The boys are back home after a successful road trip. Now, they will return home for a six-game homestand before the All-Star break is upon us. Here is what to know for the upcoming games against the Rangers:

2012 Record: White Sox 42-37, 1st in AL Central. Rangers: 50-30, 1st in AL West

2012 Season Series: 1-2

All-Time Series Record: 243-229 (The Sox are 141-96 at home against the Rangers)

The following pitchers are expected to start in the series:

Chris Sale: 9-2, 2.27 ERA, 94K vs Roy Oswalt: 2-0, 4.26 ERA, 12K

Dylan Axelrod: 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 13K vs Scott Feldman: 2-6, 6.13 ERA, 35K

Jose Quintana: 3-1, 2.19 ERA, 29K vs Matt Harrison: 11-3, 3.16 ERA, 65K

Tuesday’s game is at 7:10 pm. Wednesday’s game is at 6:10 pm and Thursday’s game beings at 1:10 pm. Wednesday’s game is also the free game of the day on MLB.com. All times CDT.

» Continue reading “Welcoming All-Stars To Chicago. Series Preview: White Sox V Rangers”

It’s over. It’s all over. The Twins are shells of the team that everyone knew and hated. The Sox are done. While not mathematically eliminated yet (number stands at 16), last night the absolute worst thing that could have happened did happen. Now they are off to Minneapolis for a four-game set with the Twins after a loss so embarrassing, that you can’t even really say it was embarrassing. Here is what to know about the upcoming games in Minny.

2011 Record: White Sox: 68-69, 3rd in AL Central. Twins: 58-81, 4th in AL Central. Season series: 6-8

 The following pitchers are expected to start the four games:

Philip Humber: 8-8, 3.63 ERA, 86K v. Anthony Swarzak: 3-5, 4.14, 35K

Zach Stewart: 1-2, 5.86 ERA, 29K v. Scott Diamond: 1-2, 4.82 ERA, 9K

Jake Peavy: 6-7, 5.21 ERA, 86K v. Liam Hendricks: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0K

John Danks: 6-10, 4.01 ERA, 118K v. Carl Pavano: 7-11, 4.60 ERA, 84K

Monday’s afternoon game is at 1:10 pm and the night cap is at 7:10 pm. Tuesday and Wednesday’s games will begin at 7:10 pm. All times CDT. » Continue reading “Series Preview: White Sox at Twins”

Oh Happy Day! The White Sox won a game and ended their scoreless streak at 23.1 innings. Adam Dunn had a strikeout-free day and Ozzie was cheering and almost dancing in the dugout last night after the Sox scored a run. And Phil “freakin” Humber had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning last night. Today is a new day and the Sox will try to replicate their act today. While you are waiting for that to happen, here is some reading to pass the time.

Ken Williams still has faith in his team.

Jim takes a look at the Ageless Omar’s stats in recent years.

Future Sox gives you some early impressions of what is happening in the minors.

A fascinating look at The King and his journey 0f learning to be a good hitter.

In looking at things involving divisional rivals, here is something on why Matt Capps was worth it for the Twins.

Here is an in-depth look at Justin Verlander’s 1,000th strikeout with his victim being AJ Pierzynski.

Will McDonald looks at the playoff chances of the Royals. The info is relevant to the entire division. And stop laughing because in a few years, this team could be very real.

Rob Neyer asks about what the best playoff format would be.

Enjoy the day until it is baseball time. And again, today begins the season all over again.

at AJ Pierzynski. It’s such an easy thing to do. He is one of those players who if he plays for your favorite team, he *might* worm his way into your heart and make you hate him less. And if he plays for a team other than yours, you despise him as much as one can hate an enemy. Some fans of teams around MLB, I can understand their hatred for him. For instance, the dropped strike / delayed out call with Josh Paul catching and Doug Eddings as home plate umpire in the 2005 ALCS is enough for any Anaheim Angels fan to hate him. His phantom interference call in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, leading to a non-out call? Sure, if you love the Rays, you can hate him. And let’s not even discuss what he allegedly did when he was a member of the San Francisco Giants in 2004. And other teams hating AJ, well, maybe they just hate because it is the cool thing to do. (Yeah, I’m looking at you Twins fans. AJ’s departure cleared the way for your boy with the dandruff problem and brought you Joe Nathan. That should make you HAPPY AJ was around to bring you such good things.)

In any event, given how easy it has been for people to despise AJ given some of what he has done, of course the Onion would make fun of him. Below are clips related to an “attempted murder” of the favorite “bad” boy residing at 35th & Shields.

Suspects in attempted murder?

More Suspects in attempted murder?

Trash Compactor Death?

In other team news, John Danks looked good in his start yesterday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team won the game and now has a spring record of 6-9-1. Slowly they are putting things together. Within the next few weeks, we should start to see the team that will open the season on the field in more games and playing for more than a few innings. Today, Peavy watch will continue and he is scheduled to throw between 60-70 pitches. Still waiting on the set-back as well. I know it sounds bad to say it, but I’d really like for his set-back to come quickly so that he can get to where he needs to be sooner rather than later.