Gordon Beckham Called Up

[ILMOU]

I disagree, he MAY hit 2nd, but our future leadoff guy is probably Danks2

 

I'm with you Rock. I should have qualified it by saying "until JorDanks arrives".

 

The lineup I'd like to see post ASB:

 

1. Beckham 3B

2. Getz (a lot to prove still, granted, but a good handler of the bat, and you just KNOW Ozzie will love bunting GB over to 3rd after those leadoff doubles, to get that 1-0 lead. Needs to get steady AB's soon, so we know what we have, or don't have)

3. Q

4. JD

5. Thome

6. Paulie

7. Missile

8. AJP

9. BA (His potentially good OBP will help the lineup turnover, while his terrible situational hitting will do the least damage here)

 

I've ALMOST given up on Fields, but I can see him as backing up 3B and 1B, as well as occasional DH against lefties - though Thome's been hitting LHP better of late. I think he's trade fodder, not that anything good will be sent our way for him. His chances of becoming a valuable piece in a trade are nearly gone.

 

 

[Chicago White Sox]

I'm with you Rock. I should have qualified it by saying "until JorDanks arrives".

 

The lineup I'd like to see post ASB:

 

1. Beckham 3B

2. Getz (a lot to prove still, granted, but a good handler of the bat, and you just KNOW Ozzie will love bunting GB over to 3rd after those leadoff doubles, to get that 1-0 lead. Needs to get steady AB's soon, so we know what we have, or don't have)

3. Q

4. JD

5. Thome

6. Paulie

7. Missile

8. AJP

9. BA (His potentially good OBP will help the lineup turnover, while his terrible situational hitting will do the least damage here)

 

I've ALMOST given up on Fields, but I can see him as backing up 3B and 1B, as well as occasional DH against lefties - though Thome's been hitting LHP better of late. I think he's trade fodder, not that anything good will be sent our way for him. His chances of becoming a valuable piece in a trade are nearly gone.

 

I don’t like moving Alexei out of the 2-hole. He’s been extremely productive there, especially with his speed and improved walk-rate this season. Once Quentin comes back, I think you got to keep riding Pods in the leadoff spot (and unfortunately in CF) until he gets injured or unproductive. At that point, you hope that Beckham or Getz has shown enough to hit one of them at leadoff and put BA in CF. As for Q himself, I’d hit him 6th until he gets his s*** together and then move him back to 3rd in the lineup. I really like the idea of the high-OBP of a healthy Quentin (if even possible this season) and Thome in front of Dye, Konerko and AJ.

[VAfan]

I think it is a smart move to bring Beckham up now, when he's hot, and the Sox in need of an offensive jolt.

 

To maximize his value, I believe Beckham should get most of his playing time at 2B. Getz, frankly, is likely hitting about as well as he's going to hit. .248/.309/.307/.616. He might be able to up his average a bit and with it his OBP, but his slugging is never going to get out of the low .300s. His OBP is also too poor to hit him at the top of the lineup.

 

At 3B, Josh Fields is hitting only slightly better than Getz. .244/.309.331/.640. But in 2007, he posted .244/.308/.480./.788, when he hit 17 doubles and 23 HRs. So the potential upside with Fields fixing the hitch in his swing is much higher than Getz's will ever be. For this reason, Fields should be given more time to right himself. Of course, now that Betemit is gone, Fields will also get some time backing up Paul Konerko and subbing for Jim Thome at DH.

 

Of course, Beckham can't be the complete savior because he can only fix one position on the field. The Sox still have DeWayne Wise on the roster for some unknown reason, and they'll have Getz around, even though he should be the third choice at 2B, behind Beckham and Nix, which is the only position he can play. That means dead weight for two offensive positons. Wise can be let go when Quentin returns, but what will force Getz back to AAA?

 

The other question is where do you hit Beckham in the lineup? For the moment, I would put him in the bottom third to liven up that part of the order. I would also be playing Brian Anderson everyday down there, and Josh Fields. It wouldn't matter to me much where they hit. But I think in the not too distant future -- sometime this year -- the Sox would be well served to move Beckham to the #2 hole.

 

 

[Balta1701]

The other question is where do you hit Beckham in the lineup? For the moment, I would put him in the bottom third to liven up that part of the order. I would also be playing Brian Anderson everyday down there, and Josh Fields. It wouldn't matter to me much where they hit. But I think in the not too distant future -- sometime this year -- the Sox would be well served to move Beckham to the #2 hole.

Long term...let's say Beckham winds up a .300+, 25 HR ish type guy. In that case, an ideal top of the order in my eyes is: D2: the mighty Danks, Alexei, Beckham, Quentin. Q's power puts him as an ideal cleanup hitter, D2: the mighty Danks looks like our best shot at a legit leadoff hitter in some time, Alexei is a wonderful #2 hitter on paper (good speed, makes contract with everything, very low k's), and #3 is typically where you want your best hitter, and that should be Beckham.

[ILMOU]

I don’t like moving Alexei out of the 2-hole. He’s been extremely productive there, especially with his speed and improved walk-rate this season. Once Quentin comes back, I think you got to keep riding Pods in the leadoff spot (and unfortunately in CF) until he gets injured or unproductive. At that point, you hope that Beckham or Getz has shown enough to hit one of them at leadoff and put BA in CF. As for Q himself, I’d hit him 6th until he gets his s*** together and then move him back to 3rd in the lineup. I really like the idea of the high-OBP of a healthy Quentin (if even possible this season) and Thome in front of Dye, Konerko and AJ.

 

I don't disagree, but I'm expecting Pods to get injured, or otherwise have a dramatic drop-off. By all means, ride that horse until this happens. I'm expecting that by the ASB (37 games from now) things will be different. Q will be back to form, etc. The big unknown for me is Getz.

 

I also really like Lexi in the 2 hole, BTW, and had been calling for it all year, but I don't see Ozzie with two righties OR two lefties at the top of the order. Beckham could give us a Granderson/Rollins-like dynamic at the top of the order as an XBH machine.

 

[Chisoxfn]

Long term...let's say Beckham winds up a .300+, 25 HR ish type guy. In that case, an ideal top of the order in my eyes is: D2: the mighty Danks, Alexei, Beckham, Quentin. Q's power puts him as an ideal cleanup hitter, D2: the mighty Danks looks like our best shot at a legit leadoff hitter in some time, Alexei is a wonderful #2 hitter on paper (good speed, makes contract with everything, very low k's), and #3 is typically where you want your best hitter, and that should be Beckham.

Flowers would be a very prolific 5 hole hitter. He won't hit .300, but he might very well be a .275 hitter all while playing a premium defensive spot (note, I didn't say premium defense) with massive power and a very high OBP. I'd say Flowers has a shot to be Thome light offensively (ie, from Cleveland days) from the catching position.

[Balta1701]

Flowers would be a very prolific 5 hole hitter. He won't hit .300, but he might very well be a .275 hitter all while playing a premium defensive spot (note, I didn't say premium defense) with massive power and a very high OBP. I'd say Flowers has a shot to be Thome light offensively (ie, from Cleveland days) from the catching position.

After the top 4 in the order you really can start playing around with it, if you do it the way I'm thinking and we don't have a major bust. Flowers and Allen can both fit in there, Allen may well wind up hitting 5th long-term just because we want to get a LH batter in there to break up the righties. That'd slot Flowers/Viciedo/Fields down to 5 or 6.

[Chisoxfn]

After the top 4 in the order you really can start playing around with it, if you do it the way I'm thinking and we don't have a major bust. Flowers and Allen can both fit in there, Allen may well wind up hitting 5th long-term just because we want to get a LH batter in there to break up the righties. That'd slot Flowers/Viciedo/Fields down to 5 or 6.

Lets just take Fields out of that equation currently, but if all goes well you'd have to peg in Allen/Flowers/Viciedo or something along those lines, cause your right, we would need to get a lefty in there. Again, all iffs, but you at least have to think there is some serious offensive potential there.

[Balta1701]

Lets just take Fields out of that equation currently, but if all goes well you'd have to peg in Allen/Flowers/Viciedo or something along those lines, cause your right, we would need to get a lefty in there. Again, all iffs, but you at least have to think there is some serious offensive potential there.

Eh, I'm going to hold out hope that we can put Fields in to give us Rob Deer type numbers out of the 7 hole in the lineup and move Beckham to 2nd where I want his bat.

[Balta1701]

So Jake Peavy got 2000 posts, and Beckham has less than 500? For shame. :0)

Scientists track penguin poop from space.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Moment you've all been waiting for.

[rangercal]

[fathom]

Can anybody going to the game confirm what his walk up music is? It was "Your Love" by The Outfield while in B'ham.

 

Yes, same music today

[TitoMB345]

So, if this hasn't already been discussed, what do you guys think the relationship between Beckham's success and Kenny's job is, if any?

[Flash Tizzle]

So, if this hasn't already been discussed, what do you guys think the relationship between Beckham's success and Kenny's job is, if any?

There shouldn't be any relationship whether Beckham succeeds or not.

 

I've criticized our minor league system for years, but even if Beckham is a bust it shouldn't directly affect Williams' job. Gordon wasn't a stretch at #8 and has proven himself as a capable minor league player up through now.

 

If Williams has kept his job through the embarrassing drafts before 2008, he'll sure as hell keep it now, when a conscious effort has been undertaken to select high upside talent. Really, the results of the 2008 draft class, even outside of Beckham, have inspired confidence in me. I'm looking forward to this upcoming draft to see if they can continue drafting well; perhaps select a few overslot players.

 

What will decide Williams' fate more than anything is this team. Even then, I'd say it would take three straight 2007 seasons to can him.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Flash Tizzle

[The Ginger Kid]

I was surprised to read that not only was he called up but that he's been given the starting job at 3B and will stay there even if he struggles. Josh Fields will spell him occasionally and play some 1B and LF. Fields was not too happy, it sounds like.

[flavum]

Found this video they shot at his little league field. Kind of cool to see where people come from. Some funny stuff with the kids showing them how to hotdog it at shortstop.

 

http://www.truveo.com/Gordon-Beckham-2/id/1733800139