Ken Williams spent most of October finalizing budgets for 2007. Now the White Sox general manager and his staff are awaiting word on whether standout third baseman Joe Crede will undergo back surgery.
Williams declined to comment Friday, and attempts to reach Scott Boras, Crede’s agent, were unsuccessful.
Undergoing surgery within the next month would allow Crede enough time to be ready for spring training in mid-February. It also would ease the minds of those in the Sox’s front office because Crede, who is arbitration eligible, is due a significant raise from his $2.85 million salary after a breakout year.
Before the final game of the Sox’s season on Oct. 1, Crede said he was seeking another medical opinion but was leaning against surgery for a disc problem in his lower back.
“If I have to have it, the more rest the better,” Crede said on Oct. 1. “Sandy Alomar said he had it during the season and said [recovery] took 45 days.”
Alomar underwent surgery on his back on May 15, 1993, and didn’t return until Aug. 2 that year–a period of 79 days.
Crede said the procedure is minor and wouldn’t require an overnight stay at a hospital. Whether Crede will be offered a long-term deal remains to be seen, but the Sox merely have to tender Crede a contract by Dec. 12 to retain his rights.
Josh Fields, one of the Sox’s top prospects, is playing third base and the outfield for LaGuaira in the Venezuelan League and batting .222 in 27 at-bats.
Coaching newcomers
The Sox’s 2007 staff might include two newcomers after bullpen catcher Man Soo Lee left to accept a coaching job with the SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization. According to the Korea Times, Lee, 48, will earn about $150,000 in the first year of a two-year deal.
Lee once held the Korean League record with 252 career home runs for Samsung.
The Sox haven’t decided whether to fill Lee’s spot from within the organization. Triple-A Charlotte manager Razor Shines, currently managing LaGuaira, is likely to join the major-league staff. Shines would be the third-base coach, with Joey Cora becoming bench coach, taking over for the fired Tim Raines.
Newsday reported in Friday’s editions that Raines is being considered as hitting coach by the Yankees. Raines is one of several candidates to succeed Don Mattingly, who is moving to bench coach.
———-
mgonzales@tribune.com
