A Clinic, a Pulse, Dumb and Dumber

Lucas Giolito of the White Sox offered a fine whine in today’s Sun-Times. “It’s been a lot of stuff this year I’m trying to work through. Mechanically, physically.” I hope Giolito wasn’t too preoccupied with his troubles to see what teammate Johnny Cueto was doing on the mound last night in Cleveland. Cueto held the host Guardians at bay for 8.2 scoreless innings before giving way to Liam Hendriks, who recorded the final out in a 2-0 Sox victory. Cueto threw 113 pitches to come within one out of his ninth career shutout. I couldn’t find a word of complaint from Cueto anywhere on not going the distance. Instead, this was Cueto in today’s online Tribune story: “I know that every time that I pitch now it’s kind of a playoff game. We are in the race, and I know I have to do my best to help the team. It’s that mentality that I have.” Lucas, take note. And, not to pile on (too much), realize that Cueto threw 113 pitches. You’re eight years younger, yet the most pitches you’ve thrown in a start this season is 109, and that was good for all of six innings. In fact, of the six times you’ve topped a hundred pitches this year, you’ve never gone more than six innings. In fact, twice times you’ve gone five, and once 5.2 innings. Not exactly a profile in efficiency a la Cueto. So, the Sox have a pulse and a chance to pull within two games of the Guardians in the loss column with Dylan Cease going this morning. Only the Sox won’t have Yasmani Grandal, not toady and not for some time to come, from what I can tell. Call it a combination of a dumb play(er) and a dumber coach. Grandal was on second base in the top of the seventh inning when recent pickup Elvis Andrus singled up the middle. For reasons best know to himself, Grandal thought he could score, and so did third base coach Joe McEwing. Only Grandal made like Lot’s wife and turned his head not once but twice to see where the ball was. It ended up in catcher Luke Maile’s mitt, in plenty of time to tag Grandal out. Grandal slid awkwardly trying to avoid a tag that never should have happened because the baserunner never should have gone. No word yet on how long Grandal will be out, but I’m guessing two weeks to the rest of the season. So it goes with your 2022 Chicago White Sox.