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Third baseman endures near-successes during slump
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

Joe Crede, who batted .239 in 2004, is mired in an early-season slump. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
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MINNEAPOLIS -- The law of averages eventually has to work in favor of Joe Crede.
During the first two games of the Minnesota series, the White Sox third baseman hit the ball hard during five separate at-bats. Yet, he entered Sunday's series finale against Johan Santana with one hit in eight trips to the plate at the Metrodome.

Despite Crede carrying a .111 average, with no RBIs and one run scored through five games, he is encouraged by the near success.

"Yeah, I feel good where I'm at right now," Crede said. "Me and Walk (hitting coach Greg Walker) have been working in the cage and getting my swing down. It's a matter of going up there and having quality at-bats.

"For me, it's not just stats and stuff. It's about feeling good up there and is my swing there?" Crede added.

After hitting just .239 in 2004, albeit with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs form either the eighth or ninth spot in the batting order, Crede was a focal point for the White Sox offense coming into 2005. With Josh Fields, the team's first-round pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, making a strong charge during Spring Training, and Crede being arbitration-eligible in 2006, the pressure was on the soon-to-be 27-year-old to produce.

But manager Ozzie Guillen likes what he sees from Crede offensively, despite the lack of results. He also knows that every hitter goes through a slump during the course of a season, but both Guillen and Crede are confident the balls being caught in Minnesota will eventually fall in.

"Joe is hitting the ball outstanding here," Guillen said. "He's not having any luck, but that's part of the game. I told him to keep it up, keep swinging and they're going to fall."

"Right now, my swing feels like it's there," Crede added. "It's always something daily you work on to get to that point. I've had about three or four quality at-bats in this series. I haven't had the hits to show for it, unfortunately. But I feel good."

Out of sight: With the injury problems suffered by Magglio Ordonez and Frank Thomas last season, Guillen had the opportunity to answer a great deal of questions about players who weren't with his team. He stuck to the same response pretty much every time: Guillen didn't worry about a particular individual, no matter how much he meant to the team's success, if he wasn't part of the active roster.

It was more of the same for Guillen prior to Sunday's season finale, when he was asked how he would fit the hot-hitting Carl Everett into the lineup when Frank Thomas returned from his injury rehabilitation.

"I'll worry about Frank when he returns," Guillen said. "We aren't even talking about Frank right now. He has to give me a quality game, not an at-bat. I need to see him running and doing a lot of different things to come back here.

"When Frank is ready, then we'll worry about Frank. When he gets here, we'll find out how we're going to play him."

Guillen echoed a sentiment similar to Everett's comments to MLB.com on Saturday, in that Thomas will have to make the adjustments to this new style of White Sox baseball when he comes in as a mid-season addition.

"How many at-bats will it take? I don't know, but he better come here ready to play," said Guillen of Thomas. "This is not a rehab team. This is a team that wants to win."

Still going strong: Although Brandon McCarthy made his season debut Saturday night at home for Triple-A Charlotte, his stellar performance did not go unnoticed in Minneapolis. The right-hander, who was one Mark Buehrle quick recovery away from making the White Sox's Opening Day roster, struck out 10, walked one and gave up two hits during the Knights' 3-2 victory over Columbus. McCarthy did not factor in the decision.

Guillen seemed happy that a Charlotte pitcher put up good numbers, after a rough start on the mound for the White Sox's International League affiliate. But he was not taken aback by McCarthy's continued success.

"He showed me he can pitch at this level," said Guillen of McCarthy. "Can he pitch for us now? No, we have everything set. If anything happens, he'll be here. But it doesn't surprise me at all with the way the kid throws the ball."

Sorry is the hardest word: At a press conference last week in Chicago, Bo Jackson and his lawyers were uncertain if an apology from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin would be enough to settle a lawsuit filed by the former White Sox player. Now, Jackson has the chance to decide.

On Saturday, Jackson received his desired full apology on the front of the newspaper's website.

"A story we published online March 24 and in print March 25 contained a quote stating that past 'anabolic' use by retired sports star Bo Jackson caused the loss of his hip," the apology reads. "Jackson has stated publicly he has never used steroids.

"We retract the quote and the further statement that the speaker personally witnessed this damage to his life. We apologize to Mr. Jackson, without reservation."

Jackson's legal action stemmed from an article that ran online on March 24 and in print on March 25, with a quote from Ellen Coleman, a dietary expert who spoke at a sports clinic in Riverside, Calif. -- a speech that was covered by the writer named in the lawsuit. The report contained a direct quote from Coleman, which she later denied making, which suggested Jackson lost his hip due to steroid use.

Down on the farm: Despite home runs from Joe Borchard and Jorge Toca, Charlotte's win streak ended at one during Columbus' 13-3 victory Sunday afternoon. Double-A Birmingham also came up short, dropping a 6-2 decision to Jacksonville, after edging Jacksonville by a 4-3 margin the night before. Casey Rogowski had two hits and Jerry Owens drove in two during the loss. Carlos Lee had three hits, but Kinston topped Class A Winston-Salem by one run Sunday.

Coming soon: It's start No. 2 of 2005 for Freddy Garcia on Monday afternoon at Jacobs Field, and it's already his second start against the Indians. The White Sox right-hander battled threw six innings Wednesday in Chicago, allowing two earned runs on five hits and three walks. He received a no-decision when the White Sox rallied from three runs down in the ninth against Cleveland closer Bob Wickman.

Monday marks the White Sox's third opener, of sorts, this season. They won their season opener and home opener last Monday by a 1-0 margin over the Indians and defeated the Twins on Friday, 5-1, in Minnesota's home opener. Monday's game serves as Cleveland's home opener.

The White Sox also played in three openers during Guillen's debut season as manager. They lost the season opener in Kansas City, lost to the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in their home opener and defeated the Royals at U.S. Cellular Field to start the 2004 campaign in Chicago.