Padres Series Preview: Padres Head to Chicago to Battle White Sox
The 2017 season continues for the San Diego Padres as they head to the Windy City to take on the Chicago White Sox in a three-game set.
If the Padres wish to take the series, they must clean up the mistakes they have been committing.
Base on balls, errors on the field, and a botched double-play attempt killed the Padres against the Rangers in this past series. They cannot continue to make simple mistakes if they plan on winning very many games this season.
The Sox have not been playing very well lately, but they are no pushovers. They field a veteran team that is very capable of beating up on the young Friars.
Manager Andy Green will need to keep the kids focused on the positives in what could be a long season.
Game 1- Friday 5:10 PM Jhoulys Chacin (3-5 5.26 ERA) vs Miguel Gonzalez (3-2 3.18 ERA)
Game 2- Saturday 4:10 PM Trevor Cahill (3-2 3.06 ERA) vs Dylan Covey (0-3 8.28 ERA)
Game 3- Sunday 11:10 AM TBD vs Jose Quintana (2-5 4.46 ERA)
Players to Watch
The rookie center fielder is establishing himself in the league as one of the best young players. His defense and base running are a joy to watch, as is his approach at the plate. Margot is already showing more power than advertised and it is scary to think what he is truly capable of. It’s pretty safe to say that he will be patrolling center field for a long time in San Diego. In this series, the Sox will try to keep him off the bases, but they will find that is not an easy task. Expect Margot to wreak havoc this weekend in Chicago.
The cold Chicago spring had Abreu’s April numbers a bit pedestrian. He has heated up with the weather and is capable of hurting you in any at bat. The right-handed hitting Cuban first baseman is a rock in the middle of the Sox lineup. Padres pitchers will need to be patient with Abreu, and not give in to him in hitter’s counts. He loves to sit “dead red” and when he gets it, he usually does damage.
The Padres closer continues to show flashes of dominance, followed by horrible failure. He is young, and it could just be growing pains, but it’s still very concerning. The Sox lineup is potent and you have to think Maurer will pitch in a save situation at some point. Which Maurer shows up, is anyone’s guess.
Matchup to Watch
Wil Myers vs White Sox Pitching Staff
Mr. White Queso needs to be more patient at the plate. Don’t be fooled by his numbers and success thus far in 2017. He has got to allow pitchers to walk him if they are trying to pitch around him. Yangervis Solarte is capable of doing damage behind him. Myers needs to be more selective in order to sustain the success he has already had this season.
Verdict
In a season full of ups and downs, the Padres head halfway across the country to take on the White Sox. In reality, the Padres should have taken the four-game home and home series vs the Rangers, but youth prevailed as the team made several errors. The Sox currently sit 15-17 on the season and have been in a tailspin of late. They have lost five games in a row and only won two of their last 10 games. The Padres will need to play better baseball if they want a chance to take the series. Sunday’s game should be the deciding factor in this series for the two teams. Expect the Padres to battle, but in the end, lose two of three in Chicago.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.