get rid of him? The Sox have made some real strange decisions with their young talent in the past and hopefully they have learned their lesson. I could see Sanchez being added to the roster to play either third or secondbase. If he is the better middle infielder Gordo can move back over to thirdbase. The kid wasn't bad there at all

Edited November 29, 2012 by elrockinMT

[witesoxfan]

I just don't understand the lack of appreciation for Gordon Beckham. He plays gold glove defense and has improved with the bat. He wants to learn and improve and makes no excuses. He was a #1 pick and we want to just get rid of him? The Sox have made some real strange decisions with their young talent in the past and hopefully they have learned their lesson. I could see Sanchez being added to the roster to play either third or secondbase. If he is the better middle infielder Gordo can move back over to thirdbase. The kid wasn't bad there at all

 

I'm terrible at baseball, but I want to improve and play 2B for the White Sox. Will you let me?

 

The reason people are frustrated with Beckham is because he has more than 2000 plate appearances at the MLB level and his career average is .245 and his OPS is below .700. For the 8th pick of the draft, you expect someone who is better than a replacement level player. We can all see the talent, but sometimes talent and production don't meet and players underachieve. That's what Beckham looks like right now.

[maggsmaggs]

Love this quote in the article:

 

In a recent Baseball America write up, Single-A Kannapolis manager Tommy Thompson is quoted as calling Sanchez one of the best defensive players he has ever seen.

 

Granted, it comes from within the organization, so you have to take it for what it's worth. But I really like that he is so good defensively. So he could come in and be very valuable on defense, while he learns the MLB aspects of hitting.

 

 

[chw42]

Sanchez has about as much power as Juan Pierre. Do we really want a 3B that has an ISO under .100 in the minors? I'd think his bat fits a lot better at SS and 2B.

[EvilJester99]

I guess if they do bring up Sanchez they could play him at 2b and then move Beckham to 3rd again.. if Sanchez can't hit though then you have 2 weak hitters in him and Becks

[Cali]

A singles hitter at third. Just what we need...

 

Can't have ZERO power from every infielder except Paulie

[witesoxfan]

Sanchez has about as much power as Juan Pierre. Do we really want a 3B that has an ISO under .100 in the minors? I'd think his bat fits a lot better at SS and 2B.

 

I think Sanchez is coming up in the worst case scenario. He's also still very young, so hopefully he fills out a bit and can become a gap to gap hitter for the Sox.

[southsider2k5]

This article should be titled "the other options are too expensive, so we aren't trying to seem desperate."

[NorthSideSox72]

A singles hitter at third. Just what we need...

 

Can't have ZERO power from every infielder except Paulie

Zero power? Alexei hit 9 homers last year, right around average in MLB, in a down year. In 2010 and 2011, he hit 18 and 15, good for 3rd and 6th in baseball. Beckham hit 9 in 2010 (T-14th among regular 2B's, basically average), 10 in 2011 (14th, again, average), and 16 in 2012 (T-8th, above average).

 

Then there's Konerko, who is typically above average or near league-leading in HR's even among 1B's.

 

Power from the non-3B infield isn't the problem with the Sox, at all. The middle infielders lack OBP, that is the bigger issue, and that is where Youk came in handy in 2012.

 

[Balta1701]

I just don't understand the lack of appreciation for Gordon Beckham. He plays gold glove defense and has improved with the bat. He wants to learn and improve and makes no excuses. He was a #1 pick and we want to just get rid of him? The Sox have made some real strange decisions with their young talent in the past and hopefully they have learned their lesson. I could see Sanchez being added to the roster to play either third or secondbase. If he is the better middle infielder Gordo can move back over to thirdbase. The kid wasn't bad there at all

Worth remembering is that this is Beckham's first arbitration year...thus, he's going to rapidly get more expensive. He'll only get paid a couple million this year, but in arb year 2, we're starting to talk about >$5 million for 1 year territory, and the last couple years he has simply not been worth that.

[Chicago White Sox]

Beckham and Sanchez are natural 2B and should not be considered options at 3B.

 

Unless some GM is willing to overpay for him, Beckham should get one last shot as our 2B. He'll be relatively affordable this year and at least provides great defense. I don't think he'll ever put it together offensively, but if he does he quickly becomes one of the best all-around 2B in Major League Baseball. That potential alone is worth one last shot.

 

As for Sanchez, give him at least half a seasonat AAA and see what you got. Maybe he does well and pushes Beckham for the starting job. No matter what, he provides us with some IF insurance for 2013 while also allowing him more developmental time. I really see no reason to rush him, especially by playing him at a position he doesn't project well offensively at.

[Doc Edwards Shot]

Worth remembering is that this is Beckham's first arbitration year...thus, he's going to rapidly get more expensive. He'll only get paid a couple million this year, but in arb year 2, we're starting to talk about >$5 million for 1 year territory, and the last couple years he has simply not been worth that.

This should be Beckham's last year to prove himself. The defense is definitely there, but he is unacceptable offensively in terms of BA, OBP, and OPS.

 

If he goes the whole 2013 season hitting less than .240 again with a sub .300 OBP, he should be gone before 2014.

[The Ginger Kid]

...and yet no mention of Sanchez or any other Sox prospects by Verducci in his analysis of the AFL.

 

 

[witesoxfan]

...and yet no mention of Sanchez or any other Sox prospects by Verducci in his analysis of the AFL.

 

With good reason, the Sox prospects aren't incredibly hot prospects. If everything went as planned, sure Sanchez would hit .330 and Thompson would hit 40 homers and whoever and whatever. As of now, Thompson looks like a low average, high power guy and Sanchez looks like a solid hitter but nothing more than say a .725-.750 OPS bat.

[Jerksticks]

Sanchez hasn't forced himself onto the 25 man yet, but last year sure put him into a position to do so this year.

[kwolf68]

Sanchez has about as much power as Juan Pierre. Do we really want a 3B that has an ISO under .100 in the minors? I'd think his bat fits a lot better at SS and 2B.

 

 

And that's where this franchise should keep him. Reports are he is a brilliant fielder...he has middle infield written all over him. The Sox would be fools to tinker with this move. This isn't moving a slow-footed, plodder with a big stick to the corner position. This move would be assbackwards.

[Jake]

Gordon hit 16 HRs and drove in 61 last year. Not TOO shabby. If he didn't mix in two separate months of unserviceable baseball, there would be nothing to complain about