Irregular enjoying time would enable intrusive ideas to flow into in White Sox third baseman Curtis Mead’s head.
Would he be on time on the plate? What’s my swing going to really feel like? How can I keep heat? He would ruminate by way of that earlier than video games.
“It was powerful,” Mead instructed the Solar-Instances of not enjoying usually. “I feel simply getting ready each day like I’m gonna get in there in some unspecified time in the future and simply difficult myself off the machine and within the cage through the recreation might be the massive factor that I leaned on.
If Mead’s scenario sounds acquainted, it’s most likely as a result of it’s a facsimile of the Miguel Vargas scenario. Tuesday’s 5-4 loss was Mead’s first recreation in opposition to his former crew, the Rays. He went 0-for-3 Tuesday, however he has been trending up over the previous couple of weeks with constant enjoying time.
“I attempted to do the perfect I may, however [sparse playing time] was undoubtedly difficult.” Mead mentioned.
The Sox acquired Vargas, a former high prospect, from the Dodgers partly as a result of he was blocked from common enjoying time in Los Angeles. After a horrendous begin to his White Sox tenure, Vargas turned it round on the plate in early Could after consulting with the hitting coaches on a mechanical change. That assurance has helped him develop a routine and get extra comfy on the plate.
With Mead, the Sox noticed a gifted participant who may benefit from a change of surroundings and common enjoying time. He took discover of the franchise’s affected person method with Vargas.
“They caught with him,” Mead mentioned. “Typically in different organizations, the chance just isn’t as lengthy. It’s been fairly cool to see him come on this 12 months, get the alternatives he most likely deserves and benefit from them.”
Now, Mead is concentrated on maximizing his alternatives with the Sox amid a crowded infield that options Vargas, Lenyn Sosa, and Bryan Ramos. Getting into Tuesday, Mead has performed in 30 of the Sox’ 48 video games within the second half of the season, batting .274/.324/.337 with a 660 OPS. He’s profiled nicely defensively by way of outs above common.
What’s helped Mead is being extra disciplined on the plate, slashing his chase fee from 36.7% final season to 26.5% this 12 months, whereas making extra contact on pitches he receives within the zone. The change in method was profitable; Mead didn’t have an extra-base hit over his first 16 video games.
To faucet into the extra-base energy, Mead labored with hitting coaches Marcus Thames and Joel McKeithan. They instructed to Mead that he alter his positioning on the plate from a extra closed-off, bent-over stance.
After not having an extra-base hit over his first 16 video games, Mead has six doubles over his final 14 video games.
“It’s like a extremely collaborative course of,” McKeithan mentioned of the crew’s method. “We dive into the numbers [and] analyze the ebbs and flows of their profession [to see] what’s proven up when they’re at their greatest and what’s associated to that.”
McKeithan mentioned the hitting workers needs the hitter’s enter as they attempt to discover options, and that the method isn’t insular. Mead has targeted on staying tall on the plate and has seen some early success. He’s decided to complete the season off sturdy together with his new stance.
“I discovered it arduous to get my ‘A’ swing off,” Mead mentioned. “I used to be in a position to compete and put collectively good at-bats, however I wasn’t in the perfect spot to do injury. I really feel like I’m trending in the proper path.”
Montgomery suffered a small fracture in his proper foot when he was hit by a pitch Saturday.
Gonzalez and Meidroth weren’t the headliners within the Garrett Crochet commerce, however each have began carving out roles on the major-league stage.
The Sox received six video games on their seven-game street journey.
Taylor will use the offseason to work on transitioning again to a beginning position.
