Seeing is Believing

It’s plain to see this isn’t your White Sox of 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025. For proof, look at yesterday’s 3-0 win over the Blue Jays. This year’s Sean Burke is everything that last year’s version could only hint at. The 26-year old righthander went 6.2 innings, yielding three baserunners on two singles and a walk. As for Colson Montgomery, his BA remains an anemic .224, but there are definite signs of improvement. In the sixth inning with the Sox ahead 1-0, Montgomery took a 1-2 splitter from Jays’ starter Trey Yesavage and deposited it over the wall in right. Wait, there’s more. The much-maligned Andrew Benintendi (yes, oftentimes by me), followed with a double, this to go with his sacrifice fly in the fourth. That brought up Braden Montgomery, who capped an eight-pitch at-bat by singling to center on a 1-2 fastball from Yesavage. Talk about textbook approach. Montgomery would foul off a pitch, step out of the box and compose himself, again and again. The rookie had no interest in trying to jack the ball, just solid contact, which he delivered on. Oh, more, more please. Now, consider the ninth inning, when Grant Taylor gave up an infield single and a bunt single to the first two batters he faced, bringing up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Pick any of those past seasons, and you know what Guerrero was going to do, as in going-going-gone! Nope. Instead of a three-run jack, Guerrero lined out to Braden Montgomery in right on a nice play. Mercy. A 6-4-3 double play later, and the Sox took the three-game series. Next up, a visit to Texas for a three-game set with the Rangers. Bad news—they’ll be facing Jacob deGrom. Good news—deGrom is both righthanded and 38. This should be a good game.