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”

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 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”

Baseball is a game where anything can happen on the field and off the field. Tonight was no exception, as the start of the game was delayed by 15 minutes. Many games in the Midwest were delayed due to bad weather, but that wasn’t the case in Washington. No, the Sox-Nationals game was delayed because the umpiring crew was stuck in traffic. Yes, you read that correctly. » Continue reading “White Sox Can’t Figure Out Nationals Pitching”

It’s back! Interleague plague, er I mean interleague play! Let’s get excited!? No, it’s alright then. Now that the Houston Astros were forced to move to the American League as part of the sale of the team last year, interleague plague is a daily occurrence now in baseball. And now the White Sox get to take part in the fun by traveling to the Nation’s capital to square off against the Washington Nationals. Here is what to know for the start of the 10-game road trip the Sox are embarking upon:

2013 Record: White Sox: 4-2, Nationals 4-2

2011 Series Record: 1-2

All-Time Series Record: 6-6 (The Sox are 4-2 against the Nationals on the road)

The following pitchers are expected to start the three games:

Jake Peavy: 1-0, 0.50 ERA, 6K vs. Gio Gonzalez: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5K

Gavin Floyd: 0-1, 3.00 ERA, 5K vs. Jordan Zimmermann: 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 1K

Dylan Axelrod: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3K vs. Dan Haren: 0-1, 13.50 ERA, 5K

All three games begin at 6:05 pm CDT. » Continue reading “History Lessons In DC. Series Preview: White Sox At Nationals”

April in Chicago is usually not a good time for baseball. It typically is cold and even day games are miserable with fans sitting in the stands bundled up like they are about to head off to the frozen tundra. Today, the temperature was actually fairly decent. The warmest day it has been at a game start so far this season. You’d think with the warmer temperatures, the hot bats of the Chicago White Sox would continue. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

The Sox were in a bid to start the season off with a sweep of the PITA Kansas City Royals, but it was not meant to be as the Royals would win the game by a final of 3-1. As he has in the past, Jeremy Guthrie had the Sox offense befuddled. Before today’s game, Jeremy was 1-0 with a 0.30 ERA in his four most recent appearances against the Sox. It was already going to be a tough battle and he didn’t disappoint Royals fans by going out and doing what he does against the Sox.

The Sox did try to make things interesting in the ninth inning, but it wasn’t enough. Two of three against the Royals, a team that has had the Sox number of late is pretty good. Now if the Sox can do this all season, that would be fantastic.

To his credit, Mr. Consistently Inconsistent was quite good today. Gavin Floyd was locating his fastball well and his curveball was working quite well too. So well in fact that a few times, Royals batters looked at the home plate ump to ask if he was sure that was a strike because the curve ball looked so good and out of the zone. Now, if that Gavin (minus the fifth inning antics) can stick around all season, fans will be in so much love with him, he won’t know what to do with himself from all the fan affection. » Continue reading “Despite Good Gavin, White Sox Can’t Take Finale From Royals”

What to do with AJ Pierzynski? The boys didn’t get into the October post season, so immediately questions turned to the off season plans. So far, a little movement has been made in that Jake Peavy was resigned, but still there is the question of should the team re-sign AJ or go with another back stop? AJ filed for free agency as soon as he could and clearly as the season played on, he knew he would be a free agent.

In 2012 he has had an absolutely amazing season with career numbers. He has even managed to improve his ability to throw out runners. Oh and he will be 36 next month so it isn’t like this improvement and career year he had is leading into his prime. No, AJ is well past his prime and theoretically should not have had the kind of season he did. Especially when you consider that he is playing catcher. While catcher isn’t the most demanding position on the field (that is short stop) it does put a ton of wear and tear on a guy. » Continue reading “Should He Stay Or Should He Go Now?”