Clutch isn't just a part on a car.
Kenny Williams notes that Crede's back is something they have to consider, but it shouldn't prevent the Sox from extending Crede.
"Fortunately, Joe has really been able to manage and maintain his back since he originally hurt it last season. That gives us a lot of optimism about his future. As more time goes on and answers are given to us, we'll entertain the idea [of a multiyear deal] to a greater degree."
"Ultimately, the player is who has control of the situation. If you want to sign for this, you sign for this. If you want it to be handled by the agent, you let that happen. Ultimately, you also want to get the fair deal at the same time."
It's also a welcome change that we continue to hear about guys wanting to stay on the South Side in particular. It wasn't too long ago that you rarely, if ever, heard a player say it was most important for him to stay with the Sox. In the past few months we've heard it from Frank Thomas, Jon Garland, Paul Konerko, and now Crede. I have to think that Ozzie Guillen's presence has played at least a small part in this shift.
I still think it's in the Sox best interest to take the wait-and-see approach with Crede, especially since he said he would be open to negotiating during the season. If Crede's hitting .290 with 20 HRs at the All-Star break, it's time to lock him up; but if he's still the same model of inconsistency that we've watched over the last 3+ years, the Sox should just continue to give him one-year extensions to avoid arbitration.
Crede gets his $$$, now is he ready to breakout? - [South Side Sox]
Sox back to back talk - [Sun-Times]