What do we do with this?

Trade Ozuna.

Trade Ozuna.

I was probably one of the few guys on this forum that actually believed we should have given BA a real chance this year and NOT signed Hunter or traded for a CF. I still think the guy has a world of talent and will be a legit CF soon, but now with the Swisher trade the guy is playing for a trade, essentially.

 

In any event, with Owens seemingly improving there is no opportunity for him to make the team despite what Ozzie or KW say at this point. The effects of signing Grinderstad continue...

 

Does anyone really believe he has a chance at making the team this year? I guess we could send him down again and call him up in case someone gets injured, but I have to admit I think the guy deserves his chance at the bigs this year. The problem is, however, we won't get much for him at all.

 

And for those that will say he had his chance in 2006, well, sure, that is correct, however he showed improvement in the second half and a more mature BA in 2008 figures to be a much better ball player.

 

A risk? Yes. But no one can argue with his talent. We stuck with Ventura through an 0 for 41 and we should've stuck with BA's miserable 2006 and now we're left with no choice but to get virtually nothing for a guy who I believe will be a bonafide CF for 7-10 yrs to come.

He has a career .299/.357/.465/822 line in Spring Training. He's a decent player, decent players almost always produce in March. Spring Training is pretty much glorified batting practice, if you're not putting up good numbers then there's probably something wrong with you.

He's a scrub. Getting a couple hits in spring training in a couple games doesn't automatically make him good. If he wants to earn another shot, he needs to tear the cover off the ball in Charlotte, and then maybe he'll get called up and given another shot.

Trade BA yesterday, before somebody realizes he still can't hit major league pitching.

I would take him as a 4th OF over Owens any day of the week on this team.

I would take him as a 4th OF over Owens any day of the week on this team.

 

why?

 

Id kill for BA to actually develop into a .270+ hitter with 20 homers, 10-20 sbs...with his defense he'd be killer just by being an average hitter.

I would love to see Brian Anderson develop into a real good hitting OF'er with the Sox. It always makes me feel good about our organization when home grown talent makes it with the Sox

Id kill for BA to actually develop into a .270+ hitter with 20 homers, 10-20 sbs...with his defense he'd be killer just by being an average hitter.

 

Kind of like a Tori Hunter mold. With our team's makeup and outfield depth, even this probably wouldn't make him a starter. In 06 and 07 it would have awesome. Now with our leadoff needs, it seems he's destined to be a 5th outfielder for us, or trade bait.

Kind of like a Tori Hunter mold. With our team's makeup and outfield depth, even this probably wouldn't make him a starter. In 06 and 07 it would have awesome. Now with our leadoff needs, it seems he's destined to be a 5th outfielder for us, or trade bait.

 

Agree. He is a victim of numbers here. Also, players like Burgeious and Ramirez are/can/may play the OF as well. We have tons of decent OFs, but with no really good CF (not sure how Swish will be there, but if anyone can make it work he can). And I still don't like the idea of Swisher being the leadoff hitter, although I suppose his OPB is what the Sox are looking for there, but still.

 

 

With the young inexperienced pitchers he should start and play centerfield everyday. We need the best possible defense out there everyday and Anderson is head and shoulders above anyone we have.

 

His offense is more assured than Owens and Quintin/Owens and Swisher in left and center really bring down our defense.

 

This organization takes winter ball more seriously than the regular season (I am only half joking).

 

 

There is no doubt in my mind that Anderson has the biggest upside of anyone on this team in the CF group. I think both Ozzie and Kenny know that. If he really did come to camp with his head screwed on straight, he benefits this team by huge amounts if he can open as our CF. If nothing else, maybe the money that a guy like Rowand got for being the type of player that Anderson should be will motivating enough to him to fly straight. Plus you know Kenny wants to be able to say he picked the right CF out of the log jam of CFs (Rowand, Anderson, Sweeney, and Young) that we had at one time. That alone convinces me that Anderson will get a real shot if he has reformed himself.

Id kill for BA to actually develop into a .270+ hitter with 20 homers, 10-20 sbs...with his defense he'd be killer just by being an average hitter.

Lets see him do it in the minors first.

Lets see him do it in the minors first.

 

 

You don't think he could win a job with a great spring?

How many options does Brian Anderson and Jerry Owens have?

why?

Cause BA is better suited to be a 4th OF and Owens is better suited to run track.

Cause BA is better suited to be a 4th OF and Owens is better suited to run track.

 

As of now, Owens has proved himself the superior hitter. I wish Anderson proves himself better, but to this point he has not.

 

 

If we were to chart Anderson v. Owens, I suspect it would chart out like this:

 

Owens is better in hitting, speed

Anderson is better defensively

 

Neither has power.

 

There are not a lot of light hitting defensive outfielders in MLB. The last one that comes to mind is former White Sox Darren Lewis.

As of now, Owens has proved himself the superior hitter. I wish Anderson proves himself better, but to this point he has not.

I don't agree. Neither has proved anything. It would probably shock most that Anderson hit over .300 with and OPS over .800 for July and August 2006 combined. He put together 2 consecutive months of hitting. Owens hasn't.

If we were to chart Anderson v. Owens, I suspect it would chart out like this:

 

Owens is better in hitting, speed

Anderson is better defensively

 

Neither has power.

 

There are not a lot of light hitting defensive outfielders in MLB. The last one that comes to mind is former White Sox Darren Lewis.

 

Except that Brian Anderson does have power. In fact, his major league slugging percentage is much higher than Owens' slugging and it's almost higher than his minor league slugging percentage too. And he's a .220 career major league hitter.

 

If he can hit about .250, he'd slug .400 and that's a pretty damn good 4th outfielder. It's not a stretch to see him hit .250. Add to it that he's better defensively and actually has the talent to still develop into a starter, and I too would prefer Anderson on the bench over Owens.

 

But I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Owens either.

Except that Brian Anderson does have power. In fact, his major league slugging percentage is much higher than Owens' slugging and it's almost higher than his minor league slugging percentage too. And he's a .220 career major league hitter.

 

There is a difference between having power and having more power than Jerry Owens.

I don't agree. Neither has proved anything. It would probably shock most that Anderson hit over .300 with and OPS over .800 for July and August 2006 combined. He put together 2 consecutive months of hitting. Owens hasn't.

And he hit .257 in the second half as I recall in total with a piss poor September. In my mind this kid will be able to hit .270+ with 15-20 hrs and play great D if he got a full shot. He is too talented not too, it just won't be on the White Sox, we've already made our bed on this issue. I don't see how he fits anywhere on this team no matter what he does in ST. They seem too high on Quentin and you know they want the speed guy in Owens leading off if they can justify it. The only way he makes the team is if one of those guys goes on the DL or Owens has a horrible ST.

 

Unfortunately...right now, after the Swisher trade, the Sox have 3 OF's who are in a better position to receive playing time before Anderson. After Anderson's struggles in the big leagues, I think you'd have to be crazy to put Anderson ahead of Quentin in the rotation unless Quentin is still hurt, and so far he doesn't seem to be.