Gonzales: Josh Harrison takes on mentorship role for younger Sox teammates
Josh Harrison has plenty of experiences he can share with his younger and talented White Sox teammates.
The biggest lesson?
Don't take every trip to the postseason for granted.
Harrison went to the National League playoffs for three consecutive seasons as a member of the Pirates. Unfortunately for Harrison, his last playoff appearance occurred in the emotional 4-0 loss to the Cubs in the 2015 wild-card game highlighted by Jake Arrieta's 11-strikeout, five-hit shutout that ended the Pirates' 98-win season.
"I had teammates on those 2013-15 teams that had won World Series and were reiterating to me and other guys to enjoy this, but that it's not guaranteed every year," Harrison said. "I took those words to heart. I never took it from granted, but here I am.
"Seven years removed from the playoffs, and I still get it. And just because I signed here doesn't mean we're a shoo-in, even after (the Sox) made the playoffs the last two years."
One month into his stint with the Sox, Harrison, 34, likes the blend of veteran starting pitchers and young talents such as Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez. Harrison doesn't see or hear much about the 2021 American League Central-winning season, just a fun but workmanlike attitude that lends itself to success.
"That's part of growing, learning each other and learning every year is different," said Harrison, who last week celebrated his 10 years of major league service - an achievement that becomes more difficult to attain as teams look more for younger, cheaper players. "But once you've had a taste of it, you know what it's like. When you've had a taste of getting there and being knocked out, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. You want nothing more than to get back there.
"For me, it's been seven years. For them, it's just been last year. But I don't think there's any lack of hunger from anybody, from the coaching staff to the players to the training and strength staffs and front office. So you can feel it."
That hunger must be supplemented by flawless play and a knack for key hits or key strikeouts, as the Astros displayed in their AL Division Series win over the Sox last October.
Harrison was on the losing side of two consecutive NL wild-card games against the eventual World Series champion Giants and Madison Bumgarner in 2014 and Cubs and Arrieta, who won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award.
The Pirates missed capitalizing on Arrieta in the sixth inning when Starling Marte grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
"Arrieta was on the ropes," said Harrison, who was drilled on the left shoulder after Gregory Polanco lined to third baseman Kris Bryant for the first out of the sixth. "But you look back, Arrieta already was the best pitcher in the game.
"So when you face situations like that, you got to come through. Marte wasn't a double play candidate. But that's the game of baseball. We ran into a buzz saw those years."
Despite cries from passionate fans to sign a high-profile free agent like Marcus Semien or an outfield upgrade such as Joc Pederson or Michael Conforto, the Sox invested most of their pre-lockout free-agent money on relievers Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly before signing Harrison as their second baseman to a one-year, $4 million contract with a $5.5 million option or $1.5 million buyout for 2023.
Playing with the likes of Gerrit Cole, Andrew McCutchen, Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and Juan Soto have enabled Harrison to watch his current teammates from "a different lens."
"Seeing how these guys go about their business, I'll be able to step in and let them know if I see something, like reminding them it's a long season or 'don't beat yourself up,' " Harrison said.
And get accustomed to reporters in the clubhouse for the first time since 2019. Harrison said many of the younger players will be exposed to new things that he was accustomed to in the pre-COVID days, even little things like nonuniformed personnel on the field before games.
"You don't get to do this forever," Harrison said. "So you got to enjoy it while you can."