White Sox 2016 Season Review: Grading the Infielders
2B Brett Lawrie
The Lawrie trade was a coup in that the White Sox received a formerly lauded player for spare parts.
Lawrie has never quite lived up to the hype since he burst on the scene in Toronto, but he plays with an unparalled level of intensity.
If Adam Eaton is the straw that stirs the drink, Lawrie is the drink itself. A much needed energy drink to be more exact.
He started 2016 with a bang in April and had a mid-800 OPS for a short period of time. Despite the small sample, the hope was that it was finally clicking for Lawrie.
He slumped to a .248/.310/.408 line, but the OBP was at least above expectations. The fear was that Lawrie would be a sub-300 OBP player but his 7.8 percent walk-rate was the highest of his career.
Inversely, his strikeout rate was also the highest of his career at 28.4 percent so the returns were mixed. A higher strikeout rate led to a little more power-centric approach, which saw him post a .165 ISO and be a doubles machine for a bit.
He finished the year with 22 doubles and 12 home runs over 94 games before a strained hamstring effectively sidelined him for the entire 2nd half. He also dealt with a knee issue.
Lawrie was one pace for something around a 40 double and 20 home run season, which would have been welcome output from second base. The higher walk rate was nice and he played capable defense at second.
Lawrie probably would have received a grade in the B-range but injuries have been synonymous with his career, and anyone who excessively misses class will be docked for it.