White Sox midseason awards: A few diamonds in the rough
Apr 18, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura (23) and designated hitter Jose Abreu (79) celebrate after the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Chicago won 12-3. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago White Sox have had a disappointing season thus far and currently sit in last place in the American League Central. Despite winning nine of their last 12 games before the all-star break, there isn’t much good to be said from an individual perspective.
The everyday lineup of this team from top to bottom is filled with hitters who have underperformed. As a result, the White Sox are last in the AL in runs, hits, home runs and extra base hits. They are in the bottom five in average, walks and stolen bases.
According to FanGraphs, they are the only team in baseball with a negative WAR (-3.7).
Their pitching staff has been strong as of late but also rank in the lower half of the league in almost every major statistical category.
Even with this White Sox team not getting it done overall, it is not to say there isn’t anyone on the roster playing well.
Here are your midseason awards.
Next: Team MVP?
Jul 7, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) runs to first after hitting a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
MVP – 1B Jose Abreu
Right away before you guys start the Chris Sale talk, let me start by saying it is hard for me to consider a pitcher the most valuable player of any team when they only affect the game once every five days.
The White Sox would have to have no one on the team hitting and that is not the case.
Last season, Abreu came on the scene and right away put himself among the best hitters in baseball as a rookie.
This season has shown us all that he is no one-hit wonder. He is among the AL leaders in home runs, RBIs, runs and batting average.
For the season he is hitting .296/.343/.492 with 14 home runs, 46 RBIs and 50 runs scored. He has been the one mainstay in the White Sox lineup who manager Robin Ventura has been able to depend on.
The power is down from his rookie campaign in 2014 but to be fair, you can count on one hand how many guys in the league this season have matched those numbers.
Last season at the break, he hit .292/.342/.630 with 29 home runs, 73 RBIs.
Next: Chris Sale, Cy Young, enough said.
Jul 11, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (49) delivers a pitch during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Cy Young award – SP Chris Sale
Sale has built the reputation as one of the filthiest pitchers in the game and the least fun for a left-handed hitter to face. This season has only helped his case.
The White Sox ace leads the AL in strikeouts and WHIP and is among the top seven in ERA and opponents batting average. Over the last two months, he has been the most dominant pitcher in all of baseball.
In his 10 of his last 12 starts, Sale has struck out 10 or more batters including eight straight at one point which tied the record set by Pedro Martinez in 1999.
For the year, he is 8-4 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 119.1 innings. Opponents are hitting just .206 against him.
Next: White Sox top rookie?
Jul 10, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) in the first inning of their game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Rookie of the year – SP Carlos Rodon
The White Sox have only had three rookies play consistently at any point in the season.
Second baseman, Micah Johnson hit .270 and struggled in the field and on the bases before being demoted to Triple-A.
Carlos Sanchez took his place and has played a Gold-Glove second base. His .184 average however has made it debatable to have him in the lineup everyday.
And then there’s Rodon.
Rodon saw his first major league action towards the end of April and has had his ups and downs.
For the season, Rodon is 3-2 with a 3.80 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. Those numbers blow away John Danks and Hector Noesi (the starter he replaced).
The issue for him has been control.
His 41 walks rank third in the AL despite starting six less games than most of the league’s starters. Because of the walks, he has pitched more than six innings just once.
In his last start he tied a season-high with six walks.
Needless to say, the White Sox rookie starter still has some room for improvement.
Next: Most improved player?
Jul 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) hits an RBI single during fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Most improved player – RF Avisail Garcia
The White Sox don’t have anyone on their roster who is playing above expectation so by default, Garcia is the choice here.
The White Sox right fielder has finally had the chance to show what he can do over an extended stretch. He is hitting .272/.318/.379 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs.
He hit over .300 for the first two months of the season before a .179 average in June.
The key for him has been health.
Since joining the White Sox, Garcia has not been able to stay on the field. Last season he played in just 46 games because of a shoulder injury.
This season, he has already played in 77 games. The White Sox hope he can avoid disabled list all together.
Next: Who stands out as the most disappointing player?
Jun 12, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Chicago White Sox designated hitter Adam LaRoche (25) strikes out during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Most disappointing player – 1B Adam LaRoche
It wouldn’t be a mistake for anyone to want Ramirez or Eaton here but for me, I am disappointed in LaRoche the most.
The White Sox came into the season thinking they had finally found the left-handed pop and protection at cleanup they needed for Abreu. Instead, LaRoche hasn’t made contact enough to display his power and because of that, has been dropped in the order.
For the season he is hitting .222/.327/.374 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs. Those numbers are nowhere near what we saw from him in his last four seasons with the Washington Nationals.
His is on pace for the worst season of his career and at 35 years old, there is no indication that a rebound is in order. With still another year left on his two-year, $25 million deal the White Sox are stuck trotting him out in the lineup everyday and hoping for the best.
Next: Does anyone play defense on this team anymore?
Jul 9, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox second baseman Carlos Sanchez (5) throws Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (55) out at first base in the second inning at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Gold Glove – 2B Carlos Sanchez
While offense has been hard to come by for many of the White Sox players, defense hasn’t been too much better. They are 12th in the AL in fielding percentage and according FanGraphs defensive rating they are the worst team in all of baseball.
The league average for defensive rating is 17.5. The White Sox have a rating of -32.
The team leader in that category is Sanchez at 3.8 and every bit of it has shown on the field. In 434.2 innings at second base this season, he has committed just two errors. Highlight reel plays like the one below have been the norm for him.
The spectacular plays he has made on a regular basis have been the reason Ventura has kept Sanchez in the lineup everyday. Without him there wouldn’t be much defense played at all this season.
Next: Player to watch in the second half?
Jun 28, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) hits a single in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Second half player to watch – RF Avisail Garcia
The word “potential” has been thrown around ever since Garcia came to the White Sox. He is a physical clone of Miguel Cabrera so the comparisons have surrounded him his whole professional career. But statistically speaking, he has a ways to go before being able to justify being in the same sentence with the two-time AL MVP.
Garcia has shown the ability to spray the ball to all fields in a way similar to Cabrera. What he has lacked however is power.
He has not hit a home runs in 28 games.
The White Sox as a team have lacked the home run ball this season and if they are truly going to make a run at an AL Wild Card spot, they need their bats to come alive. During this recent successful stretch, the team has done an exceptional job at pitching. The still however are not scoring runs.
Garcia alone will not be enough to make the White Sox playoff contenders.
They need Melky Cabrera to continue play at the level we have seen him at over the last month. They need Eaton to be a spark at the top of the lineup. And most of all, they need Ramirez and LaRoche to stop giving away outs.
Many things need to fall in place for the White Sox in the second half of the season. And it all starts with Garcia being more than just a singles hitter.
Next: Did you miss this week's power rankings? Check them out here
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