Gordon Beckham: After just 25 trips to the plate in Triple-A, the White Sox promoted Beckham to the major leagues. Given his hot prospect status, the Sox are not calling him up to sit on the bench. He was handling Double-A pitching, 4/22/.299 with 17 doubles in 147 AB. While the power from the doubles is nice, if Beckham wasn’t clearing Double-A fences, don’t expect him to be a home run source in the major leagues at this time. Without much speed and an 84% Ct% in Double-A, Beckham may disappoint fantasy owners this year.
Josh Fields: With the recall of hot prospect Gordon Beckham, Fields figures to be the big loser in playing time. With Joe Crede out in 2007, Fields was a good source of power, 23 home runs in 373 AB, but his poor contact skills, 66% Ct%, made him a batting average liability, .244. With Crede back last year, Fields spent most of the season in Triple-A, where his power declined, 10 home runs in 276 AB, but the poor contact skills, 64% Ct%, and batting average, .246, remained. Handed the third base job this spring, the 2008 version of Fields showed up, 2/20/.244 in 172 AB with a 69% Ct%, so it should be no surprise that the White Sox are looking elsewhere for a third baseman. Beckham would have to bomb for Fields to get another shot, but even if he did, odds are he wouldn’t do much with it.
Carlos Guillen: Manager Jim Leyland said it will be a while before Guillen will return to the Tigers from his shoulder injury. Expect him to be out until at least the All-Star break. Before he went on the DL, it was obvious that the shoulder was affecting his power, 0 home runs in 101 PA, although the power had also declined from 2007, 21 home runs in 564 AB, to 2008, 10 home runs in 420 AB. With shoulder problems and entering his mid-30’s, he turns 34 year of age in September, don’t expect Guillen to be a power source this year.
Glen Perkins: Perkins, who has been out with an elbow injury, is about a week to 10 days away from rejoining the Twins. His 12-4 record last year is misleading as he had a 4.41 ERA and mediocre skills, 4.4 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, and a 38% GB%. This year, his skills have shown a slight improvement, 4.9 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, and a 42% GB%, but the results have been worse, 5.36 ERA. A 61% strand rate explains the higher ERA. Over the long run the 2009 Perkins will put up better numbers, just don’t expect consistently good ones unless his skills continue to further grow.
Jeremy Bonderman: Bonderman who last pitched in the majors in June of 2008, should be back in the Tigers’ rotation on Monday. He has been recovering from surgery to correct a circulation problem. After the 2006 season, Bonderman looked like he was on his way to stardom; 14-8, 4.08 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and a 48% GB%, but he ran into a bit of bad luck in 2007, 5.01 ERA and a 66% strand rate, and then the injury in 2008. He is still only 26 years of age, so he can rediscover his 2006 skills. If he is somehow sitting out there on your league’s waiver wire, he makes a good speculative pickup.
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