DETROIT – The fun-loving White Sox’ good times roll beyond an occasional bat flip from Tim Anderson, or walk-off Gatorade dump from Yolmer Sanchez — on a teammate or himself.
Whether they’re emptying bags of sunflower seeds and peanuts in teammates’ hair to celebrate home runs, raising a ‘You’re Awesome banner’ in the dugout or hanging a gaudy home run chain around someone’s neck, the Sox do what they can to take the monotony out of the daily grind of a 162-game season.
This is Yonder Alonso’s sixth team, and this one is different, he said.
“I’m a guy who’s pretty serious about the game,” Alonso, 31, said. “I don’t really laugh much, I try to focus. But I’ve laughed a few times [on the field and in the dugout] and it’s been noticed by my family.”
Alonso said one family member told him, “I haven’t seen you laugh like that in a long while.”
“Guys mess with me and I mess back.”
And it’s all good, Alonso said, as long everyone keeps their nose to the grindstone when it comes to preparation, concentration and work, the things Alonso likes to preach in any of his group sessions with the media.
Manager Rick Renteria said he doesn’t promote having fun but he doesn’t object to it because playing at a the highest level is hard and being relaxed is big component of doing that.
“And everybody does it a bit differently,” he said.
Anderson, who is off to a torrid start at the plate, has been saying “having fun” and “keeping it fun” is his juice.
It’s more than that, of course. He said he’s learning the game and becoming more baseball savvy as he matures.
“It’s not easy, but I’m getting it,” he said. “I’m getting it a lot more.”
And balancing the challenges of the game and bearing with being himself and expressing his personality is what works for Anderson.
His demonstrative bat flip after hitting a long home run against Royals righty Brad Keller Wednesday prompted Keller to hit Anderson with a pitch, sparking a bench clearing melee and resulting in suspensions and fines for Anderson, Renteria and Keller.
“He plays with a lot of heart and emotion,” Renteria said of Anderson. “I want him to have fun and he’s going to continue to have fun.”
He’s not going to change, and he’s not alone. This group refuses to be staid.
”I don’t know what happened here in the past but this is definitely a change,’’ Alonso said. “We try to enjoy ourselves. We have a bunch of young guys who like to have fun.
“And there’s no egos, no ‘who is playing first base or DHing, Pito [Jose Abreu] or me? Or who’s in the outfield, getting the start, none of that.
“All that matters is that we win. We have to win together and stay together whether you’re having a good week or a bad week.”
More wins wouldn’t hurt, of course. The Sox are 8-11, and as former manager Ozzie Guillen liked to say, “winning is fun and fun is winning.”
“Ricky says it, too,” Alonso said. ” ‘I know you guys are busting it, make sure you compete but have fun and enjoy it.’
“Yeah, man. There is nothing better than a bunch of guys having fun.’’
