Tag / Chris Sale

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Interleague Pitching Leaders

Yesterday, we looked at the offensive leaders in interleague games I’ve attended since 1997.  Today, let’s take a look at the defensive side of the ball and the active pitching leaders in the 199 games I’ve attended featuring teams from opposite leagues.

Wins

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 6
Carlos Zambrano 5
Chris Sale 5
Jon Lester 5
Jake Peavy 5

Losses

Name Total
Kyle Hendricks 6
Jon Garland 5
Jose Contreras 4
10 tied with 3

ERA (> 10 IP)

Name Total
Reynaldo Lopez 0.55
Scott Linebrink 0.87
Matt Thornton 0.90
Kip Wells 1.13
Travis Wood 1.20

ERA (> 30 IP)

Name Total
Chris Sale 1.24
Jake Peavy 1.56
Jon Lieber 2.70
James Shields 2.80
Jon Lester 2.82

Strikeouts

Name Total
Carlos Zambrano 62
Chris Sale 59
Mark Buehrle 54
Continue reading →
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iTunes Top 200: #99

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We wrap up the first half of the countdown this week with the next batch of songs tied for 99th place with 41 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#99: Styx – Come Sail Away
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 12/7/2024
Previous ranking: #79

Once used at the ballpark on days Chris Sale was pitching for the White Sox, the 1977 hit from the Chicago band added five plays since 2020.

#99: Mexican Cheerleader – American Nice
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 9/23/2023
Previous ranking: #79

Only four new plays for the song that serves as a ringtone for the band’s singer on my phone.

#99: The Lonely Island – I Just Had Sex (feat. Akon)
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 2/5/2023
Previous ranking: #112

Released as the first single from the group’s second album, the video, featured as a Saturday Night Live digital short, features Akon, Jessica Alba, Blake Lively, and John McEnroe.

#99: Garfunkel and Oates – This Party Took a Turn for the Douche
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 10/22/2024
Previous ranking: #112

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci add another tune to the charts.

#99: Garfunkel and Oates – Fuck You
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 7/24/2023
Previous ranking: #112

Eight new listens for this ode to wanting to be intimate with the object of your affection. Continue reading →

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Active Pitching Leaders – Through 2024

Last weekend, we looked at the active leaders in games I’ve attended through 2024 on the offensive side of the ball.  With spring training winding down and Opening Day just a few days away, let’s take a look at the defensive side of the ball and the active pitching leaders.

Wins

Name Total
Chris Sale 21
Lucas Giolito 12
Reynaldo Lopez 10
Jose Quintana 9
Dylan Cease 7
Lance Lynn 7

Losses

Name Total
Jose Quintana 17
Carlos Rodon 13
Chris Sale 12
Lucas Giolito 9
Kyle Hendricks 9

ERA (> 35 IP)

Name Total
David Robertson 2.13
Taijuan Walker 2.25
Liam Hendriks 2.88
Johnny Cueto 2.97
Chris Sale 3.09

ERA (> 70 IP)

Name Total
Johnny Cueto 2.97
Chris Sale 3.09
Dylan Cease 3.15
Aaron Bummer 3.31
Reynaldo Lopez 3.64

Strikeouts

Name Total
Chris Sale 313
Jose Quintana 214
Lucas Giolito 185
Continue reading →
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All Time Pitching Leaders – Through 2024

White Sox pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to camp today, so that means it is time for our annual look at the pitching leaders in the now 1,110 games I’ve attended, and identified, between 1984 and 2024.  Very, very few changes from last year, with just the appearances leader board impacted.  So, without further ado, let’s get things started with our first category, the always popular:

Wins

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 31
Gavin Floyd 24
Carlos Zambrano 21
Chris Sale 21
John Danks 19

Losses

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 17
Jose Quintana 17
John Danks 16
Carlos Zambrano 15
Gavin Floyd 15

ERA (>= 35 IP)

Name Total
David Robertson 2.13
DJ Carrasco 2.20
Nate Jones Continue reading →
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Here We Go Again

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.  In order to jumpstart their latest rebuilding effort, the White Sox have traded their stud left-handed starter to the Red Sox for four prospects.  Hopefully the end result will be different from the Chris Sale deal back in 2016.  This time around, Garrett Crochet is heading east, while the White Sox will receive catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth, and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez.

Crochet was the 11th overall selection by the White Sox in the 2020 draft.  Thanks to the pandemic, he didn’t spend any time in the minor leagues before making his major league debut on September 18, throwing a scoreless inning with two strikeouts against the Reds.  Crochet worked out of the bullpen for the remainder of the year, giving up just three hits without allowing a run to score in five appearances as the White Sox made the post-season for the first time since 2008.  He made a single appearance in the Wild Card round against the A’s, striking out the two batters he faced.

Crochet returned to the bullpen in 2021, going 3-5 with a 2.82 ERA.  He appeared in three of the four games in the ALDS against the Astros, giving up five hits in just two and a third innings without surrendering a run.  An elbow injury and Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2022 season, and he returned to the big leagues in 2023, making thirteen appearances with a 3.55 ERA.

Last year, following the Dylan Cease trade, Crochet moved to the starting rotation full time and was named the opening day starter.  Coming off the injury and having totaled 73 total career innings, he was restricted to save his arm.  After notching his first All-Star, he struggled a little in the second half, finishing the season with 32 starts and a 6-2 record, posting a 3.58 ERA.

Teel, ranked as the #25 prospect in all of baseball, is the centerpiece of the deal.  A 22-year-old left-handed hitter, he was the first round draft choice of the Red Sox in 2023.  He split 2024 between Double A and Triple A and is expected to be ready to reach the major leagues next year.  Montgomery, a 21-year-old switch hitter, is ranked as the #54 prospect and was the top pick for the Red Sox in this summer’s draft.  Meidroth, a 23-year-old right hander, spent last season in Triple A, showing good plate discipline with little pop.  Gonzalez, 22, posted a 4.73 ERA in Double A last season, working mostly as a starter.

Will this deal work out better for the White Sox than the Sale trade did eight years ago?  Only time will tell, as the south siders look to bounce back from the worst season in baseball history.

Crochet’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were: Continue reading →

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2024 BBWAA Award Predictions

The Baseball Writers of America have announced the finalists for their awards for the recently completed baseball season, which will be announced next week.  It is a good bet that few of my original predictions for the winners will be accurate.  Hopefully, these new predictions will be slightly better, especially since I’ll have a 33% chance of being right.

American League

Most Valuable Player: Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Bobby Witt Jr.

While Witt led the league in hitting while posting a 30-30 season and leading the surprising Royals back to the post-season, Judge’s 58 home runs and 1.159 OPS, the highest number since Barry Bonds in 2004, should take this with no problem.

Cy Young Award: Emmanuel Clase, Seth Lugo, Tarik Skubal

In his breakout season, Skubal looks like the logical choice, winning the AL triple crown by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

Manager of the Year: A.J. Hinch, Matt Quatraro, Stephen Vogt

As usual, I didn’t make any predictions for this award prior to the season.  Three teams from the AL Central made the post-season and all three of their skippers show up here.  I’m guessing that A.J. Hinch, whose Tigers were left for dead before going on a tremendous stretch run to get into the playoffs, will get the award.

Rookie of the Year: Colton Cowser, Luis Gil, Austin Wells

Another award I didn’t predict prior to the season.  The two Yankees both had impressive stretches throughout the season but also faced significant struggles at times.  Cowser, meanwhile, tied for the rookie lead with 24 home runs and led AL rookies with a 123 OPS+, which should earn him the nod.

National League

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The Window Slammed Shut

The White Sox closed the door on the Yoan Moncada era last week, declining the $25 million option for 2025 and making the embattled infielder a free agent.  Moncada, who was part of the haul received from the Red Sox in the Chris Sale deal that kicked off the previous rebuild, was ranked as the #1 prospect in all of baseball, but was never able to convert that promise into long-term success at the big-league level.  He only appeared in twelve games for the White Sox in 2024, spending the majority of the year on the IL with a left abductor strain.

Overall, the 2024 season was not a great one for the core of the team that was supposed to lead to long-term, sustained success.  Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson both found themselves looking for work after being DFA’d by their most recent employers.  Eloy Jimenez, traded to the Orioles at the deadline, saw himself demoted to Triple A before the end of the season and did not have his $18 million option picked up.  It would be surprising if any of the four find themselves with a major league deal heading into 2025.

 

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2024 Predictions Revisited

Six months ago, I made my annual predictions as to who would win what.  With the Wild Card round in full swing, it is time to revisit those predictions and see what, if anything, I got right.

American League

East: Rays

Well, after missing the postseason for the first time since 2016, the Yankees stormed back to take the AL East crown.  Meanwhile, the Rays struggled early and never really found their groove.

Central: Guardians

Would you look at that?  I got one right, as the Guardians led a resurgent AL Central for most of the season.

West: Mariners

The Mariners did lead the division for a while, but, at the end of the day, the Astros managed to win the division for the fourth straight year and the seventh year out of the last eight.

Wild Cards: Astros, Blue Jays, Yankees

I guess I can take solace in the fact that two of these choices are headed to the post-season, though as division champions.  A surprisingly strong AL Central, thanks to getting to face the putrid White Sox many times, landed two Wild Card spots with the Royals and the Tigers.  The Orioles snagged the top spot.

AL Champion: Yankees

The Yankees look to have the hardest path, having to face either the Tigers, the hottest team in baseball heading into the post-season, or the Orioles, against whom they lost eight of their thirteen contests this year.  I hate to say it, but the Astros may make another appearance in the Fall Classic.

Cy Young: Tristan McKenzie

McKenzie struggled this year and split the year between Cleveland and Triple A Columbus.  Tiger starter Tarik Skubal looks to be the front-runner.

MVP: Julio Rodriguez

Another wrong guess.  Aaron Judge will probably take it home for the second time in three seasons.

National League

Continue reading →

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Your Latest Crosstown Pitching Leaders

cws-chiTwo months back, the 2024 Crosstown Cup series kicked off at Wrigley Field with the Cubs sweeping the two-game set as part of the first record-setting losing streak the White Sox posted this season.  With round two scheduled to get under way tonight across town at Guaranteed Rate Field, we look at the pitching leaders from the 90 contests I’ve attended in the annual match-up between the White Sox and the Cubs, starting with:

Wins

Name Total
Carlos Zambrano 4
Jon Lester 4
Mark Buehrle 3
Jon Lieber 3
15 tied with 2

Losses

Name Total
Kyle Hendricks 5
Carlos Zambrano 3
Mark Buehrle 3
Jon Garland 3
Jose Contreras 3

ERA (> 9 IP)

Name Total
Matt Thornton 0.00
Glendon Rusch 0.00
Reynaldo Lopez 0.00
Chris Sale 0.56
Ivan Nova 0.84

Strikeouts

Name Total
Carlos Zambrano 46
Kyle Hendricks 41
Continue reading →
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End Of The Road?

Five years ago, expectations were high as the fruits of the White Sox rebuild were starting to pay dividends and the team, looking to contend for years to come, inked third baseman Yoan Moncada to a five-year extension.  Through an interpreter, Moncada said, “With all this happening, I can say I’m going to play alongside (left fielder) Eloy (Jimenez) and (center fielder) Luis Robert for a very long time, and that’s going to be a key for the success of this team.”  Since that time, the White Sox have played 557 games.  Jimenez, Robert, and Moncada have played together in just 161 of them.

Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert were already on the IL with leg injuries when Yoan Moncada came up lame while running to first base during the second inning of Tuesday’s contest against the Guardians.  He was diagnosed with a left abductor strain, which is expected to keep him on the shelf for 3-6 months, likely ending his White Sox career.  That contract extension, signed days before the global pandemic shut down spring training in 2020, is up after this season and the White Sox seem unlikely to exercise the $25 million option for 2025.

Moncada, who was part of the haul received from the Red Sox in the Chris Sale deal that kicked off the last rebuild, was ranked as the #1 prospect in all of baseball.  After some initial struggles, he seemed to turn the corner in 2019, hitting .315 with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs, but that has been the high point of his career.  A bout with COVID knocked his 2020 season off course, and injuries have been a constant concern ever since.  Will he ever take the field in a White Sox uniform again?  If he does, it will be to play out the string in what was going to be a long, arduous season even if everything went right.