Adam Engel

My favorite White Sox have tended to be  role-type players—J.C. Martin, Walt Williams, Aaron Rowand, even.  Minnie Minoso was before my time, and Luis Aparicio didn’t register with me until his second time around with the Sox, 1968-70; anyhow, Aparicio wasn’t the warmest of human beings.  Neither was Frank Thomas, though I did grow fond of his bat.  Probably the biggest Sox star I’ve ever really been a fan of is Paul Konerko. Something about his name and studied approach to the task at hand.

Rookie outfielder Adam Engel could go either way, star or role player.  Engel is 25 and has never really hit for average in the minors, but, my oh my, can that boy fly around the bases and track down a fly ball.  An injury to Leury Garcia has opened up a spot for Engel in center, and he hasn’t disappointed with a .296 batting average in 54 at-bats including five extra-base hits and 11 runs scored.

But we live in a era short on hope.  I ran across an on-line review of Engel that said, “The White Sox may have found a nice fourth outfielder/defensive substitute/pinch-runner type.  That ain’t much, but it’s not nothin.’”  Wow, could you afford all that praise?  Perchance to dream, for ourselves and through the athletes we identify with.  Why can’t Engel be a star, the 19^th round draft choice who makes it big?  If he turns into something less, remember that Martin and Rowand helped win a World Series or two.  As for Walt Williams, everyone should conduct their lives with the humility and good grace he showed.

J.C. or the Big Hurt--you go, Adam, you go.