Major League Baseball

De Aza trying to change Guillen's mind on roster

Published Mar. 18, 2010 5:01 p.m. ET

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Ozzie Guillen told reporters this week that he already knows what his 25-man roster to open the regular season will look like.

Alejandro De Aza is trying to change the Chicago White Sox manager's plans.

When spring training opened, De Aza, a left-handed hitting outfielder, was on the outside looking in as far as making the major league club. The only major competition was supposed to be between Brent Lillibridge and Jayson Nix for the utility player spot.

Only Lillibridge and Nix, two players who can play both the infield and in the outfield, have been disappointing, and Guillen has expressed as much.

Lillibridge is batting .211. Nix is at .350 but has struck out eight times and committed three errors. Plus, veteran Omar Vizquel can play all the infield positions, which is where Lillibridge and Nix have been used in games.

De Aza can play all outfield positions, but the White Sox have five players who will make the team that can play the outfield. Still, De Aza's .394 batting average - despite going 0 for 4 Wednesday - a team-high 13 hits and a share of the team lead with 7 RBI has Guillen praising the 25-year-old Dominican Republic native.

``I love De Aza. I wish he could play infield,'' Guillen said. ``He's playing very well for us. Right now it's very tough for me to make a decision to lean to somebody I really want because ... anything can happen. But I love the way De Aza is playing. We're going to keep him (in camp) and see what happens at the end of spring training.''

De Aza downplays his success in games this month. He also remains humble because he's missed a lot of baseball in recent years with two serious ankle injuries - and he is eager to make up for lost time.

``Every day I'm working hard. It's a little timing thing and all that, and I thank God it's going well,'' De Aza said. ``I'm not doing anything different, just trying to make contact with the ball, and it's been marvelous so far.''

The White Sox claimed De Aza off waivers from the Florida Marlins last October. It's another chance to resurrect what has been a career filled with injuries.

In 2006, De Aza spent more than two months on the disabled list with a badly bruised right wrist. He opened the 2007 season with the Marlins as the surprise winner of the starting center fielder job, but he injured his right ankle early in the season and was on the DL until August with what was found to be a hairline fracture. In March of last year, he sustained a high ankle sprain, this time the left one, and spent the entire season on the disabled list after surgery.

``Now it's fine, it doesn't bother me,'' De Aza said. ``It was really hard because I've been given this opportunity that not everyone in this world has.''

This spring, De Aza isn't focusing on the roster numbers and if or how he can make the team. He said he's only focusing on what he can control and leaving the decisions up to the coaches.

``It's not in my hands,'' De Aza said. ``I'm just glad to be here.''

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