ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The eye test shows the White Sox playing better defense, and the metrics agree.
And that makes White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper the most appreciative man in the room.
“Oh man,’’ Cooper said. “It’s huge.’’
Cooper’s pitchers, aside from fifth starter John Danks’ two rough performances, have carried the Sox to an 8-4 start. It hasn’t hurt that that three new infielders, two outfielders counting a position switch by Adam Eaton and two new catchers have been better than average, according to FanGraphs which ranked the Sox seventh in the majors in defensive runs saved through before Sunday. Last season they were 28th.
Cooper is more than pleased with how his pitchers have transitioned from Tyler Flowers (and Geovany Soto) to Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro behind the plate.
“When a pitching staff is going good, the first thing you look at is the catchers, and the myth of the new catchers and all that crap is out the window,’’ Cooper said. “The next thing you look at is the defense behind the pitcher, which has been good.’’
What’s also big, Cooper says, is the prep work of bench coach Rick Renteria, Joe McEwing (infielders) and Daryl Boston (outfielders) to help position Sox defenders has never been better.
“We are totally prepared to play every game,’’ Cooper said. “Research to make sure they’re set up in the best possible position against whoever is hitting against whatever pitcher we have out there. When you have the pitching defense lined up the way it’s been going, [pitchers] are more comfortable saying, ‘I’ll make you hit it.’ It makes pitchers more comfortable knowing the play can be made behind them.’’
Cooper says ace Chris Sale, who set the franchise strikeout record in 2015, is a case in point.
“Last year he put pressure on himself to win on his day, and to get strikeouts,’’ Cooper said. “Plus he knew if he didn’t strike them out they might not catch it.’’
The Sox are shifting more than ever, “but it’s not just by the book,’’ Cooper said. “It’s how guys are swinging it. There’s a lot more into it than you know. And it’s every day that this is happening. We are as prepared as we’ve every been.’’
This and that
Jose Quintana suffered his first loss since Aug. 15 against the Cubs, ending a streak of 10 unbeaten starts (3-0 during that stretch). Quintana has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his three starts this season.
One unearned run in Sunday’s 3-2 loss was on Quintana, who failed to touch first base on a flip from first baseman Jose Abreu, costing the Sox the decisive.
“In that situation, you try to go in a good direction, but I just missed the base,’’ Quintana said.
*Matt Albers extended his scoreless appearance streak to 26 with a perfect eighth.
*The Sox’ 2.49 team ERA ranks first in the American League, third in the majors behind the Nationals and Cubs.
