Good news for the Sox as Paul Konerko will be back in the lineup on Friday. The Captain has been out the past few days after suffering a mild concussion against the Royals. Like I said a few writings ago, you can’t, you won’t keep Konerko down for long.
I was watching Dwayne Wise the other day, and all I could think was what a good signing he was. Teams need guys like Wise. He understands his role with the team, which makes him that much more valuable. Teams need role players like Wise, guys who know they aren’t going to start, but when they do they come thru….big time. In the three games he played in Toronto, Wise went 4-13 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI’s.
It was quite a 4 games for the Sox. They scored 21 runs, and hit 10 home runs. The home runs were hit by 6 different players. Did anyone think that would happen with Konerko out of the lineup?
The leader of the home run brigade was Adam Dunn. The Big Donkey broke his 13 game homer-less streak by hitting 3 against the Jays, including 2 in one game. Dunn has 34 round-trippers this year, which ties him with Josh Hamilton, who has gotten hot again.
Once Dayan Viciedo finds his consistency, he’ll be deadly. Right now the Tank has tied his season high with hits in 7 straight games, in which time he has hit .400 with 3 homers and 5 RBI. In Toronto he hit .461, knocking 2 out of the park along with 3 RBI. I know a lot of people are down on the guy, but down the road he’ll make people regret counting him out.
Is A.J. Pierzynski starting to cool off? haha. He did go hitless in the finale in Toronto, snapping his 16 game hitting streak. During the long streak the Sox catcher hit better than .360 with 7 round-trippers and 17 RBI. Many of those runs batted in came late in games, when he is at his best.
Did you all catch Tyler Flowers home run on Thursday? I don’t think I have seen a longer shot hit in that park, ever. He hit it into the upper deck.
An oddity. Gavin Floyd has missed time with arm soreness, and at times has pitched horribly, but even with that said he is still tied with Jake Peavy for second on the Sox with 9 wins. Chris Sale leads with 14.
Liked Floyd’s start on Wednesday. He got over his early game blues, and pounded the strike zone. No walks and 8 strike outs for the right-hander, who if he pitches like this will give the Sox 4, and possibly 5 solid starters.
I say 4 because you never know what the team will get out of Francisco Liriano. Liriano picked up his first win as a member of the Sox on Friday.
The best thing was that he only walked one. Weirdly, he walked the guy right when I turned the game on. I still believe Don Cooper will iron him out, and by September Liriano will be humming along.
Two guys the Sox don’t have to worry about is Jake Peavy and Jose Quintana. Peavy did throw 124 pitches the other night, which is one less than his season high. It sure looks like Peavy will go over the 200 innings pitched mark.
For those of questioning my sanity, I want to inform you that I, in no way, am saying Peavy and Floyd’s seasons are the same. Peavy should have about 16 wins by now. Lack of offense has done him in numerous times. Friday was a case in point as Peavy allowed 2 runs in 8 innings, but got another no decision. In his last 3 ND’s Peavy’s ERA is 2.68.
Quintana is still pitching his butt off. His 2nd straight great start saw him allow just 2 earned runs. Quintana is just 5-2, but if you didn’t know any better you’d think he had 10 wins.
Watched Donnie Veal pitch a couple solid innings the other night. He replaced Jordan Danks, who was sent out pretty much right after he hit his walk off last Friday.
Sox now get 3 games at Kansas City, which is never easy. Detroit starts a home series against the Baltimore Orioles. Sox hold a 2.5 game lead over the Tigers.
