Jose Abreu’s offseason goal: Learn English
You’d have to look pretty hard for a reason to criticize Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu for his first two seasons in MLB. Abreu was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2014, hitting 36 homers, driving in 107 runs and hitting .317. This season, while disappointing for the White Sox, has been solid for Abreu too: a .292 batting average with 29 homers and 98 RBIs.
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With the White Sox’s season all but over, Abreu is already thinking ahead to next year and thinking about how he can make himself better this offseason. One of his top goals doesn’t have anything to do with hitting a baseball, though he’s certain it will help the White Sox.
He wants to improve his English. Abreu told ESPN’s Doug Padilla:
“That’s my goal. I want to be a leader and I know that for that, I have to learn the language,” Abreu said through an interpreter Tuesday. “And that’s my focus for this offseason. It’s one of the things that I have on my list. I know if I can learn a little bit more of the language, I can express myself in a better way with my teammates and my coaches. It’s going to help our relationship.”
[Watch: Oof! Yankees fan fails to catch a foul ball three times.]
That’s a righteous goal for Abreu, whose offseason plans also include a November wedding. Abreu, 28, came over from Cuba prior to the 2014 season and has made it clear that the good ol’ U-S-of-A is rubbing off on him.
He’s previously said he wants to sing the national anthem before an MLB game.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz