You Should Talk

Clare called yesterday morning to complain about White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal. “I didn’t like him before. Now, he’s dead to me.” And what did Grandal do to earn your scorn, my child? “He tweeted about the new Cubs’ [Nike MLB City Connect Series’] uniforms.” Grandal wondered, “What d3 school do you [guys] play for[?]” a question sure to set off any NCAA Division-3 athlete, not that Grandal would care. But, really, Yasmani, people in glass houses and all. The Sox took a 2-1 lead over the visiting Blue Jays into the eighth inning last night, Aaron Bummer relieving for starter Lance Lynne, who’d held Toronto to a run on four hits. With one out, pinch-hitter Riley Adams struck out swinging, or he would’ve been out had Grandal been able to hold onto the ball, which was ruled a wild pitch. Then, two singles and a game-tying walk, then Tim Anderson trying to be Ozzie Smith on the pivot for what could’ve been an inning-ending double play but turned into a two-run throwing error. Final score, Jays 6 Sox 2. Grandal went 0-for-2, putting his BA at .155; the two walks give him an OBP of .398. That translates into 28 runs scored and 21 RBIs. For you James McCann fans out there, the ex-Sox catcher his hitting .235 with 14 runs scored and 22 RBIS with a .295 OBP. McCann also has five passed balls and three errors to five passed balls and five errors for Grandal, who has thrown out five baserunners to McCann’s eight. In addition, the Sox have five more wild pitches than the Mets. Sox manager Tony La Russa keeps doing his Rick Renteria imitation, this time by saying Bummer had “buzzard’s luck” in the eighth, what with the wild pitch and an infield single. No, he didn’t. Buzzards don’t walk in the tying run on five pitches. And managers who keep offering excuses for their players risk losing both the clubhouse and the fan base by season’s end. Lord knows La Russa has already lost me.