Levine: Abreu Keeps Grabbing Awards
By Bruce Levine--
(CBS) -- Jose Abreu won his second American League Rookie of the Month award in three months.
The 27-year-old Abreu hit 10 home runs in April and then repeated the feat in June. Despite his rookie status, the Major League Baseball leader in home runs and RBIs has performed like the All-Star he was six times in his home country of Cuba.
"He has earned it," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "When you play as well as he has you get recognized. He really deserves it. He has had a great month."
Abreu hit 26 home runs in his first 71 games, something no one has ever done before in major league history.
"I am very happy with the results," Abreu said after getting word of winning his second award.
The quiet White Sox slugger has had trouble adjusting to the media asking so many questions about his game.
"In Cuba, we don't get many awards." Abreu said. "I don't know how to act because we are not used to that. I am very grateful to Cuban baseball for that experience."
Abreu signed a $68 million contract with Chicago before the 2014 season. Sources insist four other organizations had bids of more than $60 million offered to the first baseman.
Now, the question comes up just about every day: Will you participate in Home Run Derby?
"I still feel the same way," he said. "Right now I am not thinking about that, I am thinking about how we can win games here. We still have some time before that."
The All-Star selections will occur on Sunday night, and manager Robin Ventura wasn't shy about saying what players from his team should be in the game on July 15 in Minneapolis.
"Whether he is a rookie or not, what he (Abreu) has done is special," Ventura said.
Ventura added two more Sox players to the list.
"We have (Chris) Sale, Abreu and (Alexei) Ramirez," he said. "Every year we go through the guys who should make it and many don't. If it doesn't happen on my team, it will happen on another and there will be a good debate about who was snubbed."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.