Don't stop believing in Chicago White Sox DH Garcia
Only a few hours remained before the Chicago White Sox opened the 2016 season against the Athletics in Oakland, and Avisail Garcia was raring to go.
Throughout the winter and into spring training, Garcia sat back and watched the Sox add a new second baseman, a new shortstop, a new third baseman, two new catchers and a new center fielder.
Dismayed by three straight losing seasons, general manager Rick Hahn identified numerous holes in the White Sox's lineup and didn't hesitate to make changes.
Based on his disappointing 2015 season - Garcia produced only 32 extra-base hits in 553 at-bats - he was an obvious candidate to be jettisoned.
Garcia did lose his starting job in right field to Adam Eaton when Austin Jackson was signed to play center, but he remained in the lineup at designated hitter.
Well aware of all the outside detractors, Garcia vowed to prove them wrong before taking the field at Oakland on April 4.
"I believe in myself, and the White Sox believe in me," he said. "That's all the matters to me. I don't care what other people say. I can do better, and I know I will do better."
Garcia said all the right things, but that didn't prevent him from getting off to a slow start.
When his batting average dipped to .135 on April 23 after an 0-for-4 showing against Texas at U.S. Cellular Field, it looked like Garcia was finally on the way out.
On two occasions, White Sox manager Robin Ventura was asked if Garcia should be demoted to the minor leagues.
"No, right now we're trying to give him time here," Ventura said. "It's not a bad thing (going to minors), but we think he can help us here."
Backed by his manager's support, Garcia fixed a familiar flaw and started producing.
Laying off breaking pitches out of the strike zone, the 24-year-old DH went on a five-game tear and was 8-for-21 with a home run and 4 RBI during the surge.
But just when Garcia was breaking out, he strained his right hamstring running the bases during an April 29 game at Baltimore.
Garcia avoided the 15-day disabled list, but missing four straight games with the injury figured to take a toll.
Returning to the Sox's lineup last Thursday against the Red Sox, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, and Garcia stretched the hitting streak to 11 games before going 0-for-4 in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Rangers.
That .135 batting average on April 23? Garcia has raised it to .258.
"It's a long season," he said. "You just have to keep positive and try to work hard every day. When you work hard and believe in what you are doing and you believe in God, everything is going to come out. You have to play hard and don't do too much."
Much like Adam LaRoche last season and Adam Dunn from 2011-14, Garcia had trouble adjusting to the DH role.
"It's way different," he said.
It took some time, but Garcia seems to have figured out how to be productive without being involved in the flow of the game.
"Now, I have more chances to watch videos and try to see what they want to do to me, how they pitch me in my first at-bat, my second at-bat," Garcia said. "It's different, but I will take it."
As a group, the White Sox's offense got off to a slow start, but they've scored 44 runs in the last six games, with Garcia making a huge difference hitting seventh.
"When he had that injury, it kind of slowed him down and it might have even helped him," third baseman Todd Frazier said of Garcia's hamstring issue. "You can start to understand, 'I'm the DH and let's slow everything down and get relaxed and enjoy baseball. I'm going to be a hitter now, that's it.' "
White Sox vs. New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium
TV: Comcast SportsNet Friday and Saturday; WGN Sunday
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Pitching matchups: The White Sox's Chris Sale (7-0) vs. Luis Severino (0-5) Friday at 6:05 p.m.; Jose Quintana (5-1) vs. Ivan Nova (1-1) Saturday at 12:05 p.m.; Miguel Gonzalez (0-0) vs. Masahiro Tanaka (1-0) Sunday at 12:05 p.m.
At a glance: The White Sox got a needed day off Thursday and losing two of three to the Rangers. The Sox's offense erupted for 24 runs at Texas but gave up 23 during the three-game series. Sale is a career 3-1 with a 1.21 ERA vs. New York. The ace lefty leads the American League in wins and is fourth with a 1.79 ERA. Quintana is first in the AL with a 1.38 ERA. The Yankees are last in the AL East. Heading into Thursday night's game vs. the Royals, N.Y. third baseman Chase Headley was batting .178 with no extra-base hits. The White Sox have lost 11 of their last 12 at Yankee Stadium.
Next: Houston Astros at U.S. Cellular Field, Tuesday-Thursday
- Scot Gregor