Game of the Week: September 15: CHW @ OAK

[Commissioner Erick]

Chicago White Sox (78-71) @ Oakland Athletics (79-70)


CHW: Kenny Saenz (12-10, 5.29)
OAK: Francisco A. Morales (10-8, 3.97)


With three losses in four games to Kansas City last week, Oakland missed a prime chance to take hold of the final AL Wild Card spot last week. With two extra inning losses to Kansas City last week, the Chicago also missed a chance to close in on a wild card berth.

The Chicago White Sox will take on both teams ahead of them for the final AL Wild Card spot this week, starting with a critical matchup against the Oakland Athletics in the Game of the Week.

Chicago will start Kenny Saenz and he’s come on strong in the second half. He had a 2.83 ERA in August and has a 4.50 mark in September. He had a 6.45 ERA in the first half and has lowered it to 5.29. He hasn’t gone deep into games, not going more than 6 innings in the second halves of games, but he’s given the White Sox a chance in games. For the third best offense in baseball, that’s all they’ve needed.

Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers continue to be a wrecking crew with a combined 101 home runs and 248 RBIs between them. Benintendi is a strong MVP candidate, Devers will win another Platinum Stick, and the pair are each somehow turning in their highest OPS seasons of their illustrious careers.

They’ll take their swings against one of the more interesting pitchers in the league, Francisco A. Morales. Morales has a solid 3.97 ERA and a 10-8 record—despite walking 108 batters in 156.1 innings. He’s 10 walks away from tying the PBA record for walks in a season—but he’s on pace for a 2.8 WAR season. He’s able to thrive because of a lethal fastball slide combo that’s resulted in 198 strikeouts. The slider is a devastating pitch with sharp bite, and Morales’ fastball can touch triple-digits. As a result, when hitters do make contact, it’s hard to square up and they’ve only hit 15 home runs off him this year.

Oakland has a powerful lineup, but it’s not as strong against lefties. Right-handers Juan B. Garcia, Josh Shaw, and Anthony Rendon enter the lineup, but they have a combined nine home runs between them. Byron Buxton hits cleanup, but he only has a .225 average.

Those righties will need to play better if Oakland wants to win today and make a final run for the playoffs.


Questions for the GMs:


For Steve Strzepek, your pitching has been better in the second half of the year. What’s changed for your team?

Against a team in Oakland that has powerful left-handed hitters, would you rather Saenz be forced to pitch deeper or do you believe your right-handed relievers would be fine against any pinch-hitters?

Pat French has had an outstanding year in long relief. Have you considered starting him at all?

For Garrett White, how have you felt about managing a volatile talent in Francisco A. Morales this year?

You have a number of lefties that struggle against right-handers, but also some right-handers that aren’t very potent. What will be your lineup against Saenz today?

What’s your strategy for dealing with Benintendi and Devers today?


TRIVIA: Who has the most single-season home runs in Athletics history?

[oaklandgm]

We went into the season with high hopes for Morales and he hasn't let us down. A.J. Puk's ability to go deep into games as our ace has really unlocked Francisco's ability to throw the kind of stuff we always knew he was capable of. In the past under other regimes, he had bounced back and forth between the bullpen and rotation and never really had a solid plan - and while we don't doubt that he has the kind of stuff that would also make him an elite weapon in the bullpen, we really just ask him to go out there and throw as hard as he can, for as long as he can, and we have one of the better bullpens to pick him up if he needs to make an early exit. The sky really is the limit for him and to go out and have 30 plus starts in his first full year as a starter shows he's got the stuff to keep doing this year after year.

I think you're going to see us with more success down the stretch against left-handed pitching. [Anthony] Rendon has been a big shot of life off the bench and has proven more than capable in his platoon from the right side. Josh Shaw in particular is one of our better prospects and is getting his first whiff of the bigs as a part-timer but an important right-handed bat to platoon out there with Bell. We like our chances against anyone but really think we have some improvement to be made against lefties.    

Benintendi and Devers are obviously two of the better hitters in baseball right now. It's tough to gameplan against guys that good but we like Morales in a matchup with them. High strikeouts can sometimes neutralize those kind of hitters so we'll just have to hope for the best. Our lack of lefthanded pitching has really hurt us out of the bullpen this year and I imagine we may have some tough choices in later innings.

[Commissioner Erick]

White Sox 6 - Athletics 0

WP: K. Saenz (13-10)
LP: F. Morales (10-9)


The Chicago White Sox shut out the Oakland Athletics 6-0 today behind the strong pitching of Kenny Saenz. Saenz surrendered only 4 hits in recording the complete-game victory, and struck out 6.

Following the last out, Saenz appeared to celebrate a little too boisterously for Oakland manager Garrett White, who could be seen scolding the famously outspoken left-hander as the clubs left the field. Saenz's own manager then intervened with some words for his counterpart.

The Athletics skipper would not comment on the exchange, but at the White Sox press conference, Saenz confirmed that it was regarding the celebration.

"He basically told me I was being a lousy winner," Saenz said.

"And I told him he was being a lousy loser," Chicago manager Steve Strzepek added.

This year Saenz has a 13-10 record with a 4.95 ERA in 29 starts.


Questions for the GMs:


For Steve Strzepek, Kenny Saenz was fantastic. How was he able to pitch so well today?

Up 2-0 with men on first and second in the 7th Livan Soto dropped down a sacrifice bunt. Did you agree with the move?

Ronald Acuna homered, had three hits, and scored three times. How big has he been for you this year?

For Garrett White, you expressed confidence in your right-handed hitters, but your offense really struggled against the left-handed Saenz. Has your perception of your offense changed after this performance?

Did you agree with Kevin Flippo working 3 innings?

What did you think of Morales' performance against a good offense in Chicago's?


TRIVIA: Andrew Benintendi has 337 home runs in his career. Who are the three PBA players with more homers in their career?

[Commissioner Erick]

Aaron correctly guessed Harper and Trout. Ben guessed Arenado.