Oh baby, Sale makes ‘incredible’ first impression
LEDYARD, Conn. — On Dec. 6, Chris Sale’s world turned upside down, but it was only the beginning.
After seven seasons in Chicago, Sale was traded to the Red Sox in a blockbuster deal that Tuesday afternoon. He and his family would have to move halfway across the country, but there was room for one more.
Eight days later, Sale and his wife welcomed their second son, Braylan.
“It’s been great,” Sale said. “He’s not sleeping the best, but I’ll take it.”
After the offseason he’s had, you couldn’t blame Sale if he wasn’t sleeping great, either.
Two life-changing events in the span of a week can do that to you. But the fivetime All-Star who’s one of the biggest reasons why the Red Sox come into 2017 as a favorite in the American League, doesn’t seem to be letting it slow him down.
Simply put, Sale is excited to be a key member of the Red Sox, with all the responsibility that comes with it.
“It obviously comes with great expectation and rightfully so,” Sale said. On Friday night, Sale saw the excitement that he’s helped fuel for the first time. As he was introduced at the Red Sox town hall event at Foxwoods, he received one of the biggest cheers of the night.
“I was blown away,” Sale said. “I mean, this is my first time being able to interact with this fan base, and for that to be my first impression, it’s incredible.
“They have a lot of fans,” Sale emphasized when asked what he’s learned about the Red Sox. “It’s a passion. You can feel it. … You can’t help but to feed off of that and just have a certain energy going into the season with all that happening and being around you.”
Sale will soon learn that he’ll get the opposite treatment if he doesn’t perform to the All-Star standards he’s set. Like the two ace pitchers — Rick Porcello and then David Price — he’ll share a rotation with have learned themselves in their first seasons in Boston, the cheers can turn to boos in a hurry.
But Sale isn’t worrying about that, at least not yet.
“I’m not really focused on that,” he said. “It’s the same game. No matter what uniform you’re wearing or what ballpark you’re pitching in, it’s still strike one, strike two and strike three. I just try to keep the same mindset. I think a lot of things involved make me feel a little more comfortable.”
Those things include already living in Naples, Fla., a short drive from Fort Myers for spring training, where he hopes to set a foundation for success with his new club in a few weeks.
And from there, he hopes to give a reason for all of that excitement. Asked what Red Sox fans will like about him, Sale paused to think for a moment before answering, ‘ Hopefully something.”
Then he gave fans a glimpse of what to expect.
“If anything, maybe just competing,” Sale said. “For me, the only thing I can really tell them is every time I’m out there it’s gonna be all I got every time no matter what. I promise you that.”