Watching the Brewers-Cubs games Wednesday night, I got a sick feeling in my stomach when Rickie Weeks hit the deck after injuring his ankle legging out an infield single. It wasn’t just because I have an aversion to ankle injuries, having suffered plenty in my life; but it is because I know how important Rickie is to the Brewers.
Weeks has spent most of the year in the leadoff role, playing well enough to be selected as the All-Star starter at second base. He’s a guy who is crucial to the Brewers if they want to make a playoff run, perhaps even moreso than guys like Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder. Braun and Fielder are replaceable for a period of time (though certainly not both together), because I think their roles as run producers can be supplanted by the other getting hot or players like Casey McGehee or Corey Hart stepping up.
But Weeks is different.
His combination of speed, power, hustle and versatility within the Milwaukee lineup makes him, in my opinion, the player the Brewers can least afford to lose. As a Brewers fan, here’s hoping Weeks is only out about 2-3 weeks and Milwaukee can tread water in the NL Central until then.
The injury also got me to thinking who the most irreplaceable players on other contenders are. Like in the Brewers’ case, it’s not always the best player, but often it is the player that has a unique role within the team that has made them successful to this point so far.
I am not really sure if the White Sox are moving in the correct direction. Were the moves that Kenny Williams made at the trade deadline meant to stock up the current team for the playoff push or lay down the foundation for next year’s team?
On the same day that we got a little more information regarding the White Sox debut of Jake Peavy, a familiar face will take the mound at U.S. Cellular Field for the first time in three seasons.
Ken Williams, who has emerged over the past few years as one of the most proactive, respected, and forward-thinking GMs in the game, targeted Peavy long ago as a guy he wanted in Chicago. To Williams’ credit, he kept persevering until it got done. He also reportedly made a deal happen in 90 minutes when everyone, including me, had finally been lulled into thinking that the White Sox would not be major players this year at the deadline.
Considering the young offensive talent we have in Carlos Quentin, Gordon Beckham, Chris Getz, and Alexei Ramirez, plus hopefully another couple of productive seasons from JD and Paulie, the White Sox appear poised to compete for AL Central crowns and AL pennants for at least the next 2-3 years, while also giving themselves a more realistic chance at doing serious October damage this year…if they can make it.
Back in May, one of the hottest topics in baseball was the Padres’ desire to deal stud SP Jake Peavy and the revelation that they had agreed to a deal in principle with the White Sox. The Cubs had long been rumored to be atop the list of likely landing spots for Peavy, so the report of Peavy’s imminent deal to the Sox surprised many.
how disappointed we might have been had he come to the South Side in a deal for two of our top pitching prospects and threw a 3.9+ ERA up there over the balance of the season.
to Chicago, ultimately does an interview with MSF, leads the White Sox to the World Series, and his sublime K/BB ratio inspires Iran and Israel to schedule a Texas-style square dance at which they will squash their difference and lead a united front for peace in the Middle East.
Eat your heart out Cubs fans. We beat you to a World Series and we just might beat you to Jake Peavy as well.
at the top of the rotation. If John Danks regains his consistency and Gavin Floyd regains his competence, the White Sox would have one of the three of four best pitching rotations in baseball.
