Elvis Andrus’ first impression was made loud and clear.
It was the day he joined the White Sox — last Aug. 29 — signed after the Oakland Athletics cut him loose to save salary. Tim Anderson was hurt, the Sox needed a shortstop and Andrus fell into their lap.
Andrus sat in the middle of the visitors clubhouse at Progressive Field in Cleveland, having something to eat. He was talking in Spanish to a number of players sitting at their lockers, as comfortable in his new surroundings as could be. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Andrus had been there all season.
The players, all of them younger and less experienced, were tuned in, as they should be with a veteran who would be one of their best players down the stretch of a disappointing 81-81 season and who played in his 2,000th major league game Wednesday against the Rangers, his former team.
With a .206/.280/.272 hitting line and two homers in 53 games, Andrus isn’t matching the numbers he put up in September, when he batted .271/.309/.464 hitting line with nine homers in 43 games.
But the 34-year-old Venezuelan’s value is noted nonetheless. He seamlessly transitioned to second base during spring training, playing the position for the first time, with Anderson back at short. And he played shortstop the last five games (four starts) because Anderson is nursing a sore shoulder. He’s 6-for-19 during that span.
In the Sox’ 7-6 win over the Rangers Wednesday, their only triumph in a three-game series, Andrus was the hero with a homer, three RBI and the winning run scored on a head first slide on a controversial overturned out call at home.
“We’re still hanging, we’re battling,” Andrus said of the Sox being an unsightly 12 games below .500 but within a handful of games in the lowly AL Central.
“First time [I’ve seen a division like this] but very happy it’s that way. It’s what I try to get across to the guys. You have to have a very short memory in baseball. You can’t stick to the past week or day. For us it’s looking ahead.”
Andrus, Miguel Cabrera and Nelson Cruz are the only active players to appear in 2,000-plus games. He leads all active players with 341 stolen bases and ranks fourth among them with 2,034 hits, achievements in large part due to keeping injured list occurrences to a minimum.
“There’s always someone trying to take your job, trying to push you out and for the last 15 years nobody has done that,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “That’s a credit to his work ethic, his talent, his makeup, his drive, his will.
“And not only that, I’m extremely proud of what he’s doing and the way he’s leading us and keeps things in perspective. He knows where we’re at. He understands what this is about. He knows the work we have to do. I’m happy he’s here with us sharing those experiences.”
Andrus was on the 2015 Rangers who started 8–16 record and was under .500 as late as August 13. They won the AL West on the final day of the regular season. He reminds teammates of that all the time.
“We have to believe in the culture, believe in what we’re doing, that we’re going to do it,” Andrus said. “It’s easier said than done, but if you bring the right, positive energy every day it becomes a domino effect.”
RED SOX AT SOX
Friday: Brayan Bello (4-4 ERA, 3.49) vs. Lucas Giolito (5-4, 3.54), 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM
Saturday: James Paxton (3-1, 3.29) vs. Lance Lynn (4-8, 6.51), 3:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM
Sunday: Kutter Crawford (2-3, 3.74) vs. TBA. 1:10 p.m, NBCSCH, 1000-AM
