Your 2009 White Sox

Your 2009 White Sox

Posted by scotgreg on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 16:10

Looks like the White Sox’ 25-man roster is all set after Monday’s moves.
Barring any late changes/injuries, the Sox are keeping 12 pitchers:
Mark Buehrle
Gavin Floyd
John Danks
Jose Contreras
Bartolo Colon
Bobby Jenks
Scott Linebrink
Matt Thornton
Octavio Dotel
Mike MacDougal
D.J. Carrasco
Clayton Richard
The Sox are keeping 7 infielders:
Paul Konerko
Jim Thome (DH)
Chris Getz
Alexei Ramirez
Josh Fields
Wilson Betemit
Brent Lillibridge
The Sox are keeping 4 outfielders (note: Lillibridge can also play center):
Jermaine Dye
Dewayne Wise
Carlos Quentin
Brian Anderson
The Sox are keeping 2 catchers:
A.J. Pierzynski
Corky Miller
That’s 25 by my count, and here are some thoughts as the White Sox wrap up a long training camp:
Wise clearly beat out Jerry Owens (who was waived) for the starting job in center field. Can he handle the leadoff spot?
The Sox are going to find out, and they are really rolling the dice on a journeyman that has a career .214 batting average and .254 on-base percentage.
There is something about Wise, though. He nearly signed with the Somerset (N.J.) Patriots in the independent Atlantic League last year before agreeing to a minor-league deal with the White Sox.
Wise wound up playing in 57 games in 2008, batting .248 with a .293 on-base percentage. The 31-year-old outfielder hit .286 (2-for-7) in the playoffs, including a big 3-run homer vs. Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the ALDS. He led the Sox with 5 RBI in the series.
Wise’s long history (he was originally the Reds’ fifth-round draft pick in 1997) is littered with stints on the disabled list. With the Blue Jays in 2000, he missed almost three months with an inflamed big toe.
He fractured his right thumb with Class AAA Syracuse in 2003. With AAA Louisville in ’06, it was a sprained right ankle. In ’07, with Louisville again, it was a strained right hamstring.
Maybe a healthy Wise is a good Wise. Sure looks like we’ll find out.
MacDougal pitched himself off the White Sox’ 40-man roster last season and would have been released if not for the $2.65 million he’s owed this year.
He’s had a great spring (19 strikeouts in 12 innings), but MacDougal is still trying to put a disastrous 2007 (2-5, 6.80 ERA) behind him. If the lanky right-hander can throw the ball over the plate, he’s as good as any reliever in baseball.
As for Abraham “Corky” Miller, he batted just .083 (5-for-60) in 31 games with the Braves last season. But the 33-year-old reserve catcher was 6-for-15 throwing out base stealers. Last year, backup Toby Hall was 3-for-46 and Pierzynski wasn’t much better at 11-for-107.

Centerfield

Since trading Rowand -Anderson faltered, annual prospects Borchard & Sweeney traded, Everett re-visited, Mackowiak, Erstad, Owens first chance, rebuffed by Torii, Swisher debacle, Griffey, now Wise and then it'll be back to Anderson. The only reason I can think of that they don't go after a legitimate CF is that they're waiting for Jordan Danks or Shelby III to develop. If so, play BA.

Posted by DME on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 08:42
Sox roster

Wise move , Anderson will play a lot vs lefties and Lillibridge fill big needs as utility at CF and infield. Betimit a real good hitter and fills in for Konerko and Fields at times. Carassco and McDougal will be good...So stop the negativity on past injuries to Dewayne and the past problems of Mcdougals, Carrassco was good ,except for a couple of times last season. No player is perfect Bruce. You scribes fail also with your perspectives many times. .

Posted by don merkle on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 07:37
'09 roster

1) Why 12 pitchers this early in the season?
2) Contreras / Colon - hopefully a band-aid until young arms are ready, but probably a disaster
3) McDougal - again, hopeful he is effective, probably more likely a disaster - same for Carasco
4) Rest of team looks OK - Nix looked good until injury; Getz clearly won job-as did Fields
5) Can't wait for the next wave to emerge: Beckham, Viciedo, Poreda, Egbert, Broadway, Marquez; (if the Sox lay an egg in the 1st half, look for some of these guys in the 2nd half)
6) Anderson should be CF - best defensive OF should be in that spot-they have enough offense
7) '05 World Champs had an effective bench - Betemit takes Uribe spot, Lillibridge takes Ozuna, Wise should be in Timo P's spot, Corky M in Widger spot, and Kroger should be in R Gload role

Play ball!

Posted by DME on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 06:43