When the Arizona Diamondbacks moved on last summer with their outfield of the future, it was only then that Carlos Quentin felt he was better served going elsewhere.
“The only need for me to leave there was the feeling that the team had moved on,” said Quentin, who has 14 home runs in a breakout season with the White Sox after being dealt from Arizona in December. “And that was the feeling there because they had other plans.
“They made those decisions in their best interests and the only sense I had received there toward the end of that last year, as when I did get a chance to get on the field, things were going the other way.
“So when that happens as a player, you just look for another opportunity. You stay positive when people turn and go in a different direction than what you think. When another opportunity presents itself, you learn from what adversity you experienced.”
After Quentin went on the disabled list Aug. 2 because of a right hamstring strain, No. 1 pick Justin Upton was recalled from Triple-A Tucson and seized Arizona’s right-field duties. Five days later, left fielder Eric Byrnes was signed to a three-year, $30 million contract, and Chris Young was entrenched in center, leaving Quentin on the outside looking in.
“I sometimes say to myself that it had to happen so that I could learn from it and learn what kind of player I am, what kind of person I am,” Quentin said. “Do I ever want to experience that again? No, but I understand that I took away a lot from last year.”
Extra innings
Shortstop Juan Uribe will start a minor-league rehabilitation assignment Tuesday night for Triple-A Charlotte with the anticipation he could rejoin the Sox on Saturday at Tampa Bay. Uribe is on the disabled list because of a right hamstring strain. … Brad Eldred hit a grand slam, his 18th homer, off Francisco Liriano in Charlotte’s 7-6 loss at Rochester. The 6-foot-5-inch, 275-pound former Pirate has moved from first base to the outfield.
