The Chicago White Sox (12-17) represent the floor of the American League Central just over a month into the 2013 Major League Baseball season, while the Kansas City Royals, divisional doormats for quite a long time, are currently battling tooth and nail with the high-profile Detroit Tigers for the top spot.
Today, the White Sox and Royals will sent their respective aces to the mound in a matinee show for Kansas City fans that should produce lots of strikeouts. The White Sox' Chris Sale will look to recapture his spectacular dominance of a year ago that drove the Pale Hose to lock him up long-term this offseason.
Sale earned a five-year, $32.5 million deal from Chicago after a 2012 in which he went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Sale struck out 192 hitters in 192 innings and was selected to the American League All-Star team. This season, Sale hasn't been quite the same pitcher; he is 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA, with slightly decreased strikeout per nine innings rate and an ever-so-small uptick in walks per nine.
Sale expressed excitement about his upcoming duel with "Big Game" James Shields. "It's always fun getting their best guy," Sale said. "It's what you want. It's not going to be easy, but it's a challenge and we look forward to challenges. That's the nature of the game."
Despite a 2-2 record that seems pedestrian to the eye, Shields has been every bit what the Royals expected when they dealt their top prospect, outfielder Wil Myers, to the Tampa Bay Rays for his services. Shields has gone six innings or more in every start this season, and only one of those games was not a quality start (six innings or more and less than three earned runs).
The first pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. It can be live streamed here for free or for a subscription fee here. Royals fans can listen to the action at KCSP 610, while White Sox backers should tune into WSCR 670.
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