White Sox: Jose Abreu Finally Heating Up
By Matt Manetti
After a slow start to the season, Jose Abreu is starting to show off his power. The White Sox needs the 1B to keep this up if they want to contend in the future.
Jose Abreu homered for just the 20th time this season Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. Despite a rough start to the season, the first baseman has rebounded nicely during the second half. Needless to say, the White Sox need him to return to form if they want to contend next season and beyond.
At the All-Star break, Abreu had tallied just 11 homer runs and 52 RBI while slugging .430. Since then, he has hit nine home runs and driven in 24 runs. The fact is, this White Sox team is predicated on the long ball. For a guy like Abreu to only have 20 in a hitter friendly ballpark, really doesn’t do the team any good.
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Hitting coach Todd Steverson said Abreu was concentrating on being a better hitter and that’s why his numbers are down. This just shows how much of a disconnect there is between the staff and the players. Sure, Abreu hit .317 and .290 in his first two seasons, but that’s not why the White Sox signed him. The White Sox signed him to hit 30 plus home runs a season and drive in over 100 runs, something he did in his first two seasons.
Todd Frazier leads the team with 34 home runs and 84 RBIs but is only batting .215. People think his average is low, which it is, but his job isn’t to hit .300. Frazier’s job is to hit home runs and drive in runs. That’s what the White Sox signed Abreu to do. If they aren’t getting offensive productions from him, there is a huge void in the lineup.
I’ve heard people say numerous times that Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn should just trade Abreu and get some young talent but this would be a mistake. Abreu has a ton of value for this team and if he can carry over his recent success, he will give this team another bat, which is desperately needed. Add a left handed bat to this lineup and it could be deadly.
White Sox fans have very little to be happy about this season but one thing they should be excited about is the resurgence of Abreu. Finally, he looks like the player of old. If this team can add some pieces in the offseason and keep their current roster in tact, with a few upgrades, they can definitely be in contention next year.