Andruw Jones says he wants to compete for a starting job on the Sox. KW got him for bench help. Now the suggestion is he might be a starter in 2010 if he reports to camp in shape. What does that say about our OF? Did Andruw fail to report the last 2 or so seasons in shape and that's why he couldn't hit above .220? Is his stating even a realsitic option? Or is he a role player as has been suggested? Some might think the Sox are really desperate if Jones ends up being a starting OF'er. Is Danks a beter option? Pods being resigned better?

Edited December 6, 200916 yr by elrockinMT

Good for him he wants to start. Bad for the White Sox if he does.

I'm fine with it if he tears it up in spring training. We'll definitely need a plan B if he doesn't continue his success.

Tell him to lose 30 lbs and then we will talk.

From The Hardball Times, an interesting article about Jones.

 

"I am, however, bringing up this comparison to note two things. The first, and the most obvious and talked-about in the past, is that perhaps Jones isn't completely done after all."

 

"The second point of the comparison is to say that Jones may have positioned himself not only to succeed in 2010, but to market himself as a starting option in free agency next year."

 

Full article: http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_art...sing-white-sox/

It's December 6. I'm not going to even give this a second thought. If around March we're hearing rumblings of Andruw Jones starting then we have a MAJOR problem.

The Chicago White Sox are not the kind of organization that runs garbage players out as everyday starters in Center Field, sorry Andrew.

The Chicago White Sox are not the kind of organization that runs garbage players out as everyday starters in Center Field, sorry Andrew.

 

LOL

The Chicago White Sox are not the kind of organization that runs garbage players out as everyday starters in Center Field, sorry Andrew.

You may have missed the list of CFs the Sox have been running out there recently.

The Chicago White Sox are not the kind of organization that runs garbage players out as everyday starters in Center Field, sorry Andrew.

 

Darren Erstad, Rob Mackowiak, Brian Anderson, Andy Gonzalez, Luis Terrero, Dewayne Wise, Jerry Owens, Brent Lillibridge,

 

Ken Griffey Jr. well past his prime,

 

Pods after he was out of the majors for over a year.

 

 

I'd say Jones has a great chance to be our starting CF.

You may have missed the list of CFs the Sox have been running out there recently.

 

I'm assuming that was sarcasm.

A few people need their sarcasm detectors checked

Throwing out the idea of Jones starting strikes me as more "Pods, we're ready to move on without ya, Buddy, one way or the other" public posturing in order to get Pods to bring down his current contract demands. Somewhat similar to the leaking of the interest in Coco Crisp a couple of weeks ago. This will probably play out for a little while longer, but I think at the end of the day, we'll have Pods back at lead-off and strictly in left field, with Jones serving as the 4th outfielder and part time DH against certain lefthanders. That is based on a not-too-far-out assumption that someone in the Thome/Matsui mode will eventually be brought in to be the DH.

If Andruw comes back in shape I will predict a Comeback player of the year award.

 

I feel like a probably have made this statement a couple times before so eh...

A few people need their sarcasm detectors checked

 

Isn't that why we have green?

 

But still, pretty obvious he was kidding guys.

 

It'd be like saying "The Bears are not the type of organization to use sub-par Quarterbacks"

I wouldnt want the guy on my team if he didn't want to be a starter.

I wouldnt want the guy on my team if he didn't want to be a starter.

That. So he wants to start, hopefully that means he comes to camp ready to go.

I wouldnt want the guy on my team if he didn't want to be a starter.

 

That's all fine and dandy. I'm sure Brent Lillibridge would like to start. Long as Ozzie doesn't give two s***s on whether he wants to start or not is all that matters.

Throwing out the idea of Jones starting strikes me as more "Pods, we're ready to move on without ya, Buddy, one way or the other" public posturing in order to get Pods to bring down his current contract demands. Somewhat similar to the leaking of the interest in Coco Crisp a couple of weeks ago. This will probably play out for a little while longer, but I think at the end of the day, we'll have Pods back at lead-off and strictly in left field, with Jones serving as the 4th outfielder and part time DH against certain lefthanders. That is based on a not-too-far-out assumption that someone in the Thome/Matsui mode will eventually be brought in to be the DH.

 

 

I am leaning that way. Pods is still an option for the Sox I think, but they want him to be realistic about his price tag

I wouldnt want the guy on my team if he didn't want to be a starter.

 

 

You do want to see some fire, but I am not sure Jones has much left beyond a back up role do you?

It's really quite pointless to speculate about the lineup when we've yet to even reach the Winter Meetings and a free agent signed to a backup position saying he'd like to earn a starting job and the talkative player's manager stating it's a possibility because the team has yet to find their 'true' DH as of December 6th is basically a non-story.

 

If you want to freak out about something from the Merkin article it should be this:

 

"Everyone is going to play," Guillen said. "Right now, we don't have a true DH, so I have a chance to move people. I can put (Omar) Vizquel at DH and as leadoff hitter if we don't have one. There's (Mark) Kotsay, (Paul) Konerko, Andruw, Vizquel, even (Mark) Teahen.

 

Yeah, that's a double whammy of suck.

You do want to see some fire, but I am not sure Jones has much left beyond a back up role do you?

He's only 33 years old and he did show the ability is still there in the first 4 months of the season in a limited role last year, it's not out of the realm of possibility that he could put up an .800+ OPS as a semi-full time DH in 2010.

A few people need their sarcasm detectors checked

ohhhh.....a sarcasm detector? now theres a useful invention

 

Darren Erstad, Rob Mackowiak, Brian Anderson, Andy Gonzalez, Luis Terrero, Dewayne Wise, Jerry Owens, Brent Lillibridge,

 

Ken Griffey Jr. well past his prime,

 

Pods after he was out of the majors for over a year.

 

 

I'd say Jones has a great chance to be our starting CF.

 

 

Jones has a good chance to show people he still can play baseball. With being signed early, and a legitimate shot to see some playing time at DH and in the field [he won't start, but could if someone went down], he has no reason to come into camp out of shape. Having a motivated, in shape Jones can only help the sox.