WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JULY 9, 2016 “Sale ties career-high 8 ER in loss to Braves” … Scott Merkin and Mark Bowman, MLB.com “Sale pitches game to forget in loss to Braves” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Anderson turns third White Sox triple play of ‘16” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Frazier family looking for repeat Derby win” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Morneau to shift rehab stint to Double-A” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Quintana, Teheran face off in Chicago” … Mark Bowman, MLB.com “Adam Eaton hit a homer, so it was time for his teammates to rock him to sleep” … Chris Landers, MLB.com Cut4 “Chris Sale, White Sox rocked by Braves” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “For White Sox, third triple play an ‘odd’ footnote to loss” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “White Sox become first team since 1979 to turn three triple plays in a season” … JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago “Todd Frazier thinks experience will help his Home Run Derby title defense” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “‘Tricky’ for White Sox to determine when Justin Morneau will be ready” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Friday’s recap: Braves 11, White Sox 8” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “Ouch! Chris Sale gives up eight runs in worst outing of season” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “Braves’ Tyler Flowers says Mike Foltynewicz has arm to be dangerous” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “White Sox become first team since 1979 to turn three triple plays in a season” … Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune “Sox’ Sale “looks mortal”, struggles in 11-8 loss to Braves” … Jeff Arnold, Chicago Sun-Times “White Sox first team since 1979 to turn three triple plays” … Jeff Arnold, Chicago Sun-Times “White Sox notes: Flowers returns, Frazier’s home run derby plan” … Jeff Arnold “Chicago White Sox ace Sale embarrassed by his performance” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Braves overcome triple play, beat White Sox 11-8” … Matt Carlson, Associated Press “Dueling aces? Sale, Arrieta embrace possibility of All-Star start” … Chris Emma, CBS Chicago “Levine: White Sox slugger Todd Frazier eager to defend Home Run crown” … Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago “Chris Sale not himself in 11-8 loss to Braves” … Lauren Comitor, The Athletic “White Sox first to turn trio of triple plays in same season since 1979” … Mark Townsend, Yahoo! Sports “White Sox announcer with cerebral palsy finds his calling” … Natalie Angley, CNN

Sale ties career-high 8 ER in loss to Braves By Scott Merkin and Mark Bowman / MLB.com | July 8th, 2016

CHICAGO -- Chris Sale will be making his fifth straight All-Star appearance, and there's a chance the White Sox ace could be named the American League starter. But the southpaw didn't exactly strengthen his resume during an 11-8 loss to the Braves Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field. "[Sale] wasn't as sharp as he usually is," Braves catcher and Sale's former personal catcher Tyler Flowers said. "These are the kinds of days you hope to face guys of that caliber and just try to be ready for the mistake and take advantage of it."

Against one of the worst teams in the game, Sale tied his career-high by allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked two, yielding three home runs and a career-high seven extra-base hits in a single start. He dropped to 14-3 with his ERA rising to 3.38. Since Sale suffered his first loss on May 24, after nine wins in nine starts, he has allowed 65 hits and 35 earned runs over 56 2/3 innings, with 61 strikeouts and 12 home runs. "Velocity wise, tonight he looked mortal," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Sale. "They got some good swings at him. There was some hard contact, a couple homers; it just looked like it wasn't his best stuff. There was some velocity there you'd see every once in a while, but mostly if you're missing in the middle, they're going to hit it." Atlanta had 15 hits, including a career-high four from Adonis Garcia. Flowers, who caught every start Sale made for the White Sox in 2014 and 2015, homered and drove in three, while Gordon Beckham, another former Sale teammate in Chicago, had three hits. Every Braves' starter but Erick Aybar had at least one hit. "Pretty embarrassing. It's about as bad as I possibly think I've been in awhile," Sale said. "Stuff like this happens. You take the good with the bad, and this certainly was the bad." Matt Wisler earned the victory, although he gave up six runs on eight hits over five innings. Chris Withrow threw 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief. Adam Eaton and Todd Frazier homered for the White Sox. "It was kind of a weird game to start off with, but ultimately, the good guys came out on top," the Braves' Freddie Freeman said. "We haven't scored that many runs in a while, and then to get that many hits. It was good to come back in that game. It was definitely a weird game, but it was nice to win." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Turning three: For the third time this year, fourth if you count Cactus League play, the White Sox turned a triple play. The first two came at U.S. Cellular Field, as well, on April 22 against the Rangers and on May 18 against the Astros. This one took place in the third, after a Sale walk to Chase d'Arnaud and a Beckham single. Freeman hit a liner to short that Tim Anderson trapped, and with d'Arnaud going back to the base, he was able to tag him, step on second and throw to first to get Freeman. "Everything has to go right with a triple play and that did," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "Chase was hung out there. He couldn't do anything. The stars were aligned for that one. Freeman hit it right on the screws." Braves bats come alive: After making multiple defensive mistakes during a three-run second inning that gave the White Sox a 4-3 lead, the Braves tied the game when Nick Markakis began the fourth inning with his third home run within a span of seven at-bats. Atlanta took the lead for good during a four-run fifth inning that included three consecutive two-out doubles recorded by Jeff Francoeur, Flowers and Garcia. Falling a little short: The White Sox had runners on second and third, two out and Eaton at the plate in the sixth inning against Joel De La Cruz, with the right fielder having worked the count full. Jose Abreu and Frazier followed in the lineup, waiting for an attempt to cut into an 11-6 deficit, but Eaton struck out swinging to end the frame. Ugly, but not costly: Most of the damage Wisler incurred came during the three-run third inning that included Ender Inciarte making a wayward throw to second base and Markakis allowing J.B. Shuck's RBI double to fall in front of him in shallow right field. Wisler added to the defensive woes when he opted to field Eaton's squeeze bunt as it appeared to be going foul, allowing the run to score and Eaton to reach base. "We never stopped playing," Snitker said. "We never quit. How do you explain it? It's baseball and those things happen."

QUOTABLE "We score eight runs, and you got to have that game. You score eight runs, and you've got to win." -- Sale, on his difficult start SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Courtesy of the home runs hit by Freeman and Markakis, Sale allowed two home runs in the first five at-bats against left-handed hitters on Friday. He had allowed two home runs in 58 at-bats against lefty hitters during his previous 14 starts. REVERSAL OF FORTUNE Sale's eight runs represented a season-high allowed and his highest total since April 30, 2015, when he gave up nine (eight earned). The setback also snapped a five-start winning streak for Sale, who also won in each of his first nine starts. WHAT'S NEXT Braves: Julio Teheran will take the mound when Atlanta and Chicago resume this three-game series on Saturday at 2:10 p.m. ET. Teheran will making his first start since undergoing treatment earlier this week for an infected right thigh. The All-Star hurler has allowed two earned runs or less in 10 of his past 14 starts. White Sox: Jose Quintana (6-8, 3.06) makes his 18th start and final before the All-Star break on Saturday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field at 1:10 p.m. CT. Quintana went 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA over his first seven starts and 1-7 with a 4.23 ERA over his last 10.

Sale pitches game to forget in loss to Braves White Sox ace allows 8 earned runs, which ties his career high By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 8th, 2016

CHICAGO -- Let's say the following scenario was laid out to the White Sox prior to Friday night's series opener with the Braves at U.S. Cellular Field. Your offense scores eight runs, and Chris Sale, who is a strong candidate to be named the American League starting pitcher in his fifth straight All-Star appearance, is on the mound. Almost everyone presented this situation would have guessed the same result: an easy White Sox victory. Instead Sale lasted five innings, giving up a season-high eight earned runs, also tying the most in his career, and a career-high seven extra-base hits, as the Braves pounded their way to an 11-8 victory. Sale watched his ERA rise to 3.38 and his record drop to 14-3, which stands as an outstanding first half for the season. But the always accountable team leader knew he had to be far better in this particular contest. "Pretty embarrassing. It's about as bad as I possibly think I've been in a while," said Sale, who struck out five, walked two and was tagged for three home runs. "I definitely would have liked to have been better tonight for the guys. "We score eight runs, and you got to have that game. You score eight runs, and you've got to win." The Tyler Flowers factor came into play at some level on Friday. The current Braves catcher was behind the plate for every one of Sale's starts from 2014-15 when they played together with the White Sox.

Before the game, Flowers laughed at the idea that he had Sale figured out with all of this past knowledge. Then Flowers knocked out a two-run homer and an RBI double against his friend. "Yeah, I think you know who won that battle," Sale said. "He's seen me more than anybody. You tip your cap and you move on. Just move on." "These are the kinds of days you hope to face guys of that caliber and just try to be ready for the mistake and take advantage of it," Flowers said. "It's a lot different staring at someone while squatting and knowing what's coming than standing sideways looking left and trying to figure out what's coming." After nine starts in 2016, Sale featured a 9-0 record with a 1.58 ERA. Over his next nine starts, Sale has a 5-3 mark with a 5.56 ERA. White Sox manager Robin Ventura quickly pushed aside any concern about his staff ace, and Sale basically chalked up Friday to a bad performance he quickly would forget. "Tonight I lost the game for us," Sale said. "Nobody in here should be upset other than myself. We just pick up where we left off and keep grinding. "This is a throwaway game. This is one you are not going to get back. There's nothing to take away from this game for me personally. I feel as good as I've ever felt. I feel strong, I feel like I have juice left. Like I said, just push this one by the wayside, come back tomorrow for a work day and get my work in and keep grinding."

Anderson turns third White Sox triple play of ‘16 By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- Three is a lucky number for the White Sox, at least it is concerning triple plays during the 2016 season. The White Sox turned their third triple play of the season as part of an 11-8 loss to the Braves on Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field, coming behind Chris Sale in the third inning. Chase d'Arnaud opened the frame for the Braves with a walk and moved to second on one of Gordon Beckham's three hits in his return to Chicago. Freddie Freeman then hit a sinking line drive toward shortstop Tim Anderson on a 1-0, 95-mph fastball from Sale, which Anderson trapped, which was immediately signaled by second-base umpire Lance Barrett. With d'Arnaud going back to the base thinking the ball was caught, Anderson was able to tag him, step on second to force Beckham and throw to first baseman Jose Abreu to get Freeman by a step. It was the first triple play involvement for Anderson. "When I saw him go back [to second], I knew I had a chance," Anderson said. "Kind of a basketball player in that role. Just my instincts. It just happened so fast." "I had them right where I wanted them, first and second, nobody out," said a smiling Sale. "It was exactly how I drew it up. It's incredible." Triple play No. 1 for the White Sox came on April 22 against the Rangers and began with a Mitch Moreland line drive to right fielder Adam Eaton with the bases loaded and nobody out. It finished as a 9-3-2-6-2-5 triple play on the scoresheet. George Springer's grounder in the eighth on May 18 ignited the action against the Astros with Tony Kemp on second and Jose Altuve at first. Todd Frazier started the around-the-horn triple play on a ground ball that took him right toward third base.

No team since the A's and Red Sox in 1979 have turned three triple plays in the same season. That total becomes four if Spring Training unofficially is included in the equation for this year's White Sox. Atlanta scored in four of the five innings against Sale, coming up short in the third because of this triple play. "Our defense has been rock solid the whole year," Sale said. "Just where our coaches are shifting guys, and it just goes to show the homework that not only the players do but the coaches, as well. That was a big sigh of relief." "You don't count on those," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "You don't expect to see one a year let alone three. That one was just positioning and the way the ball was hit at T.A."

Frazier family looking for repeat Derby win White Sox third baseman will have two brothers with him on Monday night By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- There's more to the 2016 T-Mobile Home Run Derby for Todd Frazier than simply defending the crown he won last year in Cincinnati. It has become a Frazier family affair, with brother Charlie pitching, Todd hitting and brother Jeff serving as the "hype man," as Todd described it. Charlie also pitched last year and might be as fired up as the White Sox third baseman to compete. "He was on vacation in Mexico when I was trying to tell him last year," Todd said prior to Friday's opener with the Braves. "I told him you're going to have to cut the vacation off short. "We were emailing, and that's the only way we could figure it out. He basically flew home, that night he had to fly to Cincinnati and then had to throw the night after that. It was a whirlwind, and I know he was pretty tired, as well, but it made for a fun couple of days." The Frazier family has a definitive Derby plan, as Todd prepares to swing Monday night at Petco Park during All-Star festivities. It's not something Todd takes "crazy serious," but then again, it's something he's wanted to do since the last home run hit to win in '15. Frank Thomas stands as the lone White Sox Derby winner. And Frazier, who played for the Reds last season, knows the field will be a competitive one to claim his second and the White Sox second crown. "You look at who I'm stacked up against, and there are some big guns," Frazier said. "It starts off with Carlos Gonzalez. It's going to be a tough first round. "I remember last year I had to beat Prince Fielder, and he had a lot of experience. But I'm basically the only one who really has experience in this new format. I'm the only one that's been in it. We'll see how it goes, but I'm pretty excited to see how I match up against the other guys." White Sox manager Robin Ventura is excited that Frazier is excited to be competing, adding that the defending champ should be able to go. "It's not like he's getting in there and only has two home runs. He has enough home runs," Ventura said. "He's excited about going and he should do it." As the No. 2 seed, Frazier will hit second in each round of competition unless he faces top seed Mark Trumbo. Hitting second provides a slight advantage to the defending champ.

"Whether it's 10 or 15, whatever it is, you have an opportunity to know whether you need to speed it up a little bit and start cranking at some point and when to use your timeout," Frazier said. "Me and my brother, we talk about all these little things. "He'll see how I'm doing. If he sees me breathing heavy or swinging at some bad pitches, we have our signs, and we do what we do. We'll figure out the right times to use our strategies and when to get after it and when not to."

Morneau to shift rehab stint to Double-A After playing our games in Triple-A, White Sox 1B transferring due to Charlotte’s All-Star Break By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | July 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- Having gone 2-for-11 with one triple, one walk and one run scored in four games for Triple-A Charlotte, Justin Morneau will transfer his Minor League injury rehab assignment to Double-A Birmingham on Monday, due to Charlotte's All-Star break. Morneau (left elbow surgery) will play Saturday for the Knights and have an off-day Sunday. Before leaving for Charlotte, Morneau talked about needing a minimum of 30 plate appearances before returning to the White Sox. This total could be reached in time for the first baseman/designated hitter to join the White Sox at the start of the second half in Anaheim. "That one is pretty tricky. It's really dependent on him and how he feels," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "The guy hasn't played in a year, and you are asking him to condense it down as fast as he can go. "You don't really know where that is. You look at Spring Training and how many at-bats guys get, guys get close to 50 at-bats, if not more. You don't know where he's going to be, where his comfort level is." One of Morneau's hits may have gone for a triple, but Ventura said that's something the team won't be counting on very much. "Just the fact that he's feeling good," Ventura said. "And we'll go from there."

Quintana, Teheran face off in Chicago By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | July 8th, 2016 Before enjoying his second All-Star selection, Julio Teheran will attempt to conclude his impressive first half in fitting fashion. Teheran will oppose Jose Quintana, as the Braves and White Sox resume their three-game series on Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field. Atlanta's ace had completed 23 consecutive scoreless innings before surrendering a season-high 11 hits and five earned runs over 6 2/3 innings against the Marlins on July 1. Teheran has recently been bothered by a right thigh infection that forced him to return to Atlanta for treatment earlier this week. The infection, which forced him to miss Wednesday's scheduled start against the Phillies. The 25-year-old has allowed two earned runs or less in 11 of his 17 starts and 10 of his past 14. Like Teheran, Quintana has been victimized by a lack of run support. The White Sox left-hander has received a total of 14 runs of support over his past 10 starts. He surrendered two hits and one run over seven innings against the Astros on Sunday to end a seven-game losing streak. Things to know about this game

• Both of the Braves' catchers -- Tyler Flowers and A.J. Pierzynski -- are former White Sox. Flowers homered off Chris Sale on Friday night, while playing for the first time at U.S. Cellular Field as a visitor. • The Braves won two of three at Wrigley Field this year, but they have never won a series on Chicago's south side. They entered this three-game series having lost seven of the nine road games ever played against the White Sox.

Adam Eaton hit a homer, so it was time for his teammates to rock him to sleep By Chris Landers / MLB.com Cut4 | July 8th, 2016 You may recall that, back in May, the White Sox began celebrating Adam Eaton scoring a run in a very ... unique way: His teammates would cradle him in the dugout like a baby, in a tribute to Eaton's newborn baby Brayden. Perhaps you simply forgot about it. Perhaps you figured it was merely a passing fad. Perhaps you assumed that a grown man could only be rocked to sleep so many times in his life. But Eaton launched a solo homer during Friday's 11-8 loss to the Braves, providing an opportunity to check in on America's weirdest bonding ritual. And rest assured: The White Sox are still cradling Adam Eaton. Allow Tyler Saladino to demonstrate: We've said it before, we'll say it again: Life as a baby actually seems remarkably comfortable.

Chris Sale, White Sox rocked by Braves By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 8th, 2016 Chris Sale’s All-Star tune-up on Friday night didn’t go according to plan. In search of his 15th victory, Sale got rocked by baseball’s worst team and the White Sox couldn’t keep pace in an 11-8 loss to the Atlanta Braves in front of 26,199 at U.S. Cellular Field. Sale — who sought to become only the fourth pitcher since 1990 with 15 wins before the All-Star break — allowed eight earned runs and 10 hits in five innings, including three homers. He also yielded a career-worst seven extra-base hits. Todd Frazier and Adam Eaton homered and the White Sox also turned their third triple play of the season in the loss. “Pretty embarrassing,” Sale said. “It’s about as bad as I possibly think I’ve been in a while. “I definitely would have liked to have been better tonight for the guys. We score eight runs — you got to have that game.” Not since Toronto’s David Wells in 2000 had an American League pitcher headed to the break with 15 victories. It didn’t take long to establish Sale (14-3) was off. Freddie Freeman took advantage of a windy, warm evening with an opposite-field solo homer in the first. An inning later, Sale’s former batterymate Tyler Flowers put Atlanta back ahead with a two-run homer to left-center field. Flowers also had one of three straight two-out, run-scoring doubles off Sale in a four-run fifth inning in which the Braves pulled ahead 8-4. Flowers also reached against Sale on a hit by pitch in the fourth inning. “He looked mortal,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “I don't think it was as sharp and they got some good swings at him. There was some hard contact, a couple homers, it just looked like it wasn't his

best stuff. There was some velocity there you'd see every once in a while. But mostly if you're missing in the middle, they're going to hit it.” Of the 26 batters Sale faced, 13 reached base. Flowers, who caught every Sale start in the last two seasons, noticed how much the left-hander was off the mark. “(Sale) wasn’t as sharp as he usually is,” Flowers said. “These are the kinds of days you hope to face guys of that caliber and just try to be ready for the mistake and take advantage of it.” It could have been even worse. Leading 4-3, Sale put the first two batters on base in the top of the third inning. But Freeman’s soft liner to shortstop bounced in front of Tim Anderson, who trapped the ball, tagged the lead runner at second base, stepped on the bag and fired to first in time for a triple play. The White Sox also turned triple plays on April 22 and May 10. They’re the first team since both the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s in 1979 to have turned three triple plays in a season. It still wasn’t enough. Atlanta added scored three times off reliever Chris Beck in the sixth inning to extend its lead to 11-6. The output was enough to outdo the White Sox, who early on took advantage of a porous Braves defense. Down 1-0, Melky Cabrera singled in a run in the first inning. The White Sox rebounded from a two-run deficit in the second inning on consecutive one-out doubles by Carlos Sanchez and J.B. Shuck. Sanchez advanced to third when center fielder Ender Inciarte’s throw ended up in short right field. Shuck reached when his pop up to left-center field harmlessly fell between four Atlanta defenders. An RBI single by Anderson tied it at 3 and Jose Abreu’s sac fly put the White Sox ahead 4-3. Eaton and Frazier both hit solo home runs off Braves starter Matt Wisler in the fifth to get the White Sox within 8-6. They also scored a run in the seventh on Frazier’s sac fly to pull within four and threatened to rally in the ninth. Abreu and Cabrera, who both reached three times each, singled to open the inning. A run scored when Frazier grounded into a double play, but the White Sox got no closer. “This is a throwaway game,” Sale said. “This is one you are not going to get back. You just try not to, there’s nothing to take away from this game for personally. You just move on and keep grinding.”

For White Sox, third triple play an ‘odd’ footnote to loss By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 8th, 2016 The White Sox became the first team in 37 years to turn three triple plays in the same season in Friday night’s 11-8 loss to the Atlanta Braves at U.S. Cellular Field. Tim Anderson trapped a line drive off the bat of Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, tagged out Chase d’Arnaud near second base, stepped on the bag to record a force out and fired to first base to get Freeman to complete the play in the top of the third inning. Anderson said he didn’t try to trap the ball, though because he didn’t catch it, he was able to complete the team’s third triple play.

“(I was) kind of a basketball player in that role,” Anderson, who was a star point guard at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala., said. “Just my instincts. It just happened so fast.” Anderson’s 6-3 triple play followed a 5-4-3 one May 18 against the Houston Astros and the first 9-3-2-6-2-5 in major league history April 22 against the Texas Rangers. The last two teams to turn three triple plays in a season were the 1979 Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. “It's odd,” manager Robin Ventura said. “You don't count on those. You don't expect to see one a year let alone three. That one was just positioning and the way the ball was hit at T.A.” White Sox ace Chris Sale allowed a run in every inning but the one in which Anderson turned the triple play during a rough evening (five innings, 10 hits, eight runs, two walks, five strikeouts, three home runs). He walked d’Arnaud to lead off the third and gave up a single to former teammate Gordon Beckham, bringing Freeman — who homered in the first inning — to the plate. “I had them right where I wanted them, first and second, nobody out,” Sale joked. “It was exactly how I drew it up. “It’s incredible. It shows the defense that we have. Our defense has been rock solid the whole year. Just where our coaches are shifting guys and it just goes to show the homework that not only the players do but the coaches as well. That was a big sigh of relief.”

White Sox become first team since 1979 to turn three triple plays in a season By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago | July 8th, 2016 Incredibly, the White Sox have now turned three triple plays in not just the 2016 season, but before this year's All-Star break. In the top of the third inning, rookie shortstop Tim Anderson trapped a line drive off the bat of Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, tagged outfielder Chase d'Arnaud, stepped on second base for a force out and threw to first to complete the 6-3 triple play. The White Sox previously turned a the majors' first 9-3-2-6-2-5 triple play April 22 against the Texas Rangers, and completed a more conventional 5-4-3 triple play against the Houston Astros May 18. The White Sox are the first team to turn three triple plays in a season since the 1979 Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. The 1965 Cubs and the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies also accomplished the feat.

Todd Frazier thinks experience will help his Home Run Derby title defense By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 8th, 2016 Todd Frazier is happily trading his Jersey Shore plans for San Diego’s Gaslamp District and another crack at the Home Run Derby. The No. 2 seed of eight contestants, the White Sox third baseman will have an opportunity to defend his crown 2015 Derby title on Monday night at Petco Park. Even though he won last year’s contest, which was played under a brand new format, Frazier heads in with 6-to-1 odds of repeating. The Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton is the favorite at 13-to-4 while Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo is 15-to-4, according to Bovada.

San Diego’s Wil Myers is also 6-to-1. But Frazier thinks his experience with the time-limit format gives him an edge against his competitors. “I remember last year I had to beat Prince Fielder and he had a lot of experience,” Frazier said. “But I’m basically the only one who really has experience in this new format. I’m the only one that’s been in it. We’ll see how it goes but I’m pretty excited to see how I match up against the other guys.” Frazier faces Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez in the first round. The third baseman, who blasted his 24th homer on Friday night, intends to let his opponents hit ahead of him all night. Only a matchup against the top-seeded Trumbo would force Frazier to hit first in a round. Frazier’s brother Charlie will pitch to him again after they paired up to win last year’s title in front of an electric Great American Ballpark crowd. “You know how many home runs you need to hit,” Frazier said. “Whether it’s 10 or 15, whatever it is, you have an opportunity to know whether you need to speed it up a little bit and start cranking at some point and when to use your timeout. Me and my brother, we talk about all these little things. He’ll see how I’m doing. If he sees me breathing heavy or swinging at some bad pitches, we have our signs and we do what we do. We’ll figure out the right times to use our strategies and when to get after it and when not to.”

‘Tricky’ for White Sox to determine when Justin Morneau will be ready By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 8th, 2016 While they’d love to have him in the lineup soon, the White Sox haven’t set any kind of target date for Justin Morneau. It’s totally possible the veteran first baseman could be ready for the team’s second-half opener in Anaheim, Calif., next Friday. And it’s just as conceivable that Morneau — who has 13 plate appearances at Triple-A Charlotte through Thursday — may need more time to feel comfortable enough to face major league pitching. White Sox manager Robin Ventura conceded Friday that it’s difficult to pinpoint when Morneau, who had elbow surgery in December, would be ready. Last month, Morneau said he thought he’d need at least 30 plate appearances — a number he potentially could reach by the middle of next week. “That one is pretty tricky,” Ventura said. “It’s really dependent on him and how he feels. The guy hasn’t played in a year and you are asking him to condense it down as fast as he can go. You don’t really know where that is. You look at spring training and how many at-bats guys get. Guys get close to 50 at-bats, if not more. You don’t know where he’s going to be where his comfort level is.” The White Sox host the Atlanta Braves this weekend before breaking for the All-Star Game. They resume action in a week in Southern California. From Anaheim the team travels to Seattle for a three-game series. The early signs from Morneau’s assignment have mostly been positive. Morneau, who tripled Thursday and is 2-for-11 through four games, said his early focus is all about working on timing and maintaining a healthy elbow. Results don’t matter at this point, he said Monday. The former Minnesota Twins slugger played his fifth straight game for Charlotte on Friday and is scheduled to play Saturday, too. Morneau will then travel south on Sunday to meet up with Double-A Birmingham and continue his rehab assignment as Charlotte is off next week for the Triple-A All-Star Game. Assuming he received four plate appearances per game, Morneau could reach 30 by Wednesday.

Whereas Ventura originally said Monday he thought it was overly optimistic Morneau might join the team in Anaheim, the possibility may exist. Still, given all the variables involved, the White Sox have pumped the brakes so as to make sure that Morneau is ready to go when he joins the team. “He’s doing fine,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “We’ll see. It’s been four days.”

Todd Frazier earns No. 2 seed in Home Run Derby By Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune | July 8th, 2016 The White Sox sent Chris Sale to the mound when they faced the Braves in the first of a three-game series Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field. Sale, who was riding a five-game winning streak, was looking to become the first hurler in the majors to record his 15th victory of the season. He didn't get it as the Braves battered the left-hander and came away with a 11-8 victory in front of a crowd of 26,199. At the plate For the Sox, Adam Eaton went 2-for-4 with a home run, Melky Cabrera was 3-for-5, Jose Abreu and J.B. Shuck each added two hits and Todd Frazier belted a homer. Adonis Garcia led the Braves’ 15-hit attack by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Tyler Flowers and Jeff Franceuor each had three RBIs and Gordon Beckham added three hits for Atlanta. On the mound Sale lasted five innings, giving up a season-high eight runs on 10 hits and a career-high seven extra-base hits—including three home runs—to drop to 14-3. The veteran walked two and struck out five. In the field The Sox turned their third triple play of the season—the first time has accomplished that feat since 1979 when the A’s and Red Sox pulled it off—in the top of the third. Shortstop Tim Anderson fielded a Freeman grounder, tagged runner Chase d’Arnaud, stepped on second for the second out and fired to first for the third. The quote “We talk about it a lot—we played a good Red Sox team, won a good series there, won a good series against Houston and then in our division too as well. We just worry about ourselves. We don’t worry about how the Indians are doing, how Detroit or the Royals are doing. I think we’ll be fine.” -- Frazier Up next Vs. Braves, 1:10 p.m., Saturday; WGN-9.

Ouch! Chris Sale gives up eight runs in worst outing of season By Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune | July 8th, 2016 The White Sox's plummet down the American League Central standings was equally as spectacular as their rise up them early in the season.

Having had their share of highs and lows this season, the Sox have been focused on capturing each series to work themselves back into the postseason race. Heading into their three-game set against the Braves, the Sox had won their previous five series and while not as exciting as, say, a 10-game winning streak, earning series victories has been effective. "If you win series from here on out, you're going to find a way to get into the playoffs one way or the other," third baseman Todd Frazier said. They got off on the wrong foot Friday night as the Braves battered ace Chris Sale and the Sox 11-8 before a crowd of 26,199. Not even the Sox's third triple play of the season — the first time a team has done that since 1979 — was able to save Sale and the Sox. The left-hander lasted five innings, giving up a season-high eight runs and a career-high seven extra-base hits — including three home runs — to drop to 14-3. "I lost the game for us," said Sale, who yielded 10 hits while walking two and striking out five. "We scored eight runs. You have to win those games, no doubt. Nobody in here should be upset other than myself." Adonis Garcia went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Braves' 15-hit attack. Tyler Flowers and Jeff Francoeur each had three RBIs and Gordon Beckham added three hits. Despite a shaky outing, Matt Wisler earned the victory. For the Sox, Adam Eaton went 2-for-4 with a home run, Melky Cabrera was 3-for-5 with an RBI, Jose Abreu and J.B. Shuck each added two hits with a run knocked in and Frazier belted his 24th homer. The runs came early and often, starting in the first when each team scored one. The Braves got theirs on a Freddie Freeman homer and the Sox answered with Cabrera's RBI single. In the second, Flowers greeted his former batterymate with a long, two-run homer to make it 3-1. If any Braves player has an idea of how to hit Sale, it's Flowers, whom the Braves signed as a free agent after the Sox did not tender the catcher a contract offer after the 2015 season. "How do you hit him — it's like saying how do you hit (Clayton) Kershaw?" Flowers said. "You just hope he makes a mistake and you hope you happen to be looking and ready for it. Hopefully you hit it where someone's not." Well, there were plenty of fans beyond the fence. The Sox took the lead in the second when Shuck's popup fell between four Braves players to allow Carlos Sanchez to score. Eaton later followed with a bunt single that scored Shuck and Abreu added a sacrifice fly. In the third, the Sox pulled off a triple play when shortstop Tim Anderson fielded a Freeman grounder, tagged runner Chase d'Arnaud, stepped on second for the second out and fired to first. "It was good to have (Sale's) back on that play," Anderson said. "It just happened at the right moment while he was pitching. Good relief for him." The Braves tied it 4-4 on Nick Markakis' homer to right in the fourth and then erupted for four in the fifth with the big blows consecutive doubles from Francoeur, Garcia and Flowers. Eaton and Frazier hit homers in the bottom half to pull the Sox to within 8-6 but the Braves kept coming and put up a three-spot in the sixth with RBIs from d'Arnaud, Francoeur and Garcia. The Sox again answered with Frazier's sacrifice fly in the seventh and scored another in the ninth on a Frazier double-play ball but it was far from enough after Sale's toughest outing of the season.

"You just push this one by the wayside, come back (Saturday) for a work day and get my work in and keep grinding," Sale said. "(You) can't hang your head over something like this, it happens to everybody. You play this game long enough, it's a very humbling game. (Friday night's) one of those nights. Games like this sometimes make you appreciate the other ones. You just take it on the chin. It hurts but you have to get back up." The Sox will try to get back up when the teams meet again Saturday. The Sox will look for a positive step in extending their series streak. "Winning series … adds up over time (to) where you end up in the spot you need to end up," manager Robin Ventura said. "Even if you lose the first game, you still come back with the same mentality."

Braves’ Tyler Flowers says Mike Foltynewicz has arm to be dangerous By Paul Skrbina and Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune | July 8th, 2016 What Tyler Flowers sees in Mike Foltynewicz isn't something most people necessarily get. The White Sox-turned-Braves catcher said Friday that Foltynewicz, a 24-year-old Minooka High graduate who once sent the digits of a radar gun spinning to 103 during a minor-league game, has a stash of potential to go with his fastball. "Crazy arm," Flowers said of the Astros' 2010 first-round draft pick in his second season with the Braves. "He has some of the best stuff I've ever seen." But Foltynewicz is a "work in progress." Flowers said the 6-foot-4 right-hander, whose fastball has averaged 95.75 mph this season, has room to grow, starting with his mentality. "The only time he gets in trouble is when he gets frustrated," Flowers said. "He starts overthrowing and gets flat in spots or falling behind guys. "When you're sitting 2-0 and you know 98 is coming, it's a little bit easier to hit." Foltynewicz is 2-3 with a 4.29 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 11 walks in eight starts and 42 innings this season. He has had a pair of stints on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. He also had a part of his one of his right ribs removed in September to help reduce blood clots. "The sky is limit," Flowers said. "It's just another example of where the mentality, the personality of the person will dictate how successful he is." The White Sox could see some of that promise Sunday when Foltynewicz starts the finale of the three-game series. Waiting for Morneau: Sox manager Robin Ventura said he's getting good reports on Justin Morneau's rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. The veteran, who signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Sox last month, is recovering from offseason left-elbow surgery. The Sox have Morneau pegged for a left-handed designated-hitter role but Ventura said there isn't yet a timetable for his debut. "That one is pretty tricky," Ventura said. "It's really dependent on him and how he feels. The guy hasn't played in a year and you are asking him to condense it down as fast as he can go. You don't really know where that is." Minor moves: The Sox signed right-handed pitcher Ryan Webb and added him to Triple-A Charlotte roster. Webb was 0-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 18 games with the Rays this season. Right-hander Matt Lollis, who was 1-0 with 8.00 ERA in six games with the Knights, was sent back to Double-A Birmingham.

White Sox become first team since 1979 to turn three triple plays in a season By Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune | July 8th, 2016 Another day, another triple play for the White Sox, who have made turning three look as easy as 9-3-2-6-2-5; 5-4-3; and 6-3 this season. Rookie shortstop Tim Anderson was mostly responsible for Friday’s trifecta during the third inning of an 11-8 loss to the Braves at U.S. Cellular Field. Anderson fielded Freddie Freeman’s grounder just to the left of second base, where he tagged Chase d’Arnaud. He then swiped the base with his left foot to force out Gordon Beckham before firing to Jose Abreu at first to end the third inning. It’s the first time a team has pulled off three triple plays in a season since 1979, when the A’s and Red Sox did it, according to Elias. "Basketball player, so it was just my instincts," Anderson said. "It happened so fast." It also was the first time Anderson was part of a triple play. The play occurred during the only inning the Braves didn't score off Chris Sale, who allowed a season-high eight runs, including three home runs and a career-worst seven extra-base hits in five innings. "He needed that, apparently," Ventura joked. "You don't count on those. You don't expect to see one in a year, let alone three." Sale also flashed his sense of humor about the play while blaming himself for the loss. "Let's get No. 4, take the record," Sale said of the triple play. "Had 'em right where I wanted them - first and second, nobody out." Adam Eaton, Abreu, Dioner Navarro, Tyler Saladino and Todd Frazier were involved in the Sox’s first this year, which came against the Rangers on April 22. Frazier, Brett Lawrie and Abreu teamed up for No. 2 May 18 against the Astros. The Brewers are the only other team in the majors to turn a triple play this season.

Sox’ Sale “looks mortal”, struggles in 11-8 loss to Braves By Jeff Arnold / Chicago Sun-Times | July 8th, 2016 Chris Sale insists he feels as good as he ever has heading into an All-Star break. But a night when the White Sox ace gave up a career-high seven extra-base hits and a season-high eight runs might not be the best gauge to measure where Sale stands right now. That made Friday night’s 11-8 loss to the Braves at U.S. Cellular Field even tougher to swallow for Sale. “(It was) pretty embarrassing – it’s about as bad as I possibly think I’ve been in a while,” Sale said after allowing eight runs and 10 hits over five innings. “Stuff like this happens. You take the good with the bad, and this certainly was the bad. “You just take it, you throw it away, you discard it. You almost don’t even notice that it happened.”

Even with Friday’s clunker, Sale (14-3) remains one of baseball’s best pitchers who will likely take on a starting role in next week’s All-Star Game. But as Sale quickly discovered, even the game’s best can experience a night like Friday. The Braves methodically knocked Sale around for the five innings he lasted. Nick Markakis, former Sale Sox battery mate Tyler Flowers and Freddie Freeman all homered off of Sale, who also gave up four doubles – including three straight in the fifth inning when the Braves scored four runs. “Tonight, he looked mortal,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I don’t think (Sale’s velocity) was as sharp and they got some good swings at him. “It just looked like it wasn’t his best stuff.” Even with a third-inning triple play thrown into the mix and plenty of run support, Sale didn’t have what it took to collect his 15th win. Sox shortstop Tim Anderson turned in the defensive gem when he trapped a Freeman liner and tagged Chase d’Arnaud, who led off with a walk. Anderson stepped on second base to force out Gordon Beckham, who had singled and then threw out Freeman at first to complete the triple play. The Sox became the first team since the 1979 Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s to pull off three triple plays in a season. The Sox completed a unique 9-3-2-2-6-5 triple play April 22 against the Rangers before turning a more conventional triple play May 18 against the Astros. “It was good to have his back on that play,” Anderson said. “It just happened at the right moment.” Ventura agreed. “(Sale) needed that,” Ventura said. Even with eight runs that included home runs by Adam Eaton and Todd Frazier, who also had a sacrifice fly and a groundout that plated runs, Sale’s latest effort wasn’t enough. Nights like Friday happen to the best of them, Sale admitted afterward. Yet, quickly as he will be to flush it, it was evident that the performance wasn’t setting well. “(You) can’t hang your head over something like this, it happens to everybody,” Sale said. “You play this game long enough, it’s a very humbling game. Tonight’s one of those nights. Games like this sometimes make you appreciate the other ones. You just take it on the chin. It hurts, but you’ve got to get back up.”

White Sox first team since 1979 to turn three triple plays By Jeff Arnold / Chicago Sun-Times | July 8th, 2016 Tim Anderson has been busy since being called up by the White Sox last month. Add playing a major role in a triple play to the rookie shortstop’s accomplishments. Anderson nabbed a Freddie Freeman line drive, tagged out lead runner Chase d’artaud , who led off the third inning with a walk before stepping on second base to force out Gordon Beckham and then threw to first baseman Jose Abreu to throw out Freeman on Friday night against the Braves to finish off the triple play. The defensive gem was the third triple play turned in this season by the Sox, who became the first team since 1979 to pull off a trio of triple plays. Both the Red Sox and A’s accomplished the feat during that season, according to the Society for American Baseball Research’s triple play database.

The White Sox turned in an unique 9-3-2-2-6-5 triple play on April 22 against the Rangers before turning a more conventional triple play on May 18 against the Astros.

White Sox notes: Flowers returns, Frazier’s home run derby plan By Jeff Arnold / Chicago Sun-Times | July 8th, 2016 Former White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers was back in familiar territory Friday when he made his first trip to U.S. Cellular Field as a member of the visiting team. Flowers, who spent seven years with the Sox, admitted it was strange to make his way to the opposite clubhouse and jokingly hoped he remembered to stick with his Braves’ teammates throughout the weekend. “I’ve never been over here (on the visitors’ side), being in the other dugout – hopefully I don’t mess up and go the wrong way,” said Flowers, whose RBI single in the 11th inning Thursday lifted the Braves to a 4-3 win over the Cubs. “But I think it’ll be a fun experience to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a while – a lot of guys I’ve been talking to but haven’t seen them face to face.” Perhaps the biggest change for Flowers was facing Sox ace Chris Sale for the first time. Flowers said he was asked Thursday if he felt his familiarity with baseball’s wins leader gave him an advantage. “(It’s) a completely different perspective looking to your left trying to hit something versus looking straight at him knowing what’s coming and trying to catch it,” Flowers said. “How do you hit him? It’s like saying how do you hit (Dodgers’ ace Clayton) Kershaw — you just hope he makes a mistake and you hope you happen to be looking and ready for it, hopefully you hit it where someone’s not.” Two seed Sox third baseman Todd Frazier said Friday he sees a bit of an advantage being the No. 2 seed in next week’s Home Run Derby. Frazier, who won last year’s event, starts off against Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez and is seeded only behind the Orioles’ Mark Trumbo. “I think the bottom line is if you go second you have a little advantage and I’ll be going second through the whole thing unless Trumbo loses in one of the rounds,” Frazier said. “You know how many home runs you need to hit, whether it’s 10 or 15, whatever it is, you have an opportunity to know whether you need to speed it up a little bit and start cranking at some point. For starters… Sterling native and Minooka Community High School grad Mike Foltynewicz will start for the Braves in Sunday’s series finale. Foltynewicz is 2-3 with a 4.29 ERA and will be looking for his first victory since May 30. Foltynewicz spent time on the disabled list last month with bone chips in his elbow. In his last outing, Foltynewicz gave up four earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Despite the 24-year-old’s struggles this season, Flowers sees a lot of upside. “(He’s got a) crazy arm – God-given arm,” Flowers said. “He’s got some of the best stuff I’ve ever seen. He’s a guy where it’s a work in progress, working with his mentality, trying to get him to grow in that area to allow his talent to come out and work for him. “The sky is the limit.”

Chicago White Sox ace Sale embarrassed by his performance By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | July 8th, 2016 From 2013-15, Tyler Flowers was Chris Sale's primary catcher, and he gained invaluable knowledge on the Chicago White Sox's ace starting pitcher. Back at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday night with the Atlanta Braves, Flowers ran a hitter's meeting before the first of three games against the Sox to close out the first half of the season. "How do you hit him?" Flowers asked before the game. "It's like saying how you hit (Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton) Kershaw. You just hope he makes a mistake and you hope you happen to be looking and ready for it; hopefully you hit it where someone's not." In a game highlighted by the White Sox turning their third triple play of the season, Sale made plenty of mistakes and Flowers and the Braves outslugged the home team 11-8. After Sale (14-3) walked Chase d'Arnaud leading off the third inning, former teammate Gordon Beckham followed with a single. Freddie Freeman grounded to Tim Anderson, and the Sox's brilliant rookie shortstop tagged out d'Arnaud, stepped on second base to force Beckham and threw to first baseman Jose Abreu to retire Freeman. The White Sox are the first team since the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics, both in 1979, to turn 3 triple plays in a season. "(Sale) needed that," manager Robin Ventura said. "It's odd. You don't count on those. You don't expect to see one a year, let alone three. That one was just positioning and the way the ball was hit at T.A." Sale definitely needed the help after giving up 1 run in the first inning and 2 more in the second on Flowers' home run. The White Sox's only all-star -- and the American League's likely starter -- Sale figured to dominate an Atlanta team with the worst record (30-57) in the majors. Instead, he allowed 8 runs on 10 hits in 5 innings. Sale also allowed a career-high 7 extra-base hits, including 3 home runs. "Pretty embarrassing," he said. "It's about as bad as I possibly think I've been in awhile. Stuff like this happens. You take the good with the bad, and this certainly was the bad. You just take it, you throw it away, you discard it." While Sale's velocity was lower than normal, is it possible Flowers gave his teammates a foolproof scouting report? "I think you know who won that battle," Sale said. "He's seen me more than anybody. You tip your cap and you move on. Just move on." The Sox lost despite scoring 8 runs on 13 hits, including solo homers by Adam Eaton (No. 5) and Todd Frazier (No. 24). "I definitely would have liked to have been better tonight for the guys," Sale said. "We score 8 and you've got to have that game. You score 8 runs and you've got to win."

Braves overcome triple play, beat White Sox 11-8 By Matt Carlson / Associated Press | July 8th, 2016 CHICAGO (AP) -- Freddie Freeman, Tyler Flowers and Nick Markakis all homered off Chris Sale to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 11-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. Chicago turned its third triple play this season in the third - the only inning Atlanta didn't score against Sale (14-3) in his five innings. The White Sox ace, bidding to become the majors' first 15-game winner, allowed 10 hits - including a career-worst seven for extra bases - and a season high eight runs. Atlanta's Adonis Garcia had his first four-hit game, including two doubles and two RBIs. Gordon Beckham added three hits and Jeff Francoeur had three RBIs. Markakis hit his third homer in two nights to boost his season total to five. Freeman had his team-leading 15th and Flowers - Sale's longtime batterymate with the White Sox - added a two run shot and an RBI double to help the Braves win their second straight after a four-game skid. The Braves' 15 hits equaled a season high for a nine-inning game and included nine for extra-bases. Chicago's Todd Frazier hit his 24th homer and Adam Eaton added solo shot off Atlanta starter Matt Wisler (4-8), who gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings but got his first win since June 16. The Braves scored four runs in the fifth on three straight doubles to the wall to break a 4-all tie. The White Sox became the first team in the majors to turn three triple plays in a season since the 1979 - when Oakland and Boston did it. With Chase d'Arnaud on second base and Beckham on first in the third inning, Freeman hit a soft liner that rookie shortstop Tim Anderson trapped. Anderson tagged d'Arnaud as he tried to retreat to second for the first out. Anderson stepped on second to force out Beckham, then threw to first baseman Jose Abreu to get Freeman. Chicago also turned triple plays on April 22 against Texas and May 18 against Houston. DERBY DAY Frazier, the defending All-Star Home Run Derby champion, is pumped to take his cuts at Monday's competition in San Diego. "We have a little plan," Frazier said, "and you look at who I'm stacked against and there are some big guns." Frazier, second in the American League with 24 homers, will take on Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez in the first round and hit second in the matchup, which Frazier prefers. "You know how many home runs you need to hit," he said. "You know whether you need to speed it up and start cranking at some point, and when to use your timeout." TRAINER'S ROOM Braves: RHP Julio Teheran, Atlanta's lone All-Star, was cleared to make his regular Saturday against the White Sox after being treated for an infection due to an ingrown hair on his right thigh. "If everything goes well tomorrow and he feels good Sunday, he'll be available to pitch in the All-Star Game, I'm assuming," interim manager Brian Snitker said. White Sox: Manager Robin Ventura shifted 2B Brett Lawrie to DH following Thursday's day off to give the high-energy infielder a two-day break. "He throws his body around pretty good," Ventura said. "I think it can help him." Carlos Sanchez took Lawrie's place at second base. . Ventura said there's no timetable on

the return of RHP Zach Putnam (right elbow) or 35-year-old INF Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP who is on a rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte. UP NEXT Teheran (3-7, 2.72) faces Chicago LHP Jose Quintana (6-8, 3.06) in the second game of the series on Saturday. Quintana ended a nine-start winless streak (0-7) last Sunday at Houston. Teheran has never faced the White Sox and Quintana beat the Braves in his only career start against them.

Dueling aces? Sale, Arrieta embrace possibility of All-Star start By Chris Emma / CBS Chicago | July 8th, 2016 (CBS) Always a man in the moment, Cubs manager Joe Maddon knows what an All-Star duel of Jake Arrieta and Chris Sale would mean to his new home of Chicago. “The city would dig it,” Maddon said. Indeed, Chicago would dig it. While baseball fans in this city are divided between their Cubs and White Sox, both can agree on the dominance of each other’s aces, Arrieta and Sale. The rest of the baseball world can, too. Each time Arrieta or Sale takes to the bump, it’s must-watch television. Wouldn’t it be unique to have the two finally meet in the Midsummer Classic? “It would be great for the city, no doubt,” Sale told reporters Wednesday. “Just like if we got to the (World Series) together. It would be crazy. Anything that could promote something positive for this city, I am in for it.” By now, the Arrieta story has been told many times. He struggled with the Orioles early in his career and was sent packing in a deal with the Cubs for Scott Feldman. Arrieta, now 30, became good in 2014, then great in 2015 — in fact, historically great for the season’s second half. He enters Friday’s start against the Pirates sitting at 12-3 with a 2.33 ERA. Despite a strong first half of last season, Arrieta was snubbed of the All-Star Game. He’s 24-4 with a 1.54 ERA since watching it from home. “I’ve been through a lot,” said Arrieta, reflecting on the winding road of his career. “A lot of hard work. It’s started to pay off. My career has moved in a positive direction the past couple of year. It’s a byproduct of that, the hard work.” On the other hand, it’s been smooth sailing for Sale ever since he broke into the big leagues. The 27-year-old Sale was a first-round pick for the White Sox in 2010 and made his debut later that season. He has a career 71-42 record with a 2.92 ERA entering Friday, with a mark of 10.58 strikeouts per nine innings. Entering play Friday, Sale is 14-2 with a 2.93 ERA this season. He’s on a pace to become the greatest pitcher in White Sox history, and he earned his fifth consecutive All-Star nod. To make the start would be a dream of his. “It would be awesome and such a thrill,” Sale said.

Who starts the All-Star Game will be decided next week by National League manager Terry Collins of the Mets and American League manager Ned Yost of the Royals. Selecting Sale seems like an easy call, especially given that his numbers are superior to most AL foes. Only Indians right-hander Danny Salazar (10-3, 2.63 ERA) really seems to have a case against Sale. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw would be the obvious pick for the NL side, but he’s recovering from a back injury and won’t participate in the game. That opens the door for Arrieta, the reigning NL Cy Young winner. Other candidates to start for the NL are Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard (9-3, 2.41 ERA), Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg (11-0, 2.71), Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto (13-1, 2.47) and Marlins right-hander Jose Fernandez (10-4, 2.69). “It’s up for grabs,” Arrieta said. “I think there are several guys that are deserving of the honor to start the game. Whether it’s me or not, it’s not a huge deal one way or the other. It would be great to start. It would also just be great to pitch in the game and be a part of the three days in San Diego. “Whatever happens in that regard, either way they go, it’s still going to be a really cool experience for all of us.” Of course, Arrieta was being modest. The intense competitor within his imposing frame wants to be the guy on the mound. When asked last season what drives him, Arrieta had a simple response: “Just to be the best. That’s it.” He proved that place last season. Sale is pretty good, too. He wants that place on the mound to start the game. “I am not going to reserve anything when I get in there,” Sale said. “I fully intend on letting (the fastball) eat when I get out there, whenever that is. It would be hard not to. You have a packed crowd and you’re facing the best. You better bring it.” Maddon was certainly right in understanding what next Tuesday night would mean to Chicago and the baseball world if Arrieta and Sale start the game. Sure, it’s nothing more than a nice honor, but it’s deserved. Baseball fans on both sides of Chicago unite around their teams and take pride in their aces. Wouldn’t it be fun to see them duel on the big stage?

Levine: White Sox slugger Todd Frazier eager to defend home run crown By Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago | July 8th, 2016 CHICAGO (CBS) — The defending Home Run Derby champion is on a mission to make it two straight. White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier will travel to San Diego for his third long-ball tourney on Monday. After a frantic last round where the ‘Todd Father’ hit seven home runs in two minutes and twenty seconds in Cincinnati, he feels good about coming away with the title again next week. “It’s serious, but a lot of fun,” Frazier said. “Look, my brother, who throws to me, and I have a plan. Having a good time is part of it. There will be a tough first round, and Carlos Gonzales will be a part of that. I am basically the only one with experience from last season in this new format, so we shall see how it goes.” The 30-year-old slugger is near the top of the home run leaders with 23. His first-half batting average was deficient this go around. Therefore, no All Star consideration was given, despite his power numbers.

“I will be going second through the whole thing,” said Frazier, who considers that a good thing. “You know how many you will need to hit. Going second, you know if you have to speed it up a little or pace yourself and use your timeout. My brother will watch me, and if I start swinging at some bad pitches, he will signal me to slow it down.” Tiring on the field and after the Home Run Derby is inevitable, Frazier said. “There is no way you can’t get tired. It is a lot of swings and hard work. Either way, it is always fun. I will go in there and enjoy it. Same swing all the way. Same as in BP. Getting tired is a part of it, though.” Manager Robin Ventura is all good with Frazier, who is hitting .211 in the first half going for another derby title. “I hope he hits a lot of home runs, and I hope he comes back and swings it well. Where he is at right now, it probably helps him. Hopefully, he hits something far, gets a good feeling and go from there.” Ventura, as a player, won a group home run derby in Japan in 1996, as part of a seven-game series between MLB and Japanese top teams. “Of course we won,” Ventura said. “Money, we won money. … We split it with Dick Such, who threw to us and was a coach on our team. They gave us a handful of Yen, and we split it.”

Chris Sale not himself in loss to Braves By Lauren Comitor / The Athletic | July 8th, 2016 After topping the Cubs Thursday night, the Braves traveled south to beat up on the White Sox, though the South Siders didn’t take it lying down. The knocked 13 hits (to the Braves’ 15) and hit two home runs, but left eight men on base in an 11-8 loss Friday night. Didn’t have it: The Braves got to Chris Sale early and often Friday night, starting with a Freddie Freeman home run with two outs in the first inning. Old friend and current foe Tyler Flowers hit a two-run shot to center in the second, and in the fourth, Nick Markakis, who hit two homers against the Cubs Thursday, added another in the fourth for his fifth of the season. The wheels completely fell off for Sale in the fifth inning, which Chase d’Arnaud led off with a seven-pitch walk. Another familiar face in Gordon Beckham singled, though Sale was able to retire the next two batters, creating a temporary sense of calm. But then, in a span of six pitches, Sale gave up back-to-back-to-back doubles to Jeff Francoeur, Adonis Garcia and Flowers. By the time it was over, four runs had scored and Sale’s night was done.

Scott Merkin ✔ @scottmerkin

Sale: "Pretty embarrassing. It’s about as bad as I possibly think I’ve been in a while." Sale made it through only five innings (his second-shortest outing of the season after 3 ⅓ in a May 24 drubbing by the Indians), gave up 10 hits and eight runs, struck out five and walked two. He also surrendered three home runs, matching his season-high. Chipping away: While at times it seemed the Braves’ leads were insurmountable (the biggest score disparity was 11-6), the White Sox were able to close in somewhat. After scoring a run in the first, the White Sox had a productive (and eventful) second inning. With runners on first and third and one out, Adam Eaton hit an odd sacrifice bunt that landed him on his butt, but he scooted safely to first while Braves pitcher Matt Wisler touched the ball as it was about to roll foul. A run scored, and then with Jose Abreu up, the Sox pulled off a double steal, putting a runner on third to score on Abreu’s sac fly.

In the fifth inning, Eaton and Todd Frazier each hit solo home runs. It was Frazier’s 24th of the season, good for third in the league behind Mark Trumbo and Kris Bryant. The Sox threatened up until the end, leading off the ninth inning with back-to-back singles by Abreu and Melky Cabrera. A run scored when Frazier grounded into a double play that scored Abreu, decreasing the Sox’s deficit to three, but it was all they could muster. After a Brett Lawrie single, Dioner Navarro flew out to left field to end the game. Thrice as nice: It’s been an up and down season for the Sox, but they’ve already managed to make positive history — they completed their third triple play of the season, the first team to turn three in a season since the 1965 Cubs. Could they make even more history with a fourth? They’ve got the whole second half of the season to try. On deck: Did the Braves exhaust their offensive arsenal Friday night? Jose Quintana (6-8, 3.06 ERA) will find out Saturday afternoon against Braves righty Julio Teheran (3-7, 2.72 ERA). Quintana comes off his best start in over a month, a two-hit, one-run outing against the Astros. Meanwhile. Teheran just pitched one of his worst outings of the season, giving up 11 hits and five runs to the Marlins July 1.

White Sox first to turn trio of triple plays in same season since 1979 By Mark Townsend / Yahoo! Sports | July 9th, 2016 We haven’t even reached the All-Star break, yet the Chicago White Sox have already done something no other MLB team has been able to accomplish since the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s back in 1979. In a span of 86 games, the White Sox have turned not one, not two, but three triple plays, with the latest coming during Friday’s wild 11-8 loss to the Atlanta Braves. It all started on April 22, when Chicago turned the craziest triple plays we’ve seen in a long time against the Texas Rangers. Then, on May 18, they did it again against the Houston Astros, though that time in a more traditional manner. Friday’s triple play probably met those two somewhere in the middle. It wasn’t the craziest we’ve seen, but it was far from smooth or conventional as the Braves baserunners were left hanging out to dry by a line drive. It happened in the third inning with Chicago leading 4-3. The Braves had runners on first and second with no outs when Freddie Freeman smoked a liner that shortstop Tim Anderson had to scoop off the ground. Anderson tagged Chase d’Arnaud, who had been caught freezing on the line drive and only strayed a few feet from the base, for the first out. He stepped on second base for the second out. Then, with his momentum carrying him toward first base, he fired across to get Freeman to complete the trifecta. There was temporary confusion as the umpires sorted out the order of events. Had Anderson touched second base first, for example, then d’Arnaud would have been safe if his foot made it to the bag before being tagged. Upon review, everything still added up to a 6-3 triple play.

ESPN Stats & Info ✔ @ESPNStatsInfo

Braves hit into a triple-play vs White Sox, the 4th in MLB this season. 3 of them have been turned by the White Sox As strange as that single play was, the strangest thing from this game may be the result. The Braves managed to deliver three home runs and four doubles against White Sox ace Chris Sale as they denied him an MLB-best 15th win. That’s right, not even a triple play could save the AL’s best pitcher this season

from losing to MLB’s worst team. There’s no explanation, other than to remind you that baseball thrives on being unpredictable.

White Sox announcer with cerebral palsy finds his calling By Natalie Angley / CNN | July 7th, 2016 (CNN)Jason Benetti was in elementary school when his teacher asked him to write an essay. "The assignment was, 'I wonder what I'll be in 20 years,'" he recalled. "I would like to be the White Sox sportscaster. As long as I don't look like Harry Caray," the boy wrote, referencing the famed voice of the Chicago Cubs. Benetti's childhood dream came true in January, when the 32-year-old was hired by the Chicago baseball team to be the TV play-by-play announcer. But it's a dream that almost never happened. Benetti was born 10 weeks premature. His mom and dad weren't sure whether they would be able to bring him home from the hospital. "I know how difficult it was on my parents to know it's touch and go at that point, whether or not I'm gonna make it," he said. Benetti made it out of the hospital and was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects muscle coordination, movement and balance. "Essentially, it led to a couple different surgeries: eye surgery, heel cord surgery, hamstring surgery," he said. "Sometimes, I would show up after summer break [in elementary school] in a wheelchair or in a cast or in those 'Forrest Gump'-like inserts that don't actually just fly off your legs like in the movie," he joked. Eventually, Benetti was able to stop wearing orthotic inserts in his shoes. By high school, he was playing first chair tuba in the band. "Part of being in band was being in marching band ... However, I would have toppled over had I worn the [tuba]. I didn't have the strength for that and the coordination for it either," he recalled. The band director tried to make it work. "They started by putting a tuba on the stand, and the entire band was going in orbit around me," he said. "So the band director said, 'Look, this is not a good idea. Why don't you be the announcer for our sets?' " Benetti was a natural. The opportunity helped him land a gig with his high school radio station. "We gravitate towards the things we're good at," he said. Benetti went on to graduate from Syracuse University with bachelor's degrees in broadcast journalism, economics and psychology and earned a law degree from Wake Forest University. He worked a long list of sports announcing jobs to make a name for himself, including serving as the lead announcer for the Syracuse Chiefs Minor League Baseball team and covering various sports for ESPN. "When I started doing TV, there was a worry of, will people want me on TV because I can't look directly into the camera," he recalled.

Benetti has a lazy eye and walks with a slight limp. "I actually forget how I walk until I walk past a mirror. And then I think, 'Why did we invent mirrors?' " he joked. "There were some hurdles there, and people helped me get through it. Now, it's really not an issue." Benetti said the way cerebral palsy affects him today is perception. "If I walk into a room and people don't know me, there might be a belief, still: 'Hey, can he do this? Can he do that?' The hope is that we get to a time where people are thinking first, 'What can this person do?' not 'What help do they need?' " he said. Benetti's cerebral palsy never came into play when the White Sox were hiring. "We knew he wasn't going to win any speed racing contests when we interviewed him," joked Brooks Boyer, the team's senior vice president of sales and marketing. Boyer said he spoke with close to 100 people in the broadcasting world to find the right announcer. "I asked many of them, 'Give me your top three young broadcasters, guys that have earned a shot at being in the big leagues.' And Jason Benetti was on every single one of those people's lists," he said. Seasoned announcer Steve Stone is Benetti's partner in the booth. "He's very intelligent," Stone said. "The best thing about him is he has a wonderful sense of humor." "I think the only thing that really aggravates him is when people treat him in a different manner because he has CP," he added. "Everybody has something. He happens to have this, but it hasn't stood in the way of anything he's ever accomplished. I don't think he views himself as an inspiration, but he truly is." "If I can help an employer look past somebody else's disability, that's of great value to me," Benetti said. "If I can help a person do something tomorrow that they didn't do today, that's what I want to do."