Patience Against Pomeranz - Game Preview & Lineups 5/13

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Early on in the season, the White Sox rotated between wins and losses on a pretty regular basis, which is the recipe with which they've been able to hover around the .500 mark for most of the season.

Lately, however, the team has gone through a spell of rotating between three or four consecutive losses with three or four consecutive wins. After losing four straight to Detroit and Cleveland, the White Sox promptly won four straight against the Cubs. Now, they're on one of their down turns, having lost three straight after last night's 5-4 defeat to the Oakland Athletics in the first of a three-game series.

On Tuesday, they'll try to turn get back in the win column when they face left-hander Drew Pomeranz at 9:05 p.m. at O.co Coliseum.

This will be the White Sox's first crack at Pomeranz, a former top prospect who is now with his third organization despite still being just 25 years old. Pomeranz was the No. 5 selection in the 2010 draft by the Cleveland Indians and barely had his bags unpacked before they shipped him to Colorado as the centerpiece of the Ubaldo Jimenez deal.

Pomeranz never quite worked out for the Rockies, however, posting a 4.78 FIP in 30 starts over the past three seasons. Colorado had apparently seen enough of him at that point and last offseason dealt him to Oakland for Brett Anderson.

He's pitched primarily in relief this year with Oakland, and has done fairly well in a small sample size. He made his first start for the Athletics last week during a doubleheader against the Seattle Mariners and allowed just two hits in five innings of work, earning him a second go-around Tuesday against the White Sox.

His biggest downfall during his career has been an inability to find the strike zone. For his career, he's walked 76 batters in 155.1 innings pitched and has six in 18.2 this year. That's hardly Maikel Cleto-bad, but obviously something the White Sox can take advantage if they bring a little bit of patience to the park.

Pomeranz features a fastball-sinker combination, with both pitches sitting between 92-94 mph. He dials it down to 82 on his curveball and occasionally flashes a change-up that sits around 86 mph.

Opposing Pomeranz on Tuesday will be Scott Carroll, who will look to bounce back from last Thursday's atrocity against the Cubs and improve his chances to get another call as the rotation slowly returns to health. 

Robin Ventura continues his strange juggling of both the top and bottom of the lineup during Adam Eaton's absence. After the failed experiment of Leury Garcia at the leadoff spot on Monday night, he gets another crack at center field but this time from the nine-hole, with Marcus Semien replacing him at the top of the order.

White Sox Lineup

  1. Marcus Semien - 3B
  2. Gordon Beckham - 2B
  3. Jose Abreu - DH
  4. Dayan Viciedo - LF
  5. Alexei Ramirez - SS
  6. Paul Konerko - 1B
  7. Moises Sierra - RF
  8. Tyler Flowers - C
  9. Leury Garcia - CF

Scott Carroll - SP

Athletics Lineup

  1. John Jaso - DH
  2. Jed Lowrie - SS
  3. Yoenis Cespedes - LF
  4. Brandon Moss - 1B
  5. Derek Norris - C
  6. Josh Reddick - RF
  7. Alberto Callaspo - 3B
  8. Craig Gentry - CF
  9. Eric Sogard - 2B

Drew Pomeranz - SP

Where to Watch: 9:05 p.m. CT on Comcast Sports Net-Chicago and Comcast Sports Net-California.

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