White Sox Report - 5/15/03
May 15, 2003
The Latest
After a disasterous 12-game west coast opponent stretch -- six of them coming on the road -- where they went just 3-9, the Sox are in the midst of key 18-game stretch where they will play four sub-.500 (Orioles, Tigers, Blue Jays, Indians) 15 times combined; along with an upcoming three-game set against their rival, second place Minnesota Twins. The Sox offense has continued to sputter, while their rotation, bullpen and defense keep the team within striking distance of .500 and first place.
Best Offensive Player
D'Angelo Jimenez continues to help the Sox with his consistent bat and patient eyes, while everyone else has relied on the performance of a few games. Jimenez hasn't put up great fantasy points (you could probably still get the most from Magglio Ordonez) but has held a .300 average and a high OBP.
Staff ACE
Bartolo Colon has shortened the gap with his eight-inning, three-run performance on May 10 against the Mariners, but Esteban Loaiza improved to 7-1 this week and continues dominate.
Best Reliever
Damaso Marte has been lights out in the past fews weeks and now has four saves on the season. Manager Jerry Manuel insists Billy Koch is still the closer, but Marte will get his chances pending the matchup.
Player(s) to Add
Miguel Olivo - Olivo has been swinging a much better bat of late and has recieved a good chunk of the playing time over Sandy Alomar, even getting the nod for Colon's start on Saturday. He's now batting .250 with three homers and six RBIs in 22 games. If you have a spot open on your team and don't have the most durable and/or reliable catcher, Olivo would be a good choice.
Danny Wright - Was very impressive in his last start against the Orioles on Wednesday, giving up one run in 6 1/3 innings. And suprisingly looked stronger than last year.
Player(s) to Drop
Sandy Alomar - No need for him. He had a couple hits on Wednesday, but is losing playing time slowly, and as a result, his offense has died since a hot a spring and productive start to the season.
Willie Harris - No need to have him in the first place, and even though he's hit the ball hard, his average is what people see, which could eventually lead to another demotion. If he loses his job in center, look for Armando Rios to get some starts until Joe Borchard is brought up from triple-A Charlotte.
Player(s) to Watch
Frank Thomas - Although Thomas has sparked controversy again with a statement -- this time saying he isn't getting any good pitches to hit -- he has fixed up his swing and watch for him to get into a little grove. How long it will last is undetermined, but it should be good for a few weeks.
Billy Koch - Koch looks to have his job back. He picked up his first save in nearly three weeks on Tuesday with a 1-2-3 ninth inning against the Orioles. In the inning, Koch showcased a good fastball (location-wise, his speed was still in the 95 range) and one of the better curveballs he's thrown in some time, catching a lot of Oriole hitters off balance.
