April 24--On Wednesday, White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu made a strong statement about the lack of cohesiveness in the clubhouse.
"We have to make some changes probably in the way we are approaching the game," he said. "We have to be more a unit, like a team- the players, coaches, everybody."
On Thursday, the Sox finally looked like a unit during their on-field brawl against the Royals.
"Let's hope it's something that sparks us, lights a fire," said starter Chris Sale, one of five players ejected from the game.
"We need something like that. Hopefully it kind of pulls us into a streak and we work past this and keep going up."
Jeff Samardzija and Lorenzo Cain were also ejected, as was Royals starter Yordano Ventura and pitcher Edinson Volquez. It was the third time in his last three starts Ventura was in the middle of a controversy.
Suspensions are likely, and though the Sox can't really afford a suspension for Samardzija at this point, they could give Carlos Rodon a spot start in his place if it happens.
This brouhaha was telegraphed on opening day when Samardzija blatantly threw at Cain after giving up a home run in the fifth inning. Samardzija then told Cain to go to first base.
"I didn't want to hit him," Samardzija said afterwards. "He probably didn't feel good, so he didn't like it. Boys playing baseball. No big deal."
Well, not to Samardzija at least.
"I gave him a look," Cain said afterwards. "I wasn't sure he hit me on purpose or not, but once he told me to get down (to first) I was sure he hit me on purpose. It's straight to the point- he hit me on purpose."
Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas was seen jawing at Samardzija, calling him some choice words from the dugout.
There was no doubt in anyone's mind this incident would be re-visited sometime this season, and that's exactly what happened Thursday night while most of us were paying attention to the Bulls and the Hawks in their playoff runs.
Sale said "the proof is in what you guys saw," meaning Ventura precipitated the brawl by jawing at Adam Eaton while Eaton was on his way to first.
Ventura already has a reputation as a hothead, the yin to Sox manager Robin Ventura's yang. Yoradano ventura was jawing at Mike Trout during a recent start and was fined last week for throwing at Brett Lawrie during the feuding between the Royals and A's over Lawrie's slide into Alcides Escobar.
"He recognizes that some of his actions are putting him in a less than favorable light, as well as the team, which is very important to him," said Jeremy Guthrie, who translated for Ventura, according to the Kansas City Star. "So he wants to work on it, and be better. It's something he needs to work on."
Apparently. Even some of the Indians' staff were talking about Ventura's antics during their series with the Sox this week. He's not well liked around the league.
The Sox lost the game and are 0-4 against the Royals. But the fact they have each others' backs may be bigger over the long term, assuming they start to play to their talent level before the Royals and Tigers pull away from the pack in the AL Central.
"We got some guys in here that pull for each other, and we've known that the whole time," Sale said. "I don't think tonight was different than any other night or any other game, or anything we didn't already know about each other."
Ditto the Royals, who seem to thrive on their new reputations as provocateurs.
Kansas City Star reporter Andy McCullough described the postgame celebration thusly: "They howled at the replays of the fracas. They applauded 56-year-old third-base coach Mike Jirschele for absorbing a blow from Samardzija."
It's never fun to have the opposition laughing at you. Let's see what the Sox do now to try and shut them up.
