Lineups: 6/20 – Diamonds Are For Minnesota
Whoa! This game is already underway. That’s what happens sometimes with matinee games on weekdays. Y’know, and when a team is playing depressingly lifeless and incompetent baseball against really weak competition. But such is the situation we are in as White Sox fans. Today’s game actually bears some interest for the future of the White Sox, as John Danksis still only making his 6th start back from major and scary surgery. So far he has cut his walks way down, his change is looking good, but his velocity and command seem to come and go, as he has surrendered a large number of home runs.
Watching Danks is one of the few remaining items of interest for the 2013 White Sox. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Scott Diamond is a major league pitcher, which is more than can be said of many on the Twins staff, and is a member of the Society of Crafty Lefties. Over 40 innings or so, Diamond possesses an ERA of 4.65 against the White Sox. What that tells me is, “Last year’s White Sox could probably score enough to beat him, this year…well…”
The gentleman tasked with mitigating the White Sox’ ongoing shame are the following:
- Alejandro de Aza – CF
- Alexei Ramirez – SS
- Alex Rios – RF
- Adam Dunn – DH
- Paul Konerko – 1B
- Dayan Viciedo – LF
- Jeff Keppinger – 3B
- Gordon Beckham – 2B
- Hector Gimenez – C
Ventura is clearly deploying his “against lefties” platoon of Keppinger, and this is one of the situations where Viciedo may actually be able to contribute. We shall see. Diamond possesses a career sub-5.00 strikeout rate, so maybe his lefty-ness won’t mess with Dunn quite so much.
The Twins will be deploying the following against Danks:
- Brian Dozier – 2B
- Joe Mauer – DH
- Ryan Doumit – C
- Josh Willingham – LF
- Justin Morneau – 1B
- Trevor Plouffe – 3B
- Oswaldo Arcia – RF
- Clete Thomas – CF
- Eduardo Escobar – SS
We get to see the familiar face of Eduardo Escobar. Every time he does something well for the Twins (and against the White Sox) remember that he is pretty much the centerpiece of the trade that brought Francisco Liriano to the White Sox last year. Think about how badly Liriano pitched for the White Sox down the stretch and – …you know what? There’s enough to be upset about already.