The question in the headline provokes many reactions, the first is to balk at its absurdity. It is May 12, there are six playoff spots in every league. The good teams make the postseason and the bad teams don't in MLB, and the mediocre ones kind of flip a coin. Assuming we're putting the Sox squarely in the coinflip tier, then simply every game is important.
"The division games obviously mean something, but these guys are bringing the energy every day and have that focus, and the same thing for our staff," said Will Venable. "especially with [Munetaka Murakami] showing up, there's been a lot more attention this year and so I think these guys are built for this. They come to the ballpark, they're not too concerned the external stuff, they're focused on what they have to do every day and just being good teammates to each other and playing with energy. The better you play, the more attention comes with it and I'm sure these guys will adjust."
But on second thought, life is fleeting, the world is high-key on fire and moments to feel vital, to feel like fate can be altered by what happens today, are at a premium. Even if it's not hard to take the temperature and glean that top White Sox leadership is skeptical that this club will really be in the race down the stretch, they did want to see signs of progress this year. If when the Chicago sports media spotlight shines on Rate Field this weekend for the Crosstown Cup, and the White Sox are in first place or could move into a tie for first place or just any sentence that combines "White Sox" and "first place" winds up being said on a television broadcast, that would be a sign of progress, right?
"In our division everyone is kind of bunched up here, which is great," Venable said. "You feel like you can be competitive and obviously playing meaningful games is important. At the same time for us, we’re a couple games under .500. That’s not where we want to be. And so, our focus is just really on ourselves and what we can do to go out there and execute and try to win today."
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Andrew Benintendi is back in the lineup after missing two games with neck soreness. They don't call him Big Game Benny for...well, they don't call him that, as far as I know.
Austin Hays hit in a simulated game against Sean Burke, who is being pushed to Friday to start the opener of the Cubs series. More on that in a bit, but Hays is supposed to run the bases later this week, which would put him in line for a rehab assignment for his left calf strain.
Everson Pereira hit in a batting cage for the first time since going on the injured list with a right pectoral strain two weeks ago. It's light work for him right now.
"Probably will be just tee and flips, maybe some throwing later on in the week," Venable said.
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The White Sox are using the Monday off day to flip Anthony Kay and Sean Burke in the rotation. Kay will start the finale of this series against the Royals on Thursday on regular rest, and Burke will lead off the Cubs series on Friday.
"Burkey’s been pitching deep into these games, gives him a little bit of an extra blow," Venable said. "Also lines up Kay to pitch again against the Mariners, which we like the left-handed match up. He also pitched well against these guys [the Royals]. So just with the off days, gives you an opportunity to look at things and adjust if appropriate. We thought there were some benefits to making that flip."
The Cubs certainly have their own collection of formidable lefties to worry about, and Burke has touted how well he's been recovering physically so far this year. But this adjustment puts Kay against the two teams he's had success against thus far, and Burke probably inspires more overall confidence against the Cubs' powerful offense at this juncture.
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In minor league news, Kyle Teel is already off and running for his five innings behind the plate for Triple-A Charlotte to start his rehab assignment.
One-upping him in terms of long-awaited arrivals, Alexander Albertus was added to the roster at Low-A Kannapolis on Tuesday. He's not in the Cannon Ballers starting lineup.
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Royals starter Stephen Kolek is indeed the younger brother of former No. 2 overall pick Tyler Kolek, taken one spot ahead of Carlos Rodón in 2014. Erick Fedde was the 18th overall pick in that draft.
First pitch: White Sox vs. Royals
TV: CHSN
Radio: ESPN 1000 AM, 107.9 FM La Ley (Spanish)
Lineups:
| Royals | White Sox | |
|---|---|---|
| Maikel Garcia, 3B | 1 | Sam Antonacci, LF |
| Bobby Witt Jr., SS | 2 | Munetaka Murakami, 1B |
| Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B | 3 | Miguel Vargas, 3B |
| Salvador Perez, C | 4 | Colson Montgomery, SS |
| Carter Jensen, DH | 5 | Chase Meidroth, 2B |
| Jac Caglianone, RF | 6 | Andrew Benintendi, DH |
| Isaac Collins, LF | 7 | Jarred Kelenic, RF |
| Michael Massey, 2B | 8 | Tristan Peters, CF |
| Kyle Isbel, CF | 9 | Drew Romo, C |
| Stephen Kolek | SP | Erick Fedde |
