RotoWorld

DeWayne Wise-OF- White Sox Mar. 13 - 8:16 pm et

 

DeWayne Wise went 2-for-6 with a homer and four RBI as the White Sox ripped the Padres 15-4 on Friday.

 

The White Sox started all three of their center-field candidates in this one. Brian Anderson also homered, while Jerry Owens managed just a single in five at-bats. Wise is hitting .391/.375/.652 in 23 at-bats so far, and he's drawn praise from manager Ozzie Guillen recently. Still, he's the weakest defender of the trio. Anderson is hitting .200/.306/.300 in 30 at-bats. Owens is at .200/.310/.200 and has been caught stealing on all three of his attempts. The numbers make Wise the favorite to start on Opening Day, but if you ask us, the White Sox should just go sign Jim Edmonds.

Interesting. But at 38 would you really get more mileage out of him than DeWayne Wise? Both are LH hitters.

same guy reject trade last yr to sox and then we got swisher

same guy reject trade last yr to sox and then we got swisher

 

Plus it wouldn't make sense. Wise has an upper hand because he's hitting well but also because he can leadoff potentially. Otherwise why not just plug in Anderson? Edmonds isn't needed...

Edmonds could be a nice stopgap. Wise isn't a lead off hitter and really Owens isn't either. Edmonds isn't the CF he used to be, but he is still better defensively than Wise, and throws much better than Owens, and is an upgrade of the Ken Griffey Jr. statue they set up in CF the second half of 2008. As far as rejecting coming to the White Sox before, he said he was given just a little window to make up his mind and didn't want to rush so he had to say no. I really think if KW was going to sign him, he would have been signed by now. He supposedly is high maintenence. KW and I agree the best of the 3 is BA, but either Ozzie doesn't agree or he believes the CF must be a guy batting first.

I'd be all for it. Edmonds would immediately be the best baseball player of all 4, and while he's old, platooning him out there in CF with Anderson, similar to how the cubs did it with Reed. I think if he could come in and give us 300+ AB's, a 15 homers, 50 rbi's, a BA around .240, and an OPS in the low .800's, as well as decent D in center, he'd be an upgrade over both Owens and Wise. And I don't think anyone wants Anderson to have CF all to himself.

Edmonds could be a nice stopgap. Wise isn't a lead off hitter and really Owens isn't either. Edmonds isn't the CF he used to be, but he is still better defensively than Wise, and throws much better than Owens, and is an upgrade of the Ken Griffey Jr. statue they set up in CF the second half of 2008. As far as rejecting coming to the White Sox before, he said he was given just a little window to make up his mind and didn't want to rush so he had to say no. I really think if KW was going to sign him, he would have been signed by now. He supposedly is high maintenence. KW and I agree the best of the 3 is BA, but either Ozzie doesn't agree or he believes the CF must be a guy batting first.

 

Ozzie understands the need for it to be that way unless you leadoff with Getz. What other choice does he have for a leadoff man?

I'll go on the record and say that Getz would be a better leadoff man then both Wise and Owens. Getz actually makes a ton of sense. Doesn't K much, has a great eye and can walk, has above average speed, and is a gap-to-gap line drive hitter.

I thought we wanted to get younger?

I thought we wanted to get younger?

 

Yes. But fielding the 9 best position players is the imperative. April 6 is not the time to see what the youngsters can do. NOW is.

 

If Wise continues his spring, he'll be the favorite - this scares me greatly.

 

(cough)...Gregor Blanco...(cough)

I agree. He is a better option than Wise and Owens and could make a nice platoon with BA. He raked with the Cubs last year.

I agree. He is a better option than Wise and Owens and could make a nice platoon with BA. He raked with the Cubs last year.

I wouldn't mind him platooning with BA, but the dude thought he was 'too cool' to play for the White Sox last year. I would rather look elsewhere. Until then i would like to see a Wise/Anderson platoon.

Edited March 14, 200917 yr by GreatScott82

Who else is out there that is available via FA or possibly via trade?

 

I just don't see how KW and Ozzie can be at all comfortable heading into this season with one of JO, BA, and DW manning centerfield. To me it just screams of thrift or an unwillingness to improve. I find it nearly impossible to believe that there isn't an affordable (either money or talent) alternative somewhere that can play defense and hit above .250.

 

While I truly appreciate the fact that DW is the only guy who is stepping up and trying to cease this opportunity, and do believe he's earned a roster spot, he's NOT starting CF material. As irresponsible as I think it is to have Beckham go north this year with the team, I like the Getz/Beckham/Ramirez(cf) option better than anything else if we can't go out and make an acquisition.

I'll go on the record and say that Getz would be a better leadoff man then both Wise and Owens. Getz actually makes a ton of sense. Doesn't K much, has a great eye and can walk, has above average speed, and is a gap-to-gap line drive hitter.

 

That's a lot of pressure for a young kid, but if Ozzie went that direction, and it resulted in Anderson in CF, I'd be for it. Still wouldn't make Edmonds a better option for us... Wise right now is earning the spot, so I have no problem breaking camp if his results continue. It's not like you couldn't adjust if he starts to struggle.

Depends on how much he costs. If it's under $6/2, okay.

I'd consider it for a one year deal. Heck, I was the one a few months ago suggesting we go sign Mark Kotsay on the cheap.

 

The reason I like the idea of picking up Edmonds... quality depth.

 

I just have a feeling that someone is going to get hurt this year. And if it's one of our middle of the lineup guys, our lineup could start looking pretty thin pretty fast.

 

Plus, I like the idea of having a lefty power bat who could play any outfield position or could fill in as DH if needed.

I'm not gonna say I don't like it...but he's SOOO FREAKING OLD! I was playing Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball on N64 the other day and I used him for the Home Run Derby.

Jim Edmonds would be a more productive leadoff hitter than Dewayne Wise.

I thought we wanted to get younger?

Because starting a 31 year old career minor leaguer in CF makes the team younger? It's not like Edmonds would be blocking some incredible young talent we have stashed away in AAA, he'd come in on a one year deal and give you a better chance at winning games than the other 30+ year old option currently on the roster.

On a minor league deal, you have to try it. If he's got nothing left you release him. Look at his OPS last year and tell me if one of the other three can come with 100 points of it.

 

Everyone hoped that Owens would step up and he hasn't. He's 28 years old. If it hasn't happened by now, he's not the long term answer. Wise is purely a bench player (truly, a minor leaguer) and Anderson is a lefty-killer. Platoon Edmonds and Anderson in Center, keep one of the speedy bad players on the bend, and find yourslef a long term solution in the offseason.

Who else is out there that is available via FA or possibly via trade?

 

I just don't see how KW and Ozzie can be at all comfortable heading into this season with one of JO, BA, and DW manning centerfield. To me it just screams of thrift or an unwillingness to improve. I find it nearly impossible to believe that there isn't an affordable (either money or talent) alternative somewhere that can play defense and hit above .250.

 

While I truly appreciate the fact that DW is the only guy who is stepping up and trying to cease this opportunity, and do believe he's earned a roster spot, he's NOT starting CF material. As irresponsible as I think it is to have Beckham go north this year with the team, I like the Getz/Beckham/Ramirez(cf) option better than anything else if we can't go out and make an acquisition.

 

(hacking cough)...Gregor Blanco...(hacking cough)

(hacking cough)...Gregor Blanco...(hacking cough)

 

 

Oh yeah, or David Cook.

(hacking cough)...Gregor Blanco...(hacking cough)

What makes you think the Sox would be able to acquire him without giving up the farm? The Braves need him in CF this year and it'll take a lot more than a fair offer to pry him away. Heyward isn't ready and Schaffer doesn't appear to be either.

 

Edmonds is a nice option and I agree with the other poster who said he'd be the best of the 4, but I'd favor a situation that left Anderson as the starter with Kroeger as the backup. If nothing else, I'd like to see Anderson build some trade value this season. In my world, Wise would compete with Kroeger for the 4th OF job and Owens would be on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.

I don't see Edmonds being a fit.

 

IMO, it all boils down to whether Getz [provided he's the starter] can hit and get on base enough to hit leadoff after a few months. The Sox are going to keep him hitting down in the order to start the year. But like the Twins did with Span, they switched him mid year after starting the year with Carlos Gomez. Having Getz hit .280 with a .350 OBP isn't that big of a stretch.

 

If the sox have to make a move by the deadline for someone to play CF and hit leadoff, after all the options haven't panned out, some guys will be available as teams look to shed payroll.

 

What I think will happen is the sox will be fine with Getz/ Alexei/ AJ in the top two spots in May or June, and Anderson will be playing the majority of time in CF hitting 8th.