It's time for the Sox to go out and make a statement this weekend, and it starts tomorrow, as Duque MUST have an A-game, and our offense MUST touch Lohse up early (and often), so that we can tire their bullpen in Game 1.

 

Heather's Fearless Prediction: El Duque K's Torii Hunter in their first pitcher/batter matchup.

Game Thread Pinned. Let's go SOX!!!!

El Duque vs. Kyle Lohse

vs.

 

El Duque's career stats vs. Twinkies:        Kyle Lohse's career stats vs. Sox:
5 Starts                                     16 Starts
2-2 Record                                   7-3 Record
4.09 ERA                                     3.74 ERA
1.21 WHIP                                    1.29 WHIP
.242 BAA                                     .241 BAA
33.0 IP                                      101.0 IP
15 ER                                        42 ER
30 Hits                                      91 Hits
3 HR                                         15 HR
10 BB                                        39 BB
22 SO                                        70 SO

I saw a short interview with Pierzynski tonight. He said that today's loss was a tough one but hopefully they will go and "beat the crap out of the Twins."

Edited April 8, 200520 yr by Jabroni

El Duque vs. Kyle Lohse

vs.

 

El Duque's career stats vs. Twinkies:       Kyle Lohse's career stats vs. Twinkies:
5 Starts                                          16 Starts
2-2 Record                                        7-3 Record
4.09 ERA                                          3.74 ERA
1.21 WHIP                                         1.29WHIP
.242 BAA                                          .241 BAA
33.0 IP                                           101.0 IP
15 ER                                             42 ER
30 Hits                                           91 Hits
3 HR                                              15 HR
10 BB                                             39 BB
22 SO                                             70 SO

I saw a short interview with Pierzynski tonight.  He said that today's loss was a hard one but hopefully they will go and "beat the crap out of the Twins."

 

Loshe is not too bad against the twins.

Thanks for posting that right as I was editing my error. :headshake  Can you delete that post now?

 

No, i do not see why it matters.

Because it's confusing?

 

O.k.

I'm not calling the Twins any names this year. I have in the past and it hasn't worked out for the Sox. So this year will be different for me, hopefully different for the Sox too.

Kyle Lohse seems to do pretty well against us i hope we respond after todays loss and beat the twins... also their bullpen is very very good so i dont think we see any late inning Wickman type collapses in this series.

Those career stats are meaningless because of the turnover on both teams.

http://baseball.espn.go.com/mlb/players/bv...d=3858&teamId=9

http://baseball.espn.go.com/mlb/players/bvsp?pitcherId=4789

OH vs 05 Twins - not much there. Stewart owns him. Jones did ok vs him. Hunter has a little history of failure vs him.

 

KL vs 05 CSox - more there. He owns Koney, Crede but Rowand, Everett own him. Harris & Pods also have a little history of success vs him.

 

I think the Twins lack of familiarity with OH gives him a decisive edge over Lohse in Fri's game. Especially since Koney is on fire right now. That should give him a better chance vs Lohse.

 

Ozzie can NOT F up the management of the pen in this game. There is little room for error vs the Twins pen.

Edited April 8, 200520 yr by JUGGERNAUT

 

 

 

TBH here, the pitching matchups are not in our favor at all...my heart says I'll be happy with a 2-1 series win here, but my head says to expect a 1-2 series loss.

El Duque has one of the highest competetive spirits on the team. I think he will bring it tomorrow.

I woke up to get ready for work and checked the score, then box score of today's game. I knew someone would stupidly blame Ozzie for screwing up the because of Shingo's meltdown. It took all of nine read posts to run across it.

Oh thanks for reminding me how bad Konerko is vs. Lohse. He should bat 9th tomorrow.

I woke up to get ready for work and checked the score, then box score of today's game.  I knew someone would stupidly blame Ozzie for screwing up the because of Shingo's meltdown.  It took all of nine read posts to run across it.

 

It is his fault... but not totally. He used four pitchers to pitch two innings? He pitched marte against a lefty and took him out when he can clearly get righties out too? He is our best reliever and to have him face just lefties is asinine. Sure, shingo should have not blown the game but to have one guy left for the extra innings is horrible. It should have been flip flopped. Vizcaino should have come in to get the lefty out so that marte would be saved in case of a melt down. Cotts pitch a third of an inning why? He is our long reliever. I don't know if marte would have done better than vizcaino but our chances are better considering vizcaino never pitched two innings last year. Marte can easily go three probally more if needed.

Edited April 8, 200520 yr by qwerty

It is his fault... but not totally. He used four pitchers to pitch two innings? He pitched marte against a lefty and took him out when he can clearly get righties out too? He is our best reliever and to have him face just lefties is asinine. Sure, shingo should have not blown the game but to have one guy left for the extra innings is horrible. It should have been flip flopped. Vizcaino should have come in to get the lefty out so that marte would be saved in case of a melt down. Cotts pitch a third of an inning why? He is our long reliever. I don't know if marte would have done better than vizcaino but our chances are better considering vizcaino never pitched two innings last year. Marte can easily go three probally more if needed.

Completely agree. While it wasn't completely Ozzies fault, he had a large part in our failure due to lack of pen management. Hopefully he will learn from this and it won't hurt us in the future.

I know that Ozzie let Vizcaino hang out there and "take one for the team" in the 11th.

 

It sucks, but I guess there weren't many options left.

I agree with Qwerty. As far as today's game, i'd be surprised if we won. Hopefully El Duque can follow the script and give us another quality start. The offense obviously has to be a little more consistent.

 

We need that as a smile, lol

A quality start from El Duque and W against the Twins and we move on from yesterday's collapse.

 

Let's get a much needed W to set the tone.

 

Get get em' fellas.

I woke up to get ready for work and checked the score, then box score of today's game.  I knew someone would stupidly blame Ozzie for screwing up the because of Shingo's meltdown.  It took all of nine read posts to run across it.

 

 

I got up this morning and was listening to am 1000. During the recap they said: "VIZCAINO GAVE UP SIIIIIIXX RUNS IN THE 11TH, YUK"....as if it was his fault.

Hey, one pitch away from a " w". It's time to move on we have whole hell of games left to play and its going be battle to the end. 2 out of 3 is not bad at all and our starting pitching has looked great and yes our hitting was alot better yesterday. Ozzie used too much bullpen yesterday but s*** happeneds. Its time to face the rivals who is more than a pain in the ass than indians. El duque show us why we gave you the money and lets all cheer on for whitesox winner. Go get em!!!!

Wonder how the reception for AJ will be?

Notes for the Hostess Twinkies Game #1:

 

Sox make first trek to Twin Cities

Chicago (2-1) at Minnesota (2-1), 7:10 p.m. CT

 

After a strong 2-1 start in their home opening series, the White Sox head on the road to face their primary division rival, the defending AL Central champion Minnesota Twins.

The Twins home opener Friday night will feature the debut of White Sox starter Orlando Hernandez. The veteran right-hander is 1-1 with a 5.21 ERA in three starts at the Metrodome.

 

Chicago is looking to rebound from an 11-5, 11-inning loss to the Indians in which the Sox squandered a 5-2 lead in the ninth inning. The loss prevented Chicago from getting off to its first undefeated start since 1992.

 

Pitching matchup

MIN: RHP Kyle Lohse

• 9-13, 5.34 ERA in 2004

• 1-0, 3.26 in 2004 vs. Sox

 

CWS: RHP Orlando Hernandez

• 8-2, 3.30 ERA in 2004

• 0-0, 7.11 in 2004 vs. MIN

 

Player to watch

A.J. Pierzynski will make his first trip back to Minnesota since being traded from the Twins to San Francisco following the 2003 season. Pierzynski has a .308 career lifetime average at the Metrodome.

 

Quotable

"It's good to play your division opponents early to just get it out of the way and to get some feeling on what they are bringing to the table. There is going to be a lot of momentum changes in this division all year. One week it's going to look like the Twins' division, the Indians', the Tigers' and ourselves. I just think you have to keep yourself in it and not shoot yourself in the foot." -- Paul Konerko, on facing the Twins

 

On the Internet

MLB.TV

Gameday Audio

• Gameday

• Official game notes

 

On television

• MIN: WFTC

• CHI: WCIU

 

On radio

• MIN: WCCO 830-AM

• CHI: ESPN 1000-AM

 

Quick hits

With the 11-5 loss Thursday, the White Sox missed a chance to go 3-0 for the first time since 1992. ... Shingo Takatsu suffered his second career blown save. The first also came against Cleveland (8/7/04). ... Jose Contreras owns a 1.31 ERA lifetime vs. Cleveland. ... Paul Konerko's two-run single in the first inning moved him past Ozzie Guillen for sole possession of 15th place in Sox history at 567.

 

On deck

• Saturday: White Sox at Minnesota, 6:10 p.m. CT

• Sunday: White Sox at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m. CT