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Levine: Derek Holland Backs Response From White Sox Bats

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The sample size of 16 games -- about 10 percent of the baseball season -- is hardly conclusive when breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of a major league club.

As the Chicago White Sox opened the year, pitching rather than offense appeared to be the strongest asset available to new manager Rick Renteria.

With a three-run first inning Sunday, the White Sox finally were able to put consecutive shutout losses behind them. Left-hander Derek Holland and the bullpen did the rest of the heavy lifting in the 6-2 victory over the Indians.

Having run into some dominant right-handed pitching hadn't helped the psyche of the White Sox, whose hitters have been punchless after you moved past Avisail Garcia and Matt Davidson.

Garcia and Davidson had combined for six home runs and 24 RBIs, and each boasts an OPS above 1.000. The slippery slope down the roll call after those two young sluggers was steep. The rest of the 25-man roster had totaled 25 RBIs before Sunday. Outside of those two, the rest of the team has seven home runs.

Renteria answered questions Sunday about the team's offensive woes. His team had run into the buzz-saws of Cory Kluber and Carlos Carasco in the first two games against the this weekend's series with the Indians.

"There has been a combination of two things going on," Renteria said. "They have been pitching very well. We also must understand that we left spring training with a particular mindset. We had an approach and a way to prepare.

"When you get to battling against really good pitching, the one thing you must have in the end is a pretty solid two-strike approach. Once the pitchers start attacking and doing what they want to do, you basically have to defend yourself."

The top and middle of the White Sox order had been unproductive. Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier were good for a combined one home run and seven RBIs entering Sunday.

Don't blame them alone for the lack of pop in the order. The team has walked an average of 2.2 times a game. Tyler Saladino leads the team with seven walks, while the others have combined for 28.

"We need to get back to that two-strike approach that we began to develop in spring training," Renteria said. "The thing is you have to keep them from beating themselves up. They want to perform. They want to do well. Trying harder will not make it better. You must refocus and try to relax a little bit."

Renteria has pushed his message of positive reinforcement to his troops before and after games. He's not afraid of pointing out the positive after a loss in order to set a good tone leaving the ballpark and moving into the next workday.

"He is really good at understanding what we are doing and coaching us through things," Saladino said of Renteria. "He really understands us as a unit and as individuals. Ricky is really big in the process. When we are not hitting, that is just a part of the game for him. We are trying to go out and play perfect baseball every day. That is one of the main things he tries to impart to us."

The top of the batting order was dealing with some of its own problems. Saladino has a decent .339 on-base percentage. Tim Anderson has an OPS of .457 and only two walks so far this season. He was looking to improve those numbers.

Anderson was on base three times Sunday, which bodes well for the team going forward.

"I am not too worried about Timmy," Renteria said. "He always puts the bat on the ball. Over the last few days, he has looked more in sync. He is slowing it down a bit and finding his rhythm and timing."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

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