About a month ago, the Chicago White Sox looked as if they were going to be sellers at the trading deadline. Now, after a three game sweep of the Atlanta Braves, the White Sox now have a record of 37-34 and are only 2.5 games behind the first place Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. Once again, it looks like the White Sox will be buyers are the trade deadline.
Let’s see what is going on with the Pale Hose…
Beckham has really struggled in 2010
Gordon Beckham has really been a bust. After putting up a .270/.347/.460 hitting line last season with 14 home runs in 103 games, Beckham was supposed to have a breakout 2010 season. Well, that really hasn’t happened. It could be argued that Beckham has been the biggest bust in baseball this season.
Beckham is hitting a pedestrian .199 this season with a single home run and now he is in danger of losing his starting job. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen mentioned yesterday that Beckham could be sharing time with future Hall of Famer Omar Vizquel at second base.
I am not sure what the White Sox can do with Beckham at this point because sending down to Triple-A doesn’t seem to be an option. I am guessing that the White Sox will ride it out with Beckham until the All Star break and then hope he wakes up in the second half.
J.J. Putz was a great signing. The White Sox signed Putz in the offseason to a one-year, $3 million deal and it might go down as one of the best low-risk, high-reward signings of this winter. After another scoreless and hitless inning on Thursday, Putz now has a 2.03 ERA on the season and 33 Ks in 26.2 IP.
Putz is throwing his fastball around 93 mph, which it was last year, but he is throwing his slider (87.4 mph) and his splitter (86.4) harder than he has in years. It’s Putz’s improved splitter which has helped him turn things around in 2010.
Putz, Sergio Santos, and Matt Thornton have formed a lethal back-end of the bullpen for the White Sox.
The White Sox could use another bat. Mark Teahen should be back in a couple of weeks and one has to think Beckham will be better in the second half, but I still think they need another bat. I can’t take a team seriously that features Mark Kotsay on a regular basis.
I’ll throw a name out there — Adam LaRoche. Chicago could use another left-handed bat, LaRoche can DH or play first and move Paul Konerko to DH, and he will be available. I think he would work out in Chicago.
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