Is Avi Putting It Together?

[Southwest Sider]

I know it's still a small sample size, but I'm starting to think there's reason to believe that he could have some sustainable success. He looks like a different person out there.. one who believes he is good at baseball.

[oldsox]

Love the picture, Tex. One of the greatest movies. A young George C. Scott in that flick.

[chitownsportsfan]

Another solid game tonight.

Edited May 7, 2016 by chitownsportsfan

[harkness99]

I'm not buying it but I'm loving it for now. Hope he keeps this up!

 

It's definitely early.. but he clearly is taking a much different approach.

 

In the last two weeks when he played I saw him take more pitches then the entire last season...

 

[harkness99]

11-24 since April 25th... that was the first game I thought he looked different. Nearly hitting .500 over that time.

[Jake]

He was never going to be an absolute team-killer so long as he was in the DH spot. His floor as a hitter isn't unbelievably low and I think it was never optimistic to say he'd be within shouting distance of league average at the plate. That's a huge problem when you're the worst defender around, but you can be patient when he doesn't play defense. And when he hits a bit better than average, he's a useful DH rather than a still-not-good-enough RF again due to his poor defense.

[OmarComing25]

The difference between this hot streak and last season's hot streak for Avi was that last year it was largely fueled by an unsustainable BABIP. There are good signs this year. He's actually starting to take pitches, and he's putting the ball in the air more than ever before, and he's hitting the ball hard. Currently has a 114 wRC+ and is on pace for over 2 WAR on the season. Hope he can keep this up, this is the first time I've actually felt a little optimism about him.

[GreenSox]

He very well may be turning it around. He has talent. Sometimes it takes time. We'll see.

Even elite players like Todd Frazier didn't pull it together until 25 or 26.

[Dick Allen]

He very well may be turning it around. He has talent. Sometimes it takes time. We'll see.

Even elite players like Todd Frazier didn't pull it together until 25 or 26.

I see you are enjoying the 20-10 start.

 

You must be a treat to be around.

[Thad Bosley]

I see you are enjoying the 20-10 start.

 

You must be a treat to be around.

[Panerista]

I don't necessarily believe in Avi (although his OPS+ is shockingly high), but his absence on the field is another reminder of what a great subtraction Adam LaRoche was.

[ottawa_sox]

Well, he's talking to himself a lot more at the dish....he seems to have some sort of strategy or thought process he's trying to follow and is taking his time to make sure he's doing what he needs to do. He was hammering the ball last night.

 

 

Also, it seems the air humping is working for him. I can't help but think he's acting like he's about to f*** the baseball to get a mental edge.

 

Reminds me of Jesus ....... your avatar.

 

[MDWhiteSoxFan]

He's hit in 8 straight bring his BA up close to 250. I really hope he sustains and continues to improve.

[Thomas_Ventura_Roberts]

Avi probably is for real. Last year was his first full year in the majors, and he will not turn 25 years old until June. This is a good time for him to show whether he has absorbed lessons from his early major league experience as well as Sox coaches.

[JohnCangelosi]

I think he is the key to this year, if he can swing it well all year. 2 for 2 today.

[MDWhiteSoxFan]

He's making me proud I pulled te trigger on his auto haha

[GreenSox]

I see you are enjoying the 20-10 start.

 

You must be a treat to be around.

How's Addison Reed these days, Mr Sunshine? Drake and Adam?

I'm enjoying the winning very much,thank you. We'd be even better, and for more years, if we'd stop trading young talent for these "stars" who never really were "stars."

I'm enjoying Avi Garcia as well.....of course, supporting him is considered "negative" according to your groupthink.

Edited May 8, 2016 by GreenSox

[soxforlife05]

I'm still not sold. He's looked so lost at times this year where it's hard to believe he looked that bad. He has no defensive value in the OF so unless he can hit .280+ with power he's really not going to be a useful player in the long run. Compared to the rest of our lineup he doesn't look terrible but we haven't had a solid DH in years.

Edited May 8, 2016 by soxforlife05

[Dick Allen]

How's Addison Reed these days, Mr Sunshine? Drake and Adam?

I'm enjoying the winning very much,thank you. We'd be even better, and for more years, if we'd stop trading young talent for these "stars" who never really were "stars."

I'm enjoying Avi Garcia as well.....of course, supporting him is considered "negative" according to your groupthink.

Reed is doing well for the Mets. Much better than Davidson. I assume Drake and Adam are having a grand time. Never said supporting Avi is considered negative. Not once. Why isn't Oakland dominating the AL with all those White Sox prospects?

[Reddy]

Reed is doing well for the Mets. Much better than Davidson. I assume Drake and Adam are having a grand time. Never said supporting Avi is considered negative. Not once. Why isn't Oakland dominating the AL with all those White Sox prospects?

Mets fans would disagree. If a game gets blown late, it's usually blown by Reed.

[greg775]

Answer to this thread's main question?

"I think he is." Go Avi!

[SonofaRoache]

"All" Avi has to do is stop swinging at everything. If he takes some pitches and wait for good ones to hit he will be fine. When you swing at the first two in the dirt chances are you wont be getting on base.

[caulfield12]

I'm still not sold. He's looked so lost at times this year where it's hard to believe he looked that bad. He has no defensive value in the OF so unless he can hit .280+ with power he's really not going to be a useful player in the long run. Compared to the rest of our lineup he doesn't look terrible but we haven't had a solid DH in years.

 

Dunn was absolutely abysmal in 2011, but his numbers from 2012-14 were more than decent compared to LaRoche last season.

 

I wouldn't say we got "fair value" on his deal, overall...but 2011 just completely overshadows the rest of his Sox career. If we would have made the playoffs in 2012 and Dunn hadn't been part of a team-wide slump down the stretch, there would be more appreciation for what he actually did contribute.

[Dunt]

.827 OPS

[Lillian]

Avi now has the highest Slugging Percentage and OPS on the team.

His Slugging % is the same as Frazier's and his OPS is almost .100 points higher than Abreu's.

And, remember that he is doing it batting 7TH in the order.

 

It's always useful to compare stats with other players on the roster. They have all had to play under the same weather conditions, and against the same pitchers.

For him to be doing this well, relative to his teammates, suggests that he has made significant strides to becoming the hitter, the front office envisions.

As hard as he hits the ball, it's easy to see why management wants to give him every opportunity to succeed.