GLENDALE, Ariz. -- He wants to get a feel for how this all plays out, but Adam Eaton is happy to have Austin Jackson on the White Sox.
The center fielder said Monday morning that winning with the White Sox trumps everything, even a potential position change. Even if he has to move to a corner outfield spot to make room for Jackson -- who reported to camp Monday after he signed a one-year deal for $5 million the previous day -- Eaton is on board.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said late Sunday that Jackson would primarily play in center field and has spoken with Eaton about such a possibility since the end of last season. Even though they’re already in their first week of games, Eaton thinks the White Sox have more than enough time left in camp to determine how they’ll divide playing time among the team’s outfielders.
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“Still have some question marks, not sure what’s going to happen, sure camp will help play it out, but we’re happy to have him,” Eaton said. “As I mentioned on Twitter last night, I’ll do anything. It doesn’t matter where you play me, left, center or right, DH, doesn’t matter. I just want to win. It makes the team better, that’s all I care about.”
Eaton isn’t shy about his desire to play center -- “I like to be in charge,” he said.
But if it helps the White Sox shed their losing ways, Eaton approves.
MLB
[MORE: Rick Hahn: Austin Jackson will mostly play CF for White Sox]
Jackson’s defense does just that. Even though he had a below-average offensive campaign in 2015, Jackson was still valued at 2.3 f-Wins Above Replacement.
The White Sox outfield was among the worst in baseball last season in both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating.
“If you ask any person that would want to put a team together they’d probably want three center fielders out there in the outfield,” Eaton said. “It’s only gonna improve our defense, improve our personnel and only going to make us a better team. I think that’s definitely a boost defensively and offensively as well. The guy can run. I don’t know where he may hit or even where I may hit, I think all that stuff is up in the air now. But some speed on the base paths and a guy that can get it done.”