D'Angelo

Jimenez

Jimenez was once considered a defensive liability, but no more, which helps his fantasy value by keeping him in the lineup.

Jimenez is due at least a $1 million raise from the $1.615 million he made last season. The Reds may not be willing to pay him that much. Another strong possibility to be non-tendered is reliever John Riedling.

Should Jimenez be pushed into duty at shortstop, Ryan Freel would play second base. The Reds might carry Luis Lopez as a sixth infielder at the start of the season.

Jimenez, like Graffanino, can play second, third, and short. But a look at the stats tells us that this decision would be like splitting hairs. Graffanino has a .318 batting average and .433 on-base percentage in 14 games, but Jimenez has a .308 batting average and .403 OBP in 28 games. Jimenez has a pedigree and a future. It would be a shame if the White Sox forced a young guy who gets on base 40 percent of the time to take the blame for their offensive woes.

Tony Graffanino got the start last night. Manager Jerry Manuel thinks Jimenez may be fatigued, but he has no intention of permanently removing Jimenez from the lineup or the leadoff spot.

He has missed the past two games with a strained oblique muscle, but felt much better yesterday after his workout.

His strained oblique is no longer preventing Jimenez from making the double play pivot at second base, but it still bothers him hitting right-handed.

Jimenez probably won’t play tonight, but he’s not expected to miss too much time with the injury he first sustained in batting practice yesterday.

Speculation is that GM Ken Williams wants to make a clean break with Jimenez, and may be looking at what he can get for him, although the the latest expectation is that the Sox will announce Jimenez is being designated for assignment to make room for Carl Everett. ''One of the things that’s disturbed me - and it’s not directed at just one person - it’s no secret that we have not run the bases well and have had some defensive miscues out there, some mental mistakes,’' Williams said.

Jimenez has been left in Double-A even though the Reds have Ray Olmedo in the majors and Anderson Machado has departed the organization. He’s batting .284/.394/.402 with 12 steals in 61 games in the Southern League.