Consolation Prize

The White Sox avoided getting swept by the worst team in baseball, holding on for an 8-7 win yesterday in sunny Oakland. The game was my reward for working a six-gallon Shop Vac in our basement during a rainstorm that dumped just under nine inches of rain on us. The stopped clock that is the reign of Rick Hahn worked just how the Sox GM dreams it should—twelve hits on the day, with four of them coming from Hahn’s Big Three of Luis Robert Jr., Eloy Jimenez and Andrew Vaughn, six if you throw in the two, homer included, from Jake Burger. What more could you ask? Oh, right, pitching. The Sox put starter Michael Kopech on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. Indulge me here as I question Kopech’s viability in the rotation—the twenty-seven year old needs his innings managed, even though three starters have pitched more than he has. The only starter who’s thrown less than Kopech is Mike Clevinger, who seems to be living on the IL thse days. Yesterday was mix-and-match, just like it’ll be when Clevinger’s turn rolls around. Hahn and manger Pedro Grifol have lucked out with the callup of infielder Zach Remillard, who went 2-for-4 on the day with two RBIs. Alas, there appear to be no pitching versions of Remillard in the system. Which goes to figure with a stopped clock in charge of things.