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I probably begin my thoughts about baseball with something like "baseball is weird" more than anything else. We need to come up with a new way of saying that after the Rangers had perhaps their most fun/exciting day in a couple of years on Sunday the same day they lost the heart and soul of the team for a couple of weeks.
Of course, bringing up otherworldly powerful Joey Gallo is a fun way to soften that blow but that doesn't make baseball any less strange. Everyone is really excited and positive about the Rangers right now and we won't get to see Adrian Beltre on the field for at least two weeks. Being a baseball fan needs to be a classified clinical condition.
Nevertheless, Joey Gallo is here -- of only for a few weeks, and we get to watch him take mammoth swings at the home run porch in Arlington. That's really fun. His orientation, as Tepid so succinctly put it, begins as a trial by fire against arguably two of the toughest pitchers to face in the American League in Jeff Samardzija tonight and Chris Sale on Wednesday. If that wasn't a big enough challenge for the large left-handed hitting rookie third baseman, on Thursday, he only has to hit against the third pick in last year's draft, the ultra talented left-hander Carlos Rodon.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers sit Gallo against Sale on Wednesday since Sale is a filthy being who throws with his spider leg-like left arm from angles that shouldn't be possible for a person. Also, it's perhaps likely to see Gallo on the bench because Adam Rosales did this last year against Sale which is by far the best thing that happened during the 2014 Texas Rangers season:
Series Schedule:
Tuesday, April 2 7:05 pm: RHP Jeff Samardzija vs RHP Colby Lewis
Wednesday, June 3 7:05 pm: LHP Chris Sale vs RHP Nick Martinez
Thursday, June 4 7:05 pm: LHP Carlos Rodon vs RHP Yovani Gallardo
Go Rangers!
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Chicago White Sox (23-26, 5th Place in AL Central)
Rangers' Record vs. White Sox: First series in 2015, 4-2 in 2014
Chicago's Recent Results: 2-1 road series win against the Houston Astros
Chicago's Road Record: 11-16
The Ballpark Park Factors (LHB/RHB): HR: 96/86 - Runs: 106/102
SB Nation White Sox Blog: South Side Sox
| Match-up: (as of 06/02) | Rangers | White Sox | Advantage |
| Batting (RAR) | -7.8 (14th) | -40.4 (28th) | Rangers |
| Base Running (RAR) | 3.7 (6th) | -11.7 (30th) | Rangers |
| Starters (RAR) | 23.1 | 26.7 | White Sox |
| Bullpen (RAR) | -0.1 (26th) | 5.8 (19th) | White Sox |
| Defense (UZR) | -5.5 (19th) | -7.2 (22nd) | Rangers? |
| Overall (UZR + RAR) | 13.4 | -26.8 | Rangers |
Questions to Answer:
- Yay or Nay: Joey Gallo hits a home run in this series?
- Who is your Return of the McLemore Approved Player to Watch in this series? (lol.)
- Over/Under: 5.5 Joey Gallo dingers during his stint in the majors this June?
- What's your guess for line (IP/H/K/BB/ER) by Chris Sale on Wednesday as he may or may not face Joey Gallo?
- Does Joey Gallo lead the Rangers to a series win over the White Sox?
