Levine: Alex Avila Hopes To Be A Team Leader For White Sox
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The newest member of the Chicago White Sox, catcher Alex Avila, hopes to have an immediate impact on his new team.
"That type of role you have to glean from your teammates," Avila said. "Those decisions are based on not only what you do on the field but how you handle yourself off the field."
Avila was signed to a one-year, $2.5-million deal last week. After spending parts of seven years with Detroit, the left-handed-hitting Avila hopes to re-establish himself and help the underachieving White Sox reach their potential in 2016.
The leadership role was in question for Chicago last season. They added more than 15 new players through the course of the season. Veterans acquired via trade and free agency failed to mesh with each other and others throughout the campaign despite being projected as a playoff favorite.
Catching depth behind starter Tyler Flowers was deemed a priority by the baseball department. Before he signed, Avila was told by general manager Rick Hahn that his playing time would be based on both offensive and defensive production.
"I hope I will be able to bring something to that team that has been lacking," Avila said. "Whether that is leadership ability or off the field. Maybe it's X's and O's helping the pitchers out and things like that. Those types of things (leadership) tend to develop during time. As far as catchers go, you need that kind of mentality because of the responsibility you have before and during every game. You are managing a lot of personalities yourself as a catcher. Those qualities you need to have at that position."
The 29-year-old Avila will try to find the magic he once had. In 2011, he helped lead the Tigers to a division title with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs in his best season. From 2012-'14, he averaged 11 home runs and 47 RBIs.
Injuries limited Avila to 67 games and .191 batting average in 2015. He has a career .242/.345/.397 slash line.
"(Being a team player) can help with the team aspect of the stuff you won't see in the newspaper the next day," Avila said. "It's about helping another player out that may help the team win. Those are the qualities you need to have as a catcher. When you look at most winning teams, they have a catcher they can rely on. That means not just on the field but a guy everybody looks to and relies on off the field as well. Hopefully I will be able to bring a little of both."
Avila said moving from Detroit and staying in the same division should be a big advantage for him as a new teammate and a contributing player. The Tigers never made an offer to bring back their homegrown catcher, even though Avila's father, Al, took over as GM of the Tigers in September. Former team president and GM Dave Dombrowski left the organization and eventually took over the president's role with Boston.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
