Photo courtesy of Flickr user Keith Allison

Tonight was not the night for the White Sox. For the first time ever, the Sox faced the Mets in New York, and it was not a pretty sight. The Sox sent Hector Santiago to the mound to face Matt Harvey, and it was definitely a pitchers’ duel. The Sox ended up losing 1-0 in ten innings.

On any normal night, Santiago would have probably pitched a winner. He went seven solid innings, giving up four hits and two walks. No runs, just seven baserunners, as he also hit one batter. He struck out eight. EIGHT! But tonight it wasn’t enough for a win. Matt Lindstrom pitched a perfect eighth, but Nate Jones picked up the loss in the tenth. Jones pitched the ninth and one out in the tenth, giving up the lone run in the game.

Unfortunately for Santiago, he had no run support. Mainly because the Sox had no answer for Harvey. None. Zero. Zip. Harvey pitched nine innings. He struck out 12 batters. TWELVE. He didn’t walk a batter. But he also gave up just one hit. Alex Rios broke up Harvey’s perfect game in the seventh with a single. Bobby Parnell came on for the tenth, and he didn’t allow a hit or a walk either. Rios was the saving grace for the Sox tonight.

Of the starters, Jeff Keppinger was the only one who didn’t strike out tonight. Alejandro De Aza had three strikeouts in four at-bats. Rios had two, Adam Dunn had two, and Conor Gillaspie had two. Even Jordan Danks, who pinch hit for Lindstrom in the ninth, struck out.

This performance tonight was bad. The highlight for the Sox was that Santiago looked great. It looks like he’ll do well as a starter now that Gavin Floyd is out for the season. If he keeps this performance up, he’ll likely be ahead of Dylan Axelrod for a rotation spot when John Danks comes back.

The Sox end this short series with the Mets tomorrow night. Jake Peavy will finally be back on the mound. He was experiencing back spasms, but he felt good after a bullpen session on Monday. He’ll be facing Jeremy Hefner who had a great start unravel his last time out against the Marlins. He basically dominated the Marlins’ lineup but picked up the loss after some shaky pitching in the ninth and a blown save by Brandon Lyon.

Can you believe it? This is the first time the White Sox will play the Mets IN NEW YORK? In all the years of this interleague plague crap and this is the first the the Sox visit NY to see the NL team. Craziness for sure. Here is what you need to know about the Mets:

2013 Records: White Sox 13-17, 5th in AL Central. Mets 12-16, 4th in NL East

2002 Record: 2-1

All-time series record: 2-1 (All those games were played at US Cellular Field)

The following pitchers are expected to start in the two games:

Hector Santiago: 1-1, 2.29 ERA, 17K vs. Matt Harvey: 4-0, 1.56 ERA, 46K

Jake Peavy: 3-1, 3.38 ERA, 39K vs. Jeremy Hefner: 0-3, 4.34 ERA, 20K

Tuesday and Wednesday’s games both start at 6:10 pm CDT.

» Continue reading “A First! Series Preview: White Sox At Mets”

A win? In Kansas City? Were we dreaming today in seing the final score from Kansas City today? Nope as the White Sox actually pulled out what seemed the impossible and picked up a 2-1 victory over the PITA Royals in 11 innings. Things as usual didn’t start out well with Chris Sale throwing a ton of pitches early and giving up a run.

Fortunately, he settled down and managed to pitch 7.1 innings. Early on, it looked like he was due for a very short day. As usual, there was no offense to support his efforts once he settled down. It was starting to look like James Shields might get a no-hitter today as he was just cruising.  » Continue reading “White Sox Do The Rare With A Win In Kansas City”

Is it wrong that I have just started to expect that White Sox baseball is going to suck? That there will be no hitting, terrible defense and then something else that will happen to make me want to throw stuff at the television? Today had some moments like that, but then it was very interesting. I thought perhaps I might see the PITA Kansas City Royals perhaps get no-hit.

so Addison Reed wasn’t watching a home run ball sail out today, but those walks sure did suck!

Yes, you read that right. The Kansas City Royals for a while were not getting any base runners. By a hit or free pass. It took until the fifth inning for the Royals to finally break through with a base hit. This coming off the bat of Mike Moustakas. The the flood gates opened for the Royals as another defensive gaffe by Jeff Keppinger allowed the PITAs to take a 3-1 lead. Given how the season has gone, you’d be excused if you walked away thinking, so much for a pretty good pitching performance by Jose Quintana.

But WAIT! The Sox would come back and add four more runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead again. Could it be that this team has figured out a way to win in Kansas City? All they would need to do would be to hold the Royals down for a couple of innings and then go relax until tomorrow afternoon.

If you chose to think it was over, you’re excused because our guy, Addison Reed, blew it in the ninth inning. Addy was in to close and we’ve come to expect him to make closing a high-wire act. Addison didn’t disappoint today with walking the first two men he faced in the ninth inning. He did get the next two guys out. Unfortunately, Billy Butler came up and hit a double that would lead to those walks to come around and score to tie the game up.

A blown save for Mr. Reed. If he had nailed things down, he would have been tied with the great Mariano Rivera with 11 saves on the season. » Continue reading “Enthralling Baseball? Why Yes As White Sox Bested By Royals”

The White Sox got some disappointing news on Friday. As you may recall, they placed starting pitcher Gavin Floyd on the disabled list with a flexor muscle strain in his right arm on Sunday. After being checked out by doctors, it appears that the strain is actually a tear, and that tear has caused his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) to become unstable. » Continue reading “Gavin Floyd and His Elbow”

Earlier this week in Chicago, it actually felt like spring. Right now in Kansas City, it feels like winter. There are cold temps and this stuff that people were hoping to not see. The White Sox will continue their road trip to Kansas City this weekend and here is what you need to know for the series:

2013 Record: White Sox 12-15, 5th in AL Central. Royals 15-10, 1st in AL Central

2013 Series Record: 2-1

The following pitchers are expected to start this series:

Dylan Axelrod: 0-1, 3.95 ERA, 16K vs. Jeremy Guthrie: 3-0, 3.06 ERA, 24K

TBD: vs: Wade Davis: 2-2, 5.55 ERA, 20K

Jose Quintana: 2-0, 3.58 ERA, 22K vs. James Shields: 2-2, 3.00 ERA, 39K

Friday’s game is at 7:10 pm, Saturday’s game is at 6:10 pm and Sunday’s game is at 1:10 pm. All times CDT. » Continue reading “It’s Spring???? Series Preview: White Sox At Royals”

As this game started, there appeared immediately to be some clown shoes defense. A ball tips off the third baseman’s glove and the short stop can’t get to it either. It just felt like things were going to go badly. Fortunately, the Sox restored some faith that things might be okay when they scored a run in the bottom of the first inning. Yes, it was early, but given how things have gone of late, it gave me hope that today would be a good day.

the offensive hero in today’s game

The Rays however, would come back and tie the game up. The Sox would later take the lead again on a two-run home run by The King. The Rays would tie it up again and from there, it became who is pitching for the Sox and the Rays would finally blow things open and win the game by a final of 8-3. Such a sad ending for a gorgeous spring day in Chicago. » Continue reading “Oh Look, Another White Sox Loss”

The White Sox did not have their good stuff tonight. In the third game of the series against the Rays, the Sox couldn’t do much, as they fell 10-4.

Pitching was all sorts of bad tonight. Gavin Floyd started the game, and he didn’t last very long. In 2.2 innings pitched, he gave up two runs on two hits and two walks. He left in the third inning with a flexor muscle strain in his right elbow. Hector Santiago came on in relief, and he didn’t have a much better night. He pitched 3.2 innings, giving up four runs on ten hits. » Continue reading “White Sox Get Stung, Lose to Rays”

The homestand has not gone well for the White Sox. So far, both series they have played have been weather-shortened. And the team has only won one game. Now, the Tampa Bay Rays are rolling in to town and here is what you need to know for the weekend series:

2013 Record: White Sox: 8-12, 5th in AL Central. Rays: 10-11, 4th in AL East

2012 Series Record: 4-3

All-Time Series Record: 67-49 (The Sox are 33-22 against the Rays at home)

The following pitchers are expected to start the three games:

Chris Sale: 1-2, 4.50 ERA, 23K vs. Jeremy Hellickson: 1-1, 3.55 ERA, 18K

Jake Peavy: 2-1, 3.20 ERA, 33K vs. Roberto Hernandez: 1-3, 4.74 ERA, 25K

Gavin Floyd: 0-3, 4.98 ERA, 24K vs. Matt Moore: 4-0, 1.04 ERA, 29K

Dylan Axelrod: 0-1, 3.80 ERA, 13K vs. David Price: 0-2, 5.52 ERA, 26K

Thursday and *Friday’s games begin at 7:10 pm. Saturday’s game starts at 6:10 pm and Sunday’s game starts at 1:10 pm.  All times CDT. » Continue reading “New Beginning? Series Preview: White Sox Versus Rays”

The Sox came home for a ten-game homestand, and they didn’t get off to the greatest start. Friday night’s game was postponed due to the weather, and Saturday afternoon’s game didn’t quite go their way, as they lost to the Twins 2-1 in ten innings.

Pitching had a little bit of a rough day today. Jake Peavy started for the Sox, and he had a great outing. He lasted seven innings, giving up one run on six hits and four walks. He also struck out nine. » Continue reading “Peavy’s Good Start Wasted as White Sox Lose in Extras”