The Bats can Wake Up Whenever They Want

Another discouraging loss at the Cell today. After last night's shut out, the Sox pushed their scoreless inning streak to 17, failing to crack the scoreboard until the Carlos Quentin came home on a 1-out groundout by Jermaine Dye. Unfortunately, the Royals tagged 2 runs on Bobby Jenks the inning before, on a double-homer combo by Alberto Callaspo and Coco Crisp (career SLG of .328 and .409 respectively).

You have to feel for John Danks today, he pitched his heart out. Maybe not his best effort ever, but definitely enough to win. When you keep the other team off the scoreboard for 6 innings, you should be celebrating a win, especially when that other team is the Royals, but maybe these aren't your dad's Royals? Or, were we saying that same thing last year when they swept Detroit at Comerica in the opening series last year?

Yes, its only three games (a grand total of 1.9% of the season), but the Sox managed 5 runs and 18 hits in the three game series; 11 of those coming Opening Day, so its hard not to be frustrated right now.

Chicago Tribune recap \ Chicago Sun-Times recap \ MLB.com Wrap \ B-R.com Box Score & PBP

POSITIVES

• John Danks is the most obvious. In his first start after some asshat at Sports Illustrated labels him one of the young pitchers at highest risk for injury, Danks pitched 6 strong innings, allowing no runs and just 3 hits. The only real justice of the day was that he wasn't saddled with a loss as has happened so often already in his young career.
• Carlos Quentin finally notched that first hit of the season, a lead-off double in the 9th that didn't quite spark the rally we hoped for. Still, even with his batting average sitting at .125, Quentin's at least been getting on base, with an OBP of .417, tied for second on the team.
• Overall, the pitching has been very solid. Opponents are hitting .194 against the Sox. The staff ERA is 2.00, and they're averaging more than 1 strike out per inning (1.17). Matt Thornton did a great job cleaning up a mess created by Mike MacDougal and Octavio Dotel continued to dominate; 2 IP, 6 K.
  

NEGATIVES

• Uh, where to start? For brevity's sake, let's just run through the numbers: Alexei Ramirez... 0-4, 2 K, still looking for his first hit of the season; Dewayne Wise... Batting 8th, still hitless, 0-2, 1 K; Chris Getz... leading off 0-4, 1 K; Jim Thome... 0-4, 2K.
  
• Mike MacDougal still looks like shit.

I guess there's a little war of words brewing between Mark Buehrle and management over Buehrle's off-season workout plan (or lack thereof). Joe Cowley writes that the Sox want to see Buehrle work a little harder and get in better shape, but Buehrle is apparently fine with just kicking back and relaxing. While it's nice to think athletes try and take care of their bodies, it is hard to argue with Mark's results... 8 seasons with 30 starts and 200 innings? That's pretty much unheard of in this day in age.

Here's a good read from South Side Sox, one of the finer White Sox blogs out there, on the upcoming seasons for the Sox's minor league affiliates.