White Sox center fielder Brian Anderson is close to returning to the big league club. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Friday, and he started a rehab assignment tonight with Charlotte.
Anderson with 2-for-4 with a triple in the Knights' 2-0 victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The winning pitcher in that game? Jose Contreras, who was recently optioned down to work on his control problems.
The good news for Contreras is he tossed six shutout innings. The bad news is he threw only 57 of his 108 pitches for strikes. He walked five, hit a batter and uncorked two wild pitches. You can get away with that in Triple-A. But if Contreras is going to get a recall, he needs to throw more strikes.
Getting Contreras back on track might make or break the Sox this season. It doesn't look like Clayton Richard is ready to handle a starting role.
Anderson, who I have criticized heavily in the past, will also be a welcome sight when he returns to the lineup. After Jermaine Dye was ejected in Wednesday's 4-0 loss to Cleveland, the Sox trotted out an outfield of Scott Podsednik, Brent Lillibridge and Jayson Nix in the late innings.
For those scoring at home, that outfield consists of two infielders (Lillibridge and Nix) and a guy the club picked up off the scrap heap last month (Podsednik).
The Sox need Carlos Quentin and Anderson to get healthy. It wouldn't hurt, either, if Dye would avoid getting ejected from games. The outfield I saw today in the late innings ranks among the worst Sox outfields of all time. I certainly can't recall a worse one.
Baseball ain't pretty in Chicago.
Both teams stink.
The South Siders are on their way to a 95 loss season. Outside of Buherle and Danks, who do you trust out there? Other than Jenks, who do you trust out of their bullpen.
The Northsiders ain't any better either. Their starting rotation has been a flop, and their bullpen is as bad as the Twins. Ryan Theriot can't carry this team all season.
Good thing for the Blackhawks to forget all this, eh.
I really don't know what you're talking about.
Sox bullpen ERAs:
Dotel 0.00
Linebrink 0.75
Jenks 1.50
Thornton 2.84
Carrasco 2.88
The Sox have gotten quality from five guys in their bullpen, not just Jenks.
The back end of the rotation is a major issue -- perhaps a fatal flaw.
But if I were you, I'd get out of the prediction business. Flames in 4, right?
I have joined a long list of sports fans and sportswriters who failed in predictions. I am sure Nostradamous failed too. It doesn't me I am giving up on my predictions. You win some and you lose some.
Here are my next predictions:
Wings in 6 in the Western Conference Finals
White Sox and Cubs are playing golf after the final pitch of Game 162 season is over
Jay Cutler will be a bust
Lou Piniella will be run out of town by Cubs fans, who act like it's damn birthright to win a World Series.
Vinny Del Negro gets fired January 1st, 2010
Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose get into a fight in February of next season.
"Lovie" gets the axe in January
Ron Zook will get the axe by disgruntled Illini alumni
Da Bulls disappoint for next season
You seem upset tonight, Timberwolf. What's the matter? Did the folks over at Motown Sports take a dump in your cereal again?
Huh? I was laughing as I was writing a list of predictions last night. I was having fun with you.
As for my friends at Motown Sports, why am I upset with them especially with the Twins sweeping the Tigers at the Dome yesterday? I got a chuckle seeing the responses after the Tigers blew leads in Wednesday's and Thursday's game. It's a carbon copy of what White Sox fans feel about the Dome.
its funny, because he said its dark days for the south side, and the Sox are beating the Twins 3-0 lol,
Twinkies, Dikings, Wild, Timberwolves and Gophers suck, well, I guess the Gophers aren't so bad, they did the Mens Gymnastics tournament.....
Welcome to Jason's Take, amborix. I hope to see more of you at this blog. I could use the company, and this well-written blog by Jason could use more hits and attention.
You are right. All of my teams suck. The Twins ain't a playoff team this year because their bullpen sucks and the role players can't hit on the road like they do at home, and it was evident during the Twins' 4-game series at Yankee Stadium this weekend, which the bullpen blew leads and the Twins left many men loaded on bases. The Twins will be joining the White Sox in the golf course as soon as the final out of Game 162 is over.
The Vikings had a great year, and they made the playoffs with no quarterback. What does it say about Da Bears that they did not even qualify for the playoffs for two years in a row now especially losing out to a team that never had a quarterback?
The Wild are a mess, and the Wolves are the NBA's version of the Lions, which is funny considering Da Bulls got swept by the Wolves.
As for Gophers basketball, they did made the tourney this year, and the future will be even bright with Tubby Smith getting his recruits in. To me, the Gophers basketball team is only thing going for Minnesota sports.
thanks for the welcome Timberwolf, I look forward to many a debates with you