Trying to put some bite in game
Brett Lawrie has struggled at the plate and in field
CHICAGO— Brett Lawrie has looked a little deranged this season. There’s no other way to say it. Beyond his usual wild-eyed, twitchy intensity, he’s also sporting a white mouthguard that gives him something of a fanged appearance.
Add in a pair of athletic goggles and Lawrie has looked like a vampire biker on the road to the zombie apocalypse.
Earlier this year, in fact, White Sox broadcaster Jason Benetti coined a new nickname for Lawrie: Canadian Vampire.
The nickname hasn’t stuck in the clubhouse, says Lawrie, who insists the fanged look is unintentional. “It just pops out,” he said here before the first of a three-game set between the Blue Jays and White Sox.
Unfortunately for Lawrie, who spent the first three-and-a-half years of his big-league career in Toronto, his performance on the field this season has been less fearsome. After a solid start to the season, the 26-yearold native of Langley, B.C., has struggled at the plate, with a .696 OPS — among the lowest for everyday players in the American League. His minus-10 defensive runs saved, meanwhile, are the lowest of any qualified second baseman.
But Lawrie isn’t concerned about his current struggles. He says he feels good and is still confident he can turn his season around. “Just hanging out doing my thing, bro.”
Once considered a core piece of the Jays’ future, Lawrie never realized the potential suggested by an explosive, quarter-season cameo at the end of 2011. He mostly underachieved over the next three injury-
“I think there’s some science behind it when you bite down or something like that . . . I don’t really think too much about it.” BRETT LAWRIE
riddled seasons and was included as part of a package of young players sent to Oakland for Josh Donaldson, who, of course, was named American League MVP in his first year in Toronto last season.
Lawrie was dealt again this past offseason in a much lower-profile trade to Chicago.
The White Sox, as a team, were one of Major League Baseball’s biggest early-season surprises when they stormed out to a 17-8 April, rocketing to the top of the American League Central division. Since then, however, they have crashed back to earth, falling to fourth place mostly due to their dismal offence.
Even after taking three of four games from the Red Sox this week, they have lost 27 of their last 40 games.
“Going in there, taking three out of four from (Boston) is huge,” Lawrie said.
“We just continue to fight. Every single day we come in with the same mentality and we’re right where we need to be. We’re just continuing to fight every single day and there’s a lot of baseball left.”
Even when Lawrie struggled at the plate in Toronto, he was always considered a dynamic defender at third base. But by continuing to put up low power numbers, his bat couldn’t play at a corner position any longer. Now shifted permanently to second base, it appears as if his defensive value has declined alongside his shrinking offence.
The numbers aside, Lawrie said he’s enjoyed having a set position, rather than bouncing between second and third, as he had the previous two seasons.
“I’ve just been able to come here every day and attack one position and have one thing on my mind and go out and play and nothing but that,” he said. “So it’s been great, man.”
For now, Lawrie says he plans on sticking with his new, bloodthirsty look. He started using the mouthguard in spring training and he likes it.
“I think there’s some science behind it when you bite down or something like that. Keeping your head steady, or whatever it may be. I’m not really sure the full science behind it, but it’s something along those lines. I don’t really think too much about it.”