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CHI WHITE SOX ( SAMARDZIJA )
MINNESOTA ( GIBSON ) |
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| 909 | CHI WHITE SOX | +125 | Ov 8,-120 | +110 | Ov 8,-120 | | 910 | MINNESOTA | -135 | Un 8,+100 | -120 | Un 8,+100 |
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| All Games | 61-70 | -11.3 | 62-65 | 3.8 | 0.251 | 0.299 | 0.379 | 0.678 | 4.3 | 0.261 | 0.318 | 0.408 | 0.726 | | Road Games | 28-38 | -7.1 | 37-26 | 4.2 | 0.255 | 0.298 | 0.379 | 0.677 | 4.7 | 0.277 | 0.327 | 0.439 | 0.766 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 48-55 | -9.4 | 51-49 | 4.0 | 0.257 | 0.306 | 0.393 | 0.699 | 4.4 | 0.261 | 0.319 | 0.411 | 0.730 | | Past 7 Games | 2-5 | -4.6 | 3-4 | 3.1 | 0.233 | 0.285 | 0.306 | 0.591 | 4.3 | 0.274 | 0.331 | 0.431 | 0.762 | | Grass Games | 60-65 | -7.1 | 59-62 | 3.8 | 0.250 | 0.299 | 0.381 | 0.680 | 4.2 | 0.259 | 0.317 | 0.405 | 0.722 | | Day Games | 21-29 | -9.2 | 23-24 | 3.4 | 0.237 | 0.286 | 0.361 | 0.647 | 4.5 | 0.267 | 0.325 | 0.429 | 0.754 | | Division | 20-33 | -16.6 | 22-28 | 3.5 | 0.244 | 0.294 | 0.372 | 0.665 | 4.5 | 0.269 | 0.322 | 0.421 | 0.742 |
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| All Games | 3.8 | 0.251 | 0.299 | 131 | 4482 | 1125 | 217 | 20 | 106 | 0.379 | 474 | 306 | 995 | 52 | 857 | 121 | 83 | 130 | 65 | | Road Games | 4.2 | 0.255 | 0.298 | 66 | 2301 | 586 | 119 | 10 | 49 | 0.379 | 261 | 142 | 495 | 29 | 421 | 63 | 43 | 63 | 34 | | Righty Starters | 4.0 | 0.257 | 0.306 | 103 | 3551 | 914 | 174 | 15 | 93 | 0.393 | 393 | 248 | 776 | 45 | 687 | 88 | 66 | 100 | 48 |
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| All Games | 3.39 | 1.347 | 355.7 | 151 | 134 | 341 | 35 | 138 | 342 | 22-19 | 30 | 13 | 69.8% | | Road Games | 3.88 | 1.481 | 155.3 | 75 | 67 | 172 | 20 | 58 | 144 | 8-10 | 14 | 6 | 70% |
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| All Games | 69-63 | +20.1 | 60-62 | 4.4 | 0.249 | 0.301 | 0.402 | 0.703 | 4.4 | 0.271 | 0.321 | 0.423 | 0.744 | | Home Games | 42-25 | +20.6 | 31-30 | 4.8 | 0.267 | 0.319 | 0.432 | 0.752 | 3.9 | 0.263 | 0.306 | 0.406 | 0.712 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 44-43 | +10.3 | 37-42 | 4.1 | 0.246 | 0.296 | 0.397 | 0.693 | 4.5 | 0.276 | 0.326 | 0.430 | 0.756 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +4.6 | 4-3 | 4.4 | 0.251 | 0.309 | 0.441 | 0.749 | 3.3 | 0.248 | 0.304 | 0.378 | 0.682 | | Grass Games | 67-58 | +22.1 | 55-60 | 4.3 | 0.250 | 0.302 | 0.400 | 0.702 | 4.3 | 0.270 | 0.318 | 0.418 | 0.736 | | Day Games | 28-28 | +4.1 | 26-24 | 4.0 | 0.246 | 0.300 | 0.396 | 0.696 | 4.8 | 0.280 | 0.328 | 0.449 | 0.777 | | Division | 28-25 | +8.6 | 23-25 | 4.3 | 0.257 | 0.302 | 0.407 | 0.709 | 4.3 | 0.277 | 0.329 | 0.421 | 0.750 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.249 | 0.301 | 132 | 4433 | 1103 | 228 | 36 | 126 | 0.402 | 546 | 332 | 1026 | 57 | 778 | 120 | 68 | 121 | 67 | | Home Games | 4.8 | 0.267 | 0.319 | 67 | 2206 | 590 | 112 | 18 | 72 | 0.432 | 304 | 168 | 465 | 28 | 395 | 69 | 37 | 67 | 23 | | Righty Starters | 4.1 | 0.246 | 0.296 | 87 | 2897 | 712 | 153 | 27 | 77 | 0.397 | 341 | 205 | 704 | 44 | 499 | 75 | 42 | 77 | 42 |
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| All Games | 3.93 | 1.282 | 410.3 | 196 | 179 | 398 | 48 | 128 | 306 | 23-20 | 40 | 10 | 80% | | Home Games | 3.72 | 1.236 | 208 | 97 | 86 | 204 | 24 | 53 | 163 | 11-9 | 20 | 3 | 87% |
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| 8/20/2015 | QUINTANA(L) | @ LA ANGELS | TROPEANO(R) | 8-2 | W | 110 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0 | | 8/21/2015 | SALE(L) | @ SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | 11-4 | W | -110 | 6 un | O | 16 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | | 8/22/2015 | RODON(L) | @ SEATTLE | NUNO(L) | 6-3 | W | 100 | 7.5 un | O | 8 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 1 | | 8/23/2015 | DANKS(L) | @ SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 6-8 | L | 130 | 7.5 ev | O | 8 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 0 | | 8/24/2015 | SAMARDZIJA(R) | BOSTON | KELLY(R) | 4-5 | L | -125 | 8.5 un | O | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 0 | | 8/25/2015 | QUINTANA(L) | BOSTON | MILEY(L) | 5-4 | W | -130 | 7.5 un | O | 15 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | SALE(L) | BOSTON | PORCELLO(R) | 0-3 | L | -210 | 7 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | | 8/27/2015 | RODON(L) | SEATTLE | ELIAS(L) | 4-2 | W | -130 | 8.5 un | U | 9 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1 | | 8/28/2015 | DANKS(L) | SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 0-2 | L | +105 | 8 ov | U | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | | 8/29/2015 | SAMARDZIJA(R) | SEATTLE | IWAKUMA(R) | 6-7 | L | +105 | 7.5 ev | O | 11 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 0 | | 8/30/2015 | QUINTANA(L) | SEATTLE | OLMOS(L) | 6-5 | W | -160 | 8 ev | O | 14 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 3 | | 9/1/2015 | SALE(L) | @ MINNESOTA | DUFFEY(R) | 6-8 | L | -150 | 7.5 un | O | 10 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 9/2/2015 | RODON(L) | @ MINNESOTA | MILONE(L) | 0-3 | L | 115 | 8.5 ev | U | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 9/3/2015 | SAMARDZIJA(R) | @ MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | DANKS(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | MEDLEN(R) | | | 9/5/2015 | QUINTANA(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | | | 9/6/2015 | SALE(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | CUETO(R) | | | 9/7/2015 | RODON(L) | CLEVELAND | ANDERSON(R) | | | 9/8/2015 | SAMARDZIJA(R) | CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | | CLEVELAND | | |
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| 8/20/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | 15-2 | W | 155 | 8.5 ov | O | 18 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | 8/21/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | 4-3 | W | 150 | 8.5 un | U | 11 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | | 8/22/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | 3-2 | W | 140 | 8.5 un | U | 7 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GAUSMAN(R) | 4-3 | W | 160 | 8.5 ov | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 3 | | 8/25/2015 | SANTANA(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | KARNS(R) | 11-7 | W | 130 | 7 un | O | 12 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | 5-3 | W | 170 | 7 un | O | 13 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | SMYLY(L) | 4-5 | L | 120 | 7.5 un | O | 9 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 1 | | 8/28/2015 | GIBSON(R) | HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | 3-0 | W | +110 | 7.5 un | U | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 0 | | 8/29/2015 | PELFREY(R) | HOUSTON | FIERS(R) | 1-4 | L | +100 | 8 un | U | 5 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 0 | | 8/30/2015 | SANTANA(R) | HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | 7-5 | W | +135 | 8 ev | O | 8 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 | | 9/1/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 8-6 | W | +140 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 2 | | 9/2/2015 | MILONE(L) | CHI WHITE SOX | RODON(L) | 3-0 | W | -125 | 8.5 ev | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | | 9/3/2015 | GIBSON(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | | | 9/5/2015 | SANTANA(R) | @ HOUSTON | FIERS(R) | | | 9/6/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | | | 9/7/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | | | 9/8/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | | @ KANSAS CITY | | |
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| |  | CHI WHITE SOX: CHICAGO (AP) - A decade removed from their most recent championship, the Chicago White Sox once again are eyeing a big season.
Their sights are set on an AL Central title after consecutive losing records, maybe even more. The White Sox added to their offense, boosted their rotation, overhauled their bullpen and sent expectations soaring.
''Obviously postseason first, and World Series,'' new closer David Robertson said. ''I mean that's what I look forward to every year. That's where I want to be.''
The addition of Robertson to the bullpen is among the reasons the White Sox believe they are armed and ready after going 73-89. But it's not the only one.
They added All-Star Jeff Samardzija to a rotation that already included ace Chris Sale. They added free agent Adam LaRoche to their lineup, giving AL Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu more protection, and brought in Melky Cabrera to solidify the No. 2 spot in the order behind Adam Eaton.
Is that enough to compete with Cleveland, Kansas City and Detroit in the division and make a run in the playoffs? The White Sox believe it is. Their fans are pumped, too.
With that in mind, here are some things to look for this season:
LINED UP: It would be hard for Abreu to match, let alone exceed, what he did last season. He batted .317 with 36 homers and 107 RBIs, one year after defecting from Cuba. While the White Sox tied for fourth in the AL in homers, they were just eighth in runs, ninth in batting average and 12th in on-base percentage.
LaRoche, who signed a $25 million, two-year contract, should give them power from the left side. He hit 26 homers and drove in 92 runs for Washington last season. Cabrera, a .301 hitter with Toronto, helps the top of the order.
''I think we're jelling together as a team. Hopefully that translates to wins in April,'' Eaton said.
SALE-ING ALONG: With Sale, Samardzija and Jose Quintana, the White Sox appear strong at the top of the rotation.
Sale made the AL All-Star team for the third time last season while going 12-4 with a 2.17 ERA with 208 strikeouts and 39 walks. Samardzija, acquired from Oakland, moves into the No. 2 spot. With Sale recovering from a broken foot, Samardzija - who grew up a White Sox fan - could wind up starting the opener at Kansas City after pitching the previous two for the Cubs.
CLOSING TIME: Chicago tied for seventh in the majors with 21 blown saves and had the fourth-lowest save percentage (63.2) last season. Robertson, who took over as closer after Mariano Rivera retired, saved 39 games for the New York Yankees last season. Chicago also brought in Zach Duke.
RODON WATCH: Whether he starts the season in the rotation or gets sent down to the minors, expect to see top prospect Carlos Rodon in a White Sox uniform at some point this season. The No. 3 pick in last year's amateur draft, he is on a fast track to the majors after three standout seasons at North Carolina State. Rodon, who made nine minor league appearances in 2014, could start the year in the rotation. If Rodon starts in the minors, veteran Brad Penny could make some early starts. | | MINNESOTA: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Paul Molitor was hired as Minnesota's new manager, bringing Hall of Fame membership and renowned intelligence and intuition to a team seeking a fresh start.
The Twins brought back one of their most popular players ever, Torii Hunter, to help solidify an unsettled outfield, mentor a fledgling team and hit a few home runs. They have collected plenty of promising young hitters, either slated for the opening day lineup or waiting in the minor league wings.
None of that will matter much if the starting pitching continues to wobble the way it has the last four seasons.
Phil Hughes had by most measures a career year, his first away from the New York Yankees, but his ability to match that is low on the list of 2015 goals. Ricky Nolasco needs to rebound from a terrible first season with the Twins. Ervin Santana must show he's worth that $55 million, four-year contract. Kyle Gibson has to reduce the times (five of 31 starts in 2014) he goes three innings or less and gives up six runs or more. The fifth spot winner, Trevor May, Tommy Milone or Mike Pelfrey, needs to keep it.
''We'd put up a couple good starts and somebody would get hurt or we'd take a step backward,'' said Hughes, whose 2014 season has been one of the few true success stories of the rotation since it unraveled in 2011. ''Every good team I've been on, it seems like the rotation gets on a roll.''
New pitching coach Neil Allen will have more impact on the staff than Molitor, but after 13 years under manager Ron Gardenhire the clubhouse has been naturally buzzing with excitement about the new boss.
''He's one of the smartest baseball people I've ever been around,'' first baseman Joe Mauer said.
As for Hunter? His presence was desired for more energy and stronger camaraderie.
''If there's no tension between players and you're comfortable with everyone, you're going to play better,'' closer Glen Perkins said. ''So that's chemistry, I guess. I think we've held it together as much as we can, as much as we've struggled.''
Here are some key angles to know about the Twins in 2015:
MAUER IMPROVEMENT
Mauer, soon to turn 32, will make $23 million each of the next four years. Injuries have limited him to an average of 116 games from 2011-14. His batting average hit a career-low .277 last season, and he had a career-most 96 strikeouts despite time lost to an oblique muscle injury.
The Twins haven't lost faith in their franchise player, the homegrown guy who was the first overall draft pick in 2001. Playing for Molitor, whom he grew up admiring as an alumnus of the same St. Paul high school, ought to help.
''He's healthy. I think he's anxious to prove that last year was just an aberration,'' general manager Terry Ryan said.
LINEUP FLEXIBILITY
Molitor has been touting his options at the top and in the middle of the order, with a team that quietly scored the third-most runs in the majors after the All-Star break last year and added an accomplished hitter in Hunter.
One decision is whether to bat Mauer third, where he was most of his career until Gardenhire began to bat him second often over the last two seasons.
With Hunter, Kennys Vargas, Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia, Molitor has power to play with in the heart of the order. The downsides are Arcia's inconsistency, leadoff man Danny Santana being the only player with a 2014 average above .290 and an unsettled situation in center field.
''It's a small sample, our track record from last year, but it's something you can use as a foundation to see potentially how your offense can work. We're going to have depth, I think, all the way down to the bottom,'' Molitor said.
BULLPEN SHUFFLE
The Twins could return as few as three relievers to their roles from last season: Perkins, Casey Fien and Brian Duensing. Blaine Boyer and Tim Stauffer, from San Diego, were signed. At least one of the losers in the fifth starter competition was headed for the seven-man bullpen. Rule 5 draft pick J.R. Graham, who must be returned to Atlanta if he's not on the 25-man roster, has been pushing for a spot, too.
Reliever use will be one area in which Molitor's strategy could differ from that of Gardenhire.
''I want to get them out of a one-inning mentality. Not that they all have it, or don't want to pitch more. But we've talked a lot about some of those guys, trying to get two innings out of them here, if we can,'' Molitor said. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (CHI WHITE SOX-MINNESOTA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*White Sox-Twins Preview* =========================
By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
Chicago (61-69) at Minnesota (68-63), 1:10 p.m. EDT
Before the Minnesota Twins shift their attention to a challenging trip that begins with consecutive series against AL division leaders, they have one more opportunity to continue their home dominance of the Chicago White Sox.
Trying to extend Jeff Samardzija's recent misery, the Twins look to complete a three-game sweep of the White Sox on Thursday.
A winner in 10 of the last 12, Minnesota (69-63) continues to make a serious push for its first postseason appearance since 2010. The Twins would get an even better feel for how far they've come by finding success on a nine-game trek that opens Friday at Houston then moves to Kansas City before finishing with the White Sox (61-70).
"It's fun to pitch in meaningful games in September," Tommy Milone said after tossing seven innings in Wednesday's 3-0 victory. "We're going through that right now ... and continue to build off of it."
First, Minnesota tries for a fourth consecutive win overall and against Chicago, which has been outscored 63-23 while going 1-8 at Target Field this season.
That lone triumph at Minnesota came June 23 when Samardzija (8-11, 4.85 ERA) allowed two runs and struck out seven in seven innings of a 6-2 win. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in three starts against the Twins in 2015, but had an 8.82 ERA while losing all six starts in August.
"It's not an easy game," said Samardzija, who had not dropped more than four straight starts prior to this slide. "You learn a lot about yourself during stretches like this."
Samardzija has yielded a major league-high 98 earned runs. His 25 runs allowed in the first inning also are the most in baseball.
He'll try to avoid becoming the first White Sox pitcher to lose seven consecutive starts since Jose Contreras in 2007.
"As far as being prepared, competitiveness, all that stuff, it is as good as it's going to get," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Samardzija. "He's probably scratching his head as to of how it's ended up like this."
Kyle Gibson (9-9, 3.82), meanwhile, has allowed only a solo homer to Jose Abreu in 16 innings while going 2-0 against the White Sox this year.
Though he walked three and needed 111 pitches to get through 5 2-3 innings Friday, the right-hander improved to 6-4 and lowered his ERA to 2.92 in 14 home starts with a 3-0 victory over Houston.
"I probably should've gone seven or eight (Friday), so that's the only frustrating part about it," Gibson, who went 0-3 with a 7.22 ERA in his previous seven starts, told MLB's official website.
"But any time you can leave an outing healthy without giving up any runs is a good thing."
Milone surrendered Chicago's only three hits Wednesday. Miguel Sano homered for a third straight game and Trevor Plouffe added a two-run double as the Twins improved to 11-4 against the White Sox in 2015
Sano can become the first Minnesota rookie to homer in four consecutive contests since Marty Cordova in 1995, but it's uncertain how much an ailing hamstring will limit his effort.
"It hasn't bothered him to swing, so he's a tough guy to take out of there," manager Paul Molitor said of Sano, who has 15 homers and 42 RBIs in 51 games since debuting July 2.
Abreu's homer is his only hit in nine at-bats against Gibson.
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| | Last Updated: 4/24/2024 11:00:06 PM EST. |
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