Maddon praises hell out of Abreu/"new" Sox line-up

[caulfield12]

"There’s always these prodigy kind of players out there, that when they show up, it’s a combination of great work ethic and calm and ability to go out there and perform, that’s what I see with him," Maddon said. "I’ve heard about his work ethic. He’s extremely calm. Coming where he came from and what he’s probably seen before he got here, this is, you know, 30,000 people is not going to bother him. Plus, he probably doesn’t understand them anyway. So, it all works in his favor. Plus he’s really talented. He’s really talented."

 

The White Sox entered Monday night at 13-13 with the highest-scoring offense in baseball. Abreu's been a big part of that, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 31 -- both major league rookie records for the month of April. But Maddon thinks Abreu's success has had an impact on the rest of the White Sox lineup, which has seen guys like Alexei Ramirez, Dayan Viciedo and Tyler Flowers turn in impressive starts to the season, too.

 

"There’s a grittiness about them right now," Maddon said. "I’m not saying they did this last year, they’re not mailing anything in. Their at-bats are really sound right now. ... But I think primarily, the biggest difference for me the group, one through nine, on the field, is very interesting for me.

 

"When you’re hitting Ramirez, what, sixth right now? I mean, Ramirez is hitting sixth. That says something. And (Adam) Eaton gives you a component at the top of the lineup that you haven’t had in a while, with that kind of eagerness and speed. It’s different. And he’s definitely a high-energy guy.

 

"Flowers, to me, is a different player. Looks like he lost some weight. He looks to me like he’s in better shape. He’s got a better approach at the plate. He’s a different player.

 

"I mean Viciedo, all the group, (Adam) Dunn looks good, but saying all that -- the guy at first base makes all the difference. One guy can make that kind of an impact on a team."

 

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/rays-m...-cabrera-tigers

 

 

 

Detroit Free Press writer Lowe sings the now nearly universal praises of Abreu

 

http://www.freep.com/article/20140429/SPORTS02/304290041/

Edited April 29, 2014 by caulfield12

[Melissa1334]

Avila said he kinda figured out how to get Abreu out in the series in Detroit. After the first game he had one hit in nine at bats with six strikeouts, interesting to see how he does. Although its never easy facing guys like Verlander and scherzer

Edited April 29, 2014 by Melissa1334

[southsider2k5]

Avila said he kinda figured out how to get Abreu out in the series in Detroit. After the first game he had one hit in nine at bats with six strikeouts, interesting to see how he does. Although its never easy facing guys like Verlander and scherzer

 

Pitching Verlander and Scherzer is a great way to get most anyone out.

[caulfield12]

Well, they're definitely going to bust him inside as much as possible.

 

And then every Latin American hitter, seemingly, is susceptible to the low and away slider off the plate when behind in the count.

 

Should be interesting to see if Verlander and Scherzer dial up their fastballs to try to blow him away early (aka game of chicken) or go mostly with offspeed stuff instead.

[Bigsoxhurt35]

This is such a pleasure to watch. He's such a great professional hitter. We needed this in our lineup. He's been a big spark along with eaton.

[hogan873]

This is such a pleasure to watch. He's such a great professional hitter. We needed this in our lineup. He's been a big spark along with eaton.

Having Eaton on this team is so refreshing. He's that little pain in the ass speedster that you hate to face but love having on your team. He's a smart ballplayer, too. Hawk and Steve keep mentioning how he hits the front of the bag all of the time when he's running out those infield singles. Plus, his defense has been pretty damn good.

[Heads22]

Having Eaton on this team is so refreshing. He's that little pain in the ass speedster that you hate to face but love having on your team. He's a smart ballplayer, too. Hawk and Steve keep mentioning how he hits the front of the bag all of the time when he's running out those infield singles. Plus, his defense has been pretty damn good.

 

 

He's like a piranha, heh.

 

I don't know how much of our offense is Steverson, how much is luck, and how much is true improvement.

 

I do know that it's infinitely more enjoyable to watch than most of the crap we watched last year.

[Eminor3rd]

Avila said he kinda figured out how to get Abreu out in the series in Detroit. After the first game he had one hit in nine at bats with six strikeouts, interesting to see how he does. Although its never easy facing guys like Verlander and scherzer

 

I can tell you how to get him out: Fastballs in on his hands all at bat. He hasn't shown a willingness to take a walk on those yet. He always swings eventually and jams himself.

 

I think ever since he hit that homer in Colorado, advance scouts musta said something about how he can hurt you inside. But really, that's the best way to get him.

[pettie4sox]

Avila said he kinda figured out how to get Abreu out in the series in Detroit. After the first game he had one hit in nine at bats with six strikeouts, interesting to see how he does. Although its never easy facing guys like Verlander and scherzer

 

Jose will adjust and start crushing those fools.

 

(Meathead soxfan)

[bmags]

I can tell you how to get him out: Fastballs in on his hands all at bat. He hasn't shown a willingness to take a walk on those yet. He always swings eventually and jams himself.

 

I think ever since he hit that homer in Colorado, advance scouts musta said something about how he can hurt you inside. But really, that's the best way to get him.

 

This is typical for most every hitter. The good thing is that's a zone that if missed just a bit lower and outside is going to be crushed. That he has eliminated other areas of the plate is really exciting. He also crowds over the plate so much that area is very small.

[Princess Dye]

And then every Latin American hitter, seemingly, is susceptible to the low and away slider off the plate when behind in the count.

 

It's like Hawk fused with a perennially weird message board poster

Edited April 29, 2014 by Jose Paniagua

[southsider2k5]

Having Eaton on this team is so refreshing. He's that little pain in the ass speedster that you hate to face but love having on your team. He's a smart ballplayer, too. Hawk and Steve keep mentioning how he hits the front of the bag all of the time when he's running out those infield singles. Plus, his defense has been pretty damn good.

 

Stealing that run the other day on a lazy cutoff throw was a thing of beauty.

[bmags]

Stealing that run the other day on a lazy cutoff throw was a thing of beauty.

 

That was one of my favorite plays of the series. I narrowed it down to series because there was so much awesome stuff the last 4 days.

[southsider2k5]

That was one of my favorite plays of the series. I narrowed it down to series because there was so much awesome stuff the last 4 days.

 

The walk-off granny gets all of the publicity, but I am with you. That was just a great baseball play.

[bmags]

The walk-off granny gets all of the publicity, but I am with you. That was just a great baseball play.

 

When the catcher got that ball I feel like Adam was still halfway down the line, and nobody on the field yelled "hey runner" or anything, nobody from the dugout? Sneaky stuff.

[Jerksticks]

I can tell you how to get him out: Fastballs in on his hands all at bat. He hasn't shown a willingness to take a walk on those yet. He always swings eventually and jams himself.

 

I think ever since he hit that homer in Colorado, advance scouts musta said something about how he can hurt you inside. But really, that's the best way to get him.

 

Lol. Ladies n gentleman, introducing the baseball scout potentate; advising simpleton advanced scouts since Yaz protected Hawk (the real, lesser-known truth). If you have time, please expand on this idea of busting good hitters inside. Sounds interesting man!

[Kyyle23]

Lol. Ladies n gentleman, introducing the baseball scout potentate; advising simpleton advanced scouts since Yaz protected Hawk (the real, lesser-known truth). If you have time, please expand on this idea of busting good hitters inside. Sounds interesting man!

 

If you only knew how funny/ironic this really was

[greg775]

Sitting behind 3B and being able to watch Eaton size up the cutoff and positioning of Longoria was great. It was a very calculated and aggressive play.

 

Is it hyperbolic to say we haven't had a play like that since winning the WS? Can you remember a player that smart and aggressive? Oh we may have gotten lucky with the 3B coach waving a guy in ill-advised but that Eaton play was special.

[Eminor3rd]

This is typical for most every hitter. The good thing is that's a zone that if missed just a bit lower and outside is going to be crushed. That he has eliminated other areas of the plate is really exciting. He also crowds over the plate so much that area is very small.

 

Lol. Ladies n gentleman, introducing the baseball scout potentate; advising simpleton advanced scouts since Yaz protected Hawk (the real, lesser-known truth). If you have time, please expand on this idea of busting good hitters inside. Sounds interesting man!

 

The difference is that some hitters adjust to this, some don't. Frank Thomas/Joe Mauer/etc. learn to take these pitches, thus forcing the pitcher to walk them or go back outside. Right now, Abreu does not do this. This is his flaw and it doesn't have to be. "Fastball inside" is not the single best solutions for pitching to all hitters.

 

Lol, smartass.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Eminor3rd

[MEANS]

Is it hyperbolic to say we haven't had a play like that since winning the WS? Can you remember a player that smart and aggressive? Oh we may have gotten lucky with the 3B coach waving a guy in ill-advised but that Eaton play was special.

 

 

pretty sure AJ made some similar heads up base running moves post 2005....

[caulfield12]

For all his dominance against outside pitches, though, Abreu has been relatively toothless against pitches on the inner half. Going by ESPN Stats & Info’s well-hit average stat, we find that Abreu ranks just 141st in baseball; he’s slugging a pedestrian .409 on those same pitches, ranking 76th in the majors.

 

 

There's the "damning" evidence from the grantland.com article...

 

Can we look at the pitches he was K'ing against or struggling the most with in the middle of his 1/25 slide? Was it more because he was getting anxious and getting himself out or was it facing the "behind in the count" Tyler Flowers/Adam Dunn/Viciedo phenomenon from last year, where you knew as soon as they went down 0-2 they were dead?

 

Abreu seemingly has the ability to fight back from down in the count, at least from what we've witnessed in limited sample sizes.

Edited April 29, 2014 by caulfield12