Anybody For Some Strikeout?

Introduction: As we learn the game of baseball, we know there exists an inexcusable. As little leaguers we are coaxed into thinking that even though we committed the unthinkable, we tried as hard we could and we await redemption. Rarely will a stranger tell us after the game "hey...great job missing the ball", or "wow...i wish I got to miss pitches like that." The problem is, major league baseball players are PROFESSIONALS and they are paid insane amounts of money to HIT the ball. Lately, for one ball club, notably the White Sox: the Sox batters are still awaiting redemption.

What's Happening: For White Sox bats, a whole lot of striking out. Through 33 games this season, the White Sox have struck out a whopping 228 times. That's just under eight times per game. Strikeouts typically have a domino affect that can plague a clubhouse from top to bottom. Men being left on base, runners stranded in scoring position, stroking the opposing pitcher's ego, and of course, losing games.

Who is hurting most: Jim Thome has to be at the top of this list. Thome has struck out 33 times in 88 plate appearances (.375) Jermaine Dye has had some issues of his own at the plate. In 113 appearance at the dishe, Dye has K'd 32 times (.282) As nice as Josh Field has looked at the plate at times, Fields has struck out 39 times in 115 plate appearances .(339)

Good Eye: In just 97 plate appearances, Pierzynski has struck out only 7 times (.072)

Overheard By Ozzie: "People on base, we strike out. Lead off an inning, we strike out. We have to cut that. That's a big part of the game. You put the ball in play, you have a better chance. We really strike out too much, even the guys who strike out. "

Now What? I could fill this answer with a slew of 'Hawk'isms. Hunkering down....etc. Truth is, The White Sox' bats are in a funk. Any fan who believes that replacing Greg Walker is the answer, has short term memory issues. Certainly somebody needs to be accountable, but this is on the players not the coaches.

"Rooked"

To Ozzie Guillen, Jose Contreras has looked as good as....well... Jose Contreras. And if you've caught a glimpse of the 37 year-old Cuban born right hander lately, it can be a bit hard on the eyes. Watching him pitch has been harder though. Contreras (0-3) had difficulty again last night finding the strike zone, as the White Sox fell 10-3 in Baltimore. Thanks to Buehrle, Danks, Floyd and Colon, the Sox pitching staff has produced consecutive quality starts. Contreras' speedy recovery from a ruptured Alchilies tendon last August has many questioning whether he can be an effective member of the rotation. "He's got to figure it out," Ozzie Guillen said of Contreras' difficulties. "It was a bad game--walking people, didn't get that many lefties out. He walked the leadoff guy two different innings, and when you do that against a good hitting ballclub, you're not going to win many games." Contreras worked 5 1/3 before Ozzie pulled the plug on him; surrendering six walks while allowing seven hits on six runs.
The White Sox bats did not help Contreras either. Apparently the Sox bats were not notified the game wasn't postponed following the 1 hour 45 minute rain delay. The Sox managed to scatter just four hits off recently called up starter Brian Bergensen. Bergensen struck out five Sox batters and didn't allow a hit until the top of the fourth. Bergensen left to a standing ovation in the sixth inning after striking out Jermaine Dye. "That was unbelievable," he said of the appreciative crowd. "It was something that I've always dreamed about. To get that after the first start was something special." The good news is that John Danks (0.75) will be on the bump tonight as he goes for his second victory of the season.

Gosh Doggit!

The attendance trackers at St. Petersburg counted 28, 927 at last night's Rays, White Sox game. Supposedly. During Tampa Bay's three game home opening series against the Yankees, just over 99,000 tickets were sold. Yankee fans make up a large demographic of the St. Pete's area. Tropicana Field holds 36,973. You figure the rest out. Any qualified baseball fan knows that Tampa Bay isn't a baseball mecca. It's actually more of a retirement community that happens to have a Major League club playing there. Why else would they decide to build a dome in the middle of one of the nation's warmest states? Apparently those over 60 cannot handle humidity too well. Isn't the motto of St. Petersburg: Always in Season? It's no secret that a great contingent of baseball fans in Florida are transplants from cities that are home to some of baseballs more storied franchises. So... Please! For the sake of REAL baseball fans and the Rays ball players, relocate the Devil Rays. And while you're at it, rename them. In the meantime, take those damn cowbells away from Aunt Lois and Uncle Henry. Just because they can't hear them doesn't mean the rest of us have to. It just isn't pure. It's not baseball.

Now, on to why I am really upset. In spite of timely hitting and some good base running, the Sox took a 6-5 knock out punch from the Devil Rays. Even though Bartolo Colon's numbers didn't show it; five runs and six hits in 5 2/3, he struck out four Ray batters and only walked one in the no decision. Matt Thorton came in after Colon loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. Thorton proceeded to give up a grand slam to pinch hitter Ben Zobrist, which put the Devil Rays ahead for good. "He knows I have to come after him and throw strikes. I can't afford to walk guys there," Thornton said. "The situation right there, they're fun to come into. But they're the toughest ones you're going to face." Both Carlos Quentin (5) and Jermain Dye (4) homered in the top of the inning to give the Sox a 5-2 lead. The Sox appeared to threaten in the top of the ninth, but Troy Percivol came in to register the save.

Loose Sox: Mike MacDougal continues to struggle. MacDougal walked the only batter he faced on Friday. Ozzie's Mac experiement may quite possibly be drawing to an end. Soon.