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Cleveland Indians Series Preview: Chicago White Sox, September 24-September 25

The Indians play their final home series of the season with a visit from the White Sox.

Avisail Garcia
Avisail Garcia
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

After taking their third straight four game series from the White Sox just a week ago, they conclude their season series with a short two game set. Both games are 7:05 PM starts. After the game, the Indians finish the regular season with a four game set in Minnesota.

Scoreboard Watch: Rays at Yankees, Astros at Rangers, Blue Jays at Orioles, Royals at Mariners,

[Tigers at Twins, A's at Angels, Red Sox at Rockies]

Team in a Box

Chicago White Sox

Offense

AL Rank

Pitching

AL Rank

2013 Record

62-94

Runs/Game

3.7

15th

Runs/Game

4.5

10th

AL Central

5th

OBP

303

14th

H/9

8.8

9th

Last 10

4-6

SLG

376

15th

BB/9

3.2

11th

Last 30

10-20

Steals

104

8th

SO/9

7.8

7th

*all stats thru Sunday's games except for records.

Not only did we sweep the White Sox in the last series, but we now have swept three four game sets in a row from them, or twelve in a row. The fifteen total wins so far in 2013, matches the 1921, 1931, 1943 and 1949 seasons. The Indians beat the White Sox sixteen times in 1940 and 1948. A two game sweep would be the franchise record against the White Sox. Since our last meeting they beat the Twins two of three, lost two of three to the Tigers and beat the Blue Jays in a make-up game.

Projected Lineup

Pos

Player

Bats

PA

BA

OBP

SLG

OPS+

CF

Alejandro De Aza

L

653

264

321

405

94

SS

Alexei Ramirez

R

653

282

310

372

83

LF

Dayan Viciedo

R

450

263

302

420

92

1B

Paul Konerko

R

500

248

318

357

82

DH

Adam Dunn

L

591

218

320

433

100

RF

Avasail Garcia

R

141

319

348

444

111

2B

Gordon Beckham

R

385

269

323

369

86

C

Josh Phegley

R

196

222

232

323

47

3B

Marcus Semien

R

47

289

298

356

75

This is just a best guess as the Tribe is still playing meaningful games. Otherwise I'd expect Konerko, Dunn and Viciedo to take a seat for Conor Gillespie (87 OPS+), Jordan Danks (83) and Jeff Keppinger (60). The other bench options consist of Leury Garcia (44), Bryan Anderson (16 PA) and Miguel Gonzalez (5 PA).

Projected Starters

Date

Player

Throws

ERA

IP

ERA+

H/9

BB/9

K/9

Sept 24

Hector Santiago (Jimenez)

L

3.53

142.2

121

8.3

4.4

8.6

Sept 25

John Danks (Salazar)

L

4.75

138.1

90

9.8

1.8

5.8

This will make it six of seven games where we face a left-handed starter. Santiago is 1-2 in his last five starts, 4.32 ERA, 1.880 WHIP and 6.1 K/9. He took the loss in the Sept. 13 matchup, six hits, three walks, three runs and three strikeouts in just four innings. In two starts against the Tribe, his numbers are 11.37 ERA, 3.000 WHIP and 11.4 IP in just 6.1 innings. Danks was torched for nine hits and three walks in just four innings in the last series that resulted in seven runs, six earned. He also lost his last start versus the Twins. In his past five, he now has a 6.91 ERA, 1.756 WHIP and 4.6 K/9. In his two starts against the Tribe this year, he now has a 6.30 ERA, 1.800 WHIP and 3.6 K/9.

Key Relievers

Player

Throws

ERA

IP

ERA+

H/9

BB/9

K/9

Addison Reed

R

3.67

68.2

117

7.1

2.8

9.0

Nate Jones

R

4.28

75.2

100

8.1

3.1

10.3

Matt Lindstrom

R

2.88

59.1

149

9.3

3.5

6.8

The Indians have teed off on Reed, eight hits, seven runs, two walks, seven strikeouts in just six innings of work. My apologies on the Jones data last time. I loaded the wrong page. The Tribe has struggled against him, four hits, no runs, two walks, seven strikeouts in 7.1 innings. Lindstrom did not appear in the last series. His 2013 numbers against the Tribe are still at 1.2 innings, seven hits, three runs, no walks and two strikeouts. Ramon Troncoso (90 ERA+), David Purcey (204), Donnie Veal (90), Dylan Axelrod (75), Jake Petricka (15 IP) and Charles Leesman (13.1 IP) round out the bullpen.

On the Shelf

  • SP Gavin Floyd (Tommy John surgery) - 60-day DL, out for season
  • C Tyler Flowers (right shoulder surgery) - 60-day DL, out for season
  • RP Brian Omogrosso (right elbow surgery) - 60-day DL, out for season
  • SP Andre Rienzo (blister on right ring finger) - day-to-day, scratched from last start

Only addition since last we met was Rienzo. He probably would have started the Sept. 25 game.

Almanac

W

L

Pct

RS

RA

Pythag

2013

15

2

882

106

51

792

2012

7

11

389

72

120

282

Last 5*

38

52

422

415

462

451

Last 10*

82

102

446

897

926

485

All-Time

1015

1048

492

8797

8866

496

*Does not include 2013 stats