Are the 2015 White Sox Better Than the 2005 Squad?

Left Field

Feb 28, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2015: Melky Cabrera (ESPN Projections: .298 Avg./13 HR/60 RBI/7 SB)

2005: Scott Podsednik (2005 Stats: .290 Avg./0 HR/25 RBI/59 SB)

This is another tight race. Well, not a literal race because then Podsednik would definitely leg out Melky. Podsednick has a slight edge on Cabrera defensively, but really this comes down to their offensive numbers.

Scott Podesdnik

(baseball-reference.com)

Cabrera certainly offers more production, and I actually think the projected power numbers are low considering he hit 16 home runs last season and will be playing 81 of his games at U.S. Cellular Field. Podsednik hit lead off, so that’s not necessarily an RBI position, but he was lacking in that area in ’05.

Podsednik saved his home runs for the ’05 postseason, notably when he hit the game winning shot in Game 2 of the World Series against the Houston Astros, but was a black hole in that department during the regular season. He made up for that with his steal totals though, and 59 steals is nothing to scoff at.

With Adam Eaton already projected to hit lead off for the White Sox in ’15, and Johnson, Eaton and Garcia filling up the speed requirement, I’d take Melky’s production out of the two-hole over what Podsednik offers on the basepaths and give him the start in left-field.

Edge: Melky Cabrera

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