Scott Podsednik. Discuss.
So far this September, Scott Podsednik has at least one hit in every game. He’s reaching base every other time up.
And, in the last thread, some of you are less than thrilled. So, a couple of questions:
No. 1: What more does Scott Podsednik have to do for you to stop rooting against him?
I realize many of you aren’t cursing every single, but his out-of-nowhere production raises concerns that the Sox will retain him and expect the unsustainable.
I’m offically an agnostic who is susceptible to frustration and elation. What he’s doing this year is supremely cool, even though shows less awareness than my cousin’s late dog when he’s on the basepaths.
No. 2: The bigger fluke: Podsednik’s production or Carlos Quentin’s health in 2006?
Joe Cowley’s story reiterates something that has been said about Quentin since returning from the DL:
Obstacle No. 1 is the physical part. Quentin revealed that while the left foot that gave him trouble most of the season likely won’t need surgery, it led to damage in the knees that may.
“My health is something I need to take into consideration in the offseason, something I’m going to have to really address and stress,’’ Quentin admitted.
Podsednik may not be a good bet to replicate his 113 games last year, but there’s even less reason to believe that Carlos Quentin will be able to replicate his 130 games from two years ago. He hasn’t been healthy at the major-league level before or since, while Podsednik at least has recency on his side.
It certainly doesn’t help that Podsednik has a higher OPS than Quentin, either.
It’ll take weeks — probably months — before I make up my mind on Podsednik, but right now I’m thinking a Podsednik/Quentin well-being-based platoon makes a fair amount of sense. We’ll see if I change my mind tomorrow.
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Minor league roundup:
- Jacksonville 4, Birmingham 2
- John Ely was decent in defeat: 6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.
- Henry Mabee and John Lujan threw 1-2-3 innings, with Lujan striking out two.
- Jordan Danks (one strikeout) and Dayan Viciedo (two strikeouts) each went 0-for-4.
- C.J. Retherford went 1-for-4 with an RBI; Christian Marrero drew a walk in four plate appearances.
- Great Falls 6, Billings 3
- Nick Ciolli doubled twice and drove in two runs, adding his 23rd steal as well.
- Trayce Thompson went 1-for-2 with two walks and a strikeout.
- Ryan Hamme doubled and drove in three.
- Jimmy Ballinger allowed two runs on four hits (including a homer) over five innings, striking out four.
Pods has been great in the leadoff role all year long. I believe he can repeat similar offensive numbers next year as long as he avoids the leg and groin issues he’s had in the past. He is not a good baserunner and this is what draws the ire of most fans. I don’t remember him being THIS bad before, so it could be him being over agressive in trying to save his baseball career? Defensively, he’s not as bad as he’s perceived, he has a much better UZR rating than Quentin, who gets a lifetime pass with most fans because of one good season.
I think we have to bring him back and plug him into the leadoff spot, whether it’s in left field, center or DH.
1. Wow a lot, learn to base run, learn to field, and let me sleep with his wife, haha
2. Pods’ offensive production is the bigger fluke this is a guy that was out of baseball for a bit, a guy who is having a prime season in post roid baseball as a semi old man.
I can’t stand stupidiy and pods have displayed the worst baserunning I have ever individually seen this year. Top that on to him being a liability in the outfield on a team already hurting at many defensive positions, with the fact I think some of his offense is a fluke and prior to this year he had been hurt all the time. Will pods really make it thru the bulk of another season without tweaking something, IM IN SHOCK he has remained this healthy. And who knows what pods is going to demand on the open market, that 1 year 1 mil idea is probably out the freaking window some idiot team will probably give the over the hill leadoff man a stupid deal (think dave roberts and the giants).
Amazingly, I agree with this. And I’m not so sure you want his wife doing anything to you. Unless you feel like going through the same “groin” injuries Pods went through in 2006.
Think you mean 2007. He had more AB in ’06 (524) than he did in ’05.
His “groin” problems started in ’06 and continued into ’07. I should’ve been more specific.
hey, knoxxy- if you “can’t stand stupidiy” you may want to read over what you write before hitting submit.
On the other hand, my standards are lower so I don’t have to do taht ;).
grammer nazis not welcome
Grammar nazi?
Sorry, I just thought it funny that a post about stupidity mangled the word itself.
If you’re going to pronounce judgment on a subject like that, you’re going to draw attention to yourself, donchaknow.
Pods has developed a new workout routine thanks to his wife Lisa!! He is certainly playing over his head this year but I think he can sustain decent numbers for a couple more years, say a .280 ba with 25-30 steals. His baserunning has been horrendous at times, but I attribute it to trying too hard (for a new contract). I’d like to see Figgens go to the Cubbies and then watch him break down (Cubs Curse). Lets bring Pods back to the Sox for 2-3 mil!!!
Quentin is the guy that I worry about. His foot injury still looks bad to me. What’s going to change it in the off season? Surgery – maybe. Rest – I don’t think so.
Having a .280 ba would make him a useless player. He has to hit at the exact level he’s at now or otherwise he becomes an enormous blackhole in the lineup and in the field. Looking at his track record and the fact that he was OUT of baseball in spring training, I have to say I am not in favor of him being on next year’s team.
Yea, Pods base running has hurt, but only because he’s been on so much, and I don’t think thats a fluke. Nix getting doubled off on the line drive that didn’t make it through the infield on Tuesdays bashing was just as bad as any Pods blunder this year. We look at Pod’s bad baserunning and cry, but only because he’s typical of the Sox base running all year. At least he’s getting on base…#23-JD, I’m looking at you. I say you give him the 1 yr 1 mill, plant him in left, he hurts the least there. If he get’s a better offer, let him take it. Good luck Pod’s wherever you are.
Eh, we wouldn’t even have had a chance to compete for the division if it weren’t for Pods and he’s much less responsible for our collapse than others. That said, I’d prefer to see Getz lead off for us next year and would love Pods back as a reserve – he’d get his at-bats when Q or Getz is hurt, to give guys a rest, and when Rios or next year’s RF is slumping, so he’d still get a whole lot of time. Beats the hell out of Wise, at least.
Okay, maybe I am baised, as I reply to this wearing my Podsednik jersey, but what!?
I sick to the point of being irritated at Sox fans getting on Scotty all year long?
You got Alex Rios, Jermaine Dye, and Carlos Quentin, all playing like bums all year, and we want to blame Scott for anything?
Whopee, he got picked off a couple times. He’s a base stealer, it happens. He’s made a couple errors in the field as well, but he is waaaay better in LF then everyone’s chosen son, Carlos Quentin, out there. He is also better then Dye. He may be a below average fielder, but at least he can get to balls, and has range, that those two can’t.
What game are you guys watching? These moronic posts about “rooting against Podds to get a hit” that I read on here. What makes you all love a guy that has played like crap all year, and INJURED HIMSELF in a tantrum when we needed him most last year?! (CQ) or the WORST CLUTCH HITTER IN BASEBALL in JD? JD has an OPS in the 5’s since the ASG. They should both be benched. If I was running out the lineup, I would have Wise/Kotsay and Podds out there everyday.
Yeah, the White Sox’s biggest problem is their .300 hitting leadoff hitter, who has single-handedly put life into this lineup when he was inserted in May. A guy who has more clutch hits this year, then the middle of our order combined (and he’s the F’n lead off hitter!)
Scott Podsednik should be back next year, starting every day in LF, and CQ should be on the bench.
Jermaine Dye SUCKS
Alex Rios SUCKS
Carlos Quentin SUCKS
and we wanna dispute Scott Podsednik’s value to this team this year? HE HAS BEEN OUR MVP!
All of the Scott Podsednik haters on this website are complete morons… so he made a couple bonehead plays (Alexei Ramirez has made countless more for starters) He has had so many big moments for this team this year it’s not even funny.
God, what game are you all watching?
Pardon me for wanting the Sox to go out and find an actual baseball player and not banking on a 34 year old slap hitter to continue to hit way above his career averages.
Otherwise, thanks for the laugh, I needed that.
I wonder if being a slap hitter actually helps him and the Sox. Dye, Konerko, Quentin, Nix, Rios and Ramirez are all flyball-pulling hitters, which might make that “advance scouting” Hawk Harrelson kvetches about easier on teams.
Having a guy who makes defenses and pitchers work a little differently might have some effect beyond the numbers. Or it might not, but when the Sox were getting shutout eight or nine times over the first two months, repetitive, boring outs sure seemed to be an issue.
I think a lot of those shutouts could also be attributed to Lillibridge, Wise, and Fields each taking up spots in the lineup.
Harold, you HAVE to meet Mary Kate.
Going along with your post, this Podsednithon over what if he comes back? is a little much.
What exactly is the risk in bringing him back? That he might regress to his ’07 numbers (as if KW would be powerless to make adjustments)?
His injury-riddled ’07 numbers still make him better than the rest of the Sox outfield since the ASG, never mind that his post-ASG is blowing their doors off this year, even adding Alexei in the mix for good measure.
I just hope they don’t pencil him in as their left fielder and lead-off man without trying to find a better option in the off-season.
Comparing his numbers to anything our outfield has done in their hellacious second half isn’t exactly fair. I’m wondering if the combo of Q, Rios, and Dye has put together one of the worst halves of all-time. Don’t know if there’s any way to look that up.
Upstream, you’re saying he has to “hit at the exact level he’s at now” (.307/.358/.412 for the season, or .317/.361/.449 post-ASG) for him not to be “an enormous black hole in the lineup”.
Just sayin’ that’s a bit overwrought.
I agree about Q/Rios/Dye. Now there’s a major league black hole. Rios is a mess since changing uniforms. Nothing he’d done in TOR, even this year, would have suggested such a fall-off. Q and JD, I don’t know…
Well, say he’s .280/.320/.390. That doesn’t look too appealing to me, especially not with someone who will get the most PA’s on the team.
Whoops, should be .340 slugging.
Oh, that’s right, if you are a “slap-hitter” then it doesn’t count when you get a hit, or get on base. No wait, you are not even a “real baseball player” Our other outfielders, and their lack of production, they are real baseball players. I know I say that everytime when Dye grounds into a rally killing double play, “there is a real baseball player!” I am not saying sign a 34 year old guy to a multiyear deal or anything, but we can definately get him for another year fairly cheap. It is obsurd that some of you think he has been some detriment to this team. He has been the most important offensive peice to our lineup IMO and you all act like Ozzie is a moron for running him out there every day… and yes, he is capable of this production when healthy, 2003, 2005….. Glad I provided you a laugh, I know it’s hysterical to appreciate a guy hitting .300 at the top of the order. It is comical those numbers.
Jim, how many runs has Podsednik been responsible for on offense, how many has he taken away on offense, and how many has he given to the other team on defense?
To me, this would seem to settle the arguement on what he has done for us this season. I understand his RC and BABIP is ridiculously high and there is no indication he will be able to replicate this, but you’re better at saber crunching than me or probably anyone else on here (hence why you are the blogger)However, the real issue would be is he doing anything that he can replicate next year, when other teams start paying attention to his pitch selection, spray chart, etc.
I think it depends how much money Pods will want. If he doesn’t price himself off the map, I don’t think having him back would hurt. Think how much turnover the Sox have had this year. If he re-signs there’s no guarantee he’ll be around for the whole season anyway.
As for rooting against him getting base hits, that’s crazy. If you want to cry about someone, go after Rios.
What he said.
Though, it looks like Rios has discovered God’s way of telling him he makes too much money, he’s putting so much pressure on himself.
I can’t believe Rios has had past success with his current batting approach. He is not keeping his eyes on the ball and following it into the hitting zone. Hawk calls it pulling off the ball, but it’s worse than that. It’s like trying to drive a golf ball while looking down the fairway.
Anyway, I think Pods deserves some credit for being willing and capable of changing his hitting approach to increase his success. More of the Sox hitters need to make adjustments as they become well scouted, and pitchers exploit their weaknesses & tendencies.
Happy the green jacket is yours, shooters gonna choke!
Substitue Sox for Happy, green jacket for division and Shooter for Tigers and you get the idea.
I get the feeling Ozzie’s gonna show up at the 9th green at 9:00 and get douched.