You Want It, You Got It, Not

You wanted the White Sox to have homefield advantage against the Astros, but Sox manager Tony La Russa thought it was more important to rest his players, advantage be damned. After their 6-1 loss at Minute Maid Field yesterday, the visitors looked like they’re still taking it easy. You wanted Lucas Giolito to start game one, La Russa went with Lance Lynn, despite a 5-7 career record against Houston with a 4.41 ERA. Maybe La Russa didn’t know a stat that FOX Sports passed along, that Lynn is 0-6 in his last six starts against the Astros. Oh, and that comes with a 9.18 ERA. You wanted the team to come roaring out of the gate, but Tim Anderson and company gave “lethargic” new levels of meaning, except for Luis Robert, who came to play. For reasons best known to himself, Eloy Jimenez continues to play at being a major-league hitter. You want someone to explain why, if the Sox are going to carry eight relievers, La Russa left Lynn in long enough to give up five runs in 3.2 innings. Relievers throwing 4.1 innings of one-run is, as Jack Brickhouse used to say, shutting the barn door after the horse is gone. You want someone to own up to this mess of a loss. Instead, La Russa sounded befuddled, bemused and betwixt in a postgame question-and-answer session, saying Lynn, despite having good stuff, “was not pleased with the sequence of pitches he used.” Well, how did that happen? Couldn’t his catcher or his pitching coach or his manager gone out to the mound to remind him of all the other pitches La Russa said Lynn has in his arsenal? But enough of this nattering negativity. Today’s another day, and hope springs eternal that a light bulb or two or more goes off among our local heroes. Or else.