Abreu, Eaton share AL player of the week honors
The White Sox' offense finally came to life after slumping for the first three-plus months of the season.
It has been a team effort with the bats, and first baseman Jose Abreu and center fielder Adam Eaton were named American League co-players of the week Monday.
From July 27-Aug. 2, Abreu batted .400 (10-for-25) with 3 doubles, 3 home runs and 10 RBI.
Eaton batted .517 (15-for-29) with 3 doubles, a triple, home run, 4 RBI, 10 runs scored and 3 stolen bases.
Abreu and Eaton are the first White Sox teammates to share the weekly award.
"That's my first award during the season, so I'm thrilled with that," Eaton said. "Jose, it's kind of like another day in the office for him. But we're just honored to be able to bring that home for player of the week."
The award also could have gone to Sox left fielder Melky Cabrera, who batted .483 last week with 5 doubles, a home run and 8 RBI.
Scouting switch:
The White Sox promoted Nick Hostetler to director of amateur scouting Monday. He takes over for Doug Laumann, who is now the senior adviser to scouting operations.
"I will be assuming Doug's duties and what he was doing as the director," Hostetler said. "But in regards to what he's going to be doing, he's going to be doing a little bit everything.
"He'll have his hands in major-league stuff and minor-league stuff. He'll still be heavily involved in amateur scouting and seeing players and helping me. He's going to stay like he has been since my career started in 2000."
Before being bumped up to assistant scouting director in 2012, Hostetler was an area scout for the Sox from 2002-04 and with the Atlanta Braves from 2005-07.
He returned to the White Sox in 2008 and served as East Coast crosschecker for four years.
Hostetler already has started preparing for the 2016 draft.
"I'm standing here right now at St. John Bosco High School in Los Angeles watching an Area Code baseball game," he said. "We started right after the draft. All of our guys get right after it. It's one of those things where you sit there and tell yourself you are going to take 10 days or two weeks off to rest and recharge the battery.
"I spent 14 days up in the Cape (Cod) for showcases with Team USA. We are actually at this point seeing these guys for a second and third time now."
The quote:
"This is the second best baseball day of my life. The best day was when he got drafted by the White Sox. Now to be here to see his dream come true when he could finally get here makes me so proud of him. He has worked hard to be here. The White Sox have got themselves a good young player who is going to give them everything he's got."
- Former NBA player Mychal Thompson on his son, Sox rookie outfielder Trayce Thompson.