From the Locker Room: YoYo Douses His Homer Drought
It's been an extremely trying 2020 for Yoán Moncada, foremost the coronavirus he fought at the very start of Summer Camp, an illness that drains him to this day.
So it was delightful to see the third baseman in high spirits after a fabulous game on Saturday, which featured his first home run in some time.
"Man, it was a very long drought," Moncada said with a smile. "I think I haven't hit a homer since the 10th game of the season [actually the 21st game, on August 17]. It felt good. I won’t lie to you, it felt good tonight."
Moncada had another fun answer when asked what he felt as he sees rookie fireballer Garrett Crochet take the mound.
"I don't know if I speak for everybody," Moncada said, laughing, "but every time I see him, my thought is it’s going to be 1-2-3 inning."
As for Moncada's health, which continues to be challenged as his COVID-19 recovery has sapped his strength, the reports are optimistic, as well.
"I've been feeling better the last two weeks, with more energy, better overall," Moncada said. "I'm still having the effects of coronavirus, but I feel better, and every day I feel like my energy is improving. I feel I’ll be good for the playoffs."
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Yoán Moncada footage courtesy of the Chicago White Sox.
Actor (final credit: murdered by Albert Einstein in "Carnage Hall"), musician (Ethnocentric Republicans), and Nerf hoops champion, Wiffleball aficionado and onetime bilingual kindergarten teacher, Brett Ballantini also writes about baseball, basketball and sometimes hockey, for the NBA, MLB, NHL, and Slam, Hoop, Sporting News, the Athletic, SB Nation and others. He was CSN Chicago’s Blackhawks beat writer when their 49-year Stanley Cup drought ended in 2009-10, and took over the White Sox beat after that. He currently is the editor-in-chief of South Side Hit Pen and beat writer for Inside the Rays. He also wrote a book about Ozzie Guillén but is running out of space, so follow him on Twitter @BrettBallantini and he'll probably tell you even more about himself than you ever wanted to know.