José Abreu didn’t have a lot to say concerning the unhappy state of the Chicago White Sox in his return to the South Side with the Houston Astros.
He knew higher than to wake a sleeping canine.
“It kind of stinks to see what they’re going through, but it’s part of the game,” Abreu stated a raindrops fell on the guests dugout earlier than Friday’s recreation. “It’s a very tough game that we all play, and I think I’ve been going through a lot more struggles than the White Sox have, and it’s part of the challenge. Got to fight through them, and try to move on.”
The Abreu homecoming Friday was delayed by rain at Guaranteed Rate Field. But he obtained his video tribute and a salute from appreciative Sox followers, who had been denied the chance to say goodbye in October when Abreu requested interim supervisor Miguel Cairo to not play within the remaining regular-season recreation.
Abreu’s departure after 9 years with the Sox was not shocking, however what has occurred to him and his former workforce has been a head-scratcher to many. He has been one of many worst hitters within the majors after signing a three-year, $58.6 million take care of the Astros and had but to hit a house run as of Friday. The Sox entered the weekend with the third-worst document within the majors at 13-26 after a season deemed by most as probably the most disappointing in current reminiscence.
Maybe the Sox dodged a bullet when the Astros gave Abreu a deal he couldn’t flip down. Or perhaps Abreu was the fortunate one to keep away from being blamed for this Sox catastrophe.
Who is aware of? It’s nonetheless too early to say neither the Sox nor Abreu can get better, however they’re each trending within the incorrect course.
At least Abreu had a cheerful face Friday afternoon as he met with the media and talked about outdated occasions. Asked what gamers he missed probably the most, he name-dropped Chris Sale, Adam Dunn, José Quintana and Alejandro de Aza whereas mentioning just one present Sox.
“There were a lot of the guys that were here back in the day when I played, and a lot of the young guys, they all treated me with a lot of respect,” he stated. “I can’t say anything more than that, but Eloy (Jiménez), he’s my kid.”
It wasn’t that way back that Abreu seemed as if he would spend his complete profession in a White Sox uniform. He got here to the Sox in 2014 on the whole supervisor Rick Hahn’s second season, ultimately changing Paul Konerko as the primary baseman and a frontrunner within the clubhouse. When Hahn started the rebuild after the 2016 season, Abreu stated he wished to remain and see it via.
When the Sox lastly turned the nook within the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was named American League Most Valuable Player. The following season Abreu hit 30 residence runs and drove in 117 for a workforce that gained the AL Central and appeared on the verge of competing for championships for years to return.
Abreu’s OPS dipped solely barely final season from .831 to .824, and a short-term take care of extra time at designated hitter might have labored. But the Sox desperately needed to get Andrew Vaughn out of the outfield and over to first, and when the Astros made a three-year supply it was simpler for Hahn to chop the wire.
It appeared prescient. Abreu was hitting .218 on Friday with no homers and a .525 OPS.
Astros supervisor Dusty Baker was glad to have Abreu be part of the defending world champions and believes he’ll come round and begin hitting like his outdated self. “Home runs usually come in bunches,” he nonetheless likes to say in spite of everything these years. Abreu didn’t appear nervous concerning the seasonlong stoop.
“The only thing I’m looking for is people respect me the same way I respect them and just play the game the right way,” Abreu stated. “If I work hard, things will turn around.”
Baker doesn’t blame Abreu’s struggles on attempting to stay as much as the contract.
“He’s used to performing and performing well,” Baker stated. “He’s probably never struggled like this, but he works exceptionally hard and has a great attitude about things and the team. This guy is a great team guy. He’ll be all right. We’ve just got to get him rolling, and once he starts rolling there’s a lot of good stuff to come.”
Baker, 73, has been round some time, and he has seen issues like this occur with proficient gamers in new environments. When the Cubs acquired Derrek Lee from the Florida Marlins for Hee-Seop Choi in 2004, Lee hit .233 with two residence runs via April. Whenever he got here to the plate, Cubs followers derisively chanted “Hee-Seop Choi” to mock the commerce by GM Jim Hendry.
Lee completed with 32 residence runs and 98 RBIs that season and have become one of the crucial well-liked Cubs gamers of the 2000s. Choi was out of the majors after 2005.
Whether Abreu can engineer that sort of turnaround at age 36 stays to be seen. Baker rested him Wednesday and stated taking part in in his outdated residence might be useful.
“Hopefully these surroundings will bring back some pleasant thoughts and memories,” Baker stated. “The longer you’re away from pleasant thoughts and positive results, the less you tend to remember. … I’m like, ‘Hey, man, just recall those days and hopefully they’ll return.’ ”
Abreu was one of many extra revered Sox gamers contained in the clubhouse and within the stands. His absence was felt, particularly within the nook of the clubhouse the place he was “Papa Bear” surrounded by his three cubs, Jiménez, Luis Robert and Yoán Moncada.
“He taught us to never put your head down,” Moncada stated. “No matter what, the good moments, the bad moments, just keep working hard. Try to go out and do your best. That’s how he did it, right?”
That work ethic and constructive perspective had been two causes Abreu was so beloved in Chicago.
That legacy seems safe regardless of how the remainder of the story performs out.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com