Smells Like Mascot: Bad Dog

Carl’s latest:

http://smellslikemascot.blogspot.com/2011/08/bad-dog.html

Is Gordon Beckham heading to the bench?

Gregor @ DH:

Gordon Beckham is probably heading to the bench after another brutal night at the plate.

The slumping second baseman was 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts and he stranded seven baserunners.

“I talked to him before the game, and I worry about him because he’s chasing a lot of bad pitches,” Guillen said. “When you are a hitter and you chasing bad pitches, it’s like you are pitching and not throwing strikes. You will dig yourself a hole. You have to look for something.

“I know it’s not easy. I played this game before and went through it. I was swinging at everything in my career as a player, but I think he has to lay off the high fastball as soon as he can because he’s going to put himself in a deeper position.”

Kenny Williams likes the swing Beckham had at Georgia:

Nobody is more frustrated with his struggles at the plate than White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham, who is hitting just .238 and went 1-for-13 in his team’s previous three-game series against the Indians.Coming in a close second, however, might be general manager Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen — who both see Beckham falling victim to pitches out of the strike zone, particularly high ones.

Asked on Friday afternoon if it’s still too early in Beckham’s career to say he’s nearing a crossroads, Williams didn’t mince words.

“No, because with his current approach, I think they’re going to continue to expose his weakness,” Williams said. “As I’ve told him in the past, this is nothing he hasn’t heard from me in the past, I liked the swing coming out of the University of Georgia — the one that we saw when he first got here to the big leagues, where he was able to drive the ball and pound it into the right-center-field gap. And any high fastball, he could get on top if it with his top hand.”

Guillen was also quick to point out the pitches Beckham’s been swinging at are up in the zone.

“I think the only thing about Gordon is chasing bad pitches,” Guillen said. “He can’t lay off of the high ones, and the longer you do that, you’re going to be in the same situation.”

John Sickels reviews his Chicago White Sox 2011 Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospect List

Sickels @ MLBall:

1) Chris Sale, LHP, Grade A:  2.78 ERA for the White Sox, 58/20 K/BB in 57 major league innings, 43 hits, four saves, 1.66 GO/AO. What’s not to like?

2) Brent Morel, 3B, Grade B: Hitting .256/.272/.321 with four walks, 33 strikeouts in 293 at-bats for the White Sox. I think he is capable of better, but the bat has been disappointing.

3) Dayan Viciedo, OF, Grade B- .293/.363/.477 with 17 homers, 43 walks, 79 strikeouts in 426 at-bats for Triple-A Charlotte. Has made good progress with the strike zone, stock up for me.

4) Addison Reed, RHP, Grade B-:  Amazing season at four levels, currently in Triple-A. Composite numbers: 1.40 ERA, 103/13 K/BB in 71 innings, 39 hits. He has a 20/2 K/BB in 14 Triple-A innings and has pushed his fastball into the upper 90s. Ready to help in the bullpen now. …