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Emma: Brett Lawrie Fits Right With White Sox

By Chris Emma--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Baseball has few -- if any -- personalities quite like White Sox second baseman Brett Lawrie. He's a character through and through.

From the energy of a linebacker to his boyish enthusiasm for the game, Lawrie's a constant flow of enthusiasm. His play reflects it, too, with that steady swagger. At times, he's just crazy on the field.

"This is just how I am, how I'm wound and how I'm built," Lawrie said. "This is kind of what you get."

Of course, there's a catch to a persona like Lawrie, one ever so important in a 162-game season. You better produce.

"If he couldn't play, he'd be a pain in the ass -- in a lot of ways," even-keeled manager Robin Ventura said of Lawrie. "But he can play, and I think guys respect plays and the way he shows up and does stuff. That's just as important as being a little crazy and energetic."

The White Sox made Lawrie their first big move of the offseason, acquiring him from the Athletics for a pair of prospects. White Sox general manager Rich Hahn believed in the importance of adding players with that edge to his clubhouse.

Adding Lawrie to the fold gave the White Sox a quick fix at second base, a position that saw great struggles in 2015. Lawrie's a major upgrade, as the team's three second basemen from 2015 -- Carlos Sanchez, Micah Johnson and Emilio Bonafacio -- combined for a -1.3 WAR. Lawrie has a 0.3 WAR through 12 games.

Lawrie has a home run and six RBIs thus far, with a .304 batting average and .336 wOBA. He's making an important impact with the bat and the glove. Lawrie's all-around abilities can be measured in statistics, but how does his personality translate to the White Sox?

According to Hahn, the White Sox will benefit with a team chemistry enhanced by the presence of Lawrie plus Todd Frazier, Jimmy Rollins and more. Ventura knows you can't measure Lawrie's impact in anything more than stats, but a more positive clubhouse atmosphere makes the workplace more enjoyable and can roughly equate to performance.

Count on Lawrie to bring that each and every day.

"I'm just being myself," Lawrie said. "If that takes off, it takes off. I'm just here to be myself, have fun with the boys and just be me. Hopefully, we'll have a lot of positive energy in here, because that's what it's all about."

The White Sox entered Monday with an 8-4 record, an impressive feat considering they've played just two home games to start the season.

Settling in has been an adjustment for the White Sox and especially their newcomers, because they went straight from spring training in Arizona to Opening Day in Oakland. Frazier even got lost wandering the city on Sunday night.

Togetherness brings the White Sox the feeling of home, even before they get acquainted or reacquainted with Chicago. Lawrie has eased the process of a new team growing.

In fact, the White Sox are looking like a collective reflection of Lawrie.

"We all have fun together," he said. "We all like to win and we get after it between the lines."

Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.

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