Post by Commissioner Erick on May 10, 2019 7:07:56 GMT -5
Cleveland Indians (27-16) @ Chicago White Sox (31-13)
CLE: Robbie Ray (4-3, 5.21)
CHW: Alex Faedo (2-1, 6.23)
The Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox didn't start the season out strong, leading some to wonder if this battle between perennial heavyweights of the AL Central would turn out to be a dud. The Chicago White Sox were 6-8 after 14 games, sputtering along after mustering only three runs in a 5-3 loss to the Angels. The Indians were 10-12 after April, a losing team a year after their 2020 title.
Those starts are the reason why patience is a virtue.
The two hottest teams in the American League square off with AL Central supremacy on the line when the White Sox and Indians battle on the Game of the Week.
Considering how Chicago was a dominant team last year, but their worse record than Cleveland relegated them to a Wild Card Game and the fate of small samples, that statement isn't hyperbole. Any edge these teams can gain on one another is gigantic and the Wild Card Game is a severe penalty for teams this strong.
As Cleveland proved last year with Evan Skoug and Mike Papi, they're more than capable of finding some unheralded player to step in and produce like a star. This year Fernando Perez has that honor, hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI's. Perez has been near the top of most rookie leaderboards and will battle it out with Minnesota's Nick Plummer for the Rookie of the Year award. Perez wasn't in Cleveland's plans at the start of the offseason, but he was plucked from San Diego in the Rule 5 Draft, catching David Springgay's eye enough to be drafted and even to start. Perez has paid back Springgay's belief in him, showing a good bat with terrific power.
Perez is filling Nicholas Castellanos' spot from last year, while Adam Jones was brought in to fill Right Field after Giancarlo Stanton was released. Castellanos is off to a dreadful start while Perez is bashing, making that decision look prophetic. However, Stanton has been a terror for Cleveland, while Jones has negative WAR. Most of that negativity has come on the defensive end as Jones is now a disastrous fielder. Still, his bat is good, not great, which looks terrible with Stanton leading the league in home runs.
That's an issue when facing a team with a historic offense like the White Sox have. Rafael Devers led the league in homers and RBIs last year, and is blowing last year's numbers out of the water this year. Devers' .393 average is second in the league, as is his .452 OBP. His 1.165 OPS leads the league, as does his WAR. Hell, he has eight steals without being caught, which is third in that category. He's an MVP candidate on a team that has two former MVPs. He's 24 years old.
Meanwhile, Andrew Benintendi, after leading the league in slugging and OPS last year is better in those categories thus far. He's second in OPS and WAR, and he's first in runs, and RBI.
Dansby Swanson is batting .312, Yoan Moncada has 15 steals, Corey D. Ray has 10 home runs, Brett Austin is batting .355, Alfredo Despaigne is a week removed from a four home run stretch that won him Player of the Week. Chicago has the best offense in the league and it's terrifying how good it is.
The pitching is where their concerns are. With some high profile injures and Carlos Martinez' worst start as a White Sox player, Chicago is only middle-of-the-pack in pitching. They'll turn to a rookie to take the hill.
Alex Faedo was the number #35 prospect coming into this year, but he's just a two-pitch pitcher right now. His fastball is electric and his slider is nasty, but he's never developed a changeup to complement the two pitches. As a result, hitters can spit on the pitches as they know what's coming, which has led to his stuff not playing as well as it should. Faedo ideally would be in the bullpen, but with the injuries he's starting and not successfully.
At least Chicago has a strong bullpen behind Faedo. Matt Strahm has been excellent in long relief, with a 2.22 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Rob Whalen has been made a full time reliever, and his 2.57 ERA indicates the decision was the right one. The acquisition of Rasiel Iglesias has allowed a partner to Tony Zych to lock down the late innings. Finally, Jimmie Sherfy has picked up where he left off last season and leads the league in saves, doing so behind 27 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
If the White Sox can keep it close, they have the offense and bullpen to turn early deficits into comeback wins.
Questions for the GM's:
For David Springgay, you released postseason hero Giancarlo Stanton and he leads the AL in home runs this year. How do you feel about the decision to cut him?
Fernando Perez is off to a great start. Your team does a great job identifying and developing under-the-radar talent as well as anybody. Is there anybody in your organization you attribute that to?
Your bullpen is in tatters with a number of injuries. What reinforcements will we see?
For Mike Ball, how long of a leash does Faedo have as a starter if he continues to struggle?
Brett Austin hasn't ever appeared to be a special hitter, but he's always produced, and his numbers this year are staggering. What do you attribute Austin's success to?
Jesse Winker has barely played this year. Why did you make the trade for him if he was going to play such a minor role?
TRIVIA: Cleveland has six players who have hit at least 55 home runs for the team. How many of those players no longer play for Cleveland and who are they?
CLE: Robbie Ray (4-3, 5.21)
CHW: Alex Faedo (2-1, 6.23)
The Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox didn't start the season out strong, leading some to wonder if this battle between perennial heavyweights of the AL Central would turn out to be a dud. The Chicago White Sox were 6-8 after 14 games, sputtering along after mustering only three runs in a 5-3 loss to the Angels. The Indians were 10-12 after April, a losing team a year after their 2020 title.
Those starts are the reason why patience is a virtue.
The two hottest teams in the American League square off with AL Central supremacy on the line when the White Sox and Indians battle on the Game of the Week.
Considering how Chicago was a dominant team last year, but their worse record than Cleveland relegated them to a Wild Card Game and the fate of small samples, that statement isn't hyperbole. Any edge these teams can gain on one another is gigantic and the Wild Card Game is a severe penalty for teams this strong.
As Cleveland proved last year with Evan Skoug and Mike Papi, they're more than capable of finding some unheralded player to step in and produce like a star. This year Fernando Perez has that honor, hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI's. Perez has been near the top of most rookie leaderboards and will battle it out with Minnesota's Nick Plummer for the Rookie of the Year award. Perez wasn't in Cleveland's plans at the start of the offseason, but he was plucked from San Diego in the Rule 5 Draft, catching David Springgay's eye enough to be drafted and even to start. Perez has paid back Springgay's belief in him, showing a good bat with terrific power.
Perez is filling Nicholas Castellanos' spot from last year, while Adam Jones was brought in to fill Right Field after Giancarlo Stanton was released. Castellanos is off to a dreadful start while Perez is bashing, making that decision look prophetic. However, Stanton has been a terror for Cleveland, while Jones has negative WAR. Most of that negativity has come on the defensive end as Jones is now a disastrous fielder. Still, his bat is good, not great, which looks terrible with Stanton leading the league in home runs.
That's an issue when facing a team with a historic offense like the White Sox have. Rafael Devers led the league in homers and RBIs last year, and is blowing last year's numbers out of the water this year. Devers' .393 average is second in the league, as is his .452 OBP. His 1.165 OPS leads the league, as does his WAR. Hell, he has eight steals without being caught, which is third in that category. He's an MVP candidate on a team that has two former MVPs. He's 24 years old.
Meanwhile, Andrew Benintendi, after leading the league in slugging and OPS last year is better in those categories thus far. He's second in OPS and WAR, and he's first in runs, and RBI.
Dansby Swanson is batting .312, Yoan Moncada has 15 steals, Corey D. Ray has 10 home runs, Brett Austin is batting .355, Alfredo Despaigne is a week removed from a four home run stretch that won him Player of the Week. Chicago has the best offense in the league and it's terrifying how good it is.
The pitching is where their concerns are. With some high profile injures and Carlos Martinez' worst start as a White Sox player, Chicago is only middle-of-the-pack in pitching. They'll turn to a rookie to take the hill.
Alex Faedo was the number #35 prospect coming into this year, but he's just a two-pitch pitcher right now. His fastball is electric and his slider is nasty, but he's never developed a changeup to complement the two pitches. As a result, hitters can spit on the pitches as they know what's coming, which has led to his stuff not playing as well as it should. Faedo ideally would be in the bullpen, but with the injuries he's starting and not successfully.
At least Chicago has a strong bullpen behind Faedo. Matt Strahm has been excellent in long relief, with a 2.22 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Rob Whalen has been made a full time reliever, and his 2.57 ERA indicates the decision was the right one. The acquisition of Rasiel Iglesias has allowed a partner to Tony Zych to lock down the late innings. Finally, Jimmie Sherfy has picked up where he left off last season and leads the league in saves, doing so behind 27 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
If the White Sox can keep it close, they have the offense and bullpen to turn early deficits into comeback wins.
Questions for the GM's:
For David Springgay, you released postseason hero Giancarlo Stanton and he leads the AL in home runs this year. How do you feel about the decision to cut him?
Fernando Perez is off to a great start. Your team does a great job identifying and developing under-the-radar talent as well as anybody. Is there anybody in your organization you attribute that to?
Your bullpen is in tatters with a number of injuries. What reinforcements will we see?
For Mike Ball, how long of a leash does Faedo have as a starter if he continues to struggle?
Brett Austin hasn't ever appeared to be a special hitter, but he's always produced, and his numbers this year are staggering. What do you attribute Austin's success to?
Jesse Winker has barely played this year. Why did you make the trade for him if he was going to play such a minor role?
TRIVIA: Cleveland has six players who have hit at least 55 home runs for the team. How many of those players no longer play for Cleveland and who are they?
