posted on Monday, May 12, 2008 12:38 AM
by
Jim
White Sox to surf wave of emotions
The White Sox open up a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels
tonight, as well as a couple of old storylines -- one that got old
quickly, and one I enjoyed more with age.
One is the return of "Torii Hunter" and "White Sox" in the same sentence.
The Sox had a hard time getting over Hunter,
who picked the richer, prettier team to go to the prom with even though
it already had a center fielder and left the Sox crying in the closet
with a gallon of Edy's mint chocolate chip and a dress they ended up
returning.
Exacerbating the issue is the fact that Hunter is off to a fine start
-- .302/.353/.511 with 10 doubles, five homers and three stolen bases
in 12 attempts.
Although they're still kind of attracted to Hunter,
the Sox feel like they've moved on:
"We like the guys we got," Jim Thome said. "Torii Hunter is a great
player. Part of free agency is going after guys you like. We like our
guys and like our chemistry."
Let's hope Sox pitching stifles Hunter during the four-game set, because this is one flame that shouldn't be reignited. We had some laughs when
he flirted with every team and said the U.S. Cellular Field "grass runs true," but that was about all the use I got out of it.
On the other hand...
**********************
...surf's up, dudes and dudettes! Jon Garland's back, and the Californiest pitcher we know is slated to start the Wednesday night game against Jose Contreras.
I was
a big Garland fan, but I became a bigger fan of Joe Cowley's stories about Garland, and the
strained references to his home therein. He has not yet weighed in, but Garland has provided him some Twitter material in
the Orange County Register:
But Garland had less tolerance for reporters writing about what goes on in the clubhouse than he did for Guillen's rants.
"It
bothers me," Garland said. "This is our job, our workplace. This is our
office. What you see in the clubhouse, should stay in the clubhouse. If
you don't like what you see, you don't need to be in here."
Granted, Garland and
Cowley share the same viewpoint on the whole blow-up doll controversy, but a reminder of Garland's often-chilly relationship with the media could get Cowley started. We can only hope, because he has yet to reference
crappy pizza,
Point Break and "
cowabunga" to name a few.
Garland has managed to survive this season (4-3, 4.30 ERA) despite some unfavorable developments in his game:
- He's walked more (16) than he's struck out (12).
- His already dangerously low strikeout rate has plummeted -- at 2.06 K/9 IP, it's the worst in the league.
It's bizarre. He's been a horse, going eight innings in three starts -- but in those outings, he's struck out three over 24 innings. And that's while
managing to gain a little speed on his fastball.
What's he doing right? He's getting grounders at a career-high rate (1.58 grounders per flyball, compared to 1.13 and 1.16 his last two years with the Sox), and his defense has turned 10 double plays in eight starts.
Given the Sox's propensity to be frustrated by control-type pitchers, I can see the Sox struggling to score against their former comrade. On the other hand,
Garland allowed double-digit runs in two separate starts last year, so here's hoping the Sox can hang 10 on him for reasons I don't need to explain.
**********************
Minor league roundup:- Charlotte 10, Toledo 6
- Dewayne Wise blasted two of the Knights' five homers and singled as well.
- Chris Getz homered, doubled and drove in three. Brad Eldred and Jeff Liefer also left the yard.
- Wes Whisler gave up two homers himself, giving up four runs over six innings.
- Adam Russell picked up the win with a scoreless inning; Mike MacDougal gave up a run in the ninth and struck out two.
- Birmingham 3, West Tenn 2
- Kyle McCulloch threw six shutout innings, allowing six hits, no walks and striking out six.
- Cole Armstrong hit a solo shot, his fifth of the year, and doubled as well.
- Dave Cook and Robert Valido joined Armstrong with two hits apiece as well
- Lakewood 11, Kannapolis 2
- Ronnie Gaines hit a solo homer, his second of the year.
- Jose Martinez went 1-for-3 with a walk, but was caught stealing for the fifth time in 11 attempts.
- Starter Jason Rice, Tyson Corley, Daniel Albritton and Henry Mabee were all roughed up.
- Winston-Salem vs. Salem PPD