If you think you’re enjoying the best hitting show in the American League, how do you think it looks to the guy in charge of the White Sox hitters?
From his front-row seat in his first year as hitting coach, Frank Menechino is soaking it in with plenty of satisfaction, but he knows what lies ahead for the Sox in their final 15 games of this abbreviated 60-game season.
And then comes the playoffs.
“As far as I’m concerned the next 15 games are playoff games,” Menechino said Sunday before the Sox tried to complete a three-game series sweep of the Tigers. “These are playoff games, fellas. Let’s go out and execute like it’s the playoffs so when the playoffs do come we’re going to be the same.”
The Sox (29-16) are tied for third-best record in baseball, have won 19 of their last 24, their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is seven and they currently own a No. 3 seed in an 8-team American League field. They are in first place in the AL Central.
“You try to put this on your team as a coach, bring it to these guys attention, say, hey we have to start preparing,” Menechino said. “The bell has rung, it’s playoff baseball now. Let’s go after it and see how we do.”
The Sox have rung opposing pitchers bells to the tune of the AL lead in average (.273), runs (248), home runs (77), on-base percentage (.335), slugging (.475), OPS (.810) and run differential (+74). They are attempting to become the first team since the 1995 Indians to lead the AL in all of those categories.
The Sox’ first three weeks weren’t as eye-popping. They started 10-11 and averaged 4.2 runs over that span. That average is now up to 5.5 runs.
“As you know, in the beginning of the year our approach was bad,” Menechino said. “Started emphasizing more on approach and showing these guys that when they hit strikes, they’re really good.
“These guys are starting to understand that, and they’re starting to take their base hits, take what the guy gives you. Because that’s what’s going to happen from now on, all the way to the World Series. You’re only going to get one pitch to hit, you can’t miss it and you’ve got to take what they give you. You can’t go out there and try to hit home runs and do all this kind of stuff, you’ve got to take what they give you. You’ve got to grind out at-bats, and you’ve got to have a good two-strike approach. So these guys have taken to that, and they’re doing better.”
Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson are having MVP-type seasons, Abreu leading the AL in total bases (116) and RBI (47) and ranking third in homers (15). With an AL-best .358 average, Anderson is going for his second straight batting title. Luis Robert is a Rookie of the Year candidate and Eloy Jimenez (.296/.333/.574) has 12 homers and 34 RBI. The big contributors list doesn’t end there.
Manager Rick Renteria was asked if he would have predicted a 29-16 start.
“Would you have believed me if I told you [yes]?” Renteria said.
Renteria did, after all, say as far back as last September that it would be time to turn a corner and be a playoff team.
“I’ll revert to the players,” Renteria said. “I give them all the credit in the world because they’re the ones that are grinding out every single day and we talk about not pushing a panic button. They didn’t [after a 10-11 start]. They kept playing and they kept working and they kept doing what they’re doing. We’re in the position that we’re in because of them.
“Their talents are showing and we’ve got to keep going. It’s not easy to win a big league ballgame, let alone push through what is a unique season, trying to get to ultimately where we want to go. There are a lot of things that we still have to do.
“Did I believe that they have it in them? Absolutely. And as we’ve talked about, the results, we’re judged by the results. So you guys are seeing what they’ve been doing. I think they speak well for them.”
