If Sox hope to salavage season, bats need to wake up
Spraying to all fields:
If the White Sox are going to pull themselves out of last place in the AL Central and start playing up to off-season expectations, the offense has to start pulling its weight.
Scoring a combined 14 runs the last two games against Toronto is encouraging, and it looks like Jose Abreu is back to his 2014 form.
But there is much more work to be done if the Sox hope to salvage a season that is already veering on complete collapse.
Heading into Wednesday, the White Sox were last in the league in runs scored, hits, home runs and slugging percentage. They were near the bottom in batting average, walks and on-base percentage.
Those are the kind of numbers that get hitting coaches and managers fired.
The Sox have been looking for one bat to rally around and get the rest of the lineup moving. During a six-game winning streak earlier this month, it was Avisail Garcia.
Now, it's Abreu, who is 5-for-17 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI over his last four games.
But as he showed last year while winning unanimous AL Rookie of the Year honors, Abreu can't do it all himself.
Adam Eaton needs to get on a roll out of the leadoff spot, ditto for Melky Cabrera out of the No. 2 hole, and Adam LaRoche needs to start hitting for power.
• Gordon Beckham was the White Sox' starting third baseman in all three games at Toronto.
He deserves to stay in the lineup.
Not only is Connor Gillaspie providing very little offense, he's made 7 errors on a mere 65 chances.
• It is up to the offense to lift the Sox out of a hole, but the team strength - starting pitching - needs to find some consistency.
With three straight quality outings, Jeff Samardzija is right where he needs to be.
Chris Sale and Jose Quintana have to follow suit, and rookie Carlos Rodon has plenty of room for improvement.
As for John Danks (2-4, 5.69 ERA), see the Cubs' Edwin Jackson.
• Sox catchers Tyler Flowers and Geovany Soto are batting a combined .201 with 4 home runs and 16 RBI.
The duo has thrown out 3 of 31 attempted basestealers.
That is all.
• Garcia's knee inflammation is becoming a concern, but having J.B. Shuck as a backup right fielder is not such a bad thing.
• On a competitive team, closer David Robertson's back-to-back blowups against the Jays is a huge concern.
The way the White Sox have been going the past week, throw it on the pile.
• Paul Konerko's retirement ceremony at U.S. Cellular Field was spectacular. The Sox are hoping it's not the highlight of the season.
White Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards
TV: WGN for Game 1; Comcast SportsNet for Game 2
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Pitching matchups: The Sox' Chris Sale (3-2) vs. Tyler Wilson (1-0) today at 12:05 p.m. in Game 1; Chris Beck (0-0) vs. Mike Wright (1-0) in Game 2.
At a glance: The White Sox and Orioles play a makeup doubleheader after games on April 27-28 in Baltimore were called off due to safety concerns. The Sox and Orioles did play on April 29 at empty Camden Yards, with Baltimore winning 8-2. Sale is a career 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 9 games (3 starts) vs. the Orioles. Beck makes his major-league debut in Game 2. The right-hander is 3-2 with a 3.30 ERA in 8 starts with Class AAA Charlotte. Wilson and Wright have pitched a combined 16⅓ innings this season.
Next: Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, Friday-Sunday
- Scot Gregor