Looks like Viciedo's days with Sox are dwindling
Avisail Garcia went down on April 9 and Dayan Viciedo stepped up.
Opening the season as the White Sox' part-time left fielder, Viciedo shifted to right when Garcia injured his shoulder and he finished the first month of the season ranked near the top of the American League with a .348/.410/.528 hitting line.
Finally, it appeared, Viciedo was going to show everyone why the Sox signed him to a four-year, $10 million contract in 2008 after he defected from Cuba at the age of 19.
But following the impressive April, Viciedo has lapsed back into his predictable self.
He entered Tuesday night's game against Oakland with a .233/.278/.406 hitting line and serious concerns about his future with the White Sox beyond this season.
“If it is up to me, yes, absolutely,” Viciedo said through an interpreter when asked if he hopes to be back with the Sox in 2015. “I know it's something I don't control. I don't know what their plans are. If it's up to me, I'm thinking yes.”
As he nears the end of another uninspiring season, it's looking more and more like the White Sox are going to cut ties with the free-swinging Viciedo this winter.
Since he does have decent power numbers (19 home runs, 54 RBI), Viciedo has trade value.
But the chronically low on-base percentage and poor defensive play are the two main reasons the Sox were not able to deal Viciedo in July or August.
As usual, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn isn't tipping his hand in regards to Viciedo's future.
“It's premature to make any determinations about anybody at this point in saying ‘This player is definitely here; this player is definitely not,'” Hahn said. “Obviously, there are some high-end performers we've made no secret about being part of our core, a limited number of guys we feel are going to be a big part of future success here. Younger players, and I still include Viciedo in that group at age 25, we feel this month and for some of them this entire season has been an opportunity for them to show whether they belong in that group as well.
“As for any verdicts about who's in and who's out, that's something that's just going to have to be the basis of internal conversations and be reflective of our off-season moves. But Dayan's still young. He still obviously has that special power that we see on display. I think he's made some improvements in certain areas of his game that needed improvement. But to say at this point any verdict has been made would be premature.”
Viciedo was the Sox' designated hitter Tuesday night. Against the A's on Monday, he was playing left field and heard it from the crowd after letting a Coco Crisp routine flyball drop in front of him for a single.
“I don't know,” flustered manager Robin Ventura said. “You expect him to make that play.”
Viciedo hasn't played well in either corner outfield spot all season.
“It's just basically getting good reads off the bat,” Viciedo said. “In left field, you don't have that much time, so you have to react really quick. I have to get better.”