Chicago White Sox April Wrap-Up
As we look back on the month of April for the new-look Chicago White Sox, I think we as fans all need to realize that patience is a virtue.
While I am sure not many fans, myself included, did not expect the Sox to be 8-11 in April, I do not think it is time to consider this a lost season by any means.
At the time of this writing, the White Sox are 29th in runs scored in the league. Ignoring that horrendous stat for a second, the Sox are still only three games under .500. There is still plenty of time left for this offense to get its legs although it better come sooner rather than later.
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One big change that needs to occur is for Adam Eaton to stop pressing. Everyone knows he is the catalyst for this offense outside of Jose Abreu and he just needs to calm down and get back to what he last year i.e. see more pitches in the count and wait for his pitch.
We have all seen athletes face the pressure to perform under a new contract and I have no doubt that that is the case with Eaton. He did not exactly have the best first couple months last year either and he still managed to finish hitting .300, so again I say give it time.
Another is the base running. I’ve mentioned it previously but there is a fine line between running aggressively and running stupidly. So far this season this team has been doing too much of the latter. A prime example is Thurday’s game in which Alexei Ramirez was waved home on a play which he had no business trying to score on.
Apr 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez (10) rounds third in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
This “aggressive” call failed and the White Sox wasted a prime chance to get on the board early against an inferior Twins team with the heart of the order due up. I am a big proponent of being aggressive and putting pressure on the other team to make the play, however, I am not a big fan of running into outs as I have seen, Ramirez, Eaton, and Micah Johnson do far too many times so far in this early season.
Thank goodness for the bullpen. I’m sure if you read that statement last year you would have thought I was a lunatic.
Honestly though, our bullpen has been clutch. Is owning the sixth best ERA, eighth best average against, and a 9.00 strikeouts per inning ratio good? Rhetorical question, it’s phenomenal. Dan Jennings, Zach Duke, and David Robertson are all pitching lights out and that is a very relieving (couldn’t help it) sight to see.
I know I keep on saying it but our offense needs to step its game up. The Sox have only scored five or more runs twice this season. Eaton and Melky Cabrera need to be better table-setters for Abreu, Avisail Garcia, and Adam LaRoche. And when they get on base, they need to not run themselves into outs. I have faith in this team and in this lineup to get it done and we as fans just have to sit back and hope for the same.
What do you think the White Sox can do to improve their disappointing start? Leave me a comment.
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