White Sox think spring power surge a sign of things to come

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jimmy Rollins’ solo home run and Brett Lawrie’s two-run shot off Angels starter Matt Shoemaker in Thursday’s 6-5 loss marked the team’s 35 and 36^th this spring, the second-most in baseball.

Nineteen different White Sox have homered this spring.

It’s better than the alternative: the White Sox hit 22 last spring and went on to slug only 136, tied for fourth-fewest in baseball, during the regular season.

Manager Robin Ventura said teams that don’t homer in the warm, thin air of the Cactus League play typically won’t once the games matter.

“I think that was more of an indicator: when you don’t hit them, you know for a fact, especially down here,” Ventura said before the game at Camelback Ranch. “I think the type of home runs they’re hitting, and who’s hitting them, you expect those guys to hit them.

“I think it’s been a good sign. You’re hopeful guys hit homers because you need to hit them to be able to compete in our division.

“I like the way it’s gone so far. But you never can tell.”

Leaping catch

Right fielder Melky Cabrera leapt at the wall to rob C.J. Cron of extra bases to end the fourth inning Thursday. He got up gingerly but jogged off the field.

Timeline

The 25-man roster “should be pretty well set” by the time the White Sox play the first of two exhibitions April 1 in San Diego, Ventura said.

“There could be a couple decisions that go down very late,” he said.

5-to-1

Oddsmaker BookMaker.eu published odds on which big-league manager would be fired first, and Ventura had the third smallest odds, at +500. The Braves’ Fredi Gonzalez is +330 and the Reds’ Brian Price is +440.

On deck

Sox at Mariners, 3:10 p.m., Jose Quintana at Felix Hernandez

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Email: pfinley@suntimes.com