The Chicago White Sox have been down on their luck quite often lately but there has been one bright spot that has come to light recently.
The White Sox have been blessed to have some decent depth (despite what the experts say about their farm system) to where they can bring up guys to help fill positions and they do well when they call them up.
Zach Remillard is a perfect example of a call-up that has clearly worked out in the White Sox favor.
Remillard is not a young guy by any means. At the time of this article, he is 29 years old which is getting up there in age for a minor league player.
The Chicago White Sox have gotten good play from Zach Remillard so far.
His time in baseball may have been coming to an end soon had he not gotten called up to the Majors when he did.
This guy has been Mr. In the Right Place at the Right Time and Mr. Clutch since coming up to the Majors and has been a really pleasant surprise for the White Sox so far.
From game-winning hits, timely stolen bases, and defensive plays, Remillard has shown everyone that he belongs in the Majors and should be a starter on a regular basis.
He has clearly shown that he can play second base well and his bat is one of the better ones in the lineup. Sure, he has had his down moments but overall, he’s been playing pretty well.
Through the White Sox’ 8 – 7 win against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, Remillard has been at bat a total of 38 times and has 15 hits, five runs but no home runs.
He has brought in eight runners and stolen two bases. Remillard’s slash line is .395/.489/.474. Not too shabby but we must remember that he’s only had 38 at-bats. However, he still has room to grow.
Remillard has been able to come through in the clutch as we have seen a couple of times this season. He doesn’t play like a guy that has spent his entire career in the minors.
He’s a refreshing addition to the team and gives White Sox fans someone to root for. And if he can help the White Sox win more games, that’s all the better.
What’s interesting is that with Remillard's “up and coming” we have seen less of second baseman Elvis Andrus. Sure, Andrus may be a little banged up or is getting some extended rest but he hasn’t been in the lineup much recently.
It’s very likely that the Sox will continue to use Remillard, as long as he keeps performing well and the team will phase Andrus out.
It’s all part of a retooling and rebuilding project that the White Sox continue to undergo in trying to find the perfect combination of players for their team.
Remillard is likely going to be a mainstay on this team until he either messes up big time or someone else steps up and plays better.
And at second base, that is likely not to happen.
I believe that Remillard will be a fixture on this team for several seasons to come.