Chicago White Sox: Defensive focus needs to improve now
We have talked all offseason about the Chicago White Sox and how good they are on paper. That is because they are a team with some elite hitters and elite pitching. It is going to be fun to watch in all areas of the game but there is one glaring need. They need to focus more on the defensive side of the game. Strikeouts and home runs are a big part of the modern game but when the ball is put in play, defenders need to be solid.
The Chicago White Sox needs to start focusing on some defensive improvement.
The White Sox certainly has players who can get the job done. Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert are great examples of star offensive players that are elite defensively. That can’t be enough though because it is a big field. They need to get some of their other players to simply focus on it more. A little bit more attention to detail could go a long way in winning some extra games this year.
Of course, Opening Day comes to mind. They lost the game in large part due to some bad defense. Nick Madrigal is normally a pretty good defensive second baseman. He won a Minor League Gold Glove before coming up to the MLB last season. Well, he made a bad throw to Tim Anderson when trying to turn an 8th inning double play and that runner ended up coming around to score to tie the game. Later in the inning, the Los Angeles Angels scored what would be the game-winning run.
That wasn’t the only tough defensive issue this year so far. Eloy Jimenez is out for anywhere from 3-6 months because of a torn pectoral tendon. That injury came when he tried to rob a home run that he had no chance on. He is literally one of the worst outfielders in the history of the MLB and now it might cost him most of a season. He doesn’t need to go be a Gold Glove guy but he can start using his head a little bit more.
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Defense is a big part of baseball and the White Sox need to be better at it. There is no excuse for simple defensive plays being the reason that you lose games. If they can just pay a little bit more attention to this part of the game, they will win even more games. Hopefully, a game like Opening Day doesn’t happen for a long time.