We are just getting our feet wet.... a little

Another week has gone by and the Chicago White Sox have yet to really test the free agency market. Although, they have recently decided to decline their option on Darin Erstad, who was the White Sox first baseman and outfielder this past 2007 season. And if you remember, he was the guy that the Sox picked up in the off-season who was SUPPOSE TO give them depth in the outfield and infield. He was also also SUPPOSE TO help the Sox with the top of their batting order. I think that it was a good choice to get rid of Erstad and here is why:

This past season he did not really play many games for the White Sox. He was hurt for about half of the season. When he did have a chance to come back into the lineup, he would either re-injure something or injure a new body part. And as for batting, I don’t think that he really ever found his swing. I don’t think he was exactly what the White Sox thought they were getting. But so far he is the only player that the White Sox have decided to release.


Everyone is now probably wondering what the Sox will want to do with their start third baseman Joe Crede. He had his 2007 season cut short because of a serious back injury, which actually resulted in him getting a season ending back surgery. He is entering the final year of his contract and no one really knows what the White Sox are going to do with him. His 2007 season replacement was Josh Fields. It would be an understatement to say that Fields had a good season, he actually had an outstanding rookie season and brought a lot to the team both offensively and defensively. The White Sox have been waiting for their chance to bring Fields into the big leagues. Granted, he had sort of a slow start, but by the end of the season, he was one of the White Sox power hitters.

So this is where the White Sox are in a little bit of a dilemma. What should they do with Crede and Fields and who deserves third base? They have two really good player and essentially only one spot to put them. There has been talk about possibly converting Fields into an outfielder, but there is no definite answer as of right now.

In my opinion, I think they should give the spot to Joe Crede. I think that all around, he is a better player than Fields. He is a great hitter and probably one of the best defensive third baseman in the league.
I think that Fields’s downfall would be his batting average. Yes he is a good power hitter, but he does not have a consistently good batting average. And like I said above, Fields is a good defensive player, but I think that Crede is better than him on that aspect.
However, you have to take into consideration that this is the first year that Fields played in the big leagues. So in my opinion, I think that the White Sox should keep Crede and either figure out a way to convert Fields into a position that they need (possibly a center fielder) or they need to trade him.

So this pretty much raps up another disappointing week for the White Sox and the trading industry. Hopefully next week the Sox will make a move that is a little more exciting and will give us some insight into what the 2008 season might be like.