Series Snapshot: Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox @ Boston Red Sox

Fenway Park

Boston, MA

Chicago White Sox

Regular Season Record: 24-31,  4th in AL Central (9.5 GB)

Boston Red Sox

Regular Season Record: 30-23, 1st in AL East (- GB)

Welcome home first place Red Sox.  You’ve done what we knew you could do, only much, much sooner. 

After a week long road trip that saw the Red Sox go 5-2 and vault into first place in the AL East, the Red Sox have little time for rest as they welcome the Chicago White Sox to Fenway Park for a three game series.

Tale of the Starter’s Tape:

Monday, May 30, 2011 – RHP  Jake Peavy (1-0, 3.00 ERA)  vs.  LHP  Jon Lester (7-1, 3.36 ERA)

The White Sox are happy to have Peavy back in their rotation and are banking on him to provide some much needed quality pitching for their club.  So far this season in just three starts, Peavy has looked pretty good, while serving up just one walk in 18.0 innings of work. He has struck out 14 thus far on the season and went the distance in his second start against Cleveland.

Lifetime against Boston: 0-1, 5.40 ERA. He has 3 strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.

Lester picked up his league leading 7th win in his last time out against Cleveland where he fired six shutout innings en route to a blowout of the Indians.  After losing his Opening Day start in Texas, Lester has won his last seven decisions. 

Lifetime against White Sox: 2-2, 4.99 ERA.  He has 24 strikeouts in 30.2 innings pitched.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 – RHP  Gavin Floyd (5-5, 3.69 ERA)  vs. RHP  Alfredo Aceves (2-0, 2.22 ERA)

Floyd has had an up and down season so far in 2011.  On the road he is 3-2 but has managed to keep the White Sox in many games when he’s pitching.  As the road team, Floyd is 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA.  He’s perfect against Boston in his career and could be a huge thorn in the Red Sox side during this series.

Lifetime against Boston: 4-0, 3.53 ERA.  He has 32 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched.

It is fair to say that Aceves has done everything that has been asked of him and more since he’s entered the Red Sox rotation.  In his most recent fine performance he went six innings where he gave up just one run against Detroit, en route to his second victory of the season. 

Lifetime against White Sox: 2-0, 4.05 ERA.  He has 4 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011 – RHP  Philip Humber (3-3, 2.85 ERA)  vs.  RHP  Tim Wakefield (2-1, 4.14 ERA)

Despite a .500 record on the season, Humber has been terrific for the White Sox.  He’s thrown six consecutive quality starts and his last against Toronto, he went 7.2 innings, allowing six hits and just one earned run.

Lifetime against Boston: he’s never faced the Red Sox.

Don’t tell Tim Wakefield that he’s 44 years old, because lately he’s been pitching like he’s in the prime of his career.  Every since Dice-K and John Lackey went on the DL, Wakefield, like Aceves has stepped up and delivered solid performances.  His last start in Detroit, the veteran seven innings and only gave up 2 runs. 

Red HOT Sox:

–          Jacoby Ellsbury – the leadoff man has been doing it all as of late; doubles, home runs, stolen bases, RBI, you name it, Ellsbury is doing it.  In his last 10 games, he’s batting .308 with 2 HR, 8 RBI and 6 stolen bases.

Cold as Ice:

–          Jed Lowrie – while he’s not exactly struggling, it isn’t the same Lowrie we’ve seen for the first 7 weeks of the season. In his last 10 games, Lowrie is batting .257, with 0 HR, 3 RBI and 6 strikeouts.  Overall on the year, he’s seen his batting average drop to a still respectable .306.   

Who’s Hot in Chicago:

–          Carlos Quentin – He leads the White Sox with 13 home runs on the season and five of those have come in the last 10 games to go with his 9 RBI during that stretch.  His 33 RBI on the season are good enough for second on the team. 

Who’s Not in Chicago:

–          John Danks – the veteran starter has been anything but effective this season and he’s still searching for his first win of the year.  He’s 0-8 with a 5.46 ERA.

–          Adam Dunn – the big slugging first baseman was brought to Chicago  to hit home runs and produce RBI.  Well he’s struggling to do either of those.  In his last 10 games, Dunn is batting a dismal 0.91, with 18 strikeouts.  On the season his numbers aren’t much better.  His average is .181, OBP is .320 and SLG is .331.  He’s got 5 home runs, 23 RBI and has struck out 69 times in 166 at bats. 

The Walking Wounded:

Boston:

–          Junichi Tazawa (P) – 60-day DL, torn ulnar collateral ligament – could being rehab assignment in late May.  Return in July

–          Bobby Jenks (P) – 15-day DL with right biceps strain.  Tossed what could be his final rehab outing May 29

–          Marco Scutaro (SS) – 15-day DL with injury to left side.  Scheduled to see a doctor May 30. Return early June.

–          John Lackey (P) – 15-day DL with right elbow strain.  Scheduled for rehab outing May 31. Return on June 5.

–          Daisuke Matsuzaka (P) – day-to-day with a sprained right elbow.  Expected to get a second opinion on elbow.  Return of late June.

–          Darnell McDonald (RF) – 15-day DL with left quadriceps strain.  Placed on DL May 26.  Return in June.

–          Franklin Morales (P) – 15-day DL with left forearm strain.  Placed on DL May 29. Return in possibly June.

Chicago:

–          Gordon Beckham (3B) – day-to-day with swollen eye.  Will return once swelling goes down.  Late May, early June.

–          Tony Pena (P) – 15-day DL with right elbow tendinitis. Placed on DL May 29. Return in June.

–          Mark Teahen (3B) – 15-day DL with mild right oblique strain.  Began rehab assignment May 28. Return possibly May 31

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