Posts tagged JuanUribe at FanHouse

Every four years, Major League Baseball's postseason intersects with a presidential election. This is one of those years. In the spirit of the season, we here at MLB FanHouse have divided the playoff teams up for a series of debates. Tom Fornelli and Eamonn Brennan discuss the ALDS between the Rays and White Sox.

Eamonn and I took a look at this series and broke it down into six key areas: Starting rotation, Bullpen, Defense, Lineup, Bench, and Manager. Then for good measure we throw in our five-star lock of the week predictions, because we're psychic mediums in our spare time.

All of the debating goodness after the jump.

The Chicago White Sox have a bit of a post game tradition. No matter the case, when a player is doing an interview on the sidelines after a victory, Toby Hall is going to get him with a shaving cream pie to the face. Toby's gotten them all this season, even team captain Paul Konerko (which Paulie didn't appreciate too much judging by the look on his face afterward).

Still, when you do something over and over again, eventually your teammates are going to figure it out. Sure, it took nearly five months to do so, but Jermaine Dye knew what was coming as he talked to a local reporter after Chicago's 13-5 win over Seattle on Monday night. So when Toby tried to sabotage JD's interview, Dye was ready for it and blocked the attack. Unfortunately, he may have hurt Hall in the process.

Backup catcher Toby Hall said his right shoulder was fine after teammate Jermaine Dye blocked his attempt at placing a shaving cream pie in his face during a post-game interview following the Sox's 13-5 win over Seattle.

Hall had his right shoulder wrapped in ice but assured reporters he didn't not re-injure his shoulder, which he separated in spring training of 2007.

This is the first celebration related injury the White Sox have suffered since Juan Uribe had to miss a few games after receiving an super-atomic wedgie (waistband over head) from Jose Contreras back in 2006.

While the Twins and Tigers are busy throwing fastballs at each other's heads this week, the White Sox are taking advantage of it by beating up on the lowly Cleveland Indians, and adding some cushion to their division lead in the AL Central. Still, even though the Sox have won six in a row, have the best ERA in baseball, and have crushed an American League-best 113 home runs, the team still has holes.

Considering that they're relying on two young pitchers without proven track records over an entire season in Gavin Floyd and John Danks, there's some speculation that Kenny Williams could be in the market for another starting pitcher. There's also the fact that the offense is too reliant on those home runs they hit, and could use some more speed on the basepaths.

None of this bothers Ozzie Guillen though, as he's perfectly content with taking his chances with his current roster.

"You have to crawl before you start running," Guillen said Tuesday while being careful not to declare the Sox a playoff-bound team. "This ballclub [can] compete and be in the playoffs, be alive in the pennant race. And if we get to the playoffs, I don't mind taking this ballclub to the World Series."

While the biggest reason the White Sox have been able to maintain their lead in the AL Central this season has been their pitching staff, the fact that the team has been able to stay healthy has played a large role as well. While teams like the Tigers and Indians have seemingly been forced to put somebody new on the disabled list every few days, the White Sox haven't needed to use it too often this season. When they have had to, it hasn't been anybody all that vital to the team (sorry, Juan Uribe, but you know it's true).

That could change on Tuesday, though, as there's a very distinct possibility that Paul Konerko is going to miss some time after straining his ribs during batting practice on Sunday.

"When you've got the problem with the rib cage, I hope for the best, but I'm not too optimistic about it because I know how the thing can be," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We're going to make a decision [Tuesday] to see what we'll do.

"Most of the time [the DL] happens because that's a real sensitive area and one you use the most playing baseball."

Konerko has been struggling this season, hitting .215/.322/.368 but he's been battling a thumb injury in his right hand, and slow starts are nothing new for him. He was starting to hit the ball a lot better in the last few weeks, and now it looks as though this rib injury will derail him for at least another few weeks.

It's not exactly the best timing for the Sox, as they've lost five of their last six games, and can see a Detroit Tigers team that's won six in a row creeping ever closer in their rear view mirror.

Now that the exciting action of MLB's amateur draft has completed it's first round, it's time to take a look at our country's next millionaires. Here's a quick glance at the first round selections by the teams of the AL Central.

Kansas City Royals (3) Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage (Fla) H.S.: Picking this early in the draft is nothing new for the Royals, as they've had a top six pick in six of the last seven drafts. They've spent a lot of those picks on position players, as they've only chosen one pitcher (Luke Hochevar) with their first pick in the last four years. Well, considering that the Royals currently have the lowest scoring offense in baseball, and have hit the least amount of home runs, it's no shock that they went after a player with a lot of power in his bat. It's been said the left-handed hitting Hosmer has more raw power than any other player taken in the first round, and he can use that power to go to the opposite field just as easily as pulling the ball. Some wonder if he'll be a first baseman in the Majors, though, as he does have a very strong throwing arm, and may eventually be moved to the outfield.

Chicago White Sox (8) Gordon Beckham, SS, Georgia: After all the trades Kenny Williams has made the last few seasons, the White Sox farm system has been left pretty bare, especially in the middle infield. That's why the Sox had to be ecstatic when Beckham fell to them at the 8th spot. Beckham can play both shortstop and second, though he'll probably stay at short, and he can swing the bat as well. He hit .307/.505/.781 for the Bulldogs this season, and according to ESPN's Keith Law, he'll be the best prospect in the White Sox organization the second he signs his contract. Considering that Orlando Cabrera doesn't plan on sticking around in Chicago after this season, and the team is never happy with Juan Uribe, it may not be very long before White Sox fans see Beckham at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Chicago White Sox are currently riding a six-game win streak that's helped put them back in first place in the AL Central, but that doesn't mean everything is fine and dandy in the Windy City. Sure, the Sox have played a lot better the last few weeks and are starting to resemble a team that can win the division, but they still have holes.

The most glaring one is at second base where Juan Uribe and Alexei Ramirez have been splitting time this season. Combined, they're hitting .201 with four home runs and 20 RBI. The other glaring hole on the White Sox is their lack of a lead-off hitter, as the team currently has Orlando Cabrera at the top of the lineup, and he's much better suited for the two-hole (snicker).

All of which leads to trade speculation as the Sox are hoping to fill both holes in one move, but it won't be Brian Roberts they're going after. One of the names brought up to general manager Kenny Williams, though, was the Angels' Chone Figgins.

''That's an interesting name, and a name that I, yeah ... they're a pretty good team and they need ... I'm talking about the guys that will ultimately be available, and I don't know if they will be any better than what we already got,'' Williams said Tuesday, hours before the Sox beat the Cleveland Indiana 4-1 at U.S. Cellular Field. ''Again, the key phrase being that they will ultimately be available. Not that I can't sit here and play the fantasy game. Hell, I can play that game and come up with a bunch of people. Reality, that's the game I have to deal in.''

If you thought what the White Sox violated blow-up dolls with baseball bats, you should see what they do to space heaters with them. Mark Buehrle didn't have a very strong performance to follow Gavin Floyd's near no-no on Tuesday night, as he allowed 7 runs in 5.2 innings and fell to 1-4 on the season.

Needless to say, Buehrle isn't too happy with the way the 2008 season has been going for him, and he let the frustration boil over after being removed from yesterday's game.

Moments after rookie Carlos Gomez hit a two-out RBI double to cap a five-run sixth-inning rally, Buehrle already was off the mound when he gave Guillen the ball.

Buehrle went to the dugout, grabbed one of Juan Uribe's bats and whacked it five times against a space heater and a dugout bench before tossing his cap and shaking his head.

"It was everything building up," Buehrle said after the Sox lost for the seventh time in eight games. "It was the way I pitched, the way we're playing. It was one of those games where you can't hold it back."

As of now, the League of People For Space Heater Rights haven't filed a complaint, so Buehrle or the White Sox haven't issued a fake apology for Mark's actions yet. When asked about it after the game, manager Ozzie Guillen had this to say.

"It's bull[bleep]. What Mark did to that space heater is [bleep]ing bull[bleep]. That space heater is the [bleep] of Mark Buehrle. Two weeks ago, it was the greatest [bleep]ing space heater in the [bleep]ing history of space [bleep]ing heaters. Now it's horse[bleep]. I'm tired of it. [Bleep]. [Bleep]. [Bleep]......[bleep]."

The resigning of Juan Uribe by the White Sox this offseason was a little peculiar, seeing as they snatched Orlando Cabrera from the Angels to play his position as well as inking Cuban Alexi Ramirez to play middle infield. (These moves were made after the resigning, but still.)

However, if radio reports are to be believed today, it looks like the Sox are putting Uribe on waivers -- so he might be gone after all. He just hasn't heard a thing about it.

"My agent called me and said reporters called him, but my agent told me he called Kenny and, I don't know,'' Uribe said. "No one has told me nothing. I got a surprise.

"My agent called me and said, 'Juan, what happened?' I say, 'What do you mean?' People here told me, 'Hey, the media [wants to talk to you].' I say, 'For what?' ''

Here's to hoping the Sox release Uribe, but due to a glitch in payroll he stays around and keeps getting paid. Just make sure not to steal his stapler. He gets a little testy about that.

The Chicago White Sox added a little more depth to their team this weekend by reportedly signing Cuban defector Alexei Ramirez to a 4-year $4.75 million deal.

Two baseball sources have confirmed to MLB.com that the White Sox have agreed in principle on a four-year, $4.75 million deal with Alexei Ramirez. The versatile Cuban exile still has to pass a physical, and an official announcement from the team probably won't come until after the New Year.

"We have arrived at an agreement with the White Sox for a Major League contract for Alexei's services," agent Jaime Torres told the Associated Press on Friday.

Now, I'm not as closely wired to Cuban baseball as the rest of you, so I can't say I know much about Ramirez. I can tell you that he mostly played shortstop in Cuba, and he can also play at second base and in centerfield. Where the White Sox plan on using him, I don't know, but I'm guessing second base since Orlando Cabrera is at shortstop.

Ramirez is listed at 26-years old, but in Cuban years that means he's probably 28 or 29. In seven seasons with Pinar Del Rio Ramirez, he hit .332 with 87 home runs, and 391 RBI.

His addition to the White Sox also means that Juan Uribe's days on the south side of Chicago are over. With Cabrera at shortstop already, and Pablo Ozuna firmly planted in the role of super-sub, there really isn't a place left for Uribe on the roster. Which makes that contract extension the White Sox signed him too all the more confusing.

Ramirez could still have a positive impact on another member of the White Sox, though. Jose Contereras is a fellow Cuban, and actually played for Pinar Del Rio as well, and he's always seemed to be a better pitcher with a fellow countrymen around. I don't think it's a coincidence that Contreras' best years both in New York and Chicago took place when Orlando Hernandez was his teammate.

If there has been a consensus opinion among White Sox fans about the Orlando Cabrera-Jon Garland trade, it's that the trade was all right but for Cabrera's age. I don't know if I agree; I think the White Sox gave too much away for Cabrera, especially after re-signing Juan Uribe and knowing that Jose Contreras is going to be as bad as he was last year.

Still, Sox fans are concerned about Cabrera's 33 years. And Orlando wants to assuage their concerns:

Even from his off-season home in distant Catragena, Colombia, the 33-year-old Cabrera seemed to sense a swelling concern about his age a day after the deal.

"I really believe, if we talk about numbers, every year I keep getting better and better,'' said Cabrera, an 11-year veteran. "Age is not an issue. Alex Rodriguez is 32 and no one is concerned about his age. And he just got a 10-year contract.

"I'm comfortable with the way I work my body, and this is just a start. I'm going to have different years in my career, and they are all going to be good.''

There is one glaring problem with Orlando's argument: He's not Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod is one of the greatest players of his generation; Cabrera is a pretty mediocre shortstop with an above-average glove.

Still, Cabrera has progressed in his past few seasons. In the short term, White Sox fans need not worry about his age. The starting rotation, on the other hand, might be worthy of concern.