Adam Eaton’s Play Versus Marlins Proves Why He, Not Chris Sale, Is White Sox’s Team MVP

Chris Sale, Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier. What do those three players have in common besides playing for the Chicago White Sox? Yep, you guessed it, all three are who you would think would be the top contenders on the White Sox to be the team’s MVP.

Not this year, though, as Adam Eaton proved again Sunday afternoon and throughout the South Siders’ three-game weekend interleague series with the Miami Marlins. Eaton did it with not only his bath and on the base-paths, but with his play in the outfield throughout the series.

The 27-year-old fifth-year veteran’s seamless transition from center field to right field as well as batting everywhere in the order from the leadoff spot to the number two and three spots in the order has proved just how valuable he has been for the White Sox this season.

When Eaton was told to move from center field to right field at the beginning of the season to make room for Austin Jackson, I don’t think there was a lot of people on board with it and some even questioning if he could make the transition. Boy did he prove them wrong, though, as he proved once again in the South Siders’ wacky 8-7 victory at Marlins Park on Saturday, throwing out Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton trying to stretch a single into a double. Giving Eaton outfield assist number 17 on the year, which leads all of Major League Baseball and cements the fact that he has played a Gold Glove right field throughout the year.

Eaton’s play at the plate has proven critical for the White Sox throughout the season too. In the White Sox’s weekend series with the Marlins -which they won the first two games before dropping Sunday afternoon’s finale in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss- the Sox outfielder went 7-for-12 from the plate for a ridiculous .583 batting average and had 10 total bases, while scoring seven runs. Not to mention hitting his 10th home run of the season Sunday afternoon, to lead off the game; giving Eaton his seventh career leadoff shot and third of this year.

The veteran’s presence has proven to be a huge plus for the team. Even during the absence of Jackson throughout a majority of the season, Eaton has still continued to play well in right and perform at the leadoff spot and even at the No. 2 hole when he was asked to for a short period of time after top prospect Tim Anderson hit in the leadoff spot for a period of time.

If not for Eaton’s Gold Glove play in right field to go with his stellar play at the plate throughout the season, the White Sox would be nowhere near still in somewhat contention for the final Wild-Card spot in the American League. Where before Sunday afternoon’s loss they were only 7 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox for that final said Wild-Card spot.

Eaton is in the top three or on the verge of the top three in several of the team’s statistical batting categories. With his .277 batting average ranking third on the team behind Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu, his 58 runs ranking second behind Frazier, his 10 homers ranking fourth behind Frazier, Abreu, and Brett Lawrie, and his 41 RBIs also ranking fourth behind Frazier, Abreu, and Cabrera.

The veteran outfielder has also made his presence known on the basepaths, where he has 188 total bases to rank fourth on the team and a team-leading 12 stolen bases. That and Eaton’s true unprecedented ubiquity as a leader in the clubhouse is also why he is right now undoubtedly the team’s current MVP as he proved again Sunday with his quote about the team getting off to a good start.

“It’s always good to get off to a good start, especially when Chris Sale is pitching. The last three days, it has been very good. We need to expect to get off on the right foot and get running right away, and it was accomplished the last three days. But we have to keep doing it.”

He knows it himself, but him telling his teammates that they need to continue to do so and taking responsibility to let them know it, is the true mark of a leader and team MVP.

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