Now, let's talk about our Major League faceoff, the Chicago White Sox at the Miami Marlins. On the mound for the White Sox, we've got Drew Thorpe, who's striking out players at a whizzing 5.8 strikeouts-per-nine-innings. Not exactly dazzling in his 4 appearances this season, but let's not forget he's a role player.
Our Marlins, on the other hand, are sending in Bryan Hoeing. Now that's a character. Just look at his numbers: 1.946 ERA, striking out about 7.8 men per nine. You can't help but appreciate such tenacity in his 11 appearances.
Now, let's talk turf. Playing at loanDepot Park, I've got to say, it doesn't seem like the friendliest field for batters, although our athletes today might prove to be exceptions.
Looking at some heavy hitters, the White Sox are pretty loaded with Andrew Vaughn, Oscar Colas, Luis Robert, and Paul DeJong. Specifically, Vaughn, who seems to be putting on a clinic with a .327 batting average and 22 RBIs. And on the Marlins side, they've got a decent lineup with Jazz Chisholm Jr., Tim Anderson, Bryan De La Cruz, and Jesus Sanchez. But they don't match the Sox, do they?
Can't ignore the track record between these two teams. Last three outings were pretty neck and neck, with the Marlins winning twice. Chicago has the most recent win, but Marlins seem to have their number overall.
Chicago's inconsistent recent results against Cleveland and Colorado show some trouble closing out games. Meanwhile, Miami has similar issues with Boston and Philadelphia, but their last win was a close call.
Here's to making a tough call. I've got to go with the Marlins on this one folks. As per their track record against the Sox, and their home-field advantage, not to mention Hoeing's stats, I see a rocky road for the Sox.
Albert’s Prediction: Miami Marlins by 2