May 14, 201213 yr http://www.csnchicago.com/baseball-chicago...tm_medium=email Where will Dunn play this weekend? May 13, 2012, 3:35 pm TONY ANDRACKI Ahhh, Interleague play. When NL teams move to the AL, pitchers no longer have to hit. But when AL teams move to NL parks, they lose the designated hitter, making for some interesting lineups. What are AL managers to do? Sit one of their best bats all series, or stick a guy out in the field at a position he has no business playing? First-year White Sox manager Robin Ventura already has a solution when his team heads to the North Side this weekend for the first edition of the Crosstown Classic. Adam Dunn will play left field. Yep, seriously. He can't play first, since Paul Konerko will be there and he's just as vital to the White Sox lineup (or maybe more so) as Dunn is. Dunn has some experience playing outfield. But, that "experience" has been an adventure, as Dunn was widely considered one of the worst defensive players in all of baseball when he played in the National League. He last played left field in 2009 with the Nationals. Wrigley Field is no Fenway Park, so at least Dunn doesn't have to contend with the Green Monster. If he does, indeed, play left field as Ventura intimates, then Dunn also wouldn't have to deal with the sun as much, since right field typically gets hit harder in that area as the sun sets. Either way, this should make for an interesting weekend.
May 14, 201213 yr Good. I'd hate to lose his bat to have that waste of money Viciedo out there playing defense just about as poorly.
May 14, 201213 yr The way Dunn is playing this year, he has to be in the lineup. I'm not sure the Sox lose much defensively with Dunn vs. Viciedo anyway.
May 14, 201213 yr Author QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2012 -> 10:16 AM) He played RF last year. He hasn't played LF in a regular season game since 2009. He played two in RF last year.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2012 -> 03:16 PM) He played RF last year. Is RF better for Dunn since that is where he last played the OF? If that is where he may have some comfort level move Rios to LF for the series. We need Dunn's bat and can always remove him late for defensive purposes
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (elrockinMT @ May 14, 2012 -> 11:47 AM) Is RF better for Dunn since that is where he last played the OF? If that is where he may have some comfort level move Rios to LF for the series. We need Dunn's bat and can always remove him late for defensive purposes It's going to be a disaster anywhere you play him, you jsut hope that he doesn't have too many balls come his way over the 4-5 games you put him out there over the season, because there's going to be an error or two at the least.
May 14, 201213 yr Author QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 10:55 AM) It's going to be a disaster anywhere you play him, you jsut hope that he doesn't have too many balls come his way over the 4-5 games you put him out there over the season, because there's going to be an error or two at the least. Which isn't that different than Viciedo in LF.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 14, 2012 -> 11:57 AM) Which isn't that different than Viciedo in LF. Honestly, I expected Viciedo to be a lot worse out there than he has been so far.
May 14, 201213 yr Author QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 10:58 AM) Honestly, I expected Viciedo to be a lot worse out there than he has been so far. His reads have been awful this year.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 10:58 AM) Honestly, I expected Viciedo to be a lot worse out there than he has been so far. Really? I have a hard time envisioning a LF playing worse.
May 14, 201213 yr Author QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 14, 2012 -> 11:05 AM) Really? I have a hard time envisioning a LF playing worse. The only thing he hasn't really done is flat out drop a ball.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 14, 2012 -> 11:08 AM) The only thing he hasn't really done is flat out drop a ball. At least Pierre would get to the balls last year, then drop them. It's hard to drop them when you misread them and they all bounce in front of you.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 14, 2012 -> 11:09 AM) At least Pierre would get to the balls last year, then drop them. It's hard to drop them when you misread them and they all bounce in front of you. LMAO!!!! So true, so true. He'd get there, but...
May 14, 201213 yr I think Viciedo hasn't been THAT bad. Not league average, but he really reminds of 2008 Quentin out there.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 04:55 PM) It's going to be a disaster anywhere you play him, you jsut hope that he doesn't have too many balls come his way over the 4-5 games you put him out there over the season, because there's going to be an error or two at the least. Oh yee of little faith
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 03:55 PM) It's going to be a disaster anywhere you play him, you jsut hope that he doesn't have too many balls come his way over the 4-5 games you put him out there over the season, because there's going to be an error or two at the least. Might as well play Dunn. Viciedo is an automatic out and is nothing special on defense. Team is going nowhere so might as well play Dunn to make the game more fun. He might hit a batch of bombs vs. the Flubs. Viciedo not so much. With Dunn as hot as he is with the long ball, he needs to get a ton of at bats in interleague play. Edited May 14, 201213 yr by greg775
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 03:58 PM) Honestly, I expected Viciedo to be a lot worse out there than he has been so far. I don't think he's been bad at all. Rios has been good out there, and De Aza has been a massive disappointment defensively.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (fathom @ May 14, 2012 -> 04:12 PM) I don't think he's been bad at all. Rios has been good out there, and De Aza has been a massive disappointment defensively. He should be in LF. He would be a plus defender out there, but then everyone else in the OF would have to be shifted again.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (SoxAce @ May 14, 2012 -> 06:04 PM) He should be in LF. He would be a plus defender out there, but then everyone else in the OF would have to be shifted again. He hasn't been as bad as the couple big mistake plays he's made in CF would suggest, he's shown good range out there, and frnakly, he's still effectively a rookie out there, so he does have room to grow into that position.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 14, 2012 -> 11:05 AM) Really? I have a hard time envisioning a LF playing worse. Then you've never seen Dunn "play" LF.
May 14, 201213 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 14, 2012 -> 05:05 PM) He hasn't been as bad as the couple big mistake plays he's made in CF would suggest, he's shown good range out there, and frnakly, he's still effectively a rookie out there, so he does have room to grow into that position. He has played 270 career minor league games at CF (the most out of every other position) and was a -16. (LF +7) He certainly had his drops/misplays back then, but he was much better (range wise) at LF. I liked him alot when he was playing for the Hammerheads. But unless the sox trust Rios at CF again, or if they stopped dicking around with Viciedo's development at a position for 3 years (I was adamant on Tank playing RF for years), he would be much more tolerable. I have no idea what people here were expecting, and admittedly, I haven't watched much sox games this year due to work (so no idea what his UZR looks like this year, or from the eye test so I'm going by what posters like fathom and others say) but if he's still the same guy I saw/remember back in 06-07, he will be serviceable in CF. (but he is a much better LF) Edited May 14, 201213 yr by SoxAce
May 14, 201213 yr Vicido has been fine defensively in LF. The problem is De Aza is not a CF'er. The only Sox CF'er who I can remember playing as deep as De Aza was Griffey, Jr. and he was 39 at the time.
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