For injury-prone Quentin, staying healthy a big issue
When he's healthy, Carlos Quentin is a destructive force in the middle of the White Sox' lineup.
Problem is, the 27-year-old right fielder can't seem to prevent himself from destroying his own body.
Arriving at training camp this spring in great shape and ready to get rolling again after being limited to 99 games last season due to foot and knee injuries, Quentin stayed healthy for three whole weeks before coming out of Tuesday's Cactus League game with a sore left shoulder.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen brushed off the latest boo-boo, but any Quentin injury is a cause for concern.
After an off-season of intensive training designed to keep him on the field, Quentin reported to spring training three days early, worked out for five hours with conditioning coach Allen Thomas and said: "I worked really hard and took certain steps to feel like I can maintain my health through the season."
Can he stay healthy for 162 games? Quentin's track record strongly suggests otherwise.
Last year, the 6-foot-2, 235-pounder was on the disabled list for nearly two months with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
In 2008, he fractured his right wrist after punching his bat in anger on Sept. 1 and was sidelined for the rest of the season and playoffs.
In 2007, when he played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Quentin missed a month with a sore hamstring and later needed surgery to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
What if he does stay healthy? Quentin's ability was something to behold over the first five months of the 2008 season.
The former Stanford All-American batted .288 and had 36 home runs and 100 RBI in just 130 games. Had he stayed under control after striking out against the Indians' Cliff Lee in the first game of September, Quentin likely would have been crowned American League MVP.
The tightly-wound outfielder was downright bubbly when he reported to camp this spring. How long is that going to last? Until April 5, when the White Sox open the regular season against Cleveland at U.S. Cellular Field.
Quentin has a strict routine he follows during the season, and that includes little or no communication with the media and even his teammates.
How many times is he going to get hit by pitches this season? Quentin hangs over the plate and dares opposing pitchers to throw inside.
It's a fearless approach, and a painful one. Quentin was hit by pitches 20 times in 2008, which led the AL. He was hit 15 times last season.
He's considered strapping on some "body armor" but Quentin has previously said the protective gear is too restrictive.
What about the shift for left field to right? Left field is the easiest outfield position to play, and right is the most difficult.
Still, Quentin is looking forward to the switch.
He played right field for the Diamondbacks and at Stanford, and was a center fielder in high school.
"Left field was an adjustment," Quentin said. "I came up as a right fielder, and that's where I feel the most comfortable."
Who else can play right field? The versatile Mark Kotsay played 12 games in right last season and didn't commit an error. Andruw Jones started 5 games in right field with the Texas Rangers last year.
AL's bestWhere we rank the top right fielders:1. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners2. Michael Cuddyer, Twins3. Nick Markakis, Orioles6. CARLOS QUENTIN, WHITE SOXFalse20001407The White Sox hope Carlos Quentin returns to his 2008 form, when he drove in 100 runs in 130 games.Associated PressFalse