March 07--Austin Jackson's arrival to the White Sox begins a game of musical chairs, with four outfielders and DH Adam LaRoche vying for playing time in four lineup spots.
Jackson arrived at camp Monday morning after signing a one-year, $5 million deal. He was unavailable for comment before the workout.
Center fielder Adam Eaton, who will move to a corner spot when Jackson is in the lineup, said he welcomes the move, though he prefers center.
"I think anybody who has played center in the big leagues would love to play center," Eaton said. "That's the most fun position. I'm a little Napoleon out there. I like to be in charge. I like to catch everything that's hit out there and take charge of the guys. Left field is a little different, because you definitely have to follow a side of the center fielder. The center fielder takes charge and it's a little bit different throwing angles. But as long as I have a big league uniform on for the Sox this year I'll be happy."
Manager Robin Ventura said the right-handed hitting Jackson would start out playing mostly against left-handers, but figures to get in the lineup against selected right-handers as well.
"Eventually we'll work into that," Ventura said. "Playing time is earned and we'll just go from there. We just got him and will see how it goes."
The Sox needed another right-handed bat, and the addition of Jackson is an immediate upgrade to the suspect outfield defense.
"We've struggled a little in the past against lefties, so this is one way to do that,"
Ventura said. "Anytime you can add somebody who can play like Austin you definitely look at it and Rick (Hahn) was able to pull it off."
Ventura said the move won't affect Garcia that much, though Garcia obviously will get less playing time with Eaton and Jackson in the same outfield. Eaton said he's "miserable" playing DH this spring.
"I hate it and I think everything everybody hates it, too, because they hear me chatterbox in there and I'm pacing up and down and chewing too many seeds and too much bubblegum and chomping at the bit to get out there," he said. "I hate it because you don't really get in the flow of the game, either. You can only impact the game one way and if you don't, you hate it. I get out and go back to the bench and sulk about it for the next hour until I get another at-bat."
But that's the only place Eaton can be until the Sox let him return to playing the outfield. Eaton, who had nerve decompression surgery on his left shoulder last winter, declined to say when he'll be back on the field.
"I think I've talked about it enough," he said. "I'm not real sure."
