Josh Fields

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name = Josh Fields
team = Chicago White Sox
number = 22
position = Third baseman
birthdate = birth date and age|1982|12|14
birthplace = city-state|Ada|Oklahoma
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = September 13
debutyear = 2006
debutteam = Chicago White Sox
statyear = September 3, 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .237
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 24
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 71
teams =
*Chicago White Sox (by|2006-present)

Joshua Dean Fields (born December 14, 1982 in Ada, Oklahoma) is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago White Sox. He was selected as the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the White Sox.

Collegiate career

Fields was a two-sport athlete at Oklahoma State University, playing both baseball and football. He was selected as a Big 12 Conference All-Star at third base in by|2003, and had a career batting average of .364 over three years. Fields also earned three letters as a quarterback for the Cowboys. He owns the school record for most touchdown passes (55), and led the team to two bowl games, including setting the Cotton Bowl record with 307 passing yards against the University of Mississippi.

Professional career

Entering by|2005, Fields was ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the White Sox organization [cite web|title = "Top 10 Prospects: Chicago White Sox"|date = 2004-11-29|publisher = "Baseball America"|url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/04top10s/whitesox.html] and the 95th-best prospect in Major League Baseball [cite web|title = "2005 Top 100 Prospects: 76-100"|date = 2005-02-28|publisher = "Baseball America"|url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/040228top1001.html] by "Baseball America". He hit safely in 14 straight games from August 6-August 21 for the Birmingham Barons, tied for the eighth-longest streak in the Southern League.

Prior to the by|2006 season, Fields was once again ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the White Sox organization by "Baseball America" [cite web|title = "Top 10 Prospects: Chicago White Sox"|date = 2006-01-25|publisher = "Baseball America"|url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/05top10s/whitesox.html] . He homered in four consecutive games from May 11-May 14 with the Charlotte Knights, and was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game at Pittsburgh's PNC Park. Fields made his major league debut on September 13, mlby|2006, but did not record his first major league at-bat until September 18. In that game against the Detroit Tigers, Fields hit a pinch-hit home run off Detroit's Jamie Walker. He became the third player in White Sox history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat, joining Carlos Lee (May 7, mlby|1999) and Miguel Olivo (September 15, mlby|2002) as the only other White Sox to do so.

Fields entered the by|2007 season ranked as the second-best prospect in the White Sox organization [cite web|title = "Top 10 Prospects: Chicago White Sox"|date = 2006-11-20|publisher = "Baseball America"|url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/262878.html] and the 45th-best prospect in Major League Baseball [cite web|title = "2007 Top 100 Prospects"|date = 2007-02-28|publisher = "Baseball America"|url = http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/263445.html] by "Baseball America". Although he started the season at Triple-A Charlotte, he was called up to the White Sox after a season ending back injury to third basemam Joe Crede. He recorded his first multi-home run game on August 10 against the Seattle Mariners, hitting both off starter Jarrod Washburn. On August 26, mlby|2007, Fields made his first start in left field, though he only played 21 games at that position before being moved back to third base.

Fields ended his first season as a Major Leaguer by hitting .244, with 23 home runs, 67 RBI, which by a long shot was better than Joe Crede but was still sent down next season to Triple-A, and an OPS of 788 in 100 games. His 23 home runs tied him with Bill Melton for 3rd most home runs by a White Sox player in their rookie season, Melton did that in 157 games. Fields received one third-place vote for AL Rookie of the Year.

Entering spring training for the mlby|2008 season, Fields was expected to be the starting third baseman, with Joe Crede likely traded. However, Crede arrived at camp fully recovered from his injury and White Sox general manager Kenny Williams was said to be unsatisfied with the trade offers. This resulted in Crede being given the starting job and Fields once again beginning the season in Triple-A Charlotte.

On July 25, 2008, he was called up to play with the White Sox after Crede was put on the 15-day disabled list.

References

External links