2009 Chicago White Sox: Center Field

Center field……..the head of the field, can see everything before him. Once again, it will be a three way competition for the starting job……and it’s up for grabs.

One player competing for the job is Jerry Owens. Owens has played in the MLB for the past 3 years, however, in 2006 and 2008, he played only a few games. In 2007, he got over 350 at-bats. Owens is nowhere near the power hitter that some center fielders are. However, he can hit well for contact, and also is a threat on the basepaths. In 2007, he hit for an average of .267, but also stole 32 bases. He didn’t even play 100 games that year! Think how many swiped bags he can get in a full season. With the White Sox looking for a true leadoff guy, he fits that description well: one that can get on base and steal. Owens is the player that the management is looking for, and overall, fits the team great.

Jerry Owens

Another candidate for the job is Dewayne Wise. No one in their right mind would have thought Wise would be competing for a starting job on the defending division champions last year. But this is 2009, and Wise proved to be effective during the playoff run, as well as in the playoffs. He can hit for power, contact, and can also run. But what really got Wise the potential for the job was his role in the playoffs of last year. In Game 3, with the White Sox facing elimination, his stolen base after being walked set the tone. A flurry of hits came in, and Wise later scored the game-tying run. And then, next inning, he hit a double, which scored two more runs for a White Sox win. He also hit a 3-run homer in Game 1, although the White Sox later lost. Wise could pull off and win…..but it would take a lot of work.

Dewayne Wise

Lastly, Brian Anderson will try his best to make the starting center field position. Anderson has been the White Sox primary outfield utility player since 2005. His statistics over the past few years don’t look good. But having watched him for a long time, he definitely has the quality to start full-time. He is among the best fielders in the game, and had a 110 errorless streak for the majors before he made his first error as a pro.

Brian Anderson

Any of these players can start, and it all will come down to how they perform in Spring Training. They are all capable of having great seasons.

Other news………..The White Sox are playing their first Spring Training game today against the Angels. I plan to highlight the players that had good games, but don’t expect a full review of the game. We’ll save that for the regular season.

View WhiteSox2005's Profile      Subscribe via RSS