Little things could yield big results
Ventura, Parent encouraged by Sox’ execution
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Three games separated the White Sox from first place last year. Over 162 games, there were enough failures on little things execution-wise that made the difference.
“It sticks out too much when the season is over, the little things we didn’t do,’’ bench coach Mark Parent said Friday.
Manager Robin Ventura, Parent and the rest of the Sox coaching staff emphasized situational hitting, baserunning and defending the stolen base in camp. Everything from getting better secondary leads and being more aggressive on the bases to coaches putting on pickoff plays from the bench to hitting a ground ball to second or short with a run- ner on third and less than two outs.
“The main emphasis is running the bases,’’ Parent said. “We have to be more aggressive, we have to have better leads, better secondary leads, better reads. We need to work on that throughout the year during batting practice.’’
Parent loved when Paul Konerko, who is slow, made a good read and almost caught up to Adam Dunn when he scored from second on a hit to right center.
“It’s really shown up so far,’’ Parent said. “That’s stuff in the past. In the past [we would] play it safe, go base to base. We can’t do that.’’
Infielder Conor Gillaspie said it’s good to work on situational hitting during batting practice, but there is no substitute for doing it in a game.
“It’s something we work on every day,’’ Gillaspie said. “In a game it’s whole different feel. Most of us can hit a fly ball in BP but doing it in a game is a different story. It’s so hard to do.’’
Gillaspie came up this spring with a runner on second, and even though the Sox were leading 4-0 he moved the runner over with a grounder to second.
“I was like, OK, I don’t have to do this but I’m not very good at this, so I did it,’’ Gillaspie said. “For me anyway, you have to do it in a game when pitchers know what you’re trying to do.’’
Parent liked seeing Gillaspie do that.
“We have to take advantage of things, have to move runners over,’’ Parent said. “The movement of runners has been better but getting guys in from third [with] less than two outs, we’re constantly talking to guys about that. Either it’s a mind-set they have or the focus is where they’re trying to hit the ball.
“It’s those little things that burned me as the season went on last year that in my mind we tried to do, but for whatever reason we didn’t. We’re going to do it this year.’’
NOTES: Jesse Crain is scheduled to test his right adductor in a minor league game Saturday. Possible fifth starter Dylan Axelrod, Matt Thornton and John Danks will pitch in a minor league contest Sunday, pitching coach Don Cooper said.
Cooper acknowledged that Brian Omogrosso and Ramon Troncoso are the top candidates to replace Crain if he isn’t ready by Opening Day. Troncoso isn’t on the 40-man roster and is out of minor league options, so he’d have to clear waivers when Crain returns.
Ventura is leaning toward Dunn batting fourth and Konerko fifth, but they are interchangeable depending on matchups.