Fields? Crede? Williams doesn't have the answer

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The White Sox break camp Thursday, and the 25-man roster is expected to be set.

That means Sox general manager Kenny Williams is running out of time on the difficult decision at third base.

Trade Joe Crede? Keep Crede and option Josh Fields to Class AAA Charlotte? Keep Fields and send Crede to Charlotte on a rehabilitation assignment? Keep both players?

The latter scenario seems highly unlikely, but Williams does have options.

"No matter how it's played out, I was going to have a conversation with someone, or am going to have a conversation with someone, that I don't want to have,'' Williams said. "That again, on one hand, is not the most ideal situation I want to be in. But on the other hand, you've got two very good players. From a personnel standpoint, it's an ideal situation. We're getting closer to having one of those conversations because of the caliber.''

The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers both appear to be obvious trade partners for Crede, but Williams said his phone has been quiet. Crede is coming off back surgery and is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

"I've had very few conversations this spring about player trades or movement,'' Williams said.

Surprised?

"Yes I am,'' Williams said. "But it takes two to tango, and there's nothing you can do about it. Give your own assessment of your own team and you try to picture matchups in your own head and you think there might be a need elsewhere, but in their minds they would rather go in a different direction, whether it be for talent purposes or economic purposes or both.''

Crede is making $5.15 million this year and he is likely to test the market at the end of the season. The 29-year-old third baseman has looked rusty at the plate this spring while batting .125 (5-for-40). Fields is batting .270.

Feeling better: Making his first appearance in five days Friday, reliever Scott Linebrink pitched 1 scoreless inning against the Giants.

Linebrink has been bothered by back soreness, and he's been seeing a chiropractor.

"I think it's one of those things where it was a small muscle between my ribs and my back,'' Linebrink said. "It was kind of in a weird spot. I've had back issues before, but this was like nothing I've have before. This is one of those things that takes a little time. I couldn't really get comfortable sleeping and (Thursday) night I slept on the floor with my feet up, which seemed to help the best. So, I definitely noticed an improvement from yesterday to today. Hopefully, we are on the right track.''

With just over a week to go before the regular season starts, Linebrink is still trying to pitch on consecutive days.

"We are going to play it by ear,'' said Linebrink, who has appeared in 70 or more games in each of the last four seasons. "They don't want to rush me back too soon. We want to get a back-to-back at some point, but we still have a chance to do that next week.''

Giants 4, White Sox 3

White Sox' record: 9-14-2

On the mound: Starter Gavin Floyd pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits. Scott Linebrink and Ehren Wasserman each pitched 1 scoreless inning. Minor-leaguer Jason Childers took the loss after giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in the bottom of the ninth.

At the plate: Juan Uribe had an RBI double in the ninth inning and Jason Bourgeois added a run-scoring triple. Nick Swisher walked twice.

Next: Javier Vazquez starts against the Cubs today in Mesa.

-- Scot Gregor