Tommy Pham edge, injury might not be enough to dent White Sox’ trade chances

Tommy Pham’s got edge?

Yeah, we know. The Chicago White Sox know. The whole of Major League Baseball knows.

Pham’s a 36-year-old veteran of 11 big league seasons, a known commodity who has both helped teams to playoff runs and turned in disappointing results, all while establishing a reputation throughout the game.

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For fans, that reputation looks a lot like what happened Sunday in Milwaukee, when Pham was thrown out easily on an aggressive send on a shallow fly ball, took a disliking to William Contreras’ celebration, needed to be restrained by his hitting coach, took the field shadowboxing and spent his postgame media session advertising that he’s always ready “prepared to f— somebody up.”

But Pham’s edge has been lauded by baseball folks, a part of his game that seems to be a desired ingredient for a team trying to win.

“He does have an edge to him that many don’t have,” Pedro Grifol said before Tuesday’s game. “I love that part of the game about him because it’s not just an edge in situations like that. That edge is in the cage, that edge is (while going over scouting) reports when he’s reading them and preparing for a game. That edge is in meetings when he’s saying what he needs to say and holding everybody accountable. That’s not just him in that situation (in Milwaukee). That’s how he is 24/7.

“Me as a manager, I respect it. I think every club needs it. There’s nothing like a player with an edge that holds everybody accountable, including staff or whoever. I respect him. I’m happy he’s here.”

Of course, Pham isn’t expected to be here for long.

The White Sox seemingly signed him to trade him, and it’s a bet that has looked likely to pay off, at least so far. While Pham’s bat has cooled after a hot start upon his donning of a White Sox uniform, that reputation and track record — as a professional hitter who wound up a middle-of-the-order presence for a Diamondbacks team that nearly won last fall’s World Series — figures to spark interest before the trade deadline at the end of July.

And indeed, Pham’s headline-making moments Sunday don’t seem likely to deter folks, either. After all, this is what Brewers manager Pat Murphy had to say after the game:

“Tommy is just trying to say, ‘I can play for you guys, man. Bring me over there. See, I’m just like you, I can do that.’ I like Tommy Pham. He’s been criticized, I know, for a number of things, but he plays with intensity and competes hard.”

Pham undoubtedly calls it like he sees it, upfront in media sessions even prior to what he said after Sunday’s game. When he joined the White Sox, he talked about the economic realities that convinced him to sign with the team — California state taxes were a part of the conversation — and even when the team’s fortunes changed for the better after he came aboard, he was blunt in assessing the team’s offensive approach and how it needed to improve.

So it really shouldn’t be a surprise that Pham matter-of-factly disagreed with third-base coach Eddie Rodriguez’s decision to send him home on that shallow fly ball that ended in an easy out.

“One-run ballgame. Close play at the plate,” Pham said. “Actually, it wasn’t even f—ing close. It was a shallow fly ball to left field. You would expect the left fielder to throw the baserunner out on that play.

“The situation of the game, you know, third-base coach sends you, you’ve got to go. I’m nailed out at home by a mile.”

It’s another notable disagreement between players and staff, coming not long since several in the clubhouse voiced their difference in opinion after Grifol called out his team as being “f—ing flat” in seven innings of no-hit ball by Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish.

“Those are emotions,” Grifol said of Pham on Tuesday. “He’s an emotional player. We all are. We all want the same thing, which is to win a baseball game. … I understand Tommy’s feelings. He got thrown out by three, four steps. I understand his side, as well. … I’m not going to ever be upset about an aggressive decision on the baseball field. I’m not.”

That aggression, though, has now hindered Pham’s ability to be in the lineup. He sprained his ankle sliding into home on that play, and the White Sox sent him to the injured list Tuesday.

According to Grifol, though, Pham isn’t expected to be out long, another thing, perhaps, that won’t negatively impact the White Sox’ chances of making a trade this summer.

“Something we thought might linger on a bit, doesn’t seem like it’s going to linger on that long,” Grifol said, “and hopefully he’s on the short end of this IL (stay), as opposed to having something linger on longer than the 10 days these guys go on the IL for.”

And so any red flags fans might see as being a hindrance to Chris Getz’s front office in getting a deal done involving Pham might not be so red to the parties involved. Pham’s contributions to the Diamondbacks’ deep run last October are well known across the league. So, too, is that edge, something that might just shine through as a positive, if the way Grifol and Murphy feel is any indication.

Of course, Pham’s production could obviously alter what Getz might be able to get in return, and it’s possible Pham might not end up among the players who could infuse the most talent into this rebuilding organization. But just as a lot has happened in the last month, plenty more can happen over the next two months.

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