Jake Burger Needs To Be In Both The All Star Game And The Home Run Derby

There's not a lot to say about the White Sox this morning that is different from what I've said since they were at about loss number 4 of their 10 game skid that basically kicked off the 2023 season. I'll reiterate everything briefly below, however: 

The organization as a whole isn't any different now than it was back in 2016 when they traded Sale and blew it all up; their minor league infrastructure stinks, their player development is stinks, their big league roster is flawed beyond belief and their front office has to cowtow to an owner that refuses to spend on actual *good* players.

Like...good good. I'm not talking about the Benintendis and Grandals off the world. Both are fine enough players I guess. I'm talking the ACTUAL good players. 

But there has been one awesome story this year, and that would be Jake Burger blossoming into a premier offensive power threat. Dude has fucking RAKED this year in limited playing time: 

Right now the dude doesn't even qualify to be listed on offensive leaderboards though, but 15 bombs in 174 plate appearances is basically an Aaron Judge 2022 clip. Burger is hitting a bomb every 11.60 plate appearances right now, while Judge paced at 11.22 in 2023. 

That's pretty fucking good power output any way you slice it.

Now, Burger isn't Aaron Judge. Obviously. He still has a lot to work on as an offensive player. High K rate, low BB rate, high chase and whiff rates, etc…. but I want NOTHING more than to see Jake Burger on the all star team this year. 

Let's rewind it back to 2017 though. Jake Burger was the 11th overall pick out of Missouri St. where he was deemed the best power bat in the entire draft. Things started great with him; he was lighting up the lower levels of the minors just as people assumed he would. Everything was going great and it seemed as if he was being fast tracked, as his bat was that advanced.

Advertisement

Then the baseball gods SMITED him with shit luck: 

- He tore his achilles tendon in February of 2018 
- He re-tore his achilles in May of 2018
- He fucked up his heel and missed all of the 2019 season
- Missed 2020 due to the pandemic 

And then, just to stay sharp and throw a Hail Mary for his career, he worked his way back…

…to the Carshield Collegiate League: 

At this point it was assumed Burger would just recede into the sunset and never sniff an MLB dugout. Everyone understood it, too. Injuries happen and when they happen to that specific tendon - not once, but twice - athletes don't typically bounce back. 

Burger did though. He's been by far the best part of watching the White Sox this year. Maybe the only good part of watching them. Guy's as likeable as it gets - look at this smile! 

Ronald Martinez. Getty Images.

And for those that don't know him - he's one of us. Look at this marvelous gut: 

Icon Sportswire. Getty Images.

Advertisement

Doesn't stop him from being faster than almost 80% of the entire league, though. Dude can SCOOT! And we love his ass for it. 

On that note, I'd like to state that I want to see Burger represent the White Sox in the 2023 All Star Game in Seattle next month. Not only that, but the HR Derby too. 

The White Sox are never really in the news for something cool or something they're doing well. Definitely not in it for winning baseball games at a rapid clip. But if they're looking to be in the news for something fun or cool - which they might not be considering their insistence on bringing bad press on themselves - they'll figure out a way to get Burger into both, but AT LEAST the latter. 

Dude fucking pounds the ball and with the juiced up Derby balls, me thinks he'd put on an absolute show while introducing himself to baseball fans across the country. Who doesn't love themselves a bald, beefy athlete that looks like he could throw back 100 Miller Lites in one sitting? Everyone has a soft spot for those guys, especially when they've been dealt as shitty a hand as Burger has. 

Love this guy. I'm super proud of him, as are all Sox fans. He's been such a good story this year and I couldn't be more happy for Jake and his family:

So let's get this guy to Seattle. It's basically all we have to root for at this point. We talk about it all on The Mid Show, and that drops today at 2pm CST: 

Watch and Subscribe to Barstool Chicago on YouTube. Thank you!