With write-ups about Adam Dunn and Alex Rios out of the way, we can now look at Gordon Beckham, the supposed wunderkin from just a couple seasons ago for the Sox.  He has never lived up to his hype, though, and this season in particular, has been a big liability for the Sox.  He does play a nice second base, but his average has plummeted each of his years with the team.  This year has been the worst of all.

In 2010, Beckham got off to a very bad start but was able to rebound in spectacular fashion in the second half of the season.  The general consensus (and I thought so, too) was that Beckham would take that momentum into 2011 and become the offensive force he has been touted as.  It never happened.

For whatever reason, Beckham regressed again, and the All-Star Break wasn’t enough to kick start him this season.  He has struggled all season long, and unlike Rios, hasn’t shown much improvement lately.

I suppose Beckham can be added to list of problems for hitting coach Greg Walker, but at least Beckham’s average never came close to .200.  But his power is rather non-existent and he doesn’t add much offensively.  He, too, became pretty much an automatic out this season and hasn’t come close to fixing the problem.

It was reported that Walker and GM Kenny Williams almost came to blows over Beckham, because Williams insinuated that Beckham’s swing was better before Walker got to him.  The real problem is that Beckham wasn’t sent to the minors this season.

I do think Beckham was called up too early.  In 2009, he tore up AAA, and was called up and fell off a little after pitchers adjusted to him.  In 2010, he had that nice second half but was unable to capitalize and improve on it in 2011.  When it became clear he wasn’t going to emerge from his slump (July at the very latest), he should have been sent down as a wakeup call. 

In the minors, he would have been able to work on his swing while facing lesser pitching, and ideally he would have regained some confidence and rediscover what got him to the big leagues initially.  Instead, he wasn’t sent down (I don’t believe there was ever talk of, either), and he wallowed away the season, never improving

He also had the incident earlier in the year where he was caught calling opposing second basemen Chris Getz a gay slur, which, even if it were a joke (and I think it was), is just a stupid and immature thing for a ball player to do.  Beckham seems like a wakeup call would do him well, for reasons both on and off the field. 

There is not much else to say about Beckham’s 2011 season because it has been spectacularly mediocre.  Beckham has shown flashes that he can be a major contributor, but he has yet to live up to his hype.

As for 2012, it’s pretty much do or die for Beckham’s White Sox career.  He is no longer on the Sox’ “untouchable” list and it’s up to him to make sure he sticks around.  Check back later to see if I think he will.