NewsBeckham's rise may rotate positions
Top prospect won't be rushed with Ramirez at shortstop
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
04/13/09 2:40 PM ET
DETROIT -- The move would seem to be a natural one for the White Sox, even if it involves a position switch for a player with the talent potential to be a Gold Glover at shortstop.In Gordon Beckham, the White Sox have a big league star in the making, even though he hasn't had a single Major League at-bat. The team's top pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft had an eye-opening Spring Training and has continued his torrid pace with eight hits and a 1.056 OPS over four games for Double-A Birmingham.
Beckham currently starts at shortstop for the Barons, the same position occupied by Alexei Ramirez for the White Sox. Ramirez started his first year at the position this spring, after playing second for most of his stellar 2008 rookie campaign, and Beckham could make the same sort of position switch if needed. But could Ramirez, arguably the best athlete on the White Sox roster, eventually find himself in center field, if Chris Getz pans out at second base and Josh Fields continues his strong play at third base?
It's a move that would open up shortstop once again for Beckham. During a brief talk with MLB.com on Monday, manager Ozzie Guillen acknowledged it's a move that isn't completely out of the realm of possibility.
"Well, we don't know," said Guillen of a possible move for Ramirez from shortstop to center field. "It's our plans for Ramirez to be the shortstop right now.
"Maybe in the next couple of years or next year, we might change plans. We don't know what direction we are going to go or how good Beckham is going to be. Really, it's a good thing for us, a great thing."
Where Beckham is concerned, Guillen preached extreme patience. Guillen was impressed enough with Beckham during Spring Training to put him in the mix for the starting job at second base, but at the same time, Guillen does not want to rush the organization's top prospect.
Following that same school of thought, Guillen doesn't think Beckham should move from his comfort zone at shortstop to anywhere in the outfield in order to speed up his trip to the Majors.
"I can't see him in center field," Guillen said. "If he plays the outfield, he would have to play left field. He's not [Brent] Lillibridge, who can play out there. We should keep him at shortstop, and if we have to move him somewhere else, we do.
"We are pleased and appreciate what the kid does. He's playing Double-A right now, so take it little by little. I would rather take small steps, but the right ones with him and really, any player."
Ramirez started Opening Day '08 in center against the Indians at Progressive Field. He handled the spot solidly for 11 games, coming up with one outfield assist.
Moving Ramirez would make sense if Brian Anderson or Dewayne Wise don't assert themselves in the center of the outfield. The White Sox also have another top prospect in Jordan Danks, who finished a single short of hitting for the cycle for Class A Winston-Salem three days ago.
For the foreseeable future, Ramirez will be at shortstop. In fact, any change this year might indicate bad fortunes for the White Sox as a team.
"Alexei will be my shortstop in the pennant race," Guillen said. "If we are out of the pennant race, then we might change our mind -- let's try this to give Beckham a shot to get his feet wet in the big leagues. Right now, my plans are to keep him down there as the shortstop, and hopefully we don't have to do that.
"Let's see what direction we go. Let's see if this kid can do it at the big league level."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
