Friday, April 11

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Marcus Thames presided over the team with the 30th-ranked offense in the Majors in both runs scored (507) and OPS (.618) with the 2024 White Sox.

So as the veteran hitting coach works through a second season on Chicago’s South Side, what did he learn from that rough debut? Let’s start with patience.

“We had a young group, and they’re still learning the game at the Major League level,” Thames said during a media session earlier this week. “It’s a hard gig, so we have to keep patient, keep teaching these kids and help them develop.

“You’re competitive, right? And you want to win ballgames. At the same time, I’ve been doing this long enough to know there will be stretches like that. For me, I have to keep staying positive and trying to teach.”

Thames also broke down a number of 2025 White Sox hitters based partially on what he has viewed during Spring Training. Here’s his take on three of those key components.

Luis Robert Jr.

The 2023 All-Star center fielder is healthy, and Thames knows if Robert is healthy, he is a really good player. Quite possibly one of the best.

“He’s been doing the right things and working really hard, just making sure his body is staying in the right place in the box,” Thames said. “When he does that, he’s one of the best players in the game. We have to make sure he stays healthy and keeps working at the right stuff in the cages.”

Robert had one of the most complete offensive performances in franchise history during the 2023 season, followed by struggles at the plate in ’24 after dealing with a right hip flexor strain that cost him two months. Thames thought Robert’s body not being in the right position was a root cause for what went wrong.

“He was diving across and cutting himself off, and [he] didn’t like that breaking ball down and away; it looked like a strike because his body wasn’t in the right position,” Thames said. “This spring, he spit on a lot of pitches that’s down … When he’s doing that, he’s in a good place.”

Miguel Vargas

Vargas arrived to the White Sox from the Dodgers as part of a three-team, eight-player trade on July 29, but he hit .104 (14-for-135) over 157 plate appearances with Chicago.

“His confidence was shot a little bit and he had some mechanical issues that harmed him a little bit,” Thames said. “I thought this offseason, him getting stronger and being able to hold his body in the right position, that’s going to help him. It was tough for him, man. 

“Just me being a former player, you feel really bad for a guy. You leave no stone unturned trying to find ways to try to help him. Just letting him know like on the back of his card in the Minors, he always hit. It’s tough for him going through it, but as a coaching staff, we have to keep him positive and let him know, 'It’s going to come.'”

The White Sox third baseman entered Friday’s action with a .400 (10-for-25) spring average and on a five-game hitting streak and has looked great, per Thames.

“But it’s still early,” Thames said. “He’s still grinding, but we have to get him off to a good start.”

Colson Montgomery

The No. 39 prospect overall, per MLB Pipeline, was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday. His Major League time will not begin on Opening Day, although Thames has thoughts on a possible hitting style for the shortstop.

“Colson is going to be a doubles guy. He’s got some pop, but he’s got to be a little more consistent,” Thames said. “He worked really hard here in camp. I spoke with him this offseason and I thought he was in a good place.”

Back spasms caused Montgomery to be scratched from the starting lineup on Feb. 27, which happened to be his 23rd birthday. He missed 10 games, slowing him down a bit, but he will get regular everyday playing time in the Minors to finish his development and be ready to go once he reaches the Majors.

“Hopefully he can get down there and get some ABs and get back to help us,” Thames said. “He can make good, solid contact. He’s a big, strong kid, but he’s just got to be more consistent on the barrel. If he can put the ball on the barrel a little more, good things are going to happen.”

• Right-hander Drew Thorpe has a live BP scheduled for Saturday, his second this week, and then he’s moving back into the five-day starter’s routine and hopes to get into some sort of game action during these final 10 days in Arizona.

• Have you ever heard of the Mogollon Monster, who resides in Payson? He is apparently Arizona’s equivalent of Bigfoot. I’m not sure I believe it, but it was quite an interesting and detailed history lesson I received this week.

• There’s no bag tax in Arizona, at least not where I’m staying. So I always feel like I’m getting away with something when I take two or three extra while buying groceries.

• I had the pleasure of being shadowed for a day during Spring Training by Courtney Larrimore, a sophomore journalist from the University of Alabama. Check out her exceptional work, and the work of the other students who were here, at The Crimson White. She made me laugh the day after shadowing me when she admitted to being too tired to go enjoy Glendale that night with her group. And her reason?

“You’re exhausting,” she said with a laugh. I know countless friends, co-workers, relatives and employees at various Sky Harbor Airport rental car desks who not only wholeheartedly agree with Courtney but also consider her observations to be quite astute.

“With everything considered, timing of the game, it would have been a walk-off, that’s probably the best play I ever made. Hopefully we can get some more like that.” -- new White Sox outfielder Travis Jankowski, on his game-saving, homer-stealing catch of Andrew Vaughn, his present teammate, on Aug. 28 of last season at Rate Field when he was with Texas

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