White Sox Fans Concerned About Free Fall
By Brian Draus
Which team was real White Sox. The team that started 23-10 or 6-19. The big question is was this slide just a matter of time?
Regression is a part of baseball, and the Sox weren’t going continue to play at a 23-10 pace all year. The question is will the regression continue? The big concern with the White Sox right now is very simple, is their margin for error just too small?
Judging by April’s offensive numbers, the Sox have an average offensive team. According to espn.com, they were 7th in runs scored (95), 8th in home runs (24), 7th in batting average (.239), and 9th in OBP (.307-tied with KC) in April.
There is not one category that stands out in their April numbers. The White Sox should have a hard time scoring runs in bunches.
The White Sox pitching was dominating in April. Their 2.72 ERA ranked first, their 67 walks allowed were fifth, and their 191 strikeouts were seventh, solid in all three categories.
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This is where things get a bit tricky. Mat Latos went 4-0 with a 1.84 ERA in April. His numbers fell to 2-1 with a 6.41 ERA in May. A lot of the air went out of the balloon in a hurry for the pitching staff.
In the month of May, the White Sox pitchers became very average. With a middle of the pack ERA in the American League (4.15), more walks (89), and a higher batting average against (.261 compared to .225) it makes perfect sense why the White Sox ship is sinking fast.
Offensively the Sox went south as the calendar flipped to May. They fell from 7th to 10th in the American League runs scored (123), 8th to 14th in home runs (24-tied with KC for last in the AL), 7th to 9th in batting average (AL) (.252), but moved up from 9th to 6th in OBP (.323). The White Sox played more games (28 instead of 25), and the weather warms up a bit, usually hitting improves.
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The White Sox have been solid all season defensively. Last season theWhite Sox struggled out of the gate to catch the baseball, this year they are second in the majors and first in the American League with only 25 errors (according to mlb.com). Only the Washington Nationals have less with 22.
The White Sox have a razor-thin margin for error. One slump or player out of the lineup makes it very hard to win.
The trickle down effect, when Austin Jackson and Melky Cabrera missed games in Detroit hurt tremendously in the field and at the plate. The lights out bullpen have not been so lights out recently, also making it very hard to win.
Neither April nor May showed the real Chicago White Sox. This team isn’t great, and it isn’t terrible. I doubt it is a World Series threat as of right now. However, it can still be competitive if it finds its way again.
Next: Target Options After Shields Acquisition
Whether that happens or not is the big question. And it needs to be answered soon, or expect another long season at 35th and Shields.