Cubune article coming up plus a Joe Crede daughter update,

 

MESA, Ariz. -- Whenever the topic of White Sox center fielder is raised, everyone is mentioned but the starter.

 

Aaron Rowand ha7d three hits Saturday to lift his spring average to .571 in 21 at-bats.

 

"I think [Rowand] has been the best player we've had in spring training overall," Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He's stealing bases, making the plays in the outfield and having good at-bats. He's my center fielder right now."

 

But Rowand constantly hears he will lose the job to Joe Borchard, Jeremy Reed or Brian Anderson.

 

And anytime a center fielder is on the trading block, the Sox inevitably are mentioned as a team that would be interested.

 

"I really don't care," Rowand said of the speculation. "I'm just going to go out and play my game every day and let the chips fall where they may."

 

Speaking of Borchard …

 

Not wanting to risk him being hurt at the start of the season, the Sox are going to give Borchard time to rest his left quad. Borchard hasn't played since being a DH Wednesday. He has had just three at-bats this spring with two hits. The limited at-bats Borchard will get the rest of spring make it likely he'll begin the season in Triple-A Charlotte.

 

Odds and ends

 

Miguel Olivo was originally in the starting lineup but had some lower abdominal pain because of kidney stones and didn't play. … Maybe it was just a coincidence, but Neal Cotts drilled the Cubs' Nic Jackson with a pitch a couple innings after Jackson went hard into second baseman Willie Harris on a force-out. … Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was in attendance. Frank Thomas, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee were not. … Of Jose Valentin's first eight hits this spring, six are for extra bases—two homers, two triples and two doubles for a 1.000 slugging percentage.

 

Crede's daughter OK

 

Guillen said Joe Crede's daughter, Anna, is doing well after being hit with a foul ball Friday. "I think they have to wake her every two, three hours, but everything is OK," said Guillen, who gave Crede Saturday off. …

Guillen said Joe Crede's daughter, Anna, is doing well after being hit with a foul ball Friday. "I think they have to wake her every two, three hours, but everything is OK," said Guillen, who gave Crede Saturday off. …

That would still scare me, that's if his daughter always sleeps alot.

Very good article in the Sun-Times about Rowand today.

Seems that a baseball card made Rowand see what he was doing wrong.

He's hitting VERY well right now, and I hope he keeps it up.

He's a very important part of this team's success this year.

I love Rowand, I love that he's a little white guy with an amazing work ethic. I think he's gonna break out this year and become a solid major league outfielder. not a superstar, but certainly not the liability that a lot of people have portrayed him as after Everett left.

I love Rowand, I love that he's a little white guy with an amazing work ethic.

But he's not white..

Last off season I spent a lot of time on this board defending Carlos Lee against a flood of Lee-bashers. This off season, Rowand's been the guy and I hope ARow comes through like Carlos did. I believe he will.