It looked like he was ready to absorb a knockout blow in the third inning when he walked 2 in loading the bases with 2 outs, but Jose Contreras got a big out to escape that situation, and after that cruised to a very strong 6 inning performance to pick up the previously impossible White Sox win in Oakland last night. Not a dominating performance (a Game Score* of 60), but certainly gave his team a chance to win, which is all I ask.
- I won't say Scott Podsednik is back to his 05 form, because quite honestly so far this year he's been better than he was in 05. He went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base and even hit a tiebreaking home run last night. I will take this opportunity to point out that everytime I see him I am reminded of Xandir from "Drawn Together".
- Hopefully last night's 3 for 4, 1 HR, 2 RBI performance from Jim Thome is an indication that he's getting hot. He's hitting .238 right now and obviously the Sox need him to be better than that. His home run last night was an impressive bomb to straightaway center, but even more impressive was an eighth inning ground ball single placed perfectly in the hole between the second baseman and second base left by the shift they were playing. The hit scored a run that put the Sox up 3-1 and seemed to be the backbreaker for the Athletics.
-Far be it from me to say this about somebody else, but Jermaine Dye looks puffy to me and his bat looks slow. Appropriately enough, he's hitting .100 right now.
- 3 innings, one baserunner for the Sox bullpen last night. Call me a homer or whatever but I think KW got it right with the complete overhaul of the bullpen that began after the All-Star Break last year. It's gone from a being a big minus in 06 to a plus this year.
-Somewhat interesting that Ozzie had Matt Thornton start the ninth last night instead of Bobby Jenks (who finished and picked up his second save). Thornton retired the dangerous left handed hitting Nick Swisher.
*Game Score is a stat I love, and it can be derived from a simple newspaper boxscore. It's a quick and dirty calculation of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of a starting pitcher. 100 is a rare gem, 50 is average, 0 is atrocious. For example, Contreras' Opening Day start was a Game Score of 9. Kerry Wood's 20 K game vs. Houston in 98 was a 105. No, I'm not going to tell you how I calculate it. If I told you then you wouldn't have to come here to have me tell you what a pitcher's Game Score is, stupid.
AL CENTRAL ROUNDUP
I have to say I got the warm fuzzies watching the Yankees pound Sidney Ponson last night (8 runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3, Game Score: 16). After the Twins went 55-1 or whatever it is they went the last 3 months of last season while trotting out Carlos Silvas and Scott Bakers and Boof Bonsers on the regular, it was refreshing to see that fucking team pay for having a rotation spackled together with cow shit like Ponson (and Ramon Ortiz, and Silva). Hopefully there's a lot more of that to come.
Meanwhile, the Tigers Chad Durbin got a rough introduction to the Oriole Way yesterday (6 runs on 9 hits in 4 2/3, Game Score: 26). He's not going to get too many more chances to fill the Kenny Rogers vacancy in that rotation, but if you remember the 2004 White Sox, and for your own well being I hope you don't, you know that having nobody who can hold down that 5th spot can poison a season.
The Royals never had a chance against the Jays last night with Odalis Perez being smacked around for 4 runs and 7 hits in 1 1/3 (Game Score: 24). They're 2-5 and Buddy Bell should be launched ASAP because talentwise they really are better than this.
And, finally, as everyone knows, the Indians will be playing a "home" series against the Angels at Miller Park in Milwaukee this week. Go Halos.
TODAY'S AL CENTRAL MATCHUPS
(3-3) SOX (Garland, Last Outing 35 Game Score vs. Cleveland) at (3-5) A'S (Gaudin, 52 GScore vs. Angels)
(3-3) YANKEES (Pettitte, 37 GScore vs. Devil Rays) at TWINS (Bonser, 61 GS vs. Orioles)
(5-2) ANGELS (E. Santana, 66 GScore vs. Rangers) at MILWAUKEE INDIANS (Sabathia, 45 GScore at Sox)
(3-3) TIGERS (Robertson, 49 GScore vs. Jays) at (3-4) ORIOLES (Wright, 25 GScore at Twins)
(2-5) ROYALS (Greinke, 61 GScore vs. Red Sox) at (4-2) BLUE JAYS (Towers, 1st Start 07)
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