Daver
08-17-2002, 03:48 PM
From Baseball America:
All The Crede-ntials
CHICAGO–Farm director Bob Fontaine is fond of saying there are chances and there are good chances. It took third baseman Joe Crede 737 minor league games, but he finally earned one of the better kind.
Despite winning MVP awards in two minor leagues, Crede didn’t complain about spending four months at Triple-A Charlotte after outplaying veterans Jose Valentin and Tony Graffanino in spring training.
"It all goes back to respecting the game," Crede said. "You can’t go down there and pout and say, ‘I should be in the big leagues.’ Only bad things will come from that."
Crede, who made cameos in the big leagues in 2000 and ’01, was handed the starting third base job when he was promoted July 30. That was among a series of moves that followed general manager Ken Williams’ trading of veterans Ray Durham, Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar and Bob Howry.
Crede, 24, was annually rated as the top defensive third baseman in his league. He was hitting .312-24-65 with Charlotte this year. The Sox hope a shortened swing will help at the plate. He hit .220-0-7 in 50 big league at-bats last year.
"He’s a very talented young player, one of the best this organization has had in a long while," Charlotte hitting coach Greg Walker said. "I think he’ll hit for average and for power in the big leagues. He has done that everywhere he has played. It’s easy to see I like him a lot."
Knights manager Nick Capra said he thinks Crede will be a popular player. "He’s a good kid, a hard worker and he plays hard," Capra said. "He changed his stroke, so now he handles inside pitches better. He does a nice job defensively. I hope he brings a breath of fresh air to the White Sox."
Williams insisted the talent of young players such as Crede contributed as much as economics to the moves, which dropped the payroll from about $57 million to $46 million.
"I look at it more as reshuffling the deck," Williams said.
Chi-Lites
Even though Jason Dellaero got bombed in a pitching appearance at the Hall of Fame exhibition game against Colorado, Sox manager Jerry Manuel was impressed by the infielder’s potential as a pitcher. "I think he might have a chance to be a pretty good pitcher, I really do," Manuel said. "He didn’t do well, but you could see the strength in his arm."
The White Sox acquired six minor leaguers in the four deadline deals they made, including righthanders Jon Adkins, acquired from the Athletics for Durham, and Felix Diaz, who came over in the Lofton deal.
All The Crede-ntials
CHICAGO–Farm director Bob Fontaine is fond of saying there are chances and there are good chances. It took third baseman Joe Crede 737 minor league games, but he finally earned one of the better kind.
Despite winning MVP awards in two minor leagues, Crede didn’t complain about spending four months at Triple-A Charlotte after outplaying veterans Jose Valentin and Tony Graffanino in spring training.
"It all goes back to respecting the game," Crede said. "You can’t go down there and pout and say, ‘I should be in the big leagues.’ Only bad things will come from that."
Crede, who made cameos in the big leagues in 2000 and ’01, was handed the starting third base job when he was promoted July 30. That was among a series of moves that followed general manager Ken Williams’ trading of veterans Ray Durham, Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar and Bob Howry.
Crede, 24, was annually rated as the top defensive third baseman in his league. He was hitting .312-24-65 with Charlotte this year. The Sox hope a shortened swing will help at the plate. He hit .220-0-7 in 50 big league at-bats last year.
"He’s a very talented young player, one of the best this organization has had in a long while," Charlotte hitting coach Greg Walker said. "I think he’ll hit for average and for power in the big leagues. He has done that everywhere he has played. It’s easy to see I like him a lot."
Knights manager Nick Capra said he thinks Crede will be a popular player. "He’s a good kid, a hard worker and he plays hard," Capra said. "He changed his stroke, so now he handles inside pitches better. He does a nice job defensively. I hope he brings a breath of fresh air to the White Sox."
Williams insisted the talent of young players such as Crede contributed as much as economics to the moves, which dropped the payroll from about $57 million to $46 million.
"I look at it more as reshuffling the deck," Williams said.
Chi-Lites
Even though Jason Dellaero got bombed in a pitching appearance at the Hall of Fame exhibition game against Colorado, Sox manager Jerry Manuel was impressed by the infielder’s potential as a pitcher. "I think he might have a chance to be a pretty good pitcher, I really do," Manuel said. "He didn’t do well, but you could see the strength in his arm."
The White Sox acquired six minor leaguers in the four deadline deals they made, including righthanders Jon Adkins, acquired from the Athletics for Durham, and Felix Diaz, who came over in the Lofton deal.