First Pitch: White Sox at Cubs

TV: NBC Sports Chicago (Sox), Marquee (Cubs)

Lineups:

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Jim Margalus
Jim Margalus

Writing about the White Sox for a 16th season, first here, then at South Side Sox, and now here again. Let’s talk curling.

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jhomeslice

May the fourth be with the Sox tonight!

calcetinesblancos

Good speed in the lineup tonight, even without Usain Burger in there. Let’s manufacture some runs early.

calcetinesblancos

Or just keep hitting homers. Either works.

Shingos Cheeseburgers

You’re telling me that as the weather gets better the Sox aren’t the only ones who are gonna hit more HRs?

Kelly Wunsch N' Munch

Terrible control from Giolito so far.

Kelly Wunsch N' Munch

Well that one left in a hurry. Ugh.

Kelly Wunsch N' Munch

Giolito did well enough to right the ship so to speak. No decision at worst. 10 K’s was nice!

Foulkelore

Sheets picked up Pollock with a soft RBI single last time. This time, Pollock picks up Grandal with a soft RBI single.

Foulkelore

Great catch, but I really hope he isn’t hurt again.

calcetinesblancos

This team refuses to come up with a big hit to put the game away.

calcetinesblancos

Luckily, the Cubs didn’t either.

As Cirensica

Aaron Bummer is like bad cholesterol.

Augusto Barojas

Pollock does not look like much of an offseason addition so far.

Bummer never gives me a good feeling when he comes in. Seems like guys are getting on base all the time, his WHIP approaching 2. Just not good.

metasox

Assuming it isn’t an injury or something about the ball, just think of all the positive regression Pollock is due for

Shingos Cheeseburgers

I wonder how long it’s gonna take to get Bummer bumped down the priority list

As Cirensica

Graveman only made 6 pitches, why, oh why, did TLR take him away?

Last edited 10 months ago by As Cirensica
Foulkelore

I had the same thought process. I thought for sure he would come back out for the 8th.

Foulkelore

Foster! Australian for: kind of good now?

As Cirensica

Foulkelore

Hah, I didn’t see that. Great minds, well one of us for sure (him).

As Cirensica

Bummer owes a nice bottle of something to Foster

Augusto Barojas

Bummer coming in makes me want to drink heavily.

LuBob DuRob

I gotta give HFBPTLR credit for getting Foster in there. Time for Bummer to see lower leverage oppos until he figures this out.

Foulkelore

Kelly is usually about as effective against lefties as righties too, so if he looks good upon returning, that might be another option to help lessen Bummer’s leverage until he’s right.

jhomeslice

Well Cueto didn’t build on his prior good outing. 3 innings, 4 earned.

But on a positive, Yolbert with 2 more hits, ditto Perez. Kelly with a scoreless inning. We should see Moncada/Kelly soon at least.

Yolmer's gatorade

What is Matt Foster doing different? All I remember of last year was Tony seemed to hate him and never gave him either a chance or an easy inning. He seems to be hiding the ball a little better with his arm swing and maybe getting more extension and momentum towards the plate. I am no expert on pitching mechanics though.

a-t

the only thing that pops out as a major change statistically so far is FStrike% (% of first pitches in a PA that are strikes). he was at 65.1% his rookie year, dipped to a very bad 52.3% last year, is back up to 64.3% so far this before today. falling behind is obviously bad for a pitcher in general, but it might be worse for a changeup artist– many pitchers like to throw breaking balls in the zone to grab strikes when they fall behind, so if that’s not an option… hitters can sit fastball or change in the zone at will. might be connected to why he’s started throwing a curveball this year.

deception in mechanics is obviously hugely important for a changeup artist, we saw what happened to gio when he started tipping the cambio in Boston. that’s more difficult to see from numbers tho