Series Preview: Texas Rangers (50-30) @ Chicago White Sox (42-37)

The Chicago White Sox currently lead the AL Central, but it may be the division that nobody wants, or at least plays like they want. The White Sox are 2 games up on the Cleveland Indians. Pre-season favourite Detroit is 3.5 back and Kansas City, a sleeper pick, started off very badly but now find themselves only 5.5 back. Minnesota is last and 8 games back.

This is, however a good barometer for the Rangers to face another division leader after facing off against National League teams and Oakland for the last little while. (Of course, the Giants are now a division leader, but weren’t when the Rangers faced them.)

Series at a Glance

Texas Record: 50-30 (1st AL West)
Chicago Record: 42-37 (1st AL Central)

Season Series: 2-1 Texas
Record at Chicago: 0-0

Notable Transaction: July 29, 1989: The Texas Rangers traded Wilson Alvarez, Scott Fletcher and Sammy Sosa to the Chicago White Sox for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique.

Probable Starters:

Tuesday 7:10 CDT TEX: RHP Roy Oswalt (2-0, 4.26 ERA/1.87 FIP) – CWS: : LHP Chris Sale (9-2, 2.27 ERA/2.58 FIP)

Wednesday 6:10 CDT TEX: RHP Scott Feldman (2-6, 6.13 ERA/4.73 FIP) – CWS: RHP Dylan Axelrod (0-1, 4.50 ERA/5.05 FIP)

Thursday 1:10 CDT TEX: LHP Matt Harrison (11-3, 3.16 ERA/3.42 FIP) – CWS: LHP Jose Quintana (3-1, 2.19 ERA, 3.21 FIP)

Projected White Sox Lineup

1 CF Alejandro De Aza (L)
2 3B Kevin Youkilis
3 DH Adam Dunn (L)
4 1B Paul Konerko
5 RF Alex Rios
6 C A.J. Pierzynski (L)
7 LF Dayan Viciedo
8 SS Alexei Ramirez
9 2B Gordon Beckham

Bench
C Tyler Flowers
IF Eduardo Escobar (S)
IF Orlando Hudson (S)
OF Jordan Danks (L)

Bullpen
CL RHP Addison Reed
SU LHP Matt Thornton
SU RHP Jesse Crain
MID RHP Nathan Jones
MID LHP Hector Santiago
MID LHP Leyson Septimo
LR RHP Brian Omogrosso

(source MLBDepthCharts)

For more information on the White Sox see FanSided’s White Sox page, Southside Showdown.