Sox Machine: Chicago White Sox blog

What's the opposite of adjusting?

It's too early to say, but Jered Weaver could be the next pitcher to which Sox hitters just have to tip their hat before he even throws his first pitch.  After Tuesday's seven-inning, one-hit performance, here's what he's done in his three starts:

Weaver vs. Sox	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	W/L	GS
4-28-07	5.2	6	0	0	0	5	W	62
9-15-07	6	4	1	1	1	8	W	67
5-13-08	7	1	0	0	2	6	ND	79
Total	18.2	11	1	1	3	19	2-0	0.49 ERA

Weaver entered the game with a 5.59 ERA.  In his last start, he couldn't get out of the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals, one of the few teams that could claim to have a worse offense than the White Sox's..

At its current rate, his next start should provide a game score of 108.  For context, Kerry Wood's complete game, 20-strikeout one-hitter was worth a game score of 105.  And yet I wouldn't count Weaver out.

Joe Cowley says Ozzie Guillen will make more lineup changes, although there are no specifics yet.  It won't hurt, but if only three players are hitting, it doesn't matter how you arrange the other six.  All I'd say to Ozzie is to not get hung up on lefty-righty-lefty, because as long as he's not hitting A.J. Pierzynski and Jim Thome back-to-back, an army-style lineup should be the least of his concerns.

Otherwise, there are only so many ways to complain about an offense that isn't doing anything.  If they're doing nothing, then technically, there's nothing to write about.  The Sox's inability to hit to the opposite field while the Angels put on a clinic didn't differ much from the Sox-Yankees game three weeks ago.  And it's not like questioning Greg Walker's job status is novel.

The Cheat wraps up all the elements here and in the game recap and asks the question: Are the White Sox the worst-coached team in Major League Baseball?

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So, let's talk about somebody who did do something tonight.

Since giving up the grand slam to Bobby Abreu April 22, Octavio Dotel has stranded the last seven runners he's inherited -- including working out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam Tuesday.  He fell behind 1-0 to both Erick Aybar and Vladimir Guerrero, but came roaring back.  He pounded both hitters with fastballs that didn't cross the middle of the plate, and when he needed a tantalizing curve in the dirt with a 1-2 count to Guerrero, he snapped off a perfect one.

In his last 9 1/3 innings, Dotel has struck out 16 hitters.  He's fanned at least one hitter in 15 of his 16 appearances, and the only time he didn't record a K is when he faced (and retired) one batter in his second outing.

Historically, Dotel has always been a slow starter.  Over his career, opposing hitters own a .251 average against him in the first month of the season, and .213 the rest of the year, and he's following the same trend in 2008.  Now we cross our fingers that he doesn't follow his other trend -- getting hurt.

Unfortunately, his streak of seven games without an unearned run came to an end thanks in large part to Jermaine Dye and his defensive prowess.

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OK, here's some good news:  Carlton Fisk is back with the organization.


I'm actually going to see Fisk in Cooperstown Saturday, where "Fisk will discuss his baseball memories and participate in a question and answer session with the audience."  I'll see if I can get him to say anything more about it.

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Minor league roundup:

• Syracuse 5, Charlotte 2
• Charlie Haeger took the loss, giving up three runs on five hits and three walks over five innings.  He struck out one.
• Adam Russell pitched two scoreless innings in relief; Ray King gave up two runs over his two innings.
• Chris Getz hit his fourth homer --  all of them have come at home.
• Thomas Collaro also went deep; Brad Eldred had two hits.
• Jerry Owens went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and is in a 3-for-28 slump.
• Birmingham 4, West Tenn 2
• Ryan O'Malley, released by the Cubs last month, pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits, one walk, and K'ing five.
• Noah Hall had a double and two RBI; Miguel Negron had two hits.
• Jon Link pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save, striking out two.
• Winston-Salem 7, Lynchburg 6
• Brandon Allen had a pair of doubles and a pair of RBI; he's hitting .340 in May.
• Javier Colina went 2-for-3 and drove in three.
• Kanekoa Texeira pitched a two-inning save, allowing one run.
• Kannapolis 5, Delmarva 0
• Anthony Carter pitched six shutout innings, allowing two hits, two walks and striking out four.  He improved to 4-0 with a 1.43 ERA.
• Hector Santiago finished the shutout by striking out six over three hitless innings.  He did walk three.
  
• Logan Johnson went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI.
• Jose Martinez went 1-for-4 with a double.