Stone: Viciedo Must Play Every Day If Called Up
CHICAGO (WSCR) White Sox minor league outfielder Dayan Viciedo has been turning heads at Triple-A Charlotte with his hot bat. That, combined with the struggles of the White Sox offense, have many fans wondering if they will see Viciedo at major league level soon.
But 670 The Score baseball expert and White Sox television analyst Steve Stone believes that if General Manager Kenny Williams decides to call Viciedo up, he needs to play every day.
"If you are bringing up a guy who you believe has a chance to be a star and a full-time player for you, he's got to play when you bring him up," Stone told the Boers and Bernstein Show. "Thats what all the real good players do. They get to the major leagues and they play and they play consistently. So until the Sox have come to the conclusion that Juan Pierre probably should be taken down -- maybe they should shift Carlos Quentin to left field, maybe they should put Viciedo in right field -- until they have a spot for him everyday, I dont think you will see him"
Listen: Steve Stone on The Boers and Bernstein Show
Podcast
For the rest of this interview and other 670 The Score interviews click here.
Viciedo is currently hitting .325 with 11 home runs, 21 doubles and 47 RBI in 63 games with the Charlotte Knights. With Pierre, Alex Rios and Adam Dunn struggling this season, many believe Viciedo would provide a spark to the White Sox offense. The problem is, if Pierre is taken out of the lineup, the White Sox would lack a true leadoff hitter. Still, some would argue Pierre hasn't been an adequate leadoff hitter this season anyway.
"When they make that decision, whenever it is -- and obviously that is up to Kenny and Ozzie -- when they make that decision, then I think you'll see Viciedo come up and when he does you will see him play everyday," Stone said.
