bd811
06-04-2002, 06:09 PM
Royce Clayton is out as shortstop of the White Sox, and wouldn't mind being out of Chicago.
Manager Jerry Manuel announced a "long-term" switch at shortstop Monday, moving Jose Valentin back to short and Tony Graffanino to third. Joe Crede, touted as the third baseman of the future for years, may soon be called up from Triple-A Charlotte to take over at third.
Clayton, hitting .197 with 19 RBIs, was visibly upset.
"At this point there's nothing I can do," he said. "What can I do? Go out and trade myself to a team that wants a quality shortstop? I can't do that. I just have to make the best of the situation I'm given on a particular day. Today I'm a White Sox."
Manuel conceded he recently lobbied for Clayton to win a Gold Glove award. He has committed only one error after setting a franchise record for fielding percentage—.988—last year. Manuel cited the nine interleague road games coming up—with no DH—as a reason for the switch.
"That's too many outs you're giving up," Manuel said. "It'd be difficult for us to score runs. We're definitely giving up some defense to hopefully get some [offense]."
Manuel benched Clayton last June, after which an angry Clayton declared: "Life is not fair."
Manuel said Clayton isn't being blamed for the seven-game losing streak the Sox took into Monday night's game.
"It's not like Royce is the scapegoat for what we're going through," Manuel said. "I think they've already crucified me in that area."
Clayton makes $4.5 million annually and will be a free agent in November. The Sox will try to deal him, but few teams are willing to spend that kind of money for a defensive shortstop.
"I'm still under contract for the White Sox, so that's my [job] description," Clayton said. "I'm not the kind of person who's going to use the media to try to voice my opinion. I think people all throughout baseball know what type of player I am."
Clayton believes his defensive play is being overlooked because of all the offensive-minded shortstops these days.
" I'm one of the best shortstops in the game," he said. "There's no doubt about that. In this day and age, I don't understand the evolution of baseball, but for some reason, a shortstop, regardless of how good he is [defensively], has to go out there and be hitting .300 at every given opportunity. That's just the way it is. I guess that's the understanding. If I'm hitting .300, I'm not dealing with this.
"The fact that I'm leading the entire league in fielding percentage—that's my job. And I've done my job."
Clayton rebounded from a poor start last year, improving from .099 on May 23 to wind up at .263 with 60 RBIs.
"At this point my struggles outweigh me having to go out and play defense," he said.
Manager Jerry Manuel announced a "long-term" switch at shortstop Monday, moving Jose Valentin back to short and Tony Graffanino to third. Joe Crede, touted as the third baseman of the future for years, may soon be called up from Triple-A Charlotte to take over at third.
Clayton, hitting .197 with 19 RBIs, was visibly upset.
"At this point there's nothing I can do," he said. "What can I do? Go out and trade myself to a team that wants a quality shortstop? I can't do that. I just have to make the best of the situation I'm given on a particular day. Today I'm a White Sox."
Manuel conceded he recently lobbied for Clayton to win a Gold Glove award. He has committed only one error after setting a franchise record for fielding percentage—.988—last year. Manuel cited the nine interleague road games coming up—with no DH—as a reason for the switch.
"That's too many outs you're giving up," Manuel said. "It'd be difficult for us to score runs. We're definitely giving up some defense to hopefully get some [offense]."
Manuel benched Clayton last June, after which an angry Clayton declared: "Life is not fair."
Manuel said Clayton isn't being blamed for the seven-game losing streak the Sox took into Monday night's game.
"It's not like Royce is the scapegoat for what we're going through," Manuel said. "I think they've already crucified me in that area."
Clayton makes $4.5 million annually and will be a free agent in November. The Sox will try to deal him, but few teams are willing to spend that kind of money for a defensive shortstop.
"I'm still under contract for the White Sox, so that's my [job] description," Clayton said. "I'm not the kind of person who's going to use the media to try to voice my opinion. I think people all throughout baseball know what type of player I am."
Clayton believes his defensive play is being overlooked because of all the offensive-minded shortstops these days.
" I'm one of the best shortstops in the game," he said. "There's no doubt about that. In this day and age, I don't understand the evolution of baseball, but for some reason, a shortstop, regardless of how good he is [defensively], has to go out there and be hitting .300 at every given opportunity. That's just the way it is. I guess that's the understanding. If I'm hitting .300, I'm not dealing with this.
"The fact that I'm leading the entire league in fielding percentage—that's my job. And I've done my job."
Clayton rebounded from a poor start last year, improving from .099 on May 23 to wind up at .263 with 60 RBIs.
"At this point my struggles outweigh me having to go out and play defense," he said.