This might be a negative prediction, but I think Pods will keep getting injured this year, and eventually be replaced by Jerry Owens.

 

At first he will platoon with Rob M, but he will eventually flourish into a great leadoff man down the stretch, and into the playoffs. Can anyone else see this happening too?

Not really, no.

Jerry Owens...who is currently hitting a dynamite .224 at AAA.

If Owens replaced Pods he would be playing LF. Yes LF not CF. But anyways, I'm thinking Owens won't be on the major league team all summer.

I guess my underlying point is that Pods has not been healthy for almost a year, and when hes not healthy, he is not half the player he can be.

 

That being said, it is not inconceivable to see him get injured again this year. If that does happen, Owens would be a logical call up.

This will never happen unless Owens actually proves that he deserves to be in the majors, which is something he has yet to do in AAA.

Owens' best chance for a call-up involving playing time is September IF the Sox have a comfortable lead in the Central Division. Other than that, if he's called up in September in a pennant race, his main role will be pinch runner. This is of course assuming no major injuries happen.

A great source of mine saw Owens play over the wknd, and he was throroughly unimpressed with him. He's able to watch hundreds of AAA players each year, and he said that Owens looked worse than Willie Harris at the plate. He did think that Sweeney looked to have impressive ability, he just needs to get stronger.

Kind of off-topic, but has Chris Young made it back from his hand injury to start playing in the D-Back farm system yet?

Kind of off-topic, but has Chris Young made it back from his hand injury to start playing in the D-Back farm system yet?

According to MiLB.com, he's hitless in 7 AB's (2 games) with one strikeout.

I'll have a detailed report on Owens when I see him next month here in Louisville when the Knights come to town.

 

May try to talk to him as well for FutureSox.

I disagree that Owens will replace Pods. However, I do agree with the underlying reasoning. I am a bit concerned with his number of caught stealings thus far. I do not like being suspicious but I am not so sure his speed is back to where it was a year ago when he was running the opposition to frustration. I think we could easily see Podsednik back on the DL for a stint or two this year due to a nagging condition. I also could easily see that leading to the white sox acquiring another leadoff man to replace him in 2007. Again, all this speculation could be us torturing ourselves, but I am not 100% sold on his clean bill of health.

ha.  30 posts and already known as the worst poster in soxtalk history.

 

Not even close to the worst ever. Not even the worst this past week.

What about Paulo?

ok, not the worst poster ever. sorry, forgot to take my meds. no chance in hell that owens STARTS this season... let alone makes it up here for anything more than September callups. The sox signed Mack for this reason. If Pods is down, Mackowiak plays left field. It's as simple as that.

 

PS, for how "awful" Podsednik has been playing (remember, no spring training) he's still hitting better than Brian Anderson... so if anyone gets replaced, its him.*

 

*not saying that I think Anderson won't turn it around, bc I would be willing to bet he finishes this season around .250-.260.

In all honesty I would much rather call up Ryan Sweeny or Blakely rather than Owens at this point.