Another series, another red-hot opponent for the Jays.
* General: The White Sox have led in all 28 games this season, the longest season-opening streak in baseball history ... They've beaten up on the meek AL Central, going 18-4 against their division rivals ... The White Sox are at or near the bottom of the league with only 36 doubles and two triples, and have hit just .218 with men in scoring position ... They have been winning instead with pitching and defense. Their 2.94 team ERA easily leads the league, aided by allowing the league's fewest hits ... The Sox are excellent at going first-to-third on singles and first-to-home on doubles, and third-base coach Joey Cora will always test outfield throwing arms ... A contact-oriented club that should hit into a lot of Jays double plays ... Although he's certainly a controversial figure for his unabashed homerism, TV announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson deserves some sympathy after suffering a detached retina. He'll miss the Sox' road trip ... Note the six-man bullpen ...
* Tadahito Iguchi: Hit 24 homers for Fukuoka last season, but has only notched one in the big leagues ... Open stance with an elaborate, timing-mechanism leg kick before his swing ... Compact swing and good ability to spoil two-strike pitches ... Can be fooled by splitters and sinkers down in the zone ... Stick with the junk against him ... Antsy baserunner who can steal a base but can be picked off, too ... Another candidate in what should be a lively Rookie of the Year race ...
* Orlando Hernandez: Considering the excellent Yankees clubs for which he played, it's a bit surprising that El Duque is a mere 5-9 in sixteen career starts against the Jays ... Can't go much beyond the sixth or seventh inning anymore ... Same exaggerated delivery as always ... Throws a two-seamer to run away from lefties that still has some giddy-up ... Will backdoor righties with that pitch ... Watch out for his "eephus" curve ...
* Carl Everett: Strange switch-hitter with two very different-looking swings: He has his trademark rocking stance as a lefty, but really rather still as a righty when the pitcher's in his windup ... Still enough power to drive pitches even the other way ... Careless baserunner ... Less than perfect plate coverage, though; stay away from him and you can neutralize him, especially from the left side ... And yes, because of sac flies, his on-base percentage as a righthanded hitter is lower than his batting average ...
* Aaron Rowand: Squat stance reminiscent of Tom Wilson ... Thinks "centre and right," and likes to drive it that way ... Likes the ball up ... Impatient and likes to swing at the first pitch ... Like Hillenbrand, often doesn't take advantage of getting ahead in the count ... Can be fooled by changing speeds ... Chases down and away ... Good bunter and excellent baserunner ... Erratic fielder that does not take good paths to the ball ...
* A.J. Pierzynski: Likes the ball down and in ... Spray hitter who will hit singles to all fields ... Like Hinske, can't resist sharp-breaking pitches from lefties ...
* Joe Crede: Long swing and prefers off-speed stuff, which he often sits on ... Waits on breaking pitches nicely ... Curves have to be left way off the plate away to be effective ... Often lays off fastballs for strikes ... Good range at third base ...
* Scott Podsednik: Improved patience this season ... Selective and pesky ... Drew a bases-loaded walk to win yesterday's matinee ... Inside-out swing with very little power ... Good slap hitter on low pitches ... Can be frozen on the inside corner ...
* Paul Konerko: In a deep funk, despite his club's winning ways ... 0 for his last 21 and just 4 for his last 44 (.091) ... Had a good first half last season, but everyone remembers his .197 average at the All-Star Break in 2003 ... Winning has allowed Ozzie the ability to be patient with Konerko ... Upright stance with power to all fields ... Can be jammed and is prone to popping up pitches on his fists ...
* Timo Perez: Relegated to part-time duty now that Dye is healthy again ... Likes pitches on the inside part of the plate and can turn on pitches up and in while inside-outing pitches down and in ... Lays off pitches outside where he's far less effective ... Simply can't reach outside heat ...
* Dustin Hermanson: Notwithstanding his more celebrated Japanese colleague in the bullpen, Hermanson has truly been "Mr. Zero" this season ... Throws a good slider, and often ... More economical delivery than in the past ... Excellent location thus far, and he's been coaxing grounders ... Can dial up high heat if necessary ... The Jays showed Todd Williams a thing or two last series, so maybe it's Hermanson's turn ...
* Jon Garland: The American League Pitcher of the Month for April has all his pitches working ... Big, 12-to-6 curve ... Runs a two-seam fastball in on righthanded hitters ... Spots a four-seamer on the corners ... Nasty slider, too, that he throws to lefties on the inner half of the plate ... The opposition has been hitting for very little power against him thus far ...
* Willie Harris: Utilityman is on the bereavement list for undisclosed reasons and will miss this weekend series. Third catcher Jamie Burke was called up ...
* Mark Buehrle: Amazing stat #1: Buehrle's gone at least six full innings in his last thirty-four starts ... Amazing stat #2: The average length of ballgames in which Buehrle starts is 2:18 ... Unlike Garland, he's prone to throwing gopher balls. His slider sometimes hangs, and even when it's on, it doesn't have terribly sharp movement ... His fastball is a better pitch, and his three-quarters arm angle makes it effective against lefties ... "Sneaky fast" ...
* Shingo Takatsu: Mr. Zero is perceived to be scuffling despite only blowing one save thus far ... Throws an upper-80s fastball with tailing action which he slings in a delivery reminiscent of Shiggy Hasegawa ... His arm angle leads to less sink than hitters expect. Pitches that start at the knees stay at the knees for strikes ... Accordingly, when he leaves it up, he gets hammered ... "Frisbee" curve, and even the occasional El Duque-like "eephus" ...
* Damaso Marte: Wild but very tough lefty ... Expected the unexpected with his location ... Very high leg kick, and you can run on him ... Good 93-94 mph fastball that he dares hitters to chase up in the zone ... Likes to work lefties in and righties away ...
* Jermaine Dye: Can be induced to rolling over outside pitches, but takes up-and-away fastballs to right-centre ... Good defensive right fielder ... Runs pretty well despite his horrific leg injury from a few years ago ... Likes to lay off breaking stuff ...
* Cliff Politte: Old friend has been lights-out so far for the Chisox ... Now works from the stretch full-time ... Has been throwing first-pitch strikes with excellent velocity ... Fastball in the mid-90s ... Has allowed only two hits over his last eight outings, comprising 8 2/3 IP ...
* Frank Thomas: The Big Hurt is rehabilitating from ankle surgery but hasn't stayed out of the spotlight ... He called the stiff, newly-proposed steroid penalties "perfect," arguing that "[t]he bottom line is that this is an illegal drug" ... Speaking of which, Jeremy Giambi got promoted from AA Birmingham to AAA Charlotte this week ...
The White Sox come to town, and I think even their most ardent supporters would admit that they're fortunate to be sporting a league-best 21-7 record; they've benefited from a soft schedule, an incredible 12-3 record in one-run games and consistently superb pitching from up and down the staff despite rather modest run support. It can't last, can it?
That said, even the most bitter detractors of the Pale Hose would have to admit that this is a team capable of playing .500 ball the rest of the way; if they do so, they'll finish 88-74 and certainly in the hunt for supremacy in the milquetoast AL Central. Like it or not, the South Siders will be a factor in 2005.
This week's Scout features a slumping slugger, a startling starter and an innings-eater extraordinaire. After a poor series at the plate in Baltimore, the Fighting Jays will have to scratch and claw against a pitching staff that keeps the ball down and uses its defence. Might we see another 1-0, late-inning situation?
On to the Advance Scout!
* General: The White Sox have led in all 28 games this season, the longest season-opening streak in baseball history ... They've beaten up on the meek AL Central, going 18-4 against their division rivals ... The White Sox are at or near the bottom of the league with only 36 doubles and two triples, and have hit just .218 with men in scoring position ... They have been winning instead with pitching and defense. Their 2.94 team ERA easily leads the league, aided by allowing the league's fewest hits ... The Sox are excellent at going first-to-third on singles and first-to-home on doubles, and third-base coach Joey Cora will always test outfield throwing arms ... A contact-oriented club that should hit into a lot of Jays double plays ... Although he's certainly a controversial figure for his unabashed homerism, TV announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson deserves some sympathy after suffering a detached retina. He'll miss the Sox' road trip ... Note the six-man bullpen ...
* Tadahito Iguchi: Hit 24 homers for Fukuoka last season, but has only notched one in the big leagues ... Open stance with an elaborate, timing-mechanism leg kick before his swing ... Compact swing and good ability to spoil two-strike pitches ... Can be fooled by splitters and sinkers down in the zone ... Stick with the junk against him ... Antsy baserunner who can steal a base but can be picked off, too ... Another candidate in what should be a lively Rookie of the Year race ...
* Orlando Hernandez: Considering the excellent Yankees clubs for which he played, it's a bit surprising that El Duque is a mere 5-9 in sixteen career starts against the Jays ... Can't go much beyond the sixth or seventh inning anymore ... Same exaggerated delivery as always ... Throws a two-seamer to run away from lefties that still has some giddy-up ... Will backdoor righties with that pitch ... Watch out for his "eephus" curve ...
* Carl Everett: Strange switch-hitter with two very different-looking swings: He has his trademark rocking stance as a lefty, but really rather still as a righty when the pitcher's in his windup ... Still enough power to drive pitches even the other way ... Careless baserunner ... Less than perfect plate coverage, though; stay away from him and you can neutralize him, especially from the left side ... And yes, because of sac flies, his on-base percentage as a righthanded hitter is lower than his batting average ...
* Aaron Rowand: Squat stance reminiscent of Tom Wilson ... Thinks "centre and right," and likes to drive it that way ... Likes the ball up ... Impatient and likes to swing at the first pitch ... Like Hillenbrand, often doesn't take advantage of getting ahead in the count ... Can be fooled by changing speeds ... Chases down and away ... Good bunter and excellent baserunner ... Erratic fielder that does not take good paths to the ball ...
* A.J. Pierzynski: Likes the ball down and in ... Spray hitter who will hit singles to all fields ... Like Hinske, can't resist sharp-breaking pitches from lefties ...
* Joe Crede: Long swing and prefers off-speed stuff, which he often sits on ... Waits on breaking pitches nicely ... Curves have to be left way off the plate away to be effective ... Often lays off fastballs for strikes ... Good range at third base ...
* Scott Podsednik: Improved patience this season ... Selective and pesky ... Drew a bases-loaded walk to win yesterday's matinee ... Inside-out swing with very little power ... Good slap hitter on low pitches ... Can be frozen on the inside corner ...
* Paul Konerko: In a deep funk, despite his club's winning ways ... 0 for his last 21 and just 4 for his last 44 (.091) ... Had a good first half last season, but everyone remembers his .197 average at the All-Star Break in 2003 ... Winning has allowed Ozzie the ability to be patient with Konerko ... Upright stance with power to all fields ... Can be jammed and is prone to popping up pitches on his fists ...
* Timo Perez: Relegated to part-time duty now that Dye is healthy again ... Likes pitches on the inside part of the plate and can turn on pitches up and in while inside-outing pitches down and in ... Lays off pitches outside where he's far less effective ... Simply can't reach outside heat ...
* Dustin Hermanson: Notwithstanding his more celebrated Japanese colleague in the bullpen, Hermanson has truly been "Mr. Zero" this season ... Throws a good slider, and often ... More economical delivery than in the past ... Excellent location thus far, and he's been coaxing grounders ... Can dial up high heat if necessary ... The Jays showed Todd Williams a thing or two last series, so maybe it's Hermanson's turn ...
* Jon Garland: The American League Pitcher of the Month for April has all his pitches working ... Big, 12-to-6 curve ... Runs a two-seam fastball in on righthanded hitters ... Spots a four-seamer on the corners ... Nasty slider, too, that he throws to lefties on the inner half of the plate ... The opposition has been hitting for very little power against him thus far ...
* Willie Harris: Utilityman is on the bereavement list for undisclosed reasons and will miss this weekend series. Third catcher Jamie Burke was called up ...
* Mark Buehrle: Amazing stat #1: Buehrle's gone at least six full innings in his last thirty-four starts ... Amazing stat #2: The average length of ballgames in which Buehrle starts is 2:18 ... Unlike Garland, he's prone to throwing gopher balls. His slider sometimes hangs, and even when it's on, it doesn't have terribly sharp movement ... His fastball is a better pitch, and his three-quarters arm angle makes it effective against lefties ... "Sneaky fast" ...
* Shingo Takatsu: Mr. Zero is perceived to be scuffling despite only blowing one save thus far ... Throws an upper-80s fastball with tailing action which he slings in a delivery reminiscent of Shiggy Hasegawa ... His arm angle leads to less sink than hitters expect. Pitches that start at the knees stay at the knees for strikes ... Accordingly, when he leaves it up, he gets hammered ... "Frisbee" curve, and even the occasional El Duque-like "eephus" ...
* Damaso Marte: Wild but very tough lefty ... Expected the unexpected with his location ... Very high leg kick, and you can run on him ... Good 93-94 mph fastball that he dares hitters to chase up in the zone ... Likes to work lefties in and righties away ...
* Jermaine Dye: Can be induced to rolling over outside pitches, but takes up-and-away fastballs to right-centre ... Good defensive right fielder ... Runs pretty well despite his horrific leg injury from a few years ago ... Likes to lay off breaking stuff ...
* Cliff Politte: Old friend has been lights-out so far for the Chisox ... Now works from the stretch full-time ... Has been throwing first-pitch strikes with excellent velocity ... Fastball in the mid-90s ... Has allowed only two hits over his last eight outings, comprising 8 2/3 IP ...
* Frank Thomas: The Big Hurt is rehabilitating from ankle surgery but hasn't stayed out of the spotlight ... He called the stiff, newly-proposed steroid penalties "perfect," arguing that "[t]he bottom line is that this is an illegal drug" ... Speaking of which, Jeremy Giambi got promoted from AA Birmingham to AAA Charlotte this week ...
