While his teammates were heading out the door for a rare night off after Tuesday’s game was cancelled due to weather, Gavin Sheets was kind enough to take a little time to chat.
I know you were confident when you went up, but were you surprised by the success?
“You make your major-league debut, you can never expect to get off to a hot start like that. It takes a lot of pressure off being able to get there, to get a hit in the first at bat and hit a homer the next night. But it is a testament to those guys up there. They made me feel comfortable from night one. They brought me in and made me feel part of the team.”
What was the single best moment?
“It has got to be the walk-off. Hitting a home run in Baltimore was awesome, but the walk-off home run was something I’ve never done and to do it in the big leagues was awesome. Hitting a home run in Baltimore with my dad there and my family there was pretty special, too.”
What are the differences between hitting in Triple-A and the major leagues?
“Stuff-wise, it is very similar but the execution and the strategy is where the biggest difference is. The scouting report that goes into the game and the work behind the scenes is intense. And the way the defense plays — you’ve got elite players at every position that can cover ground. The difference between Triple-A and the majors is very small and that’s one of the first things I realized up there. You’ve got to do your homework on the pitchers and you have to adjust quick.”
How do you prepare for games in the major leagues?
“You have to do work on your own. You can pull guys aside, like Abreu and Yaz (Grandal) pulled me into the video room a lot to watch guys, and we have team meetings as well. But a lot of it is what you do on your own.”
What surprised you?
“I think how welcoming they were to me. You hear about stuff that goes on with rookies…earning your keep. But those guys were fantastic. They brought me in and made me feel welcome right away. I think that explains why they are in first place despite so many injuries this year. They bring in guys like myself and Burger and make us feel a part of the team right away and help us to contribute.”
What happened when you were sent down?
“I didn’t feel like it was a demotion after the meetings I had with Tony (LaRussa) and Kenny Williams. It was to get consistent at bats. That’s what it is all about. I am still young. I still need to get consistent at bats and develop. I think if I want to help this team in September and hopefully October, it is to get consistent at bats now. I completely understood, you know, you get Luis Robert back and Eloy back and those guys so the biggest thing for me is to be ready to go at any point.”
What was it like to be around the other White Sox players?
“You get to be around guys like Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal and just see them up close. You’ve got to be a sponge when you are there. Obviously, you learn things on the field but if you don’t watch guys like Jose, you are just cheating yourself. To see him be the first one in, the last one out, and the way he goes about the game, and talking to him about at bats and swings, how he is going to attack the pitcher that night, that is the biggest thing for me.”
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
“I am very superstitious. I’ve got to wear the same stuff under my jersey every day. The bats have to be in the same rack every day. I don’t have any crazy rituals, but everything has to lined up like I like it. A couple of years ago a guy was in a slump and I saw him put on a thong to try and get out of it. Whatever it takes to get out of a slump, I guess. You got to be in a tough spot to be doing that.”
Photo credit: Sean Williams/FutureSox
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