Teacher and Student

Jose Abreu is the smartest hitter on the White Sox. Abreu goes to the plate with a plan. Get two strikes on him, and he stops swinging for the fences. Establish a pattern of pitches, and he’ll figure it out before long. Eloy Jimenez is the best hitter on the Sox. Somehow, the 6’4” right-handed hitter has never gotten caught up with hitting homeruns (Luis Robert, please take note). Like Abreu, Jimenez will shorten his swing with two strikes, and he’ll always take the ball to right field. If anyone on the Sox can win the Triple Crown (batting average, homeruns, RBIs), it’s Eloy. In yesterday’s come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Twins, Abreu reached out for a 2-2 pitch and hit it to deep short with runners on the corners and two out; never has a man so big run so hard to beat out a hit. Because Abreu valued contact over distance, he tied the score. I was amazed Abreu even made contact off of Minnesota reliever Sergio Romo, a master of slop if there ever was one. Abreu was followed in the order by Eloy, who had already struck out three times in the game. At least it’s tied, I thought. Oh, ye of little faith. Jimenez lined the first pitch he saw down the third base line to drive in what proved to be the winning run. Abreu wears a bead or rubber band in his beard for reasons that escape me. As Eloy was shouting and celebrating his hit, I noticed he had a bead or rubber band in his beard, just like the batter before. The student emulates the teacher in ways big and small.