Tim Beckham rolled into June hitting .194/.253/.278 and losing his grip on regular playing time.
After homering in four consecutive games against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Beckham is hitting .340/.367/.957 in June, raising his overall performance to .252/.297/.546.
Beckham has spent the time at Charlotte rotating between vacant infield positions, which is something he did after recovering from first-overall-pick disappointment to carve out a utility career in his second act. He's not strong at any one position, but he knows how to stand there for a game or two. Combine it with double-digit home-run pop, and he's been a playable option for second-division teams.
The White Sox are a first-division team, but they've had to play a lot of second-division options thanks to a cluster of injuries, and Leury García has a sore knee from a slide on Wednesday, so there could very well be a need for another multi-position player.
The strikes against Beckham? Well, he's 31, he'd require a 40-man roster spot, he's a right-handed hittter with an OBP below .300, and just like every other Charlotte hitter, his home OPS (.961) is well above what he's doing on the road (.706).
That said, this June also included a couple of homers during a productive road series at Durham, so all he can do is play the cards he's been dealt. Perhaps I'll get a first-hand look at whether Beckham is more person or mirage when the Knights come to Nashville next week.
Jacksonville 7, Charlotte 3
- Luis Gonzalez went 1-for-5 with a double and three strikeouts.
- Gavin Sheets, 0-for-3 with a walk and a K.
- Jake Burger tripled, singled, walked and struck out.
- Blake Rutherford was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Tim Beckham homered again, part of a 2-for-4 night.
- Jonathan Stiever: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 4 HR
- Tyler Johnson: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP
Mississipppi 8, Birmingham 4
- Micker Adolfo wore the golden sombrero while going 0-for-5.
- Carlos Pérez went 1-for-4.
- Ti'Quan Forbes was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Greensboro 6, Winston-Salem 2
- Yolbert Sanchez went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Lenyn Sosa went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout, and was picked off/caught stealing.
- Luis Curbelo went 1-for-3 with a triple, walk and strikeout.
- Davis Martin: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 18 of 31 pitches for strikes.
- Isaiah Carranza: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Down East 15, Kannapolis 2
- James Beard went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and an HBP.
- Chase Krogman struck out twice.
- Caberea Weaver replaced him, walking once and striking out once.
- Bryan Ramos was 0-for-4.
- Luis Mieses went 3-for-4 with a homer.
- DJ Gladney, 0-for-3 with a K and an HBP.
- Harvin Mendoza went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
(Photo by Laura Wolff / Charlotte Knights)
