Josh Fields Community Projection
by The Cheat on Feb 17, 2009 2:14 PM CST
70 comments
Fields was supposed to be the White Sox third baseman of the future. The former first round pick filled in admirably during the 2007 season, hitting 23 home runs, though his strikeout rate and OBP left plenty of room for growth.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the Joe Crede trade last year. A market never developed for a guy coming off back surgery (and hasn't developed again this year). Fields was unceremoniously shuttled back to the minor leagues, where he pouted a bit, underperformed, and got hurt. Fields played in just 14 games in a majors despite Crede going down with his usual back injury, held out of the lineup in favor of a more sure-handed fielder in Juan Uribe.
The off-season has been a busy one for Fields. There was a minor surgery on his knee in October, and a few weekend trips down to Miami to work with Joey Cora on his fielding with the World's smallest glove. And now he's reported to camp early, saying and doing all the right things, looking to get back in Ozzie's good graces and win the starting 3B job over Wilson Betemit (laugh) and Dayan Viciedo.
Will Fields win the battle? With all this emphasis on defense will anyone remember that Fields has a big hole in his swing? Besides the opposition, that is. Will Fields find away back onto the trajectory that had him looking like a plus OBP, plus SLG, minus defensive third baseman?
You know the drill. Fill out the form after the jump to add to our community projection.
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Contreras now has outside chance at No. 5 spot
By Mark Gonzales
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jose Contreras’ recovery has reached the point where manager Ozzie Guillen is now considering him as a contender for the fifth spot in the White Sox’s rotation.
“It’s in my mind now, yes,” Guillen said after Tuesday’s workout. “I’m not afraid. Jose will dictate how good he is.”
After Contreras tore his left Achilles tendon on Aug. 11, a recovery time of up to 12 months was forecast. That gave Guillen reason to believe that Contreras could return as a reliever, but his accelerated recovery has Guillen thinking Contreras could start again.
Contreras could face live hitters by the middle of March — the same time as No. 4 starter Barolo Colon, who is on a methodical schedule after surgery last September to remove bone chips from his right pitching elbow.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 3:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
wow
much love to Count.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i recall the giants' frandsen returned after about six months from a similar injury.
younger guy and different position, of course. and i don’t know the specifics of their respective ruptures, either.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 3:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i think this says a lot about Jose's relative fitness and ability to stay healthy
you probably only get so many pitches in a lifetime, but the stories about Jose keeping up are clearly true.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Well that's some welcome news.
Contreras, Colon sounds a lot better than Richard, Marquez.
by Grinder in Training on Feb 17, 2009 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
it would be nice if contreras would stop that decline in k rate
or else he’ll look a heck of a lot like those latter two.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 3:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
5/2.5 would be nice.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 4:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i think he'll need more than that. i don't buy the gb rate from last year.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 4:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i'd really like to look at what he's throwing now and what he's thrown in the past
by L/R splits, but I think his biggest problem is going to be getting lefties out. He threw fewer than 50% fastballs this year for the first time in his career and I’d bet it’s because he’s not throwing them as much to lefties anymore (that meshes with what I recall). I buy his ability to get GB and K against righties because he has two fastballs, the slider and the fork. He’s almost a knuckler to lefties, since he’s only got the fork and overhand heater and it looks like he thinks his numero uno isn’t good enough to that side of the plate.
Still, I think that’s a fairly viable strategy until his fastball goes.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 7:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think I was figuring out of the 5 spot
I’d just rather have the veteran right now as long as we are still trying to compete this season. I just think he’s going to be more likely to get guys out and get through a jam vs. Marquez / Richard at this point in their careers, it’s not as if they have great K rates. I think the time off on the arm might not be a bad thing for the guy either, it will be interesting to see what he looks like after this injury / weight loss.
by Grinder in Training on Feb 18, 2009 8:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
younger guy but with less pride
toughness too
The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.
by The Wizard on Feb 17, 2009 7:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
looks like that bet may be settled fairly soon
"KenWO
no point in arguing with people who are blinded from reality..."
by Where Triples Go to Die on Nov 29, 2008 6:49 PM
by Illini0509 on Feb 17, 2009 3:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, at the very least, there are a lot of options for those final two rotation spots
you’d hope that out of Colon, Richard, Contreras, Poreda and (ugh) Marquez, two will emerge who can give the Sox ERA’s around (~)5.25 and be above average (comparatively speaking) fifth starters.
by CWSKeith on Feb 17, 2009 3:30 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
btw, i went with
.240/.310/.460 who knows how close the counting stats are. sorry cheat.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
everybody is getting five errors from me here on out.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
is 20 in 550 AB a lot?
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
alls i know is it's a lot more than 5/700
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
How can you pull "wins" out of your ass
And not know error totals?
EVERYBODY PICK US FOR 3RD OR 4TH SO I DINK WE DOIN POOTY GOO
Sox Machine
by Sox Machine on Feb 17, 2009 3:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i get wins and i get what goes into it.
the way Tango talks about baseball makes a ton of sense to me. for me, wins and runs are the language of baseball. before that, it was pretty much all pitching. that’s what i wanted to do and that’s what i thought about.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 4:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I just got warned at BlogaBull for posting a large picture.... WTF?!
larry has that system down to a science. Especially with the way the economy is….big wigs like larry coming in dressed in their mink coats and 24k gold cigarrete holders with pockets lined with coke make for a large draw during shift changes.
by BobbySouthSide on Dec 9, 2008 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
by Jbasic89 on Feb 17, 2009 3:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Because it takes forever to load?
EVERYBODY PICK US FOR 3RD OR 4TH SO I DINK WE DOIN POOTY GOO
Sox Machine
by Sox Machine on Feb 17, 2009 3:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Flagged for large picture.
"A good cigar is like a beautiful chick with a great body who also knows the American League box scores. "
Klinger
by Chiburb on Feb 17, 2009 5:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
try using height=x% width=x% attributes within the img tag
and checking your work using preview.
I don’t want my beer to taste like fruit or honey. I want pussy to taste that way.
by thatshortkid on Feb 17, 2009 5:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
who's that cunt?
my Prime Minister is a boss eyed wanker
by hoodlight on Feb 17, 2009 6:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
some white guy apperently.
I don't need to look at fancy stats
to see if a guy is good or not. You might have to.
by Where Triples Go to Die on Nov 30, 2008 4:16 PM CST
by omnipotent grab on Feb 17, 2009 6:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think i was
242/286/450
"KenWO
no point in arguing with people who are blinded from reality..."
by Where Triples Go to Die on Nov 29, 2008 6:49 PM
by Illini0509 on Feb 17, 2009 3:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
so he's not going to beat out Betemit in the long haul?
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah should have factored that in more
i gave him 100 starts 375 pa
"KenWO
no point in arguing with people who are blinded from reality..."
by Where Triples Go to Die on Nov 29, 2008 6:49 PM
by Illini0509 on Feb 17, 2009 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i think i my prediction is
“if he gets a whole season, what will it look like”. i think his downside is a lot higher than my projection indicates (normally, it’d be like 50/50 for him to go over or under on that guess, or thereabouts…but it’s weighted like 30/70 in this case). he’s relatively old, seemingly injury prone, probably an OF, which means he has to hit better than league average to be a first division starter. which he can’t. if i had a better impression of him as an athlete, i’d give him more room for doubt.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 3:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Zero optimism here.
50 starts, .225 BA, 8 HR’s, etc. Either we get someone else or I have a feeling we’re going to see plenty o’ Goggles at 3rd.
Oh, and that feeling … it is not a good feeling.
by The Actual El Guapo on Feb 17, 2009 4:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
there's a reason Betemit is there
and it isn’t because we need a Uribe replacement.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 4:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I hope your right and it is only 50 starts...
I had him slated for 100 starts…
I think that he has won over ozzie and cora with his going to visit Joey routine… that’s bought him 40 starts.
He will platoon the next 122 with Betemit… giving him another 60 starts.
I think Dayan will have a productive spring with flashes of what could be. Landing him in high A or AA. I think he will then struggle in his first half of the minors (transition, language, etc.) before turning it on in the second half.
Maybe, just maybe Fields is decent but, his k% is so high that i just can’t imagine that he is an everyday major leaguer.
It's called Sex Panther by Odeon. It's illegal in nine countries... Yep, it's made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
by ElDiablo on Feb 17, 2009 4:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I have him at 80.
I hope you are right, TAEG. We go nowhere with Fields at 3rd. I used to love him – now I’d have to kill him.
the post wasn't for you. fuck off.
by larry on Feb 10, 2009 12:43 PM EST
by winningugly on Feb 17, 2009 4:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
He has that Vance Law smell.
by The Actual El Guapo on Feb 17, 2009 4:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, God, I just threw up in my mouth.
the post wasn't for you. fuck off.
by larry on Feb 10, 2009 12:43 PM EST
by winningugly on Feb 17, 2009 4:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Vance Law had a 122 OPS+ season when he was just about Fields' age
I’m thinking Fields is no Vance Law…
by hitlesswonder on Feb 17, 2009 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Gun's and Roses fan eh...?
It's called Sex Panther by Odeon. It's illegal in nine countries... Yep, it's made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
by ElDiablo on Feb 17, 2009 5:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
gagne back to brewers on minor league deal
almost as big a fall as andruw jones.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 4:01 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I'm terrible at projections
Assuming Fields will start over 100 games at 3rd base, crazy talk?
Vinny Del Negro interviewed for the job today. I mean come on! Nobody else thinks this is nuts?
by Juiceboxjerry on Jun 6, 2008 4:21 PM CDT actions actions 0 recs
by Ozzie Montana on Feb 17, 2009 4:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I agree.
I just don’t see the suitable replacement. Is Betemit a better option with his new goggles? i thought that Betemit was supposed to be our utility infielder but, i guess Lilly could hold that spot if healthy and hitting. I just find myself saying that about many spots on our team…. Healthy and Hitting are big ifs.
As excited as i am about the Dayan, I find it hard to believe that he is going to make the team out of camp. Given his age he has to play. So he won’t be sitting on the big league bench.
The money that he’s being paid says that he’s major league ready, I just think he’s going to need a year of seasoning in the minors to adjust.
It's called Sex Panther by Odeon. It's illegal in nine countries... Yep, it's made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
by ElDiablo on Feb 17, 2009 5:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You guys will absolutely
LOVE
Josh Fields by the Fourth of July.
"I am not going out like SSH. "
by WTGTD, 12/3/08
by ballyb on Feb 17, 2009 5:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I hope so ....
How many K’s do you think he will have by then ..? That’s gotta be about 80 games into the year…
I’ll set the over under at
+ or – 67k’s
It's called Sex Panther by Odeon. It's illegal in nine countries... Yep, it's made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.
by ElDiablo on Feb 17, 2009 5:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I'll take the OVER.
80 or 90 is better.
"I am not going out like SSH. "
by WTGTD, 12/3/08
by ballyb on Feb 17, 2009 5:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris
scheduled tomorrow on the View and Late Night with David Letterman. ; )
"I am not going out like SSH. "
by WTGTD, 12/3/08
by ballyb on Feb 17, 2009 5:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I submitted my "projection" but...
I don’t really know if I should participate in these. I have no real reasons for my numbers.
Third base is probably my biggest concern this year. Followed closely by CF and catcher. I don’t ever remember having so many questions about a team, as I do about the Sox right now.
If you have nothing to add to the discussion. Continue sniffing glue.
by defensive indifference on Feb 17, 2009 6:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
DI, I feel your pain.
I see little reason for optimism, and many questions. It isn’t like last year when all I asked for was more fun than the suckitude of ‘07.
More as we get closer, just wanted to say don’t feel like the Lone Ranger.
"A good cigar is like a beautiful chick with a great body who also knows the American League box scores. "
Klinger
by Chiburb on Feb 17, 2009 6:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I'd go in order of concern
CF > 3B > 2B
There is no upside in our CF position, and nothing on the farm to help. Danks, but I’d send him to high-A if pressed right now, and he’s got significant work to do.
Fields still has a high upside, as does Dayan, but there’s a low probability of Fields reaching that upside and Dayan’s figures to be at least a year off.
2B is a concern, but relative to the other two, I’m confident in Getz. He has the minor league track record of a player who will adjust to the big leagues, even if he does appear feeble and overmatched in his first 250 PAs. And there’s at least some depth here in Beckham, who some think could be up by mid-season.
C is only a concern in that AJ represents your only true option until we see Flowers actually stick behind the plate and progress for another year in the minors.
AIM: SouthSideCheat
by The Cheat on Feb 17, 2009 7:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
aj is good for playing 135 games and doubles power.
that’s it. it certainly wouldn’t shock me if armstrong could do the latter about as well and make up some deficiency with his defense. i know pecota doesn’t think they’re that different. the question would be how durable armstrong would be.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 8:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
armstrong would need to have more lhp abs taken from him
but the diff in the two over a full season probably isnt 15 runs
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 8:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
what aboot Betemit!
guy’s pretty solid insurance at third if Fields bombs out and he’s okay on a year to year basis. 3rd I see as more or less resolved pending further info. 2B will resolve itself. CF is a black hole. I have to think we’ll see some toolsy upside types in the draft, especially if we end up with a late first and a bunch of supps.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 8:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
pretty sure the sox only have the opportunity for one supplemental.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 8:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, i just meant that the late first, supp and second will probably make for a good position
and totally mangled it.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 10:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
CF > 3B > 4th and 5th slot > 2B > Backup C
Those are my concerns.
I agree with your CF assessment, but what about Shelby? He is likely to get here before Danks. Owens… ugh.
3B… I see Fields struggling and Betemit playing a lot this year, at least until Beckham gets up.
4th and 5th slot in the rotation… here is where I’m stuck wondering. We have lots of options, but several of those we haven’t seen perform in the majors either in a long time or never at all.
2B… Betemit and Getz I figure to get most of the playing time… until Becksy gets here.
Backup C… I hope Flowers contributes this year because I think he has the tools to start in the majors, if not be a +hitter and average to – defensive player. We would be used to that, as AJ isn’t really the best defensive guy behind the plate.
"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 Feb 17, 2009 10:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Shelby's upside sucks
I haven’t seen anything that suggests he’s a good CF yet and he can’t walk to save his life. He’s a second division/4th type if he makes it. The steals suggest he might be able to get his D up though.
Sober, I was appalled at the women. Drunk I was told I danced with them all.
by colintj on Feb 17, 2009 10:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Could he be worse than
Brian Anderson and/or Jerry Owens offensively?
"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 Feb 18, 2009 2:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Can anyone do math?
I have now heard 2 MLBN guys and one sportswriter say that A-Rod injected himself 36 times over a 3 year period with whatever drugs he was taking. Let’s see:
2x/month average x 12 months/year x 3 years = ? 36? NO, DAMMIT! 72! Gott in Himmel!
So this guy injected himself 72 times in 3 years and couldn’t tell if it had any effects? He INJECTED drugs and couldn’t feel the difference?
Fer Chrissakes. No wonder the market lost 300 today.
the post wasn't for you. fuck off.
by larry on Feb 10, 2009 12:43 PM EST
by winningugly on Feb 17, 2009 6:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I think 36 in 3 years -> 12 in 1 year -> 1 a month
btw, I wasn’t aware you had surgery today
wishes for a quick and painless recovery!
The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.
by The Wizard on Feb 17, 2009 7:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i'm sure he's feeling no pain
I don’t want my beer to taste like fruit or honey. I want pussy to taste that way.
by thatshortkid on Feb 17, 2009 9:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
He said twice a month,
for six month cycles for three years.
so 2 times a month x 6 months x 3 years = 36 injections
Sometimes I miss the days when if you thought the guy was a good ballplayer you were right because no one knew any better.
by bberdl20 on Feb 18, 2009 12:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I heard the "6 months a year" thing late last night. My bad.
Thanks for playing, Wiz.
BTW, did anyone as “which 6 months/year”? During the season or in the offseason (when it’d be easier to do it without attracting attention)?
the post wasn't for you. fuck off.
by larry on Feb 10, 2009 12:43 PM EST
by winningugly on Feb 18, 2009 7:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
also, one might not be "injecting" in, say, november.
baseball season is approximately six months.
by larry on Feb 17, 2009 7:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Right.
And he didn’t say when in 01 he started and when in 03 he quit.
Getting caught up with the number of times he injected is kind of silly. He used. For approximately 3 seasons. That’s what he is admitting.
"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 Feb 17, 2009 10:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
well i had a roommate on the juice
he injected hgh into his shoulder in the living room while we were watching t.v.
almost instantly his shoulder started twitching as his muscles literally grew right before my very eyes as he laughed maniacally.
A-Rod should have kept his mouth shut after he talked to Gammons. Hes digging himself a deeper hole now.
by e-gus on Feb 18, 2009 12:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
the post wasn't for you. fuck off.
by larry on Feb 10, 2009 12:43 PM EST
by winningugly on Feb 18, 2009 7:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think he has to be accepted
I think he has that kind of personality where if he isn’t liked or accepted for something he thinks he can control, then it gnaws at him. After the Gammons interview ppl were still criticizing him for not opening up more and dodging questions. So that’s why he had another conference.
"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 Feb 18, 2009 2:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
That description kind of made me chuckle.
Curious. What sport did he play or train for?
"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 Feb 18, 2009 2:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
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