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Midweek musings: Chances are if you are committing more errors than scoring runs in a game, you are going to lose. Latest evidence would be the Chicago White Sox, who had four errors in a 6-2 loss Tuesday (July 23) to the Detroit Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field. On the bright (?) side for the Sox, they did have more hits (five) than errors. About the only consolation for Sox manager Robin Ventura is he was ejected from a game for the first time this season when he disputed an interference call in the top of the first inning.
There always is room around here for the lovely and talented Katarina Van Derham, who is adding to her acting portfolio.
* The White Sox are a season-worst 19 games under .500 (39-58). Meanwhile, the Cubs, who lost at Arizonam are 44-54. If it’s any consolation to Sox fans (and the guess here is that it is not), the Sox are closer to first place in the American League Central than the Cubs are to first place in the National League Central. As if the chances of a team 15 games out are substantially better than one 16.5 games out.
* Speaking of managers being ejecte (well, we were a paragraph or so ago), Cubs skipper Dale Sveum was tossed in the third inning for voicing his displeasure with a called strike on Cubs third baseman Cody Ransom.
* Speaking of Ransom, he would appear to have the on-base percentage (.360) that the front office has in mind for the team’s players. He has 17 walks in 107 at-bats. Starlin Castro has 15 in 410 at-bats, Alfonso Soriano has 15 in 362 at-bats. Welington Castro has 17 in 248 at-bats and Darwin Barney has 19 in 307 at-bats.
* Still speaking of Ransom, he has 35 strikeouts in those 107 at-bats. Which is not exactly what the front office is looking for. A strikout percentage of .327 is worse than Soriano’s team-leading 89 whiffs (.246).
* Speaking of Soriano, if the Cubs do manage to trade him, look for Castro and Anthony Rizzo to challenge for the team lead in strikeouts. Both have 77 (with Rizzo needing only 368 at-bats — a .209 strikeout rate — to Castro’s .188. Which might be one reason you don’t see more playing time for Ransom.
* Speaking of strikeouts, Sox first baseman/designated hitter Adam Dunn struck out once (he did walk twice) Tuesday. He has struck out 112 times in 324 at-bats. Meaning he has struck out at a .346 rate. Which is far from great (in case you couldn’t figure that out about the way he makes outs). On the bright (?) side, he has hit into two double plays. Alex Rios, Jeff Keppinger and Alexei Ramirez are tired for the Sox lead in that category with 10.
* For what it’s worth, recently suspended Ryan Braun has struck out 56 times in 225 at-bats. Which is a .249 rate of striking out. And, non-statistically speaking, he also remains a liar and cheat regarding using performance-enhancing substatances. And no number of games suspended will change that. Nor will any apology — heart-felt or otherwise.
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