Andrew Vaughn leaves game on cart after diving catch
One year and three days after Eloy Jiménez hung himself out to dry on the left field fence at Camelback Ranch and missed the next four months with a ruptured pectoral tendon, Andrew Vaughn injured himself in the other corner.
Vaughn left today’s game against the Dodgers on a cart in the fourth inning after a diving catch on a Hanser Alberto fly ball.
It wasn’t the most elegant effort, and he hit the ground with a thud, but the extent of the pain didn’t seem to register immediately. Vaughn returned the ball to the infield from his knees, then gradually rose to his feet, where he had a pleasant-enough exchange with Luis Robert. Only when he started returning to his position did he realize that something was amiss, hobbling and flexing his right knee. James Kruk came out to meet him in right field, and they both left via motorized assistance.
Micker Adolfo replaced him in right field, which could foreshadow future lineups if action is needed, and the White Sox do the minimum.
We’ll update this when the White Sox issue one themselves.
Author
First report I saw says dislocated hip. Out 3 months. Hope that isn’t true.
When you have a team with 5 DH’s playing defense, this is what happens.
Hahn already lining up mid-season reinforcements
Which reliever?
I can’t find any confirmation of your dislocated hip report and I hope it is not true.
I think we as a fanbase are reacting as if playing someone in the outfield to keep their bat in the lineup is a new thing the Sox invented recently. Ralph Garr, Ron Kittle, Carlos Lee, and Jermaine Dye are just a few examples of terrible fielders the Sox played regularly in the outfield because of their bat. Carlton Fisk trotted out to left for the Sox a bunch of times. The Cubs played Dave Kingman out in left field. The Reds played Adam Dunn in the outfield.
I understand that today’s analytics have given us a better understanding of the cost of poor defense than in the past but there are still plenty of players playing in the corner outfield who can’t really field and it’s not new and it’s not unique to the Sox.
Those guys simply weren’t very good defensively or had lost a step. But, IIANM, they had all been playing in the OF for most of their careers so arguably at least knew the position
Carlos Lee came up through the minors as a third baseman but I think you are right about the others playing outfield their entire careers.
However, you can’t seriously argue that Garr knew the position. This is a quote from Steve Stone recalling the 1977 White Sox:
“Ralph Garr, our left-fielder, had the uncanny ability to run back after a fly ball, come back in and have the ball drop in exactly the spot he was standing in the first place.”
I would say the salient issue here is more about injury. A guy who has been out there for years has a sense of what to do or how far he can stretch his ability, and along the way it may have become evident how concerned to be about certain injuries. Took a while for Avi to learn how to dive. But that just further demonstrates the point
I mean, a couple things:
1) He made diving catches in LF last year without incident
2) How can he learn how to dive and know his limits if he doesn’t actually do it ever?
3) Just because he knows how to do something, doesn’t mean he still won’t get hurt. Madrigal and Robert have run down the first base line too many times to count and it didn’t stop their seasons from getting derailed last year.
This kind of thing should be done over several years in the minors (ideally before) under controlled conditions with less at stake so he and coaches can learn what he is capable of and he can learn how to manage his game. If he was very athletic or a marginal player looking for playing time, it would be one thing, But it isn’t sensible with someone with this much potential who is better suited to corner infield. And now he is having to learn a second OF position
“Micker Adolfo replaced him in right field, which could foreshadow future lineups if action is needed, and the White Sox do the minimum.”
You crack me up! IF the White Sox do the minimum? Hahn knows no other way.
I didn’t know Jim was such the optimist.
Well there is this guy Conforto that is available. If not, wtf are they going to do?
Clearly you aren’t a “real” White Sox fan.
Maybe Kimbrel can play RF
Burger also hurt, but presumably less seriously. https://twitter.com/JRFegan/status/1508219018066513922
Maybe it is best not to play the guy you drafted as a first baseman in right field.
This organization is capable of ruining his career.
Plan A: everyone stay healthy
Plan B: there is no plan B
We only need pitching depth as first baseman can play anywhere.
Signed
Rick
In the case of Vaughn, he’s also pitching depth!
Plan B = Leury Garcia ends up starting way too many games … every year.
That could just as easily be called Plan A
Plan B is Hahn talking about how fortunate they are to have so much depth. I read that Jon Heyman said the Rangers had the inside track on Conforto, but that the White Sox made the most sense. This was before Vaughn went down. He did not say the Sox had even talked to Conforto, of course. No doubt they hadn’t. Yet.
But now, can they afford not to check in and do their DD’s? Can’t they just offer him a deal with an opt out so if he does great, he can leave after 1 year and get a big contract after? I don’t think they’d have to make him a great offer, I don’t think he has any to choose from. Or many suitors.
I’m counting the minutes for Hahn to be asked about Conforto and say “I like our internal options.” This team can literally have nothing but an empty jar of peanut butter on its shelf and Hahn would still say “I’m liking what I see here.”
Also, let’s see who can survive a drinking game of White Sox designated hitters who get wrecked playing the outfield in spring training. Good lord.
Hubris could’ve at least waited a month to strike, sheesh.
Hey Snail! LTNS
You slumming over here at Jim’s place, or lookin to move in?
I’ve just interacted with the internet a lot less, part of my becoming a hermit before I’m forced to become a hermit, ha.
Can we all just agree this is Jim’s fault for making a post about the Sox trying to be better at preventing injuries today.
Well, hope Vaughn is ok. At times like this, it is good to remember some ancient wisdom:
“Players don’t win championships. Organizations do.”
The more I watch the replay and then the reaction it seems like it is a hip dislocation, whether full or partial who knows but I am already bracing for the worst…. just incredible
To be fair to Rick Hahn, Kenny Williams, Tony La Russa, and Jerry Reinsdorf, it’s not like the Sox have had a defensively-stretched, lumbering slugger get injured in the field during spring training before.
In the past Hahn has said free agents are signed to supplement the core group of young [home grown] talent. I was okay with Vaughn/Sheets in RF, but with Vaughn out, Hahn has got to sign Conforto…to supplement the core. Perhaps that blows the budget but JR wants to win now, right? Adolfo is not going to do it in RF. Leury in RF everyday is not going to do it.
If Vaughn is out for any length of time, they must sign Conforto. If not, now you will be relying on Sheets and Engel to cover RF/DH, unless you somehow use Adolfo, Colas, Cespedes or Leury. None of those should be options for significant starting time in a year of a potential World Series run. This has all the makings of 1984 when the Sox were prohibitive favorites to win the AL West coming off a 99 win season. They somehow finished 74-88.
Amazingly that team from 38 years ago has one thing in common with this team. Tony LaRussa managed both teams.
This is why the Twins were smart to sign Correra. They are in shouting distance if we blow ourselves up.
Engel doesn’t appear to be ready for opening day. Looking at plan C at this point.
Unfortunately, I think their plan B is just to play Leury wherever there is a need. But that plan goes down the drain when more than 1 guy gets hurt. There is no plan C.
Don’t put stock in what he says, it’s called legalese. Sounds a lot like we understand, but it’s a completely different language. It costs a lot to learn it, don’t bother.
Good news
Per James Fegan (Twitter)