The one gaping hole in the White Sox lineup this year has come from third base, as Brent Morel and Orlando Hudson have hit well below the .200 mark. And with Morel’s back injury flaring up while rehabbing in Charlotte, the job seems to be Hudson’s for the forseeable future.
Morel playing for the Knights. Photo courtesy South Side Sox
But with a general manager like Kenny Williams, you never know when a trigger could be pulled, bringing a new name to the south side of Chicago. Reputable names like Kevin Youkilis and Chase Headley have surfaced in mild trade rumors and other guys, such as Joe Mather or Marco Scutaro seem to both make sense and be at least somewhat realistic.
And sure, any of those guys would be a boost in the lineup. Probably a big one, at that. But as a fan, you have to wonder if a big move is really worth it. The White Sox are 13-5 since Orlando Hudson joined the starting lineup back in May, which has propelled them to a 1.5 game lead in the division.
Orlando is hitting .186 since coming to Chicago, and has made three errors that have been instrumental in two White Sox losses. Now don’t get me wrong, Hudson has been good in the field overall, but has faltered in big moments. And while Orlando’s offense has helped the White Sox win a couple of games, having a hitter substantially below .200 may not be the best idea for a playoff contender.
My Verdict
Since the White Sox have gotten pretty consistent production from their 1-8 hitters, I think it’s okay to have a hole in the 9 spot if you are at least getting good defense and solid, legnthy at bats from that guy. And in more cases than not, Orlando Hudson has given us just that.
Hudson has been around the big leagues for a while now, possessing a .274 lifetime average througout the past 10 seasons. Do I expect him to hit close to that? No. But like before with Gordon Beckham, we just need improvement. If Hudson could keep his average around .230, it would be a great boost to what the first place team has had to this point.
Hudson in his playing days for Los Angeles.
The White Sox have more pressing needs in the front end of the bullpen and the back side of the rotation.
I think a deal should be put together for a third baseman if, and only if, the pitching staff is taken care of and set in stone.
Pitching is what wins you championships, and while the White Sox seem to have enough of it on paper, we all know that improvements are needed. Now of cours,e that discussion is for another post, but it fits nicely here, since I think it is much more crucial than the hole at third base.
If we have learned anything about Kenny Williams during his tenure as the Sox GM, it’s that you can’t predict what he’s going to do. So I’m not going to try to do that. And if I were, I may as well predict that Jay Cutler ends up playing the hot corner down the stretch for the Sox.
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What are your opinions? Who should be the White Sox 3rd baseman from here on out? Post comments below or tweet at @Grab_Some_Bench to share your thoughts!
White Sox, White Sox, Go Go White Sox!
Post by Creator and Managing Editor of GSB!, Zach Gropper.