Chip Shots: It's February 3rd and We're Talking Lineups!

Chip Shots
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I'm Chip Ramsey a career broadcaster who has been a sports radio program director in Milwaukee and Nashville. I've covered everything from high school and college sports (including the SEC, Big Ten, MVC and OVC) to Major League Baseball, The NFL and the NHL. I have a few things to say, and when I want to say them, I say them here.

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Chip Shots: It's February 3rd and We're Talking Lineups!

It's February 3rd and We're Talking Lineups!

The Cheat at South Side Sox has posted (as of this writing) the projected Chicago White Sox starting lineup for the 2009 season.

The highlights:

The middle is solid with Q, Thome, Dye and Paulie. Here's your disclaimer: If healthy.
The projection has The Cuban Missile hitting in the seven hole, Josh Fields hitting eighth in the spot vacated by Joe Crede and young Chris Getz hitting ninth.
The lineup also has Jerry Owens and AJ, two lefties leading it off for the Sox.

Some thoughts:

I would consider hitting the Missile second and move AJ down to fifth. That way, you get a nice left, right, left, right, left, right thing going.
While Jerry Owens may open the season leading off in center field, my prediction is he won't finish it there. Isn't there someone out there that can play centerfield besides Owens, who, if he has a poor spring, should be officially declared a disaster. Since the Prez is a Sox fan, maybe we can get him to do it.
I like Getz at second, but you wonder who is going to win the logjam at second base in spring training. In addition to Getz, you have Brett Lillibridge, Jayson Nix and, for all practical purposes, Wilson Betemit who can play all four infield positions.
The Sox should consider picking up a legitimate backup first baseman. Right now, Betemit and Jermaine Dye are the only players available on the roster who play first. The Sox have Brandon Allen on their 40 man roster but he won't head north with the team. I wonder if the Sox would consider signing former Paraná Doug Mientkiewicz as a backup and pinch hitter. (Wait, too many letters for the back of his jersey, the Chairman will never go for it.)
What about backup catcher? Toby Hall signed with the Astros, so he's not coming back. Donny Lucy anyone? Corky Miller? Chris Stewart? Cole Armstrong? (which would give the Sox two lefty catchers). Is it just me, or is this the weakest bench the Sox have had in ages?
The Cheat didn't go into pitching, which if reports are correct will be the big three followed by Colon followed by either Clayton Richard or Jefferey Marquez. Aaron Poreda might have a shot, but he'd have to a have a huge spring training to avoid the bus to Charlotte.
Speaking of the bus to Charlotte, Mike MacUseless is like a bad penny, isn't he? He's a non-roster invitee to spring training. I wouldn't invite him to a tea party.
Guys that might change the cosmic tumblers in spring training: The Cuban Sandwich, Franklyn German and Michael Restovich.