HOUSTON – An interesting feeling ran throughout Rate Field for most of Chicago’s seven-game homestand against American League Central opponents from Detroit and Kansas City last week. The White Sox and their fans were having fun. On Sunday alone, Southpaw’s 21st birthday was celebrated, Pepe the Penguin from Brookfield Zoo stood on the mound next to one of the ceremonial first pitches, and on the in-game side, Tyler Alexander, a left-handed reliever who was signed by the White Sox at noon, pitched three innings after taking a 90-minute Uber from Milwaukee at noon. Let’s also not forget the White Sox played good baseball for all but Monday’s opener vs. Detroit. Even in Sunday’s game, when the White Sox were no-hit for seven innings after Miguel Vargas’ first-inning homer and trailed 7-2 going into the ninth, they rallied for three runs in their final at-bats and had the winning run on first base when Tim Elko struck out. The White Sox were going for a three-game sweep of the Royals, after beating them once all last year. This series victory started with a 7-2 win before an announced sellout crowd of 36,916 fans celebrating Mexican Heritage Night on Friday. "It was incredible,” White Sox starter Davis Martin said. “The thing we put on the field tonight, I'm glad 36,000 people got to see it because that's who we are. “That's what we're capable of," added Martin. "There was a lot of energy. Fans were incredible. Sixth inning, I don't know what song they played but everybody started dancing and it kind of fired me up on the mound, too. It was awesome." |
Life has been fairly “awesome” overall at home of late for the White Sox, who stand at 16-18 after winning 12 of their last 20 at the Rate. They are finding success with an infusion of young players and top prospects, which is an integral part of the plan at this stage of the rebuild. Martin and fellow starters Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon, and Shane Smith all broke camp with the team out of Spring Training, as did third baseman Vargas and reliever Mike Vasil. Catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth and first baseman Elko have been brought up from the Minors, with infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin presently slugging his way back to the Majors for Triple-A Charlotte. Add right-handed pitcher Grant Taylor to this list. The team’s second-round pick in the 2023 Draft, who joins the team in Houston tonight after a promotion from Double-A Birmingham, has struck out 18 against one walk in 9 1/3 innings of relief, where he figures to be used by the White Sox. "He's above 100 mph, he's commanding the zone, the offspeed stuff is really strong. It's very clear that hitters are uncomfortable in the box,” said general manager Chris Getz of Taylor. “They try to get him early. So, it's either weak contact or perhaps they'll get him on a hit once in a while. “Once they get to two strikes it gets over fairly quickly. He's still adjusting to the shorter stints. Obviously, his stuff has risen from when he was starting. It's been nothing short of explosive.” |
More Minor League callups should follow, with Baldwin, reliever Wikelman González and shortstop Colson Montgomery leading that group. Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, the top two left-handed pitching prospects in the game per MLB Pipeline, are currently working at Birmingham and might not join this year, but they aren’t too far behind. Taylor’s presence in the bullpen for ’25 doesn’t necessarily mean his 100 mph fastball and mound moxie only will be used in relief moving forward. See Garrett Crochet, Chris Sale and even Mark Buehrle as past examples of starting dominance taking root initially in the later innings. Ultimately, these moves and this organization building are aimed at maximizing victories for the White Sox. They remain well off that target with a 22-44 record and a 6-26 ledger on the road, where the next six games will take place. But they are developing together, winning at home together, and most importantly having fun learning how to win together. |
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When Ray Durham last was at the ballpark known as Rate Field on July 10-12, 2003, he was a second baseman on the playoff-bound San Francisco Giants. "I had a lot of great memories here,” Durham told MLB.com Sunday. "This was home.” Durham, who is now 53 but looks as if he could still put together a 10-game big league hitting streak, was an All-Star component of the 2000 American League Central champions playing under “The Kids Can Play” banner as part of his eight seasons in Chicago. The switch-hitter, who still holds the record for all-time White Sox leadoff home runs at 20, watched this latest rebuild incarnation on his bobblehead giveaway day Sunday.
“You always see the guys that you either played with or played against get bobbleheads because they did something special in the game,” Durham said. “To have my own bobblehead, there’s no greater feeling as an athlete doing anything.
“It’s a lot different than having a baseball card or anything else. To have a bobblehead, you have done some things.” |
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• Montgomery missed the last three games for Charlotte after taking a fastball off the right wrist during his two-homer game on Thursday, leaving him with a bone bruise causing difficulties with his wrist rotation. He has been through quite a trying season, but this is a player built to take off once he hits the Majors. • Southpaw’s 21st birthday seemed like a Sunday celebration enjoyed by literally all who took part. I’m still trying to figure out why Southpaw lip-synced the Whitney Houston classic ‘"I Will Always Love You" on the field prior to Saturday’s game. Maybe some things are better off as a mystery? • Jori Parys does exceptional work as a sports reporter for Chicago’s local CBS affiliate. People now also know what an amazing musical performer she is after her rousing rendition of the national anthem Sunday. |
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“I got to get a good script going every day. For a while, our red zone offense was terrible. A lot of fourth down conversations not going our way.” -- a smiling Grady Sizemore, joking about his life as ’25 White Sox offensive coordinator. |
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