I a recent article, Kenny Williams insisted that he wasn't about to give up on the season, trading departing veterans for up-and-coming prospects or young impact players. Why?
I've never seen the White Sox so lifeless for such an extended period of time. In the last 15 days, they've won 3 games, averaging 3.15 runs/game with a collective batting line of .232/.295/.324. That included a well publicized week-long stretch during which they collected just one hit off of opposing relievers, a stat made all the worse when it's noted that twice they saw 6 innings of an opponents bullpen in one game.
During that stretch... (hitters -- pitchers)
- White Sox catchers hit .191/.224/.213 with 4 GIDPs
- White Sox third basemen hit .174/.204/.261
- White Sox center fielders hit .173/.189/.269
- White Sox second basemen had zero extra base hits, or one less than White Sox right fielders, or three less than White Sox DH's.
- White Sox batters hit 23 extra-base hits, while their opponents hit 42.
- Opponents outscored the Sox 79-41.
- White Sox batters hit .131/.212/.197 off of opposing relievers.'
This isn't just an isolated two-week stretch either. I could expand the dates and go on listing disgusting stats ad nauseam. For all of our sakes, I'm going to refrain from that self-destructive behavior.
Tuesday's game was just another in a long line of woefully lackluster performances. Chien-Ming Wang held the Sox to just 5 hits, all singles, with the Sox offensive highlight coming on a groundout.
Josh Fields was impatient in his 2007 debut, seeing only 8 pitches in his three at-bats. Of course, he was not alone against Wang, as the Sox averaged just 3.3 pitches per plate appearance. I was particularly disappointed in Fields though. In his lone at-bat in which he cracked the 3-pitch barrier, he reached for ball 4 on a 3-1 count, grounding out routinely to Derek Jeter. Normally, I'd be happy that he was putting the ball in play, but against Wang, that's not too difficult and it's exactly what he wants you to do.
The Sox have one more game with the Yanks tomorrow before they get to look respectable against the National League for 2 weeks. If they somehow manage to lose more than they win against the Astros, Phillies, Marlins, Pirates, and Cubs, there will be no way for the front office to deny that it's time to get some new, young talent into the organization. At least we've got the draft tomorrow. There will be some new blood in the organization one way or another.
Sounds like Crede really was hurting for longer than we were aware. It sounds like he'll at least require a "small incision in which fluid is sucked out" of his herniated back that would require about 2 months out of the line-up, and could require a true disc surgery that would keep him out for the rest of the season, presumably ending his White Sox career.
Though at that point, what could you get for Crede through a trade? It would either be non-tender time or Fields in LF or Charlotte.