Tireball.com

Joe Crede came to Spring Training having to compete for his old position manning the hot corner for the Chicago White Sox.

His job wasn’t made any easier when General Manager Kenny Williams stated that Josh Fields, the man he was battleing for the position, would be playing third base at either the major league or Triple-A level. This was a sharp comment that squashed rumors that Fields could be considered an option in left field.

After hitting 52 home runs from 2005-2006 Crede was kept silent by a bum back that left him on the field for just 47 games last year.

If the White Sox are really trying to trade Crede which just about everyone believes then Crede needs to start picking up the pace. He’s managed just two hits so far this spring in sixteen at-bats compiling a .125 average. He has of course managed to bop one ball out of the yard though his timing at the plate has seemed off. After working hard over the last three years to improve his defense he’s made three errors already this spring.

There’s no shortage of teams that figure to be interested in Crede’s precence. The team that has been rumored for much of the Spring to be interested in Crede’s services are the San Fransico Giants. Currently the team is flirting with the idea of going with the duo of Rich Aurilia and Kevin Frandersen at the position. A former All-Star Aurilia, 36, seems to be nothing more then a part-time player these days. Last year he hit just .252 with 5 home runs in 99 games. Frandsen on the other hand appeared in 109 games but fared little btter hitting just .269 with 5 home runs himself. He’s more of the utility infielder then an everyday player.

The Giants aren’t the only team that has a need for a third basemen. The Los Angeles Dodgers also figure to be interested following Andy LaRoche’s tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. That injury seemed to hand third bas to Nomar Garciaparra but this isn’t the Nomar of ten years ago and at the age of 34 followin years of injuries Nomar is not someone you can count on to be a reliable offensive threat anymore. He hit .283 last year but managed jut 7 home runs and only 17 doubles in his 431 at-bats. Just once since his last full season with the Boston Red Sox in 2003 has he hit double digit home runs and only once has he managed 25 or more doubles. The Dodgers have seemed uncomitted to making him an everyday player this spring.

The Cleveland Indians could choose to upgrade from Casey Blake but the White Sox probably don’t want to trade him to a team in their division.