Week 2 Wrap-up: Starting Pitching Struggles; White Sox Fall to 4th in Central


Is White Sox slugger Jose Abreu pulling out of his typical April ...

Jose Abreu, feeling like everyone who's been watching the last two White Sox teams in April: cold and alone.

After a 2-5 week (wow, that sucked), the great 2018-2019 White Sox experiment is not in good shape. Even when hand-picking results, the team is 5-9 and 3.5 games behind Cleveland.

AL CentralWL%GBRSRA+/-
Cleveland850.61539345
Detroit640.6000.526206
Minnesota660.5001.547398
Chicago White Sox590.3573.57383-10
Kansas City380.27345373-20


Now, this is bad. However, all we really care about is how bad it is relative to 2018 and 2019. After 14 games, the 2019 team was...5-9. So, this is no better so far. In 2018, after 14 the Sox were 4-10. Depending on how you look at the progress, this team is either on pace to go 72-90 (same as 2019) or 75-87 (an improvement of 1 game every 2 weeks over the 2018 team). Neither of those is anywhere near a playoff spot. Hopefully, things will get better.

Pitching
The starting pitching fell apart this week. Starters were 0-5, and each was a well-deserved loss. None of the starts were good, and so far Carlos Rodon has been the only above-average starting pitcher for the team. The two White Sox closers are both having a positive impact, but their impact is muted by a lack of opportunities. All told, the team ERA is 5.68 - that's not going to be good enough.

(Please note that the WPA numbers will differ from the traditional measure because I'm assigning credit/blame to fielders, as well).


GGSIPTBFHHRERBBSOWPAWLSVHERAK%BB%
Soria22.06000040.1510.0067%0%
Rodon3316.07313067240.13123.3833%10%
Colome44.013111050.0822.2538%0%
Herrera55.019401040.0311.8021%0%
Minaya10.74102110.00000025.7125%25%
Burr54.71931423-0.0117.7116%11%
Infante32.71350121-0.023.378%15%
Frare32.31011223-0.027.7130%20%
Santiago12.71131122-0.033.3718%18%
Banuelos24.01961324-0.046.7521%11%
Jones65.32351328-0.0415.0635%9%
Avilan32.31240122-0.0613.9117%17%
Nova229.343130826-0.0717.7114%5%
Giolito2211.045917512-0.12115.7127%11%
Shields116.02551410-0.1310006.000%4%
Ruiz20.7851301-0.1440.5013%0%
Fulmer3212.7621206912-0.2914.2619%15%
Gonzalez114.32381420-0.3118.780%9%
Bummer52.71440115-0.313.3736%7%
Fry43.71831543-0.3312.2717%22%
Farquhar33.71432203-0.3414.9121%0%
Covey21.31020120-0.3701006.920%20%
Lopez3315.068144111013-0.5401006.6019%15%
Team1414122.0552124177758116-2.7859325.6821%11%
Starters141474.3339747463667-1.3337005.5720%11%
Bullpen14047.72135010312249-1.4522325.8523%10%

Batting/Defense
Abreu had another excellent week, adding another 0.75 Win Probability Added. This team would be truly awful without his production His 6 HR and 15 RBI lead the team. Tim Anderson is hitting well - his .380 AVG and .404 OBP is tops on the White Sox. Yolmer has continued to struggle, but has at least slowed the pace of his struggles, since Ricky benched him for a couple games.


GPAHHRRRBIBBSOOWPADWPAWPAAVGOBPSLG
Abreu1B-DH146317611154161.000.401.400.2880.3330.593
CastilloC11375234690.500.360.860.1610.2970.355
Moncada3B-2B146518212138160.530.120.650.3160.4000.421
CordellPR-RF562113030.400.030.430.3330.3330.833
DelmonicoLF4163132440.26-0.080.180.2500.4380.500
DavidsonDH4184456430.090.060.150.2860.4441.143
L. GarciaCF-LF124515012128-0.120.220.100.3490.3780.349
NarvaezC271001210.000.070.070.2000.4290.200
EngelCF1130512236-0.230.290.060.1850.2670.296
AlonsoDH-1B935413495-0.050.060.010.1540.3710.269
AndersonSS12521941182140.10-0.11-0.010.3800.4040.620
McCannC416501002-0.270.21-0.060.3130.3130.313
SaladinoDH27200001-0.080.01-0.070.2860.2860.286
JimenezLF9389012213-0.11-0.21-0.320.2500.2890.250
PalkaRF723000229-0.420.05-0.370.0000.0870.000
RondonSS-2B521513216-0.16-0.25-0.410.2500.2860.400
A. GarciaRF524202106-0.750.09-0.660.0830.0830.083
Sanchez2B-3B12445035313-0.85-0.32-1.170.1220.1820.122
TeamAll1454712123737152135-0.161.000.840.2440.3160.384
* SLG reflects only home runs, since those are the only extra-base hits tallied in the FanGraphs box scores

Around the League

The White Sox are #2 in total runs in the AL and 3rd in runs per game, behind Seattle and Boston. Unfortunately, they're allowing the most runs in the league (12th in runs allowed per game, ahead of only Kansas City and Boston).

Right now, the second AL wild card would be Detroit, so the Sox are 3 games back of the playoffs. The formerly 0-6 Angels went 7-0 this week. Thanks to the White Sox, Tampa Bay has taken 1st place in the AL East. Meanwhile, Seattle's hot start has been matched by a streaking Astros team.
Wow, that Houston squad is really bangin'!

In the NL, the Mets are still hot, and the Brewers and Dodgers continue to lead their respective divisions. Also, the Cubs are the same 4-games-below-.500 the White Sox are.

AL EastWL%GBRSRA+/-
Tampa Bay940.692503812
New York Yankees650.5452574512
Toronto580.38543842-4
Baltimore580.38545070-20
Boston470.36446168-7
AL CentralWL%GBRSRA+/-
Cleveland850.61539345
Detroit640.6000.526206
Minnesota660.5001.547398
Chicago White Sox590.3573.57383-10
Kansas City380.27345373-20
AL WestWL%GBRSRA+/-
Seattle930.750876621
Houston1040.714473314
Los Angeles Angels760.5382.5534013
Oakland760.5382.54951-2
Texas3100.2316.54077-37
NL EastWL%GBRSRA+/-
New York Mets920.818715219
Philadelphia840.6671.5685216
Washington650.545358544
Atlanta770.5003.560600
Miami390.2506.54259-17
NL CentralWL%GBRSRA+/-
Milwaukee950.6436068-8
Pittsburgh650.5451.54852-4
St. Louis770.500263594
Chicago Cubs480.333481756
Cincinnati280.20052540-15
NL WestWL%GBRSRA+/-
Los Angeles Dodgers850.615885434
San Diego860.5710.55153-2
Arizona760.538173730
San Francisco670.462241392
Colorado4100.2864.55383-30

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