Even after a down season, wait no, frustratingly maddening season, White Sox fans are trying to be positive once again and there are several signs early on in spring training to give them optimism as we get closer to Opening Day.
Here are some spring training observations and overreactions for the White Sox.
Jake Burger Deserves a Roster Spot
Jake Burger continues to be a great story. We're talking about a first-round pick who suffered a brutal Achilles injury and then a second one when he was rehabbing. Burger had been pretty much forgotten about and wasn't really in the picture for a few years, but since returning in 2021, Burger has shown to be a solid hitter when given a chance in the majors.
In 2022, Burger had a .761 OPS, hitting eight home runs in 51 games. He was one of the few hitters on the White Sox that actually provided some slugging when he was in the lineup. Unfortunately, Burger dealt with a hand and wrist injury in the summer and he didn't make it back up to the majors in 2022.
Burger continues to hit early on in spring training, which again doesn't mean a lot, but if he keeps on hitting then there is going to be a real conversation about Burger earning a roster spot on Opening Day. There is obviously one glaring issue and that's Burger just doesn't have much versatility on the field. He plays third base, but he's not the best at the hot corner and that's pretty much it when it comes to defense.
Can the White Sox afford to have Burger as one of their bench guys when they're already going to use one spot on a backup catcher leaving Pedro Grifol with less flexibility? But fans love Burger and want him on the team. At the end, kind of seems like White Sox won't be able to find a spot for him even he does show enough to earn it.
Stop the Leury Garcia Hate!
Speaking of the bench, the White Sox might actually use Leury Garcia the right way this year. That is, if he stays on the team. There has been some, maybe a lot, of chatter among White Sox fans wanting Garcia off the team and well, he was statistically one of the worst players in baseball last year, BUT, as a bench guy, he's fine! Garcia can play all over the field and if used properly, shouldn't be a liability.
Stop the Leury hate! (even if he is kinda bad)
Right Field is Actually Fine
The White Sox trying to find a good right fielder has been an ongoing process for years, but at least for now we're thinking it's going to be fine in 2023. Gavin Sheets has reportedly put in a lot of work to improve defensively and if he can just be not horrible, then that's a major plus because he does give the White Sox some left-handed power.
Meanwhile, prospect Oscar Colas is racking up the hits early in spring training and hey Eloy Jimenez slimmed down and is trying to prove to everyone that he can still be an outfielder. Rick Hahn finally did it folks, right field is solved!
We talked about the first week of spring training on this week's Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast.
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