White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, coming off back surgery last season, is hitting only .159 this spring but otherwise showing no ill effects.

BENJIE SANDERS / ARIZONA DAILY STAR 2008

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Joe Crede might just take back his job as the White Sox's third baseman from promising replacement Josh Fields.

Fields, though, is not ready to concede anything yet.

He singled and scored a run Sunday in Chicago's 6-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

"I'm trying not to think about (being demoted) right now, actually," Fields said. "I'm preparing to play in Chicago. Until they come to me and say, 'Hey, you are going back to Charlotte,' I'm not going to think about what if."

Fields hit .244 with 23 homers and 67 RBIs filling in for Crede, who had back surgery June 12.

But Crede agreed to a one-year, $5.1 million deal in January and he has shown no ill-effects from the surgery even though he his hitting just .159 this spring.

Fields, who has a .268 spring average, has nine hits in his last 21 plate appearances after going 1 for 3 against the Royals.

"I feel like I put myself in a good position and hopefully made the decision a little bit tougher," Fields said. "They have a tough decision to make. I think we are all waiting."

Chicago is expected to trim its final roster by Wednesday.

White Sox starter John Danks allowed five runs, six hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Royals starter Zack Greinke was in regular-season form, giving up two runs and four hits in six innings, his longest stint of the spring. Kansas City's No. 3 starter struck out six and walked one.

Chicago's Carlos Quentin was 2 for 4, including his first homer of the spring. Brian Anderson connected on his fourth.

Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost penciled in starting pitcher Jeff Suppan eighth in the batting order on Sunday, followed by catcher Jason Kendall.

It's something he's been toying with this spring and will contemplate using when the season starts.

The move is designed to get more potential runners on base in front of sluggers like Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder without sacrificing their at-bats by moving them down the order.

Don't expect any such move for the Diamondbacks.

"If the nine hitter's leading off three innings in a row, and the pitcher made the last out with guys on base, for me, yeah, you're getting a guy leading off, but you also don't have a guy up there with runners in scoring position," manager Bob Melvin said Sunday as the Diamondbacks lost 5-4 to the Brewers at Maryvale.

"I don't see how getting the pitcher up there earlier is that much of a benefit."

Melvin said Micah Owings' moving up in the order is a possibility, but that's simply because of his dangerous bat.

— East Valley Tribune