The short of it: Valentin to replace Clayton
June 4, 2002
BY DOUG PADILLA STAFF REPORTER
byline:
Doug
PADILLA
The Sox
Calling his move at short a change for the long term, White Sox manager Jerry Manuel altered his lineup in a search of more offense.
Shortstop Royce Clayton, who is batting .195, was benched with the idea of eventually putting Jose Valentin in his spot. Tony Graffanino will start at short until Valentin gets more pregame work there, and Valentin is expected to take his old position by the end of the week. Graffanino then will switch to third.
Clayton wasn't thrilled with the move, but he refused to bash Manuel or ask for a trade. Still, he had his own strong opinion on the switch.
"I guarantee you one damn thing, I haven't given up a game defensively,'' said Clayton, who has made just one error all season. "I'm going to win more games with my glove than with my bat. Over the course of the year, a shortstop does that. I just go out there and do my job description, which is to be the best shortstop I can be, and that's what I've done.''
The move might mean a return to the majors for eternal third-base prospect Joe Crede, who recently was named International League batter of the week. Crede, batting .314 with 10 home runs at Class AAA Charlotte, might be called up in the middle of the month before the Sox play at National League parks.
Manuel was asked if he plans to reduce his 12-man pitching staff for another bat.
"Possibly when we go National League, that could be an option,'' he said. "We'll probably have to make some adjustments in the rotation. We might have to skip a guy to keep him back in the bullpen, especially if we go back to a lesser number of pitchers.''
The Sox play at Wrigley Field on June 14-16, at Philadelphia on June 18-20 and at Atlanta on June 21-23.
Valentin, who played shortstop on the 2000 division- championship team, was used as a utility player last year. Including spring training, he hadn't taken ground balls at short all year before Monday.
"I don't know if it's the time to change or not, but you have to do whatever it takes to win some games and get out of the situation we're in,'' said Valentin, who is batting .243 with seven home runs and 31 RBI. "What [Manuel] is trying to do is put the best team possible [players] in there, especially on the offensive side.''
Valentin acknowledges his shortcomings at short. He made 36 errors there in 2000; Clayton made seven last season.
"Even with all the errors I made playing shortstop, we were still winning,'' Valentin said. "So we'll take our chances and do that and see if things can go the right way.''
Clayton has no doubt about his abilities on defense. At the same time, he recognizes he hasn't been productive at the plate.
"I'll just take time and continue to work hard,'' he said. "There's no way I'm going to give up. I say this and I mean this: I'm one of the best shortstops in the game. There's no doubt about that.
"In this day and age--I don't understand the evolution of baseball--but for some reason, a shortstop, regardless of how good he is, he has to be hitting .300 at every given opportunity. It's just the way it is.''
____________________________________________________
In 2001, Clayton had 7 errors in 134 games compared to Valentin?s 9 errors in just 33 games at shortstop. In 2000, Valentin had 36 errors in 141 appearances at short. As the Sox pitching staff has definitely needed the double plays that Clayton-Durham-Konerko regularly pull to get them out of help, expect some big innings to come against the White Sox and without a .199 average in the lineup, expect the Sox to get a few more big innings as well. BEWARE OF BETTING SOX UNDERS.
June 4, 2002
BY DOUG PADILLA STAFF REPORTER
byline:
Doug
PADILLA
The Sox
Calling his move at short a change for the long term, White Sox manager Jerry Manuel altered his lineup in a search of more offense.
Shortstop Royce Clayton, who is batting .195, was benched with the idea of eventually putting Jose Valentin in his spot. Tony Graffanino will start at short until Valentin gets more pregame work there, and Valentin is expected to take his old position by the end of the week. Graffanino then will switch to third.
Clayton wasn't thrilled with the move, but he refused to bash Manuel or ask for a trade. Still, he had his own strong opinion on the switch.
"I guarantee you one damn thing, I haven't given up a game defensively,'' said Clayton, who has made just one error all season. "I'm going to win more games with my glove than with my bat. Over the course of the year, a shortstop does that. I just go out there and do my job description, which is to be the best shortstop I can be, and that's what I've done.''
The move might mean a return to the majors for eternal third-base prospect Joe Crede, who recently was named International League batter of the week. Crede, batting .314 with 10 home runs at Class AAA Charlotte, might be called up in the middle of the month before the Sox play at National League parks.
Manuel was asked if he plans to reduce his 12-man pitching staff for another bat.
"Possibly when we go National League, that could be an option,'' he said. "We'll probably have to make some adjustments in the rotation. We might have to skip a guy to keep him back in the bullpen, especially if we go back to a lesser number of pitchers.''
The Sox play at Wrigley Field on June 14-16, at Philadelphia on June 18-20 and at Atlanta on June 21-23.
Valentin, who played shortstop on the 2000 division- championship team, was used as a utility player last year. Including spring training, he hadn't taken ground balls at short all year before Monday.
"I don't know if it's the time to change or not, but you have to do whatever it takes to win some games and get out of the situation we're in,'' said Valentin, who is batting .243 with seven home runs and 31 RBI. "What [Manuel] is trying to do is put the best team possible [players] in there, especially on the offensive side.''
Valentin acknowledges his shortcomings at short. He made 36 errors there in 2000; Clayton made seven last season.
"Even with all the errors I made playing shortstop, we were still winning,'' Valentin said. "So we'll take our chances and do that and see if things can go the right way.''
Clayton has no doubt about his abilities on defense. At the same time, he recognizes he hasn't been productive at the plate.
"I'll just take time and continue to work hard,'' he said. "There's no way I'm going to give up. I say this and I mean this: I'm one of the best shortstops in the game. There's no doubt about that.
"In this day and age--I don't understand the evolution of baseball--but for some reason, a shortstop, regardless of how good he is, he has to be hitting .300 at every given opportunity. It's just the way it is.''
____________________________________________________
In 2001, Clayton had 7 errors in 134 games compared to Valentin?s 9 errors in just 33 games at shortstop. In 2000, Valentin had 36 errors in 141 appearances at short. As the Sox pitching staff has definitely needed the double plays that Clayton-Durham-Konerko regularly pull to get them out of help, expect some big innings to come against the White Sox and without a .199 average in the lineup, expect the Sox to get a few more big innings as well. BEWARE OF BETTING SOX UNDERS.
