If You're Looking to Stay Up Late - Game Preview & Lineups 5/12

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West coast games are hard. They start so late and when things aren’t going the way you want them to the Siren’s call of sleep begins to lure you away and before you know it you’re stirred awake by a “this ball game is ovah” of a tone so telling that you won’t even need to look at the score to know the result. Oh it’s hard on the players too. You know, all that flying and actual participating in baseball games.

They participate tonight in yet another attempt to pull back to .500. A rough series against the Diamondbacks isn’t great for confidence, nor is the knowledge that we’re still 2 rehab starts away from potentially seeing Chris Sale in a White Sox uniform again. There was a time when playing Oakland meant wearing a cup for Sox fans because it meant you were about to get kicked in the Erik Johnson. It hasn’t been that dramatic for a while now, but the White Sox have still only one the season series with the A’s once in the last five years..

John Danks will step to the mound just 5 days removed from what I’d call his best outing of the year despite the 3 runs allowed. He struck out 8 batters, he only walked 1, and gave up only 4 hits. Of course, the Cubs lineup leads all of Major League Baseball in K% and he may have also benefited from a friendly strike zone but those aren’t K/BB numbers we tend to see from Mr. Danks so they’re something to delight in while they’re available.

For the A’s is Jesse Chavez, a guy that’s spent more time in bullpens than in starting rotations but is making the most of his first chance to go through an entire season as a starter after 6 seasons out of the bullpen for various teams. He’s sporting a 2.47 ERA and has struck out exactly a quarter of the batters that have stepped in against him. The good news is the Sox should see less change ups than they did yesterday against whatshisname. Today’s small sample size fact: Paul Konerko is 4-4 career against Chavez.

Today’s Lineup:                                                            

  1. Garcia – CF
  2. Beckham – 2B
  3. Gillaspie – 3B
  4. Abreu – DH
  5. Dunn – 1B
  6. Viciedo - RF
  7. Ramirez – SS
  8. De Aza – LF
  9. Nieto - C

John Danks - SP

A’s Lineup:

  1. Gentry – CF
  2. Lowrie – SS
  3. Donaldson – 3B
  4. Cespedes – LF
  5. Norris – C
  6. Callaspo – DH
  7. Moss – 1B
  8. Punto – 2B
  9. Reddick - RF

Jesse Chavez - SP

Where to Watch:

Today’s game will be broadcast on WCIU and CSNCA.  9:05 Central start time.