Game 158: White Sox at Twins

How many baseball games have I covered this season that are not related to the Texas Rangers? ZERO. But I was looking at today's games and couldn't help be interested in this one. My wife claims the ChiSox as her favorite team, so I always tend to keep an eye on them as it is...
This game means first place and the front runner for the division title. No pressure. The White Sox send Floyd and Minnesota responds with Slowey.

Scouting Report:

White Sox: The official White Sox ledger concerning starters pitching on three days' rest this week fell to 1-2 as Floyd suffered the loss against the Royals on Saturday night. The right-hander actually kept the White Sox in contention, but was victimized by three long balls, including David DeJesus' inside-the-park homer. Floyd yielded five runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings, although he didn't get any bullpen help to keep that run total down, striking out four and not issuing a walk. Floyd has dominated the Twins this season, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.86 ERA in four starts. Minnesota has just 17 hits over 29 innings in 2008 against Floyd, who also has a 1-1 mark at the Metrodome.

Twins: Slowey looked to be locked in early during his last start, but like many of the other Twins starters lately, he could not make it through the fifth inning. Slowey allowed five runs over 4 1/3 innings, taking his third loss in his last four starts. That lone win came at the Metrodome, where Slowey has found most of his success this season. The right-hander is 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA in 11 starts there. This will be Slowey's fourth start vs. Chicago this season. In his lone outing against them at the Metrodome, he pitched a shutout.

Slowey is 1-3 in his last four starts, with his win coming at home and the the three losses coming on the road. In his last ten starts, the Twins are 5-5. He is 1-2 against Chicago this season, with both losses coming in Chicago and the win coming at home. He has given up 11 runs to them at Chicago, with three homeruns.

ChiSox to Watch:

• Jermaine Dye: 4-11 (.364 BA) with a double, a HR, and 2 RBIs
• Orlando Cabrera: 4-10
• AJ Pierzynski: 3-7
• Juan Uribe: 4-7 with 2 doubles, a HR, and 3 RBIs

As a team, the White Sox are 29-97 (.299 BA) with 9 doubles, a triple, 3 HRs, and 12 RBIs off Slowey.

Floyd has enjoyed success this season, as he is 16-8 with a 3.84 ERA. He has four starts against the Twins this season, with going 3-1 in those games. He had lost the first of those four games and has gone six or more innings in every one of those starts. The Sox have won nine of his last twelve starts and he has gone six or more in his seven starts.

Floyd is 3-3 in his career against the Twins, but 3-0 in his last three starts... so that is really the trend to look at, not so much the 3-3, but the 3-0. The current roster is 27-122 (.221 BA) off him with 5 doubles, a triple, 5 HRs and 14 RBIs.

Notable Twins:

• Justin Morneau: 4-17 (.235 BA) with a double, 2 HRs, and 6 RBIs
• Jason Kubel: 5-16 (.313 BA) with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs
• Michael Cuddyer: 4-14 (.286 BA) with a double, a HR, and 3 RBIs

Forecast: I like the White Sox in this one. I could go with the hotter team in the Twins, but I really don't feel it. Now, I am willing to bet that the Twins are going to be watching the starter closer that a hungry dog does his food bowl, so if anything looks to go wrong, they will quickly pull the guy for someone else. This WILL be a close game, to say the least, with both teams putting every ounce they have to make sure they walk away tonight a winner. ChiSox still win: 5-3.

Home Plate