Williams calls Quentin "Chicago tough"
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- General manager Kenny Williams on Monday bristled when the White Sox' latest promising young outfielder, Carlos Quentin, was compared to disappointing youngster Brian Anderson.
"I'm getting used to hearing that negative tone,'' Williams said.
Williams preferred to point out the positives regarding Quentin, who was acquired in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor-league first baseman Chris Carter, one of the Sox' top prospects.
"He's been a guy we've wanted for a long time, and felt he could fit for a long time,'' Williams said. "He can hit -- he's an absolute hitter -- and he can get on base.
"He's solid defensively and he's going to be healthy. He's also a tough kid, a tough kid. I think he's Chicago tough, which is important.''
Quentin, 25, batted .214 with 16 doubles, 5 home runs and 31 RBI in 81 games with the Diamondbacks this season.
Arizona's first-round draft pick in 2003 (No. 29 overall), Quentin batted .253 with 9 home runs and 32 RBI in 2006. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder was slowed by shoulder and hamstring injuries this season.
Quentin had surgery on his left shoulder in October.
"January, he will pick up a bat and start that whole process,'' said Williams, who added Quentin could emerge as the White Sox' starting left fielder. "There are no doubts or questions about him being ready for the start of the season.''
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Quentin, the Sox designated left-handed pitcher Heath Phillips for assignment.
Carter, 20, played at Class A Kannapolis this season, batting .291 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI. He ranked third in the South Atlantic League in home runs and tied for third in RBI.
Sox in Civil Rights Game: The White Sox and the New York Mets will play in the second annual Civil Rights Game in Memphis on March 29.
The Sox' Kenny Williams, only the third black general manager in baseball history, was thrilled to accept the invitation.
"It is something that's very personal to not only our organization, but to me personally, and it makes you proud to be part of something that is more than just a game,'' Williams said. "One of the things I look forward to the most is going to the Civil Rights Museum, because that's real life and that is beyond the games that we play.''