Ramirez aside, Sox' infield defense an uncertainty
Fourteenth in a series
Editor's note: As the countdown continues toward the April 6 opener for the White Sox, Daily Herald Sports Writer Scot Gregor will offer his analysis of each position on the team and the key issues facing the club this season.
Q. As it stands today, are the White Sox stronger or weaker defensively than they were a year ago?
Gregor: The White Sox project new shortstop Alexei Ramirez as a Gold Glove caliber defender, but all in all they are going to be weaker.
Whoever replaces Ramirez at second base - Chris Getz, Jayson Nix or Brent Lillibridge - is going to pale in comparison with the glove. And the Sox have already conceded that new third baseman Josh Fields is not going to play the position nearly as well as the departed Joe Crede.
Lastly, don't forget about the loss of Juan Uribe, who was a defensive whiz at third base, shortstop and second base. The new center fielder, likely Jerry Owens or Brian Anderson, should be much better than the departed Nick Swisher, who is better suited at first base.
Q. Does Carlos Quentin have the tools to be the right fielder of the future, or is left field the right spot for him?
Gregor: If you can play one corner spot, you can usually play the other one, too.
Right field is tougher because of the angle of flyballs, but Quentin has the speed and arm to eventually replace Jermaine Dye if necessary. Don't expect Quentin to bring home a Gold Glove at either position, but he is good enough to get the job done. Even better for the Sox, he plays outfield with no fear.
Q. With a couple of lumbering guys in the corners, how crucial will center field be this season?
Gregor: Very. The AL Central is stacked with center fielders that cover a lot of ground (Grady Sizemore, Curtis Granderson, Carlos Gomez, Coco Crisp), so the White Sox are comparatively weak here.
Owens has shown an ability to run down balls in the gap, and Dewayne Wise also has good speed. Anderson isn't as mobile, but he is a solid defender and easily has the best throwing arm of the trio.
Q. Name the one everyday starter who you think is the most underrated defensively?
Gregor: First baseman Paul Konerko never gets much defensive praise, but you'll often see him on highlight reels.
Picking balls out of the dirt is a difficult skill to master, and few do it better than the Sox' captain.
Q. What does Josh Fields have to do to shush the comparisons to Joe Crede?
Gregor: Find another line of work. Fields can go through the entire 2009 season without making an error, and he'd still draw an unfavorable comparison to Crede.
It's something Fields understands, and the comparison actually should help ease some of the pressure.
• Got a question about the Sox for Scot Gregor? Visit his blog, Chicago's Inside Pitch, to share your questions and comments.