After walk-off HR, emphatic Abreu says he wants to stay with White Sox
Jose Abreu has been saying it for the better part of three years.
It's usually around July, when the trade deadline approaches and the trade rumors start flying.
Abreu wants to stay with the White Sox, and he really means it.
After hitting a walk-off home run with 2 outs in the 12th inning in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Tigers Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Sox's all-star first baseman was as fired up about staying put as he's ever been.
"I don't want to leave here," Abreu said through White Sox translator Billy Russo.
Under contract for a sixth and final season with the Sox, Abreu has put up big numbers with very little protection in the lineup over the last five years.
The 32-year-old Silver Slugger has never played on a winning team with the White Sox.
After he sparked a 9-6 win over Detroit in Game 2 to complete the sweep, Abreu sees a team on the rise.
"We are going to be good," he said. "We have a lot of talent. We see (Dylan) Cease today, what he did in his first outing in the majors. Yoan (Moncada) has been doing it through the whole season and he's going to get better. Eloy (Jimenez) is going to get better, too.
"We have a lot of talent here, young guys. That's something that made me realize I'm very blessed being here in this organization. I want to be part of this organization going forward because I know we are going to be very, very good and I think you can see that right now.
"If I would be the owner, I would sign myself here. Hopefully, yes, I want to stay here."
Robert watch:
After playing in Sunday's Futures Game at Cleveland, keep an eye on Class AA Birmingham center fielder Luis Robert.
A promotion to Triple-A Charlotte should be coming next week or soon after.
Through 53 games with Birmingham this season, Robert is hitting .313/.361/.509 with 7 home runs, 27 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
"You compare him, naturally, against every player that you have in your organization and certainly throughout the industry," said Chris Getz, the White Sox's director of player development. "And speaking to scouts that have covered the Southern League for the last 10 years, I've heard some guys say they haven't see a player like this come through there in some time.
"He's very talented, can impact a game in a lot of different ways. In terms of laying out the rest of the year, when he's ready for the next challenge, we're discussing it."
Vaughn watch:
The White Sox's first-round draft pick (No. 3 overall) last month, Andrew Vaughn is wasting little time making an impact as a professional baseball player.
In his first 2 games with the AZL Sox, the first baseman is batting .667 (6-for-9) with 2 doubles and a homer. Vaughn singled in his first two at-bats Wednesday night.
"You kind of just look at his swing, this is what made him attractive in the draft," said farm director Chris Getz. "He has a natural sense of timing. He likes the bat path. He likes the balance. Uses the entire field. He's comfortable hitting with two strikes."
Getz said Vaughn is going to be bumped up to low Class A Kannapolis "in a couple of days."
Around the horn:
Rained out Tuesday night, Reynaldo Lopez gets the start for the Sox Thursday afternoon against Detroit. That pushes Ivan Nova back to Sunday against the Cubs. Lucas Giolito starts vs. the Cubs Saturday ... Designated for assignment late last week, Yonder Alonso was waived by the White Sox Wednesday. In 67 games with the Sox, Alonso batted .178/275/.301 with 7 home runs and 27 RBI ... Bears coach Matt Nagy threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2, an impressive fastball to Sox reliever Aaron Bummer.