Greg Norton may be leading all major leaguers in RBIs this spring, but Craig Wilson will start at third base on Opening Day in Texas.
Manager Jerry Manuel named Wilson his starting third baseman at the start of spring, but Norton appeared to have won it back with his red-hot bat. But the reason why Manuel chose Wilson over Norton on Wednesday was his defense.
“We just want to play `catch the ball,'” Manuel said.
Paul Konerko will be the designated hitter with Frank Thomas at first. A month after the famous shuttle drill that ignited the Thomas-Manuel clear-the-air-meeting at the start of spring, Thomas finally ran it Wednesday in front of his cheering teammates.
Thomas was excused from the drill, but said he would run it when he was healthy. Before the Sox’s exhibition game, Thomas, Ray Durham and Jeff Abbott all performed the grueling drill for the first time this spring.
Manuel said Thomas is his first baseman. Period.
“I feel he’ll be there until an injury prohibits him from doing it,” Manuel said. “He has done a good job this spring. Physically, his arm is better, he has no foot problems and he feels good about the way he has played. He has a right to because he has played well.”
Roster moves: Jeff Liefer will be placed on the disabled list Thursday, leaving Jeff Abbott and Brian Simmons as the back-up outfielders. The Sox optioned Kevin Beirne and Jesus Pena to Class AAA Charlotte on Wednesday, and released Carlos Castillo after he had cleared waivers.
Catcher Eric Christopherson was reassigned to minor-league camp, leaving Buffalo Grove’s Josh Paul as the back-up catcher until Brook Fordyce returns in about 3 to 4 weeks. Paul is hitting .386.
Beirne had a 4.91 earned-run average in 11 innings, while Tanyon Sturtze has a 6.46 ERA. “Sturtze pitched a little better than [Beirne] in spring training,” Manuel said.
Pena had a 2.45 ERA, but also walked eight batters in 11 innings, which was his downfall.
“He told me he was working on certain things,” Schueler said. “With two months in the big leagues you [don’t] come to work on things. You come to make the club.”
After being reassigned to minor-league camp Monday, Castillo reportedly got into a heated argument with Schueler about his decision.
“His attitude wasn’t good the last couple years,” Schueler said. “But that wasn’t it. His weight was. He hasn’t worked as hard as I’d hoped he would. He said he wasn’t happy here. So he’s no longer here. We have a good bunch of guys here, and I don’t want one guy ruining it.”
Castillo, 10-7 with a 5.03 earned-run average in 109 games since ’97, probably will be remembered best for ripping Sox fans after they booed the team last Aug. 30 at Comiskey Park.
