For Crede, 'So far, so good'
TUCSON, Ariz. -- After a layoff approaching nine months, Joe Crede was back in a White Sox uniform Tuesday.
His swing looked a little rusty, which is understandable. But everything else checked out -- the high socks, the fuzzy chin and fabulous glove.
Playing in the Sox' intrasquad game, Crede finally got a chance to test out his surgically repaired back. The 29-year-old third baseman was happy with the ride.
"It felt good, fielding and swinging and everything,'' Crede said. "It's more a reaction thing than anything else, and you hope nothing hurts afterward. But everything is feeling good; nothing's bothering me. So far, so good.''
Crede, who has been in the White Sox' opening-day lineup the last five seasons, is dealing with two issues.
First, he's trying to get back in the groove after having surgery June 12. Second, he's trying to block out rampant speculation he will be traded before camp breaks late next month.
Crede insists his current health is much more important than his future home.
"I just want to play baseball,'' Crede said. "It's the game I love and what I want to do for a living, and I'm just happy to have a uniform and be able to do this every day.
"I can't control it (trade), so why worry about it? I'm not worried about the weather tomorrow. I can't control that.''
If Crede indeed is nearing the end of his decorated career with the Sox, manager Ozzie Guillen is going to savor his defensive skills. That major part of Crede's game was back on display in the intrasquad game.
In the fourth inning, catcher Donny Lucy dribbled a grounder toward third base and Crede was on the move. Scooping up the ball, Crede threw out Lucy by several steps while again making a difficult play look easy.
"It's nice to see him back,'' Guillen said. "He went out there and made a nice play going to the ball. Joe Crede can play there with no legs and he will be Joe Crede -- this guy is that good. I'm happy with what I see. We'll wait to see how his body reacts tomorrow.''
"I guess I didn't forget how to do that,'' Crede said of the play.
Crede struck out in his first at-bat against Javier Vazquez. In his final trip, he grounded out against Octavio Dotel. All in all, it was a typically uneventful scrimmage but a major hurdle for Crede.
"It's just more reaction stuff out there,'' Crede said. "If you go out there second-guessing yourself, that's when you get hurt, whenever you start thinking about it. Everything felt good and I just told myself to react to the game situation.''
Josh Fields still ranks ahead of Crede on the depth chart, and general manager Kenny Williams said only one is going make the final cut. Since his agent, Scott Boras, already has told Williams that Crede is planning to test the free-agent market at the end of the season, it's safe to assume a trade is coming.
"The only thing I can control is my health,'' Crede said. "I'm going in assuming I'm going to be here in Chicago, and whatever happens after that happens.''
Guillen has been bombarded with Crede-Fields questions since spring training started. He still doesn't have much light to shed on the subject.
"My job is just get those guys on the field, take a good look at them and pick the guy we think can do the job,'' Guillen said. "The rest … I'll let Kenny do his job, and the coaching staff, and we'll see what happens.
"Right now they're both going to play and hopefully they both have a good spring training. Make it tougher for everyone. That's all part of the game. Make it a real tough decision.''