After their loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday, the Chicago White Sox have been mathematically eliminated from the MLB postseason, meaning that they've effectively come to the end of the road in their 2015 season. As we'll do with each eliminated team this season, let's give them a send-off that would make Boyz II Men proud.
We'll look at the highs and lows of their season, what bright spots their future might hold and what questions need answering as they prepare for 2016.
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HIGH POINT: Let's be honest, Hawk Harrelson didn't have much to get excited about this season. After getting swept by the Kansas City Royals to begin the season, the White Sox never got closer than three games to the division lead. With that in mind, their highest points often came when Chris Sale or Jose Quintana were on the hill. Both left-handed starters were excellent more times than not, which gave Sox fans something to look forward to amid a dismal season.
LOW POINT: On the flip side, Hawk Harrelson was rendered silent on several occasions. Surprisingly, many of those games came with Jeff Samardzija pitching. Acquired from the Oakland A's to provide Robin Ventura a second ace, Samardzija disappointed, posting seven starts in which he allowed six or more runs. Samardzija had his highs as well, including a one-hitter recently in Detroit. But the 10 earned runs one start earlier against Texas highlighted his inconsistency.
BEST HIGHLIGHT: Samardzija's one-hit gem and all 267 of Chris Sale's strikeouts were highlights for the Sox, but the best came from right fielder Avisail Garcia. During their July 4 game against the Baltimore Orioles, Garcia saved the day by robbing Chris Davis of a game-tying home run. This wasn't one of those wallscrappers either. Garcia had to get serious air, but he got up there and pulled it back to help the White Sox earn one of their best wins all season.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: With Sale, Quintana and Carlos Rodon locked into their rotation, the White Sox have the ability to turn things around quickly. The offense has its anchor as well with Jose Abreu. Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera provide some extra offensive stability, and there's hope young players like Tyler Saladino and Trayce Thompson can help in 2016. There's a core here that can win. General manager Rick Hahn just needs to build around it more effectively.
QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING: Is Robin Ventura the answer? That's a question Hahn will have to weigh heavily over the next week, and perhaps be prepared to take on head-on in the offseason. The Sox are 73-82, which is pretty much in line with last season's mark, but far short of the improvement expected. It's not all on Ventura, but this may have been his season to prove he can be a difference maker.
Previously in this series: Phillies, Braves, Reds, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers, Padres, Diamondbacks, Athletics.
Up Next: The Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals were also eliminated on Saturday.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
- Sports & Recreation
- Baseball
- Chicago White Sox
- Jeff Samardzija
- Robin Ventura
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