One team is worried about its record in the young season, while the other is thrilled with its mega offensive production from a Latino slugger. Can you guess which Sox team is which? The answer might surprise you. <\/p>\n
Date\/Time: Tuesday, April 15 2014, 8:10 pm EST<\/strong>
\nVenue: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago IL<\/strong>
\nBoston, ChiSox (no odds yet listed, will add later)<\/strong>
\nPitching Match-up: Jake Peavy (0-0, 2.13 ERA) vs. Erik Johnson (0-1, 9.58 ERA)<\/strong>
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The Red Sox (5-8) just lost their latest series to the loathed New York Yankees and are stumbling along with injuries to linchpin 2B Dustin Pedroia and closer Koji Uehara. Compared to last year’s dream World Series season, so far 2014 has been anything but.<\/p>\n
Chicago (7-6), meanwhile, has trotted out the league’s top scoring offense, top on-base percentage and second-best slugging percentage. Not just the American League, but the entire Majors. You can attribute the offensive renaissance on the South Side to a couple of shrewd off-season pickups.<\/p>\n
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Grabbing Cuban slugger Jose Abreu was a masterstroke. The Pale Hose have heard all about Abreu terrorizing Cuban pitching for some time; baseball people questioned whether he could do it in the big leagues. With an early line of four taters, 14 steaks and a .361 OBP, the answer is a resounding yes.<\/p>\n
In addition to Abreu, shipping former closer Addison Reed over to Arizona for OF Adam Eaton and 3B Matt Davidson was another move that’s paid early dividends for Chicago. The Diamondbacks are in the NL cellar, while Eaton has been one of the team’s best players and Davidson shows ample promise.<\/p>\n
The moves likely won’t be enough for an instant rebuild for the White Sox come later in the season, but they are a couple of beauties from GM Rick Hahn that will speed the process along considerably.
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\nIn the long run, it’s highly unlikely that Boston has anything terminal to fret over. The expertly-assembled and expertly-deployed BoSox will surely find their form and all will again be right in Massachusetts. The team received some good news that Pedroia doesn’t have a fractured wrist, but OF Shane Victorino and 3B Will Middlebrooks are also on the 15-day DL.<\/p>\nOnce the Red Sox get everyone back healthy, the team seems to be too well-built in all aspects not to re-assert themselves in the AL East. Boston is probably a bit relieved to see division rival Tampa Bay’s slate of pitching injuries, as the Rays are the club you’d expect to capitalize on a Red Sox swoon.<\/p>\n
If the White Sox keep the mashing up – which I think they can – they will be exciting to watch, if nothing else. Tuesday’s starter Erik Johnson holds promise like others on Chicago’s roster, but he’s been miserable so far and must gain some consistency, outing to outing.<\/p>\n
Lineups like Boston’s – even at half strength – will pulverize starters like Johnson if they don’t bring their A-game.<\/p>\n
Former White Sox ace Jake Peavy will be on the bump for the Red Sox and he’ll look to build on his strong work thus far, though he earned a no-decision in his last start versus Texas. Peavy is one of the re-treads (along with the likes of John Lackey) that’s found a re-birth in Boston, when maybe some had written them off.<\/p>\n
It’s a nice story and hurlers like Peavy give Boston its pitching depth.<\/p>\n
Peavy will have to pitch carefully to Abreu and Eaton in the homer-happy confines of U.S. Cellular Field, but I think Boston will put a game back on the happy side of the ledger Tuesday night.<\/p>\n