Another fine mess by the Sox
This is way too easy. So easy I should just take a different route.
Can’t do it.
There is a promotion at U.S. Cellular Field for Tuesday night’s White Sox-Rangers game.
Ready ...? It’s Dog Day.
As in, see those guys out there in the home uniforms? They are off the leash.
Or ... It’s Dog Day. Just bring some fleas.
Too easy.
But hey, it’s pretty easy to hike the leg and let the Sox have it the way they’ve been playing at home this season.
Looking to finally get everything rolling after an encouraging 6-3 West Coast swing which featured a 4-3 win over early Cy Young favorite Trevor Cahill at Oakland on Sunday, the White Sox returned to the South Side Monday and made another mess on their home turf.
Too easy, too easy, too easy.
But it’s clear the Sox have got to figure out a way to start winning at home if they ever hope to be a player in the AL Central this season.
Monday night’s 4-0 loss to Colby Lewis and the Rangers was the White Sox’ 10th in the last 11 games at the Cell. Overall, the Sox (17-25) are 5-12 at home.
“I don’t know,” starting pitcher Edwin Jackson said when asked to explain the White Sox’ homefield disadvantage. “It’s baseball. It’s a crazy game. I’m sure you guys have seen crazier things than what we have going on right now. It’s just one of those things you can’t really explain.”
Before the game, manager Ozzie Guillen was optimistic the Sox were finally turning the corner.
Afterward, he was as mystified as Jackson by another lethargic home loss in front of a chilly half-price night crowd of 23,048.
“I wish I knew,” Guillen said. “I just talked to (bench coach) Joey (Cora) … we might put those guys in a hotel here, make them dress at 2:30 (p.m.), bus at 1:30 and another bus at 4. Come back here and play. Do something different.”
The biggest difference at home has been the lack of offense.
While scratching out just 5 hits off Lewis, who came in with a 4.57 ERA, the White Sox were shut out for the second time in their last three home games. Not only were they blanked on May 3, Minnesota’s Francisco Liriano pitched a no-hitter.
The Sox are now batting .225 at home and averaging 3.4 runs a game. On the road, the White Sox are batting .259 and averaging 4 runs a game.
“I don’t know what the reason is,” Guillen said. “Maybe because of the weather, the ball’s not carrying much. Maybe we try to do too much on our home field. But it’s the same guys that were on the West Coast. Hopefully today, we just didn’t have it and we come back tomorrow and swing the bats like we’ve been doing.”