Seems Like Old Times

When the White Sox traded for Matt Davidson in 2014, I was ecstatic without knowing a thing about Davidson.  It was enough for me that he wasn’t Addison Reed, the closer we sent to Arizona in exchange for the third-base prospect.  And now that I’ve watched Davidson these past two seasons work at being a major-league hitter, always humble and always trying to explain what exactly he’s up to at the plate, so much the better.  Addison who?

In two seasons as the Sox closer, Reed showed that ability relievers are supposed to have and forget about that bad night the game before, only there were too many nights like that with the young righty.  Do they keep stats for yielding the most walk-off hits in a season or career?  I’d be surprised if Reed wasn’t up there.  Other teams must’ve thought so, given how he’s now more of a setup man than a closer.  That way, the game still goes on in the eighth if Reed should cough up a lead.

Reed came in to pitch last night for the Twins, who in the offseason signed him to a two-year, $16.75 million deal.  Too bad for Minnesota it was a tied game against the Sox and they’d already gone through two relievers.  Reed it was, and he did strike out Matt Davidson.  Then, one batter later, it was bad Addison all over again, behind in the count and coming in with the wrong pitch, which Trayce Thompson proceeded to park in the left-field seats for a White Sox winner.  With that hit, Thompson is now hitting .140 on the season.

The Twins went into the season picked by many to compete for the second wild card spot, only to find themselves a disappointing 10-17; a walk-off loss hardly helps.  Not to pick on Addison Reed, but, my God, he’s doing the same thing today he did in 2011 and ’12.  It’s true—some people just don’t learn.