Sox' Beckham looking for rebound season

The Gordon Beckham search party is embarking on Year No. 3.

This time Beckham is taking the lead in trying to locate the talented baseball player who starred at the University of Georgia and performed with so much promise during his rookie season with the White Sox.

After playing just 59 games in the minor leagues, Beckham joined the Sox on June 4, 2009.

He had a swagger to his game, and the skill to match.

Beckham batted .270 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI as a rookie, and his 28 doubles were the most ever by a Sox player over a stretch of 103 games.

Former manager Ozzie Guillen admonished fans and the media for heaping so much early praise on Beckham and instantly anointing him the White Sox' next franchise player.

Turns out, Ozzie was right.

Beckham slipped during his sophomore season, hitting .252 with an on-base percentage of .317 and slugging percentage of .378.

He was even worse last season at .230/.296/.337.

Can Beckham get it back? Or is this season going to be Strike 3?

Physical adjustments:

Back home in Atlanta this winter, Beckham compared videos from his rookie year to the past two seasons.

The White Sox' 25-year-old second baseman noticed a big difference.

“In '09 I was good at getting loaded early,” Beckham said. “That's something I sort of lost the last two years. I've worked on getting back a little sooner, make sure I'm loaded and have lag in my bat.

“Having that makes you hit off-speed, bad pitches, all that stuff. You can get fooled and still hit it hard.”

Beckham continually drove balls into the gaps and over the fence as a rookie, but the power dropped the past two seasons while his strikeout total climbed.

By loading his swing again, Beckham is hoping to drive the ball like he used to. But he also has to do a better job when it comes to recognizing pitches.

While striking out 111 times in 499 at-bats last season, Beckham consistently swung and missed at pitches up and out of the strike zone.

If he learns to lay off, opposing pitchers will have to start challenging him inside, and Beckham is at his best when he can turn and pull pitches.

Mental adjustments:

To say Beckham was miserable last season would be an understatement.

The countless 0-for-4 games with 2 or 3 strikeouts, combined with the Sox' poor season overall, sapped all of the positive energy out of the second baseman.

Instead of laughing and joking around in the clubhouse, Beckham became a solitary figure, often sitting in front of his locker staring blankly ahead.

Beckham had a heart-to-heart talk with his father during the winter and insists his mind is right again.

“There were a lot of things that happened last year that just weren't good,” Beckham said. “I don't mind talking about it, but this is a new year and we've got new coaches and we've got a new attitude. I'm going to remember it, but I'm not going to dwell on stuff that didn't go my way.

“I'm just going to work as hard as I can and remember to enjoy it. I think sometimes I take it way too seriously. I want to do so well for this team, the fans, for myself, and sometimes it gets too much of me. Just be a little more careful this year, not care so much.”

Defensive doings:

For as bad as he was with the bat last year, Beckham's defensive play at second base earned him Gold Glove consideration.

Beckham made only 8 errors in 723 total chances, and 2 came in a Sept. 27 game against Toronto.

A natural shortstop, Beckham played third base as a rookie before shifting to second base. He's a natural, and his .989 fielding percentage last season was the second-best in franchise history at the position. Hall of Fame second baseman Nellie Fox had a .990 fielding percentage in 1962.

Other options:

If Beckham starts hitting again this season, he should play 150 or more games.

If not, the White Sox can turn to super sub Brent Lillibridge, who played six games at second base last season.

The Sox might keep either Eduardo Escobar or Ozzie Martinez as a utility infielder, but they would only get spot duty at second.

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Tops in the AL: Scot Gregor ranks the league's second basemen

1. Robinson Cano, Yankees

2. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox

3. Ian Kinsler, Rangers

9. Gordon Beckham, WHITE SOX