The One Where We Wait For Another Tyler Flowers HR – Lineups 4/3

Without the same anticipation as Monday’s game the White Sox will go ahead and play again today, in front of a dramatically lesser crowd, I’d wager. With the offense taking it easy for the most part to start the season, the burden of performance lies heavily with Jake Peavy in his first 2013 start. There are two years’ worth of bulldog starts ahead of us, it would go a long way towards appeasing the half of the fan base that regards his contract extension as potential evidence in the trial for Rick Hahn’s job if he started off with a solid outing. Jake is coming off of a soild year in which he threw 219 innings, the first time he eclipsed 200 since his Cy Young season in 2007. He also struck out 22% of the batters he faced, placing him top 10 in the American League.

The Royals will rely on their other “high-profile” pitching acquisition, who encourages only the most delusional individuals to think that Kansas City has a legitimate pitching staff. Ervin Santana brings weaker peripherals, with lower strikeout and higher walk rates, and he also brings with him the baggage of a terrible 2012 season that featured an ERA over 5.

Once again the elements lend themselves to pitching over offense, weather.com insists that the wind chill will be 36 degrees at game time. That being so, every run counts. The lineup trying to scratch a couple across this afternoon:

1.De Aza – CF
2.Keppinger – 3B
3.Rios – RF
4.Dunn – DH
5.Konerko – 1B
6.Dayan – LF
7.Alexei – SS
8.Tyler “so far so good” Flowers – C
9.Beckham – 2B

From the Royals end:

1.Alex Gordon – LF
2.Alcides Escobar – SS
3.Billy Butler – DH
4.Mike Moustakas – 3B
5.Salvador Perez – C
6.Eric Hosmer – 1B
7.Lorenzo Cain – CF
8.Jeff Francoeur – RF
9.Chris Getz – 2B

Where to Watch
Game available on WGN for Chicago and beyond. Kansas City area viewers can tune in at Fox Sports KC. 1:10 Central start time.