Avoiding more destruction at the hands of the Astros – Lineup & Preview 8/27

Urghloghglooggfff // Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

It’s over. Nothing to be done.

The White Sox, having dropped four out of their five meetings this year, have now dropped the season series to the undisputed champs of The Road to Rodon, the Houston Astros. Through the beauty of interleague play, they have now lost two-straight season series to the mighty ‘Stros, both of which will be seasons where the Astros lost 100 games.

The Sox triumphed when it really mattered, but the Astros triumphed when they had knowingly amputated all their limbs for the sake of collecting disability insurance.

Better yet, after swinging through a 96 mph fastball on the outer half before staring at another delivery in the same spot for strike three with the bases loaded in the ninth, Avisail Garcia now has his first taste of soul-crushing failure in a clutch situation. It will fit nicely alongside his 16% swinging-strike rate in a White Sox uniform and vase filled with my White Sox anxiety-induced perspiration.

But seriously, it was surely a moment he’ll cite as a motivating factor should he become the awesome baseball thing everyone around here wants him to be.

White Sox Lineup:

1. Alejandro De Aza – LF
2. Conor Gillaspie – 3B
3. Alexei Ramirez – SS
4. Adam Dunn – DH
5. Paul Konerko – 1B
6. Avisail Garcia – RF
7. Jordan Danks – CF
8. Josh Phegley – C
9. Leury Garcia – 2B

Jose Quintana, SP

Meanwhile, always onward and upward for Jose Quintana, who could hit 200 innings in his second season in the organization if he makes six more starts and the organization sort of recklessly pursues the goal of  getting Quintana 43 more innings this season.

Jose Quintana has a 9.1% swinging strike rate. Jose Quintana’s four-seam fastball has a 9.1%  swinging-strike rate. This is a needlessly tacky way of telling you something you can see: when Quintana gets swing-and-misses, he just reaches back and fires a low-90’s heater in the right spot. He’s a treat.

Houston Astros Lineup:

1. Robbie Grossman – LF
2. L.J. Hoes – RF
3. Jose Altuve – 2B
4. Jason Castro – C
5. Matt Dominguez – 3B
6. Chris Carter – DH
7. Brett Wallace – 1B
8. Brandon Barnes – CF
9. Jonathon Villar – SS

Paul Clemens, SP

Like most Astros pitchers, the occasion of seeing Paul Clemens scheduled to pitch in a major league baseball coincides with the first time I have pondered his existence. He’s not Roger Clemens’ son? Not even adopted?

Clemens has been with the major league club for most of the season despite being a fairly awful Triple-A pitcher (6.54 ERA in 136.1 innings across three seasons) and is making his first ever major league start despite allowing 13 home runs in 46.2 innings out of the bullpen. John Danks thinks that’s pretty ugly, but we should give him a chance.

Where to Watch: 7:10 pm CT on CSN Chicago and CSN Houston

Follow James Fegan on Twitter @JRFegan