Andrew Vaughn did not release the kind of power he used to exhibit, did not hit any home run, did not get any hits in the first game of the White Sox Cactus League in the spring.
But Vaughn showed why the White Sox think he is ready for a daily job at the major league level.
So many questions came up during the winter and early spring regarding Vaughn’s avant-garde status for the vacant DH position at White Sox, considering he has 55 games on his professional resume and has never played a game above A-ball. . Throughout the team he praised him, praising the advanced nature of his bat and the benefits he derived from training at the alternate location in Schaumburg last year as a case for him to be thrown under the pool, invited to play a considerable role. for a team with World Series aspirations.
RELATED: Sox Keep Raving About Andrew Vaughn: ‘The Complete Package’
Well, Vaughn did not go deep against Milwaukee Brewers in Sunday’s opening spring, a 7-2 defeat by the White Sox, but he took two strides, showing another aspect of his offensive game that left the bronze team raving again.
“When I was trying to get acquainted with the list and when I talked to everyone up there, … there was no one who was on the fence about Andrew,” said La Russa after Sunday’s game. “I have to see him in January, and he is real.
“I’m not sure if he’s on the April 1 squad, but he’ll have a lot of opportunities to play his way for this team. And today was the kind of start you expected: very good batons, good defensive game . He doesn’t miss an entry. He’s the real one. “
In this beautiful defensive play, an obstacle in first base, Vaughn does not imagine seeing much time in the field in 2021, not with the current MVP of AL José Abreu occupying that position. But the White Sox have often talked about wanting to give Abreu a little rest now and then, and even if it means Abreu’s day slipping into DH, Vaughn could certainly see some time replacing the big guy.
Even though La Russa is not ready to move Vaughn from the “pencil” group to the “ink” group, it is obvious, each time he is asked about Vaughn, how impressed he is with the 22-year-old.
Adam Engel, home run hitter
Even though Vaughn did not break the blow on Sunday, the White Sox managed a round-tripper.
Adam Engel launched a two-race dinger in the first round, resuming where he left off in 2020 with some positive offensive production. For so long seen as a player who prioritizes defense – if not just defense – on the field, Engel had a good season at the base last year, becoming a more complete player.
With that came a little more power. His slugging percentage went up almost 0.100 points, from 0.383 in 2019 to 0.477 in 2020. He hit a home run in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against Oakland Athletics, the first post-season home run for a White Sox hitter since 2008.
“Just being able to contribute offensively to the team,” said Engel last week, “is something that has followed me as a question mark throughout my career. I have always felt that I have a lot to offer on the defensive side of the ball, and also running base. Last year, it helped prove to myself that I can help the team in the hitting area, too. “
Who hit the first homer of the White Sox playoff in 2020? Engel. Who hit the White Sox’s first spring home run in 2021? Engel too.
There is a reason for him to be third in the La Russa lineup on Sunday.
‘Wheels’ Moncada
Yoán Moncada said he was feeling much better after his 2020 season impacted by COVID. He showed a little extra energy on Sunday.
The White Sox third baseman described his 2020 campaign as a “daily battle” to find the energy needed to do just about anything on the baseball field, and this was evident, especially when he was running the bases. At one point, after commanding the bases in Cleveland, he was caught being attacked by ex-businessman Rick Renteria. At the time, White Sox coaches were unsure whether Moncada would return to the field.
Advancing into the spring of 2021, Moncada stole a base in the first round of his first spring game. He didn’t try a single flat bag in 2020, after making 3 out of 10 in stolen base attempts during his 2019 season.
This is a positive sign that supports Moncada’s conversation that he is back in good health after battling the side effects of his COVID-19 infection last year.
“I have a chance to prove that I am the type of player I was in 2019, that this is the type of player I am,” Moncada said through team interpreter Billy Russo last week. “And I think I can do better.”
La Russa back to the bank – and in it to beat him
The graphics team at NBC Sports Chicago exhibited a very impressive one at the beginning of Sunday’s broadcast:
This is Tony La Russa’s ninth season at the White Sox and the first since 1986.
If that doesn’t say it all.
La Russa expressed happiness at being back on the bench after almost a decade away on Sunday. After all, this is the guy who wants to be there, after spending time in the front office what he called “torture”, it can hardly be questioned.
Oh, and even though it was a six-game game that didn’t count, he wanted to win.
“Familiar. Nervous about the competition,” he said, asking what it was like to return. “I think you need to practice winning. You have 30 chances (during the spring), so you don’t want to wait until Opening Day.
“Whether it’s a team or a coach, you should use these games to anticipate and make decisions. That’s why I like it, in the sense that when Opening Day or October comes around, there really won’t be any difference in concentration and process . “
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