Crede still first at third
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The White Sox' maligned minor-league system received a major upgrade Tuesday.
As expected, Josh Fields was optioned to Class AAA Charlotte, clearing the way for Joe Crede to resume his run as the Sox' starting third baseman.
General manager Kenny Williams broke the bad news to Fields before Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Colorado Rockies. The White Sox break camp Thursday.
"I don't know how many times I repeated that I felt that he was a major-leaguer, or he is a major-leaguer, and he deserves to be playing in the major leagues right now,'' Williams said of Fields.
"It was a difficult conversation. How do you tell someone who clearly has shown that he can not just play in the big leagues, but can play at a high level in the big leagues? The difficulty of it is obvious.
"He deserves to be in the big leagues. He handled it great. He understands where we are, where he is in his career, and to his credit he said: 'Well, I'll use it as an opportunity to improve on some things, not only for myself, but for you guys. I'll get better defensively, I'll get better offensively so that I can be the total package when I get back to the big leagues.' A class reaction.''
Fields wasn't available for comment Tuesday, but the 25-year-old infielder was well aware of his tenuous status from the first day of spring training. Sunday, Fields already sounded prepared to return to Charlotte.
"If I have to go back to Triple-A, then I will have to go down and hit and work on my defense,'' Fields said. "If I go down and stink for the first month, they might be like: 'OK, he needs to stay down a little longer.' ''
Fields batted .268 in the Cactus League. After going 1-for-3 and drawing a walk against the Rockies, Crede is batting .180.
"I think we're very comfortable with Josh's projected track record that he ultimately will prove to everyone when he gets the opportunity,'' Williams said. "With Joe, we're in a situation that we have the opportunity to put a guy out there that has shown, particularly in the late innings, that he can be a force. I don't have to expound on his value as a defensive player.''
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen gladly let Williams tell Fields he was being demoted.
"We all thought Fields should be in the big leagues,'' Guillen said. "Our worry was: 'Can Crede play every day?' Yes, he can. I feel for Fields. He was in a tough situation, but we didn't have any other choice.''
Crede was the Sox' opening-day starter last season, but he played in just 47 games and batted .216 with 4 home runs and 22 RBI before having season-ending back surgery June 12.
Fields came up from Charlotte to replace Crede and batted .244 with 23 home runs and 67 RBI in 100 games.
Unless Crede is traded -- he's eligible for free agency at the end of the season and his agent, Scott Boras, said he plans to test the market -- Fields figures to have a tough time making it back to the major leagues in 2008.
"From an organizational standpoint, to have as much depth as we have, particularly in the infield, you can't help but feel a certain amount of comfort with the insulation,'' Williams said.
"But in the same breath, I've never been one to hold anyone hostage in terms of providing them an opportunity to perform at the level that they deserve to be at.
"Yes, (Fields) acknowledged that are things he needs to work on, and that he will work on. He's not a pouter by any stretch of the imagination. He's a quality person and a class guy.''