April 13--Nobody will be writing poems about Abreu to Johnson to LaRoche, a la Franklin Pierce Adams' 1910 piece titled "Baseball's Sad Lexicon" on the Cubs' double play combination of Tinkers to Evers to Chance.
Besides, Jose Abreu outgrew playing shortstop many inches and pounds ago.
"He would make (Cal) Ripken look small," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
But Ventura didn't rule out penciling in his 6-foot-3, 255-pound first baseman/designated hitter at third base.
Abreu spent some time on the left side of the infield before Sunday's game, mostly watching.
"He actually looks good at third," said Ventura, a six-time Gold Glove winner there. "He moves around very well and has done it. There have been questions raised in an emergency of him being able to go over there and do it. He would love to do it. Shortstop, we might have to wait on.
"There might be a chance for him to play a little third base."
It most likely would happen during interleague play in a National League park.
No praising Arizona: David Robertson, the White Sox's $46 million (last) man out of the bullpen, earned his first save Saturday when he struck out the side in the ninth inning of a 5-4 victory.
He said he was glad to put Arizona and a not-so-memorable spring training behind him.
"I was like, 'Oh, I better start throwing a little better because they want to see they're getting something good for what they paid for,'" Robertson said. "The only concern was everybody else here (besides teammates) was like, 'Wow, you stink. It's spring and you can't get anybody out,'" Robertson said. "I needed to get out of Arizona and get into an atmosphere that counted."
Men of steal: Tyler Flowers playfully tried to avoid a pitch about why the White Sox haven't been able to catch basestealers this season.
"Basestealing?" Flowers joked. "I haven't had too many opportunities."
But opponents have taken advantage of opportunities they've had against the White Sox, going 9-for-10.
Flowers said a few have been on balls in the dirt and others have had to do with timing, and still others the Sox shouldn't have attempted a throw.
"Geo (Soto) got one (Saturday), so we're on the board," Flowers said. "We'll get it rolling."
pskrbina@tribpub.com
