South Side Sox Player of the Week (July 22-30): AJ Pollock

It’s safe to say that the White Sox won the Craig Kimbrel trade.

Well, OK, maybe not that one.

But really, if AJ Pollock had simply rolled around in the Sox outfield for a few innings gnawing on fistfuls of sod, this spring’s trade would’ve been considered a pretty successful swap. The L.A. Dodgers got sold a lemon, as the Cubs-cursed-Kimbrel continues a downward spiral. Oh well, no take-backs!

Pollock, the one-time All-Star and Gold Glover, is batting .310 since the All-Star Game, having driven in eight clutch runs. That includes a home run last week against the Guardians, which helped to hoist the Sox and Dylan “Cy Young” Cease to a 6-3 victory.

The Sox have a bevy of capable outfield hands this season, but Pollock has slipped easily into the mix and made himself indispensable. Skipper La Russa has had Pollock batting in the 3-spot lately, which seems to suit him.

As the top of the Central Division sits just a handful of wins away, the Sox need to fight like hell and generate steady run support. Pollock’s experience from the Dodgers’ successful playoff hunt in 2020 can’t hurt.

Count on one thing: He’ll keep it clutch.

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2022 South Side Sox Players of the Week

Tim Anderson (April 8-17)
Tanner Banks (April 18-23)
Lucas Giolito (April 24-May 1)
Dylan Cease (May 2-8)
Michael Kopech (May 9-14)
Davis Martin (May 15-21)
Jake Burger (May 22-29)
Andrew Vaughn (May 30-June 5)
Jake Burger (June 6-12)
Johnny Cueto (June 13-18)
Andrew Vaughn (June 19-25)
Dylan Cease (June 26-July 2)
Lucas Giolito (July 3-9)
Dylan Cease (July 10-17) (no art/essay)
AJ Pollock (July 22-30)

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MVP Standings

Dylan Cease (98.4)
Michael Kopech (55.8)
Andrew Vaughn (51.1)
Johnny Cueto (50.9)
Lucas Giolito (34.0)
José Abreu (28.4)
Luis Robert (26.4)
Jake Burger (19.4)
Tanner Banks (18.0)
Jimmy Lambert (11.5)

Cold Cat Standings

Tony La Russa (-68.5)
Leury García (-57.8)
Josh Harrison (-35.7)
Kendall Graveman (-30.6)
Liam Hendriks (-29.1)
Joe Kelly (-26.5)
Yoán Moncada (-23.7)
Aaron Bummer (-18.5)
Gavin Sheets (-17.6)
Yasmani Grandal (-16.3)

Perhaps unsurprisingly in this generally dismal year, Dylan Cease has taken a stranglehold of the MVP race. It’s been a few weeks since our last post here, but the standings haven’t really gotten shaken up otherwise.

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Writer Standings

Apparently we’re going to have to petition Chrystal to take on a bigger workload than her even near-quarter share of game stories this year, because she has left the field in the dust. Jacki Krestel, with the longest current hot streak, could be in striking distance.

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If you’re interested in seeing more of Mitch’s work, or if you’d like to purchase original drawings or prints, contact him via Twitter (@soxsketcher), Instagram (@southsidesharpie), or by e-mail at southsidesharpie@gmail.com. Thanks for supporting local artists!