I spent the last week in Alaska, landing in Anchorage, bouncing south to Seward, then heading north past the Alaska Range into Denali. The cell phone service came and went, and wi-fi was pretty much only available at the end of the night, which is why I handled the Minor Keys and nothing else. Thanks to Josh, Ted, Patrick and Greg for keeping the site running while my wife's family gave me the grand tour of their home state.
The hiking, wildlife and beer were all worthwhile, but there were a few White Sox stories that made me miss being away from baseball, so now you'll have to hold up while I issue belated judgments. With the White Sox and Twins clashing once again, one story in particular could resurface.
The Lucas Giolito-Josh Donaldson beef
Josh Donaldson has a history of speaking out in ways that aren't wrong, but they're presented in a way that don't engender much sympathy. The previous time he erupted in a game against the White Sox, he was neither the first nor last player to complain about poor umpiring across baseball. He was one of the few to do so by getting intentionally ejected after a homer and probably costing his team the game in the process. Then he went on to talk about umpires taking food off his table. He makes fair points, but he also prevents them from landing, and if nobody debates him, he'll sell past the close.
Sure enough, when Donaldson crosses the plate after a homer off Giolito with a loud, proud, "It's not sticky anymore!", there's a line of truth in there, and one he can pound repeatedly when engaged because he's one of those who thinks the last word wins. In order to tilt the topic in his favor, Giolito would have to explain the drop in spin rate that is apparent from the public-facing data, and that's not something he probably wants to do.
If Giolito didn't engage, the context would've swallowed Donaldson's point. It was clearly an attempt to rouse his teammates into making a dent in a double-digit deficit against the division leader; a last-ditch effort for a last-place team. It was also clear that Donaldson was lobbing stones from a glass shanty, as teammates like José Berríos and Kenta Maeda have experienced similar drops in spin around the same time. Giolito's team beat Donaldson's while he adhered to the new MLB guidelines, so the scoreboard and standings did all the talking.
Instead, Giolito made it a national story by calling it a "classless move," and invited Donaldson to share a one-sided account of an alleged parking-lot encounter that made him look like the protagonist, and now it draws more attention to any subsequent stumbles like his less-than-stellar start against the Tigers on Sunday.
This is one of the reasons why I avoid using "class" in any of its adjective forms, at least within the context of baseball. It's overused for praise, and attempt to assail somebody's lack of it is pretty much powerless in such a competitive environment.
PERTINENT: Around the Horn: The Giolito/Donaldson spat
Gavin Sheets and Jake Burger promoted
I've been a little bit bearish on what should be expected from Gavin Sheets and Jake Burger in 2021, albeit for different reasons. Sheets has made strides to distinguish himself from his previous form of a plodding first baseman who didn't hit for enough power pre-2020. However, he's also the kind of player whose stats Charlotte's tiny ballpark can warp beyond recognition. Burger didn't benefit from lopsided home/road splits like Sheets, but he's a guy who likes to swing the bat, and MLB pitchers can tease that approach into useless contact, especially right-handed ones.
That said, they both came up to the majors under ideal circumstances. Sheets is worth a look before the trade deadline, especially as a left-handed bat for whom it's easier to tilt situations in his favor. That makes him more useful that Yermín Mercedes, even before you factor in his ability to stand in an outfield corner, even if he doesn't play them well. I didn't like the idea of rushing Burger up to start him at second base, but he's a fine patch for a short Yoán Moncada absence at third.
Both are doing what they can with their opportunities ...
- Sheets: .7-for-22, 2 HR, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
- Burger: 4-for-11, 1 3B, 1 2B, 1 BB, 3 K
... and if Moncada is able to return, both could remain in a platoon at DH. That feels like a better use of Sheets than Burger, since the latter could still use regular reps in the field. That's about the only place where Burger has shown an evidence of the long layoff.
An All-Star snub
Yasmani Grandal is hitting .263/.394/.575 since the start of June. He's raised his average up to .190, and assuming this bout with left calf tightness is as minor as Tony La Russa suggests, it'll probably be weird to see the lack of an All-Star appearance at the end of his first two years with the White Sox. The White Sox are sending three to Denver, but they're all pitchers.
That said, if he's just recently put the knee issue from spring training behind him, the calf problem serves as a helpful reminder that any and all rest should be welcomed for a 32-year-old catcher, especially when it doesn't hurt the White Sox's chance of winning in the process.
The AL Central
Despite everything the White Sox have been through, they still lead the division by six games. The Houston Astros might've shown the Sox that they're still short against elite competition, but they were also generous enough to sweep Cleveland in four games. The best kind of lesson is one that doesn't hurt in the standings.
