Juan Uribe is the front-runner for the 2nd base job

by The Wizard on Mar 9, 2008 10:07 PM CDT in Quotes

Ozzie Guillen disagrees with the assessment that if [Alexei] Ramirez can play shortstop, which he has done adeptly during Spring Training, then he should be able to naturally make the move to second base.

With that thought in mind, the White Sox manager plans to use Ramirez more regularly at second over the final 17 Cactus League games.

"Second base is a different position," Guillen told a reporter after Sunday's loss to the Padres. "From now on, we're going to put him more at second base to get him used to it and to see how we can help him to do that."

Guillen reaffirmed that Ramirez will be in the starting mix at this position, although Juan Uribe appears to be the front-runner when factoring in Danny Richar's back injury and Ramirez's defensive inexperience. Pablo Ozuna will not start at second because he is too valuable as a utility infielder.

Ozuna played shortstop on Sunday and could find action from third to first during the regular season.

"It has to be an extreme emergency to put him back in the outfield," said Guillen of Ozuna. "I just want him to concentrate on the infield."

Our friend Tadahito Iguchi also thinks Uribe will be the one that will take the 2nd base job.

* * * * *

Rick Morrissey would like to be featured on Fire Joe Morgan.
Dusty found his next hitting coach (hat-tip Baseball Musings).
Williams postures on Crede. Says he could be opening day 3B. Translation: Crede will be traded by Sunday.
How Jim would pitch to Alexei, BA, or Eldred.

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Poreda tomorrow?

Sweeeeeeeeet.

I sincerely hope Ramirez can pick up 2B.

By the way, why is Ozuna being tried out at 3B and 1B? I mean I know he was garbage in the OF last year (I recall some humorous misjudgments...) but isn't it a waste of ST time to play him at the corner? Ozzie won't seriously play him at 1B and 3B during the season... will he?!

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Mar 9, 2008 11:43 PM CDT reply actions

just in case?

... he has to run for paulie or crede, it's good to know if he can play the corner without getting hurt or looking like a fool.

Was it Timo Perez that took first after Ozzie said, "anybody can play first base; you just stand there and catch the ball"-- and then he promptly missed a throw when he got spooked by the runner coming up the line?

by ruffster on Mar 10, 2008 9:02 AM CDT up reply actions

So we moved our problem a good 50 feet

So Uribe loses his starting job at short (and we give up Garland to do so) because he can't hit. His fielding - no problem. So now he's the front runner at 2nd base and we are better how???

Unf____ing believable...

Batting order wise as long as the Sox have to plug him in at #8 or #9 it makes it so a young player, who needs the major league at bats, can't be slotted into the line up - at any position - without risking a really weak bottom of the order.

Canada's finest

by MarkD on Mar 9, 2008 11:52 PM CDT reply actions

Yep, just think about how stupid...

the Garland trade will look if Uribe is starting at 2B anyways. What would you guys rather have right about now?

Garland, Uribe at SS, and Ramirez/Richar at 2B
OR
No Garland, Cabrera at SS, and Uribe at 2B

With Ozzie's predictable lineup, it looks like a stupid trade now. Hell, even the Quentin trade looks stupid now due to the same reason -- Ozzie and his love of bad players.

by SSH2005 on Mar 9, 2008 11:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Goofy

The whole point of that Garland trade was supposed to be addition by subtraction - get Uribe out of the everyday lineup.

So now you have weaker defense at SS, and you still have Uribe in the lineup. Nate Silver said in the Trib yesterday that KW's on the hot seat, this nonsense in the middle of the IF won't help his situation any.

"We're actually doing some different things at the top of the lineup, but our key is Jerry Owens being our center fielder and our leadoff guy" - JD

by ChicagoPete on Mar 10, 2008 8:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh, if Nate Silver said it...

then it must be true.

KW will have a job as long as Reinsdorf is alive.

by Winning is Fung on Mar 10, 2008 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions

KW will have a job as long as Reinsdorf is alive.

AND

The next Reinsdorf (in the succession) is alive.

That's the way it works, e.g., two Wirtz's then....... reason.

Was that a ground out to 2nd for Owens?

by ballyb on Mar 10, 2008 8:29 AM CDT up reply actions

I dunno

Nate Silver lives in Chicago, and he follows the Sox pretty closely. He doesn't seem the type who'd just toss out a statement like that for the hell of it. KW has really made a mess of things.

"We're actually doing some different things at the top of the lineup, but our key is Jerry Owens being our center fielder and our leadoff guy" - JD

by ChicagoPete on Mar 10, 2008 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions

he said something to the effect of

"my sense" is that KW feels pressure. my sense is that doesn't really sound like much of anything.

by larry on Mar 10, 2008 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Here's the quote

Read it however you wish, it's from this article:

As for his opinion of the Sox, whom he predicted would be about .500 last year, Silver thinks they could get to .500 and "will not go down without a fight. My sense is Kenny Williams feels pressure to keep his job and will be active at the trading deadline."

"We're actually doing some different things at the top of the lineup, but our key is Jerry Owens being our center fielder and our leadoff guy" - JD

by ChicagoPete on Mar 10, 2008 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions

i'm not sure there's multiple ways to read it

he's offering his opinion. nate's more of a numbers guy, not the BP "journalist" type. he doesn't have much by way of sources. his sense is about as good as your sense or mine. heck, considering we follow the sox a lot more closely than he does, i'd say our sense is better than his.

by larry on Mar 10, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Well, my two sense

KW has really botched this up. He's got an aging roster, and his best players can't be traded because they're either too expensive/too old/NTC - so even if you could trade them, they'll bring nothing of value in return. There's no talent left to bring up from the minors. He's stuck with an aged, declining core. So there's no way to improve the club other than adding FA's - which is by far the most INefficient way to upgrade your talent. On top of that you're already at $120mm in payroll, so he's starting to rub up against the upside of how much he can spend on this team.

So I would say, yeah, I agree that this guy should be worried about his job if this team finishes below .500 - even Krause had to go eventually.

"We're actually doing some different things at the top of the lineup, but our key is Jerry Owens being our center fielder and our leadoff guy" - JD

by ChicagoPete on Mar 10, 2008 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions

I still dont see how it's KW's fault that everyone

collapsed like that...BP said our starters would suck, but getting the most innings in the majors from your top five doesn't sound like suck to me. The hitting fell apart and that was the
one thing folks were sure would be solid. From my perspective, KW still hasn't failed significantly and the Swisher trade was excellent. As for JO and Uribe, they expected to have healthy former dbacks in those spots. That's why they gave up assets to get them. Richar's brain and back crapped out and Quentin is still working through this shoulder thing. Its very "wait and
see", but you have to like this offseason especially if alexei proves to be an average contributor up the middle. Hell, even the Cabrera deal has a chance of being great; Garland gave up a huge number of line drives last year and both larry and I wondered aloud (the diary's still there) if he hadn't finally lost that special skill of his. I think KW probably sold as high as he could have on Garland and turned that into a year of OC and
hopefully the subsequent picks.

dude, that was totally not swish you saw on rush street last night. swish was at home playing xbox.

by colintj on Mar 10, 2008 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Add the bullpen debacle and .......

Was that a ground out to 2nd for Owens?

by ballyb on Mar 10, 2008 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions

right and we finally started to get pulled back to

the mean, but it was beyond too late to recover value.

dude, that was totally not swish you saw on rush street last night. swish was at home playing xbox.

by colintj on Mar 10, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions

My main concern

is that the players are gettting old, a lot of guys need to be replaced and they need to be replaced fairly soon - where are we going to get players to replace them? There's no one left to bring up from the minors, and we can't turn over the roster by trading anyone. And the Sox philosophy on FAs keeps you from buying a star quality player.

I don't see how KW can improve this team. He's run out of assets.

"We're actually doing some different things at the top of the lineup, but our key is Jerry Owens being our center fielder and our leadoff guy" - JD

by ChicagoPete on Mar 10, 2008 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Anyone who heard Joey Cora's interview...

with Hawk and DJ during today's game knows that Owens is our starting CF'er and leadoff hitter and Uribe is our starting 2B. Cora's stupid ass was talking about how nice it is to have 20 HR and 70 RBI in the 9th spot. He never mentioned the awful .678 OPS though.

by SSH2005 on Mar 9, 2008 11:52 PM CDT reply actions

So the 9-1 hitters are going to be....

Uribe-Owens.

Fuck

by Tony82087 on Mar 9, 2008 11:59 PM CDT reply actions

Now you know why I am so pessimistic...

Ozzie sucks. Why did Kenny acquire Richar and Quentin again? They won't see the field because of bums like Jerry Owens and Juan Uribe. We need a new manager.

by SSH2005 on Mar 10, 2008 12:01 AM CDT up reply actions

hopefully owens

has the same groin doctor as nomar

by Jbasic89 on Mar 10, 2008 12:06 AM CDT up reply actions

We agree again...

You know, just to start of on an upbeat note, I have to say that I like that Williams acquired Swisher and Quentin -- it showed recognition of the Sox needing higher OBP players.

But playing Owens makes giving up Carter for Quentin pointless. And playing Uribe makes trading Garland and Cunningham pointless. I actually like Uribe, so it pains me to admit that he just can't get on base. So much so that he shouldn't be starting. Especially at 2B where a number of decent veteran bats could have been acquired as free agents for little money (like Iguchi). Instead, the Sox traded Garland and managed to downgrade their SS/2B combo from a year ago.

by hitlesswonder on Mar 10, 2008 1:02 AM CDT up reply actions

I will give the benefit of the doubt

Because of the time of posts. Sleep, time change etc...

But does anyone understand the concept of injury? Are you guys seriously bitching about 2 players- not playing that uh can't play.

I hate feeling like I am defending the White Sox all the time, I do. But when I see post after post saying the same things over and over again - ignoring the most basic concepts it becomes difficult.

"There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America."

by Tdogg on Mar 10, 2008 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions

neither richar or ramirez

are ready to play. if we didn't have uribe, many of the same people would be bitching that we didn't have anyone other than ozuna to play 2B.

just wait until, i don't know, pitchers start actually game-planning for hitters. then you'll see how great ramirez would be facing major league pitching regularly.

by larry on Mar 10, 2008 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions

If the pitchers start game planning

What will some of our projected hitters really start to look like...

So instead of a big splash, there were ripples -- enough to change the tide, Williams believes

by Brush Back on Mar 10, 2008 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions

many will look fine

because they can, you know, hit those other pitches. and don't swing, like, everytime at the first pitch fastball.

by larry on Mar 10, 2008 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions

Man I hope your wrong Larry

Though I suspect you are correct about the game planning piece. The good news though he appears to have the skill set to eventually be a decent mlb player. My question is how did we get him??? And to a decent contract. I don't understand why other teams who are clearly better than the Sox at that type of stuff passed on him.

We only ever get people off injury concerns or nobody have seen except in obsure video (Iguchi) when everyone has a chance at it.

"There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America."

by Tdogg on Mar 10, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions

i think he will be fine

just not yet.

one thing that seemed to work in the sox favor this offseason was the extremely soft middle infield market. why take a flyer on a guy like ramirez when you can sign a more known quantity like adam kennedy (or whomever)? i think teams also expect the market to continue to be deep (at least at the more "average" level - of course the hanleys, reyes', jeters et al will be difficult to procure).

by larry on Mar 10, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions

how much were the known quantities getting per

year? Not much right? Didn't eckstein get 7?

dude, that was totally not swish you saw on rush street last night. swish was at home playing xbox.

by colintj on Mar 10, 2008 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions

eckstein got 4.5

12/12/07- We'll miss you Andy Gonzalez

by The Deacon on Mar 10, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Not because they can't play

I think its because of the fear that regardless of what stat history is shown or projected - they will still play (and in another case may not play)

So instead of a big splash, there were ripples -- enough to change the tide, Williams believes

by Brush Back on Mar 10, 2008 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions

To start the season guys.....

I mean really what is the alternative to Uribe at 2B at this point? A late arriving injured Richar or an inexperienced Ramirez? Uribe is the choice by default. As far as the OF, with quentin out it's BA or JO and to me they're about the same (they're both backup players). But stating that Richar and Quentin are busts becasue they're injured right now is a little short-sighted.

Because of the injuries they'll probably have to get 100% healthy, go down to AAA and then once they're playing well bring them up. I'll complain if it's 2 months from now and they're dominating AAA while Uribe and Owens flounder. Until then? Hey injuries happen. Go with what you have until the other guys are healthy.

by bhoov on Mar 10, 2008 1:33 AM CDT reply actions

Thank you for reason.

"There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America."

by Tdogg on Mar 10, 2008 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Yep, you can usually count on Bhoov

to throw the cold water of reality into a thread.
He's almost always right, and appreciated.

Next time, Bhoov, do some research.

by Chiburb on Mar 10, 2008 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions

I smell a love connection.

by SSH2005 on Mar 10, 2008 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

wow

i leave town for the weekend without any internet and i come back to jerry owens and juan uribe penciled in as starters, carlos quentin losing a major league job to brian anderson, pablo ozuna playing the corners, joe crede on his way to the dodgers unless the legend can help it.... i really do need a blackberry to stay connected!

12/12/07- We'll miss you Andy Gonzalez

by The Deacon on Mar 10, 2008 8:26 AM CDT reply actions

Now you guys all realize why I am

a pessimist.

I am not as shocked like you guys get when you find out Uribe is our 2B and Owens our CF.

I figured that would happen, and this is just further confirmation of that cr*p I am going to have to go through all year.

Ozzie: "He got a [migraine] headache. I believe him because he's a real religious guy. Someone else tells me they have a migraine, I know they are hung over."

by BobbySouthSide on Mar 10, 2008 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions

i stayed pretty connected all weekend

unfortunately, I was unable to stop all of that from happening. I couldnt even stop Favre from retiring last week, despite all of my frantic refreshing.

I hope you have better luck once you get your blackberry...

Lord, beer me strength.

by Nordhagen on Mar 10, 2008 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Hell, no one could stop him

from crying, either.

Powerlessness - it's a beeyatch.

Few people know I am fueled creatively by my massive hatred of immigrants.

by winningugly on Mar 10, 2008 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions

i really dont put too much stock into

ST anymore. when i was younger, i thought it meant a lot, but as most of us have learned, it's not the be all, end all.

OT, what do you think of aaron rodgers? are the packers going to bring in some veteran help (if they havent already)?

12/12/07- We'll miss you Andy Gonzalez

by The Deacon on Mar 10, 2008 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions

rodgers

The guy will be put in a position he will have a very hard time succeeding at. He's inheriting a team with playoff aspirations, and one without a true offensive go-to guy. Also, QB's in GB are (now) expected to never miss a game. And Rodgers has played in what, 3 games? And he has suffered two significant injuries.

I foresee him needing a "change-of-scenery" trade in about 2 yrs...

Lord, beer me strength.

by Nordhagen on Mar 10, 2008 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions

offensively

he does have a good cast. improved o-line, 3 or 4 good receivers (if you count koren robinson getting any better, if not jennings, driver and jones are more than capable) and a solid running game.

12/12/07- We'll miss you Andy Gonzalez

by The Deacon on Mar 10, 2008 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions

its a good cast

and I love Grant. But I don't see any of those guys really taking the pressure off. Favre has made a lot of decent WR's look really good. Typically (although less so in recent years), to succeed in GB, a WR had to have great hands and be completely fearless, but didn't need to get a ton of separation.

Incidentally, I watched the '96 Super Bowl on the NFL Network yesterday. I had forgotten just how well Favre threw the ball (and how mobile he was!). And seeing Reggie run over guys was awesome.

Lord, beer me strength.

by Nordhagen on Mar 10, 2008 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Wow!

Juan Uribe should deserve this big hornor. He is my favorite player, talented. And getting an autographed photograph by him has been my dream for a long time. I am really excited to make my dream come true, two days ago I got one:
http://dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=89563&ru=279 , now I even want to meet him so badly and interview him about the matches, myself! Come on Uribe!

by Pollyhelp630 on Mar 10, 2008 8:47 AM CDT reply actions

It's the truth. He can carry a team.

Was that a ground out to 2nd for Owens?

by ballyb on Mar 10, 2008 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions

The only thing he can carry at this point

Is his 6th plateful of cakes and pie at the buffet line.

by southsideirish71 on Mar 10, 2008 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions

Cunningham hurt

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=786

Athletics center fielder Aaron Cunningham will miss the next six to eight weeks after breaking his left wrist while sliding in a split-squad game against the Mariners on Saturday. The A's acquired Cunningham this off-season in the trade that sent righthander Dan Haren to the Diamondbacks. He should begin the season with Double-A Midland when healthy.

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Mar 10, 2008 10:53 AM CDT reply actions

... head first slide?

... into first base?

Chet Lemon Lives!

I can't believe how many MLB players slide head first... Matt Holliday did it in the post-season last year... into home plate! Got a face full of strawberry to show for it.

by ruffster on Mar 10, 2008 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions

But he got the benefit of the doubt

and should've been called out.

In the same spirit, have you seen that 2 Rays players (C. Crawford and some scrub trying to make the team) have gone shoulder-first into home during their ST games this last week? I think one of the teams was the Spanks, since Girardi supoosedly has said there is NO bowling over catchers during ST (former catcher empathising with his former peer group).

I like it - Rays getting feisty!

Few people know I am fueled creatively by my massive hatred of immigrants.

by winningugly on Mar 10, 2008 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

My brothers foot did a 180 sliding into home once

Bring Back BA

by marco054 on Mar 10, 2008 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Crede - he gone!

Giants or Ddogers. Kenny's licking his chops now. He's got 2 teams needing him.

Only problem is Crede hasn't played that well or the deal would've been done already. But, now he's holding out for one of them to give up something decent which is what this posturing is about.

Crede will not be on the roster and Fields is done in Charlotte.

by White Sox Randy on Mar 10, 2008 11:02 AM CDT reply actions

Owens in the SunTimes re. his groin.

"It's weird to say, but I'm either going to blow it out or it's going to be fine,'' Owens said of his groin.

Was that a ground out to 2nd for Owens?

by ballyb on Mar 10, 2008 11:50 AM CDT reply actions

Owens must be flexible

if he can blow his own groin

Zing!

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.

by rhythm on Mar 10, 2008 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Perhaps he's a glass blower

because that groin sure is fragile.

Ba-da-BUMP.

Few people know I am fueled creatively by my massive hatred of immigrants.

by winningugly on Mar 10, 2008 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

What's funny about Owens...

is that Kenny acquired him for waiver claim (Alex Escobar). Now I wish Kenny had never made the trade. A good trade that actually screws our team. Pretty ironic.

by SSH2005 on Mar 10, 2008 12:27 PM CDT reply actions

justin smoak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSawGSqkTp8 (3:47)

by The Wizard on Mar 10, 2008 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

mancrush...

"God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise."

by Shoeless In SC on Mar 10, 2008 5:28 PM CDT up reply actions

mancrush indeed!

can the swing experts discern anything from that short video?

by The Wizard on Mar 10, 2008 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions

A word from the 'Gooch'

[JC]:

Former Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi wasn't shy about expressing the differences between life with the Sox and life with his new team in San Diego. ''It's a very different situation from Chicago,'' Iguchi said. ''It's like going from a festival to the exact opposite.''

Asked if Guillen was a big reason why, Iguchi said, ''Including Ozzie but mainly Uribe.''

Ironically, the Sox are still trying to iron out their second-base job, but Iguchi made a prediction on who he felt would take the spot he occupied for more than 2½ years.

''I feel like the guy that's always eating a banana will be at second base,'' said Iguchi, referring to Uribe's fondness for bananas and other fruit.

by The Wizard on Mar 10, 2008 1:00 PM CDT reply actions