Los Angeles @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( May 20, 2010 ) LA Angels 6, Chi. White Sox 5
Billed as a three-team race prior to the season, the Chicago White Sox have finally gotten the message in the AL Central.
The White Sox will be looking to continue their climb to the top when they open a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Monday.
Chicago slipped to a season-low nine games below .500 and 9 1/2 games out of first place on June 9. In addition, a very public spat between manager Ozzie Guillen and general manager Ken Williams hinted at big changes to come for a team that was expected to ride its starting pitching back to the playoffs.
Trade rumors swirled around the club, with first baseman Paul Konerko, catcher A.J. Pierzynski, outfielder Andruw Jones and relievers Matt Thornton and Bobby Jenks all drawing the interest of contending teams.
But a lot can change in four weeks, and the White Sox won 15 of 16 and climbed to within one game of the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins atop the AL Central with Sunday’s 5-3 win at the Texas Rangers.
Thornton picked up the save in the contest after learning earlier in the day that he had been named as the team’s lone representative at next week’s All-Star Game.
Konerko, who is batting .297 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs, still has a chance to make the All-Star team as well in the final fan vote. The slugging first beaseman’s huge April and May kept Chicago afloat until the starters began living up to their billing last month, allowing an average of 2.25 runs per game during their pronounced streak.
The Angels, who host next week’s All-Star Game, got only one representative as well in outfielder Torri Hunter. Right-hander Jered Weaver, who leads the American League with 124 strikeouts and ranks in the top 10 in ERA and WHIP, was the most notable snub this year.
Hunter celebrated making his fourth All-Star team by hitting two homers and driving in seven runs on Sunday as Los Angeles pounded the Kansas City Royals, 11-0. The center fielder is batting .294 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs.
Hunter only has three hits in 18 career at-bats against Monday’s starter, Gavin Floyd, but two of those are home runs.
Floyd, 27, has been just as dominant as the rest of his team over the last month, posting a 1.62 ERA and a .177 batting average against over his last five starts. He picked up a win last time out at Kansas City, allowing two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings while striking out a pair and walking none.
The right-hander was terrible earlier in the season, going 2-6 with a 6.64 ERA in his first 11 outings. He has struggled against Los Angeles in the past, going 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA in five starts.
The Angels will counter with left-hander Scott Kazmir. The 26-year-old is struggling through the worst season of his career and has been particularly bad lately, losing his last two starts while surrendering a total of 10 runs and 12 hits in 8 1//3 innings.
Never the best control pitcher in the game, Kazmir has issued 41 walks in 81 innings in 2010.