If you've watched a White Sox game lately -- and based on Chicago Sports Network ratings, you probably haven't -- the broadcasters have been noting over and over again that third baseman Miguel Vargas has made some adjustments to his batting stance.
His hands are starting higher, and he's holding his bat in a more horizontal position. Hey, he had to try something, right? His career is hanging in the balance.
At the conclusion of play on Easter Sunday, Vargas was batting .139/.236/.203 in 22 games. He had no home runs and only five doubles. Not a good sign, especially considering that the 25-year-old batted a pathetic .104/.217/.170 in 42 games last season after he joined the Sox in a midseason trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Frankly, as recently as 10 days ago, I was ready for the Sox to designate Vargas for assignment. But since Easter Sunday, he has hit in eight consecutive games. He's 13 for 29 with two home runs and a double during that span. His batting average has been raised from .139 to .222. His OPS has gone from .439 to .644.
Those are still not good numbers overall, but you have to start somewhere, and Vargas is buying himself a little time with his improved play. On Thursday, he delivered a clutch 3-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking the Sox lead from 1-0 and 4-0.
It was the biggest hit in an eventual 8-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, as the Sox (8-23) salvaged the final game of a three-game home series.
Given how much bad we've seen from Vargas, it's hard to believe in him. We'll see how he fares this weekend as the Sox welcome the Houston Astros to Rate Field for a three-game series.
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