Yesterday Never Happened - Game Preview & Lineups 4/19
/The players are certainly going to try to pretend like last night never happened as they take the field, and I’m going to do the same. You know, off the field. There are good things to look at here. Namely, Jose Quintana’s excellent beginning of the season and the prospects of it continuing. He’s walking batters a bit more than usual than other than that he’s been at or better than the rates from 2013 in the major categories, including the most important, run prevention.
Last season Quintana was working from behind after his first start of the season was a mess in which he only lasted 4 innings and allowed 5 earned runs. No such troubles so far in 2014, as he’s allowed no more than 2 runs in any start and has pitched through at least the 6th inning in each. His 2.37 ERA is edged out only by Chris Sale on the team, providing an excellent 1-2, er, 1-3 punch.
Colby Lewis has only made one start this year. A 5.1 inning outing against the Mariners in which he gave up 4 runs. An encouraging sign for the Rangers, who missed out on Lewis’ services for the entirety of 2013 due to injury after posting the best season of his career in 2012. Last the White Sox saw of him was opening day 2012, when Lewis hung in against a pre-injury John Danks for a 3-2 victory.
Paul Konerko is now 0 for his last 15, as is Jose Abreu. Konerko found his way into the lineup the last 2 games, even seeing action in a game previous, his longest such streak of the season thus far so Abreu will have a shot to break his hitless streak this go-round.
Alexei Ramirez comes in with a consecutive game hitting streak of 21. A hit today pushes him into a tie for the 8th longest in White Sox history with Sam Mele and Eddie Collins.
Adam Eaton’s hamstring tweak isn’t thought to be serious enough to get him a day of recovery, but Jordan Danks will get his second start of the year in place of a slumping De Aza.
Today’s Lineup:
- Eaton– CF
- Semien – 2B
- Gillaspie - 3B
- Abreu – 1B
- Dunn - DH
- Viciedo - RF
- Ramirez – SS
- Flowers – C
- Danks – LF
Jose Quintana - SP
Rangers Lineup:
- Choo – DH
- Andrus – SS
- Rios – RF
- Fielder – 1B
- Kouzmanoff – 3B
- Choice - LF
- Chirinos - C
- Martin – CF
- Josh Wilson – 2B
Colby Lewis - SP
Where to Watch:
Today’s game will be broadcast on WGN and Fox Sports SW. 7:05 Central start time.