Signs

The arrows kept pointing in both directions early on in game one of the White Sox-A’s wildcard series yesterday afternoon. Tim Anderson led off the game with a single and went to third on a hit by Jose Abreu, only for James McCann to strike out. Starter Lucas Giolito retired the side in order in the bottom of the first, but all three outs were solid contact to the outfield. And then Adam Engel stepped to the plate in the second inning. And what did Engel do? Why, he put a ball over the left field wall on an 0-2 pitch, that’s what. After the game, Engel talked about how he tries to “envision” his at-bats, and he sounded just like my daughter, which makes perfect sense; choppy swing and all, Engel is one of Clare’s favorite players, and, yes, mine, too. Not that I have problems with Anderson (three hits) or Abreu (two hits, including a two-run homer). Yasmani Grandal? Now him I have problems with, but if he keeps on hitting homeruns like he did in the eighth inning yesterday’s 4-1 win, I may revise my opinion. As for Giolito, isn’t baseball grand? Here’s a guy who stunk up the joint in his Opening Day start (seven runs in 3.2 innings); throws a no-hitter a month later; and comes out yesterday to throw six perfect innings in Oakland. Giolito is what you would call a thinking person’s pitcher, always talking about mechanics and emotional states and whatnot. Well, the proof’s in the pudding, at least it was yesterday. I’m hoping Engel is back in the lineup against right-hander Chris Bassitt, but with Rick Renteria, you never know. Fingers crossed.