posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 2:29 AM
by
Jim
Spelling relief several different ways
Two fun facts about the White Sox's two additions to the bullpen after
Monday's triumph over the Tribe:
*Scott Linebrink has thrown 13 consecutive outings without allowing an earned run. That already tops the best streak from a reliever not named Bobby Jenks in 2007, when
Matt Thornton racked up 11 outings without an earnie.
*Octavio Dotel had
recorded a strikeout in 16 staight games before his zero-out, three-walk outing
against the Giants. That's one short of the White Sox reliever record held by Roberto Hernandez. Dotel's current streak is at three.
Both played in an integral part in the 12-inning victory over Cleveland. Linebrink, as he is wont to do, retired the Indians 1-2-3 in the ninth. He has now retired 15 consecutive hitters.
Dotel, meanwhile, picked the tougher road to travel, having the go-ahead runs on second and third with one out in the eighth. But he got the strikeout when he needed to, and Matt Thornton picked him up with a strikeout for himself by fanning Grady Sizemore on four pitches.
The decision between Thornton and Boone Logan to face Sizemore was probably the toughest one Ozzie Guillen faced all night. Based on their histories against the Indians' center fielder, Thornton was not the obvious choice. Check the lines for Sizemore:
vs. Thornton: .500/.583/.875, 1 HR, 3 K in 8 PA
vs. Logan: .000/.200/.000, 2 BB, 3 K in 8 PA
On the other hand, Logan had nearly a WHIP of 2.00 over his last 11 appearances, during which he worked only two perfect outings. Thornton himself was inconsistent as well, but managed to pitch perfect outings in every other game. Considering he'd given up two base hits in his last appearance (against the Indians, May 21), he was due to post zeroes. Sure enough, he shut down the only batter he faced Monday night.
Guillen ultimately had it easy, though. He sent in Logan to extinguish another fire in the 10th inning with two outs and runners on the corners. Logan got the job done that inning -- although Kelly Shoppach's liner looked to be a game-ender -- and went three up, three down in the next inning as well.
It's been a long time since Guillen has made a poor bullpen move -- even longer if you discount ones that involve Ehren Wassermann, because he has to get work at some point. Looking through the game logs,
April 22 seems to be the last time Guillen might have fallen asleep at the switch. That's when Bobby Abreu hit the grand slam off Dotel with Thornton ready and waiting in the pen.
(Even still, Thornton came in and gave up some runs, so he may not have been up to the task that night, either.)
That said, it's a great time to be Guillen, who suggested in spring training that the 2008 White Sox Media Guide cover should've shown him making a pitching change. Hell, when Nick Masset can work a two-inning save in a pinch, there probably aren't many combinations of relievers that wouldn't give Ozzie results on any given night.
If Thornton can continue to retire hitters in high-leverage situations and provide an alternative to Linebrink and Dotel when one of them needs a breather, we could be in for an epic summer of relief work.
**********************
Minor league roundup:
- Rochester 7, Charlotte 6 (10 innings)
- Jason Bourgeois went 3-for-5 and was a homer short of the cycle, driving in two. He also stole his fifth base.
- Brad Eldred snapped an 0-for-13, six-strikeout funk with a grand slam off Francisco Liriano.
- Chris Getz went 2-for-5 with a triple out of the leadoff spot.
- Lance Broadway gave up six runs (five earned) on 12 hits over seven innings. He didn't walk anybody and struck out four.
- Dewon Day took the loss
- Birmingham 11, Jacksonville 0
- Javier Castillo went 1-for-2 with a triple, three RBI and three walks.
- Miguel Negron, Ricardo Nanita, Dave Cook, Robert Hudson and Robert Valido each had two hits apiece.
- Clayton Richard pitched seven scoreless innings. He allowed fewer hits (4) than he had strikeouts (5).
- Fernando Hernandez and John Lujan each pitched a scoreless inning, though each walked two hitters.
- Myrtle Beach 9, Winston-Salem 8
- John Shelby, playing left field, went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
- Brandon Allen hit his ninth homer, a two-run shot.
- John Ely was off, walking four and allowing five hits and five runs over four innings.
- Hagerstown 10, Kannapolis 3