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2021 Series #32 | Indians @ White Sox | July 29-31, 2021

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Wham with the Right Hand

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The Indians travel to Chi Town to renew their season series against the White Sox, who are 35-17 at home against 25-26 on the road. Two completely different teams so far. The Indians lead the series 6-5. The last game between these teams was on June 1, so it's been two full months.

The White Sox have lost 6 of their last 8 and only scored 17 runs in those 8 games. They have got some guys slumping lately so we may be catching them at a good time. Eloy Jimenez and Jose Abreu are listed as day-to-day. Luis Robert is still rehabbing in AAA. I don't know if he'll be ready this weekend.

For the season the Sox are 4th in the A.L in runs per game at 4.94, but they've hit a glitch lately. They don't hit many home runs, ranking second-to-last in home runs per game. But they are 3rd in walks per game, 5th in batting average, 6th in slugging, and 2nd in on-base percentage at .333. They get a lot of runners on and knock them in with base hits.

Tim Anderson is hitting .328/.868 at home, but is 3 for his last 24. Yoan Moncada is hitting .300/.864 at home but is 3 for his last 23. Jose Abreu is 1 for his last 20. Their big bats are all slumping at the same time. But they did pick up a guy named Cesar Hernandez today so he might help them out.

The Sox are first in team ERA and K's per 9 innings.

Friday's game features Mejia against Lance Lynn, 10-3, 1.91. His July ERA is a cool 1.44. It appears we have no chance, but in two starts against the Tribe he's been nicked for 5 runs in 11 innings, so you never know.

Mejia has just been awful. In four July starts he's made it through 17 innings with an ERA of 11.12. He's given up 7 home runs in those 17 innings. I really haven't seen any progress or silver linings in his recent performance. Just a kid who isn't ready but has to take his lumps because of injuries.

Saturday McKenzie goes against Dallas Keuchel, 7-4, 4.32. Keuchel has struggled lately with a 5.73 ERA in July. In two starts against Cleveland he was nicked for 7 runs in 11 innings. But his home ERA is 2.44 against 5.91 on the road so I assume he'll be tough.

McKenzie is coming off an encouraging start where he went six innings against Tampa allowing just two runs. I'm hoping he can build on that. In three previous starts against the White Sox this year he has a 10.32 ERA in 11 innings. They have hammered him each time out. This start will be a good indication on how much progress he's made since the first half.

Sunday it's Quantrill against Dylan Cease, 7-6, 4.14. Like Keuchel, Cease has been hit a bit in July with a 5.33 ERA. He started one game against the Tribe and was rocked for 6 runs in 3.1 innings. Quantrill has allowed 3 runs in his last 3 starts covering 17 innings. He's on a roll. In his start against the Sox earlier he went 3.2 innings and gave up one run when he was still bouncing between starting and the bullpen.

I think we're dead meat on Friday with Mejia v. Lynn, but the Saturday and Sunday games could be interesting if Quantrill and McKenzie can pitch as well as they did in their last starts. The Sox have hit a rough patch and it's not clear how many of their big guns will be playing.
 
Not sure I can stomach watching Mejia v. Lynn. Any word yet on who is replacing Hernandez?
 
I'm not sure what the play time split will be though to fill that vacancy. I imagine we will see a lot more of Clement, Chang, and Miller.

Interesting thing about the standings prior to this game:
Detroit is exactly 3 games back of Cleveland
Kansas City is exactly 3 games back of Detroit
Minnesota is exactly 3 games back of Kansas City

(Cleveland is 8 games behind Chicago, so we're closer to Detroit and Kansas City than Chicago)
 
I'm not sure what the play time split will be though to fill that vacancy. I imagine we will see a lot more of Clement, Chang, and Miller.

Interesting thing about the standings prior to this game:
Detroit is exactly 3 games back of Cleveland
Kansas City is exactly 3 games back of Detroit
Minnesota is exactly 3 games back of Kansas City

(Cleveland is 8 games behind Chicago, so we're closer to Detroit and Kansas City than Chicago)
A massive tail spin to finish the season could find us in last place... We all knew this could be a rough/transition year, but I never thought finishing last was remotely possible, now there's a semi-legit chance.
 
There will be a team meet n greet at 4:45 in the visitor's locker room. Name badges will be available.
 
is it reasonable to think that this will be a tryout for DeMarlo Hale?
 
Lynn sets and brings the first pitch.. fastball strike and we're off..
 
Zimmer with a leadoff single.. a 150 foot gork to left center...
 
Manning <== giving the audience bad information.. Zimmer HAD to make sure the ball landed on green grass.. Manning claiming it was a sure hit is pure BS...
 
No swing.. ball hit jose... he let the bat go.. no intent to swing.. should have been called a no swing.. bases juiced.. no one out..and the Franimal coming up to bat...
 
Franimal with a single for two Ribeye Steaks.. Hosey cut down for the first out at 3rd.. 2-0 good guys..
 
I have no words from that play…. Truly shocking.
 

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