How reliever Mike Vasil has assimilated quickly to White Sox locker room
White Sox right-hander Sean Burke sat in a chair at his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field following a poor outing on May 17.Before he addressed the media, Burke conversed with reliever Mike Vasil. The two spoke in hushed tones and their backs turned to the assembled media. Each player had gripes with their performance that day. Both pitchers issued five walks, and Burke had allowed five earned runs."For me and him that day, we both weren't happy with how [the game] went," Burke told the Sun-Times. "Talking through things is important because we've seen each other pitch since we were 15."We have a relationship where we can hang out outside the field. We really don't talk about baseball much, but then we can also have some serious conversations."Vasil has impressed the Sox with his ability to eat innings out of the bullpen. He has thrown the most innings out of the bullpen (34 1/3) and the lowest ERA (2.10). But it's Vasil's gregarious personality that is noticed in the Sox clubhouse.Burke lauded Vasil for easily assimilating to the Sox clubhouse environment."Having people that you can enjoy the journey throughout the season with is important." Burke said. "[Vasil's] comfortable with himself. A lot of rookies over their first couple weeks out here try to lay low and feel everybody out. But he started talking from the jump."Vasil joined the Sox before the start of the season, and after spring training after the Sox claimed him from the Tampa Bay Rays, so he missed out on the inherent team bonding that occurs in spring.But Vasil has had a great teacher throughout his life to navigate social situations and create genuine friendships: his dad."My dad's that kind of guy who makes relationships with everyone," Vasil told the Sun-Times. "Also, the type of coaches I played for growing up, they really stressed making relationships with your teammates."Vasil, 25, started getting to know his teammates on the road when he was able to go out for coffee and lunch with guys.Navigating the age gap between him and some of his more veteran teammates has been seamless. Vasil disarms teammates with his humor, which allows the connection to form. Despite being a newcomer to Chicago, he quickly assimilated and let his personality show."[He has] a lot of energy," reliever Steven Wilson told the Sun-Times. "He's hilarious and a fun guy to be around. He's always just messing around with teammates and [doing] impersonations of certain guys on the team."Burke said Vasil does a funny impersonation of right-hander Bryse Wilson and left-hander Cam Booser. The impersonation of Booser stems from the veteran's reaction to getting called up last season, as depicted in the Netflix documentary "Watch The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox.""Booser gets called into the office, and [the Red Sox] tell him basically that he's getting called up, and he's just shocked," Burke said. "And [Booser] goes, 'What?' And Mike always gives an impersonation of him getting called up whenever something like that happens."But what has allowed Vasil to endear himself to his teammates is his work ethic. His diligence and commitment won their respect and allowed the jovial side of him to show."Being able to show up to the field and work hard every day as a younger guy, I think the older guys take notice of that," Vasil said. "They're able to know that they can rely on you to get the job done."
White Sox right-hander Sean Burke sat in a chair at his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field following a poor outing on May 17.
Before he addressed the media, Burke conversed with reliever Mike Vasil. The two spoke in hushed tones and their backs turned to the assembled media. Each player had gripes with their performance that day. Both pitchers issued five walks, and Burke had allowed five earned runs.
"For me and him that day, we both weren't happy with how [the game] went," Burke told the Sun-Times. "Talking through things is important because we've seen each other pitch since we were 15.
"We have a relationship where we can hang out outside the field. We really don't talk about baseball much, but then we can also have some serious conversations."
Vasil has impressed the Sox with his ability to eat innings out of the bullpen. He has thrown the most innings out of the bullpen (34 1/3) and the lowest ERA (2.10). But it's Vasil's gregarious personality that is noticed in the Sox clubhouse.
Burke lauded Vasil for easily assimilating to the Sox clubhouse environment.
"Having people that you can enjoy the journey throughout the season with is important." Burke said. "[Vasil's] comfortable with himself. A lot of rookies over their first couple weeks out here try to lay low and feel everybody out. But he started talking from the jump."
Vasil joined the Sox before the start of the season, and after spring training after the Sox claimed him from the Tampa Bay Rays, so he missed out on the inherent team bonding that occurs in spring.
But Vasil has had a great teacher throughout his life to navigate social situations and create genuine friendships: his dad.
"My dad's that kind of guy who makes relationships with everyone," Vasil told the Sun-Times. "Also, the type of coaches I played for growing up, they really stressed making relationships with your teammates."
Vasil, 25, started getting to know his teammates on the road when he was able to go out for coffee and lunch with guys.
Navigating the age gap between him and some of his more veteran teammates has been seamless. Vasil disarms teammates with his humor, which allows the connection to form. Despite being a newcomer to Chicago, he quickly assimilated and let his personality show.
"[He has] a lot of energy," reliever Steven Wilson told the Sun-Times. "He's hilarious and a fun guy to be around. He's always just messing around with teammates and [doing] impersonations of certain guys on the team."
Burke said Vasil does a funny impersonation of right-hander Bryse Wilson and left-hander Cam Booser. The impersonation of Booser stems from the veteran's reaction to getting called up last season, as depicted in the Netflix documentary "Watch The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox."
"Booser gets called into the office, and [the Red Sox] tell him basically that he's getting called up, and he's just shocked," Burke said. "And [Booser] goes, 'What?' And Mike always gives an impersonation of him getting called up whenever something like that happens."
But what has allowed Vasil to endear himself to his teammates is his work ethic. His diligence and commitment won their respect and allowed the jovial side of him to show.
"Being able to show up to the field and work hard every day as a younger guy, I think the older guys take notice of that," Vasil said. "They're able to know that they can rely on you to get the job done."
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