Maybe don't get swept if you can help it - Lineups & Preview 7/2
/The White Sox took two losses yesterday, and I'm going to go ahead and pin it on their starters giving up 12 earned run in 11 innings, while walking 10 batters combined. Somehow the bar for performance for John Danks, who is asked only to clear the standard set by his poor 2013 and his awful start to this year, has been lowered again.
Angels starter Tyler Skaggs has yet to capture some of the electrifying whiff numbers from his earlier prospect days, but just by means of being left-handed, he neutralizes a great deal of the Sox lineup. Hot-hitting Alejandro De Aza is benched, Adam Dunn is benched for Paul Konerko (.634 OPS), Conor Gillaspie is moved down in the order, and the platoon advantage has been taken away from Adam Eaton. Even Jose Abreu, who was suspected to have a slider-speed bat where he would need the platoon advantage to succeed, is .160 OPS points better against right-handers.
White Sox Lineup:
Adam Eaton – CF
Gordon Beckham – 2B
Jose Abreu – 1B
Dayan Viciedo – LF
Alexei Ramirez – SS
Paul Konerko -- DH
Conor Gillaspie -- 3B
Moises Sierra – RF
Tyler Flowers – C
John Danks – SP
Danks' current 4.26 ERA would be his lowest since 2010 if he ended the year at the mark. Since cratering in Houston in May, he's carried a 2.70 ERA over 46.2 innings, and held hitters to .225/.293/.370. The strikeout rate is horrifically low and unsustainable, but pretty much every other indicator is good to go!
Los Angeles Angels Lineup:
Colin Cowgill – RF
Mike Trout – CF
Albert Pujols – 1B
Josh Hamilton – LF
Howie Kendrick – 2B
Erick Aybar -- SS
C.J. Cron – DH
David Freese – 3B
Chris Iannetta – C
Tyler Skaggs – SP
Angels leadoff men are just a rotating cast of blah outfielders who get knocked in by Mike Trout. Trout, on the other hand, is a force from beyond sent to punish us all.
Where to Watch: Today’s game will be broadcast on CSN. 7:10 p.m. Central start time.
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