Count on It: Orioles Trim White Sox, Sale

August 19, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts while wondering how many people expected Bud Norris to outpitch Chris Sale in Monday night’s Baltimore Orioles-Chicago White Sox contest at U.S. Cellular Field:

Hey, bowling fans, there’s video below of Belen Gimenez.

* Speaking of Sale (10-3, 2.12 earned-run average), he gave up three runs in six innings on eight hits and eight strikeouts. He threw 121 pitches. Which, if the ElliottHarris.com corporate calculator is correct, means he threw about 20 pitches per inning. Norris (11-7) gave up two runs on three hits in seven innings (82 pitches). Then again, Norris struck out only five. So there’s that. Not sure you can teach pitching efficiency, but if you can, someone needs to give Sale some lessons. And while you’re at it, maybe a hint on how to beat Baltimore, the only American League team he has not defeated.

* If it’s any consolation to Sox fans (and the guess here is that it is not), Avisail Garcia went 1-for-3 and drove in the team’s runs in raising his batting average to .300. Meaning the Sox have three .300 hitters (Conor Gillaspie at .309 and Jose Abreu at .302) to none for the Orioles.

* The Chicago Cubs defeated the Mets 4-1 in New York. If the Cubs aren’t careful, the National League Central’s cellar dwellers will win their way out of a top five draft pick in 2015. Rest assured, Cubs fans, the team will be careful.

* Speaking of the Cubs, rookie second baseman Javier Baez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning. He went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. Meaning he has five homers in 60 at-bats. And 24 strikeouts. The statistical-analysis department around here calculates that to a homer avery 12 at-bats. And a strikeout 40 percent of the time. One of those stats is Hall of Fame worthy (hint: It’s not the strikeouts).

* Speaking of Cubs home runs, Anthony Rizzo hit his 28th in the eighth to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead. He also struck out once for 100 this season. He has 460 at-bats. Meaning he homers once every 16.4 at-bats and strikes out 22 percent of the time.

* True or false: Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (5-1, 1.66 ERA) is proof the Cubs don’t need to add a big-money, free-agent pitcher in the offseason. Best guess is it’s true, if you’re Cubs upper management; false, if you’re a Cubs fan hoping the team will contend for something more than not being a last-place team in 2015.

* With the addition of receiver Santonio Holmes, the Chicago Bears now have a player whose name also spells “monolith season.” Do with this knowledge whatever you like.

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Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the exceptional efforts of the editorial and video departments of ElliottHarris.com):