I Go to Extremes

Far be it from me to go from one extreme to the other, from too soft on one player to too hard on another (see below), but whatever. I’ll start being a consistent critic as soon as the White Sox start playing a consistent brand of baseball, although I will admit they’re heading in the direction of consistent mediocrity. Back when he traded away Chris Sale for Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech, general manager Rick Hahn said it felt being congratulated because he’d just given up Chris Sale. How true. Moncada reverted to form last night, striking out three times on the way to dropping his average to .183, while Kopech continues to puzzle. You never know which version will show up for his next start. This game of good Michael/bad Michael is growing old, especially for someone who’s already 26. Last night against the Angels, Kopech couldn’t handle the return throw on a potential inning-ending double play in the bottom of the first. A 1-0 Angels’ lead went to 2-0. Given that nobody knows how to get Moncada hitting again or why manager Tony La Russa insists on playing Leury Garcia (.193 BA), every run allowed counts. Then in the sixth inning Kopech gives up a two-run homer to Luis Rengifo, who was batting all of .233 at the time. Rengifo’s fourth homer of the year gave the Angels’ a four-run lead, more than enough to hold on. Final score, Halos 4 Sox 1. The Sox had several chances to get back in the game, like in the sixth inning, two on and two out and the score 2-0. Rather than pinch hit for Garcia, La Russa let him face Shohei Otani. Why? Because Garcia had walked earlier. Well, that was in the fourth inning. In the sixth, Garcia grounded out to end the threat. I wonder what kept Jake Burger and Andrew Vaughn glued to the bench. So, it goes. Win a few, lose more. La Russa has job security the rest of us can only dream about.