Rosenthal: White Sox want to ‘replicate pitching success on hitting side’
Apr 24, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez (10) hits an RBI single in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Detroit won 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Monday, on FoxSports.com, MLB national columnist Ken Rosenthal wrote about how the Chicago White Sox are trying to improve their franchise hitting structure like they did with the pitching in the early 1990s.
In his piece, Rosenthal wrote about the White Sox, Rosenthal wrote:
"“The hiring of Todd Steverson, a former major-league coach and minor-league manager with the Athletics and minor-league coach with the Cardinals, appears to be a positive step in that direction.”"
Rosenthal began the article talking about how the White Sox built their pitching success with a philosophy made by Ken Williams and Don Cooper.
This idea by the White Sox is very smart and could actually work. My guess is for this plan to work, they will have to be very patient with players and make sure they will be able to bring in the correct type of players they are looking for, whomever that may be.
As for Steverson, he played in the majors for the Detroit Tigers and the San Diego Padres from 1995-1996. He played in 51 games at the MLB level, finishing with 11 hits and two home runs. Steverson had six RBIs with a career batting average of .256.
In his White Sox biography, it says of Steverson:
"“He spent the previous four seasons managing in the A’s farm system, compiling a 297-264 (.529) record.”"
So far this season, whatever Steverson is teaching the White Sox hitters, it is working.
Headed into Monday’s game, the White Sox are batting .270, for fourth-best in the majors, and are second in the majors with 133 RBIs, trailing only the Colorado Rockies.
The White Sox also have the third-most strikeouts in the majors with 229. The Mets lead the majors with 236.
So as far as the hitting of the White Sox goes thus far … I believe it is really heading in the right direction, compared to last year where the team batted .249 and .255 in 2012.
When the White Sox last won the AL Central in 2008, they batted .263 as a team.
Either way, the point Rosenthal brought up is a very good one, and I’m curious to see how well this all turns out in the long run.
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