By Paul Sullivan
Chicago Tribune
The All-Star break comes at the perfect time for all 30 teams.
Whether they’re dominating, as are the Dodgers, or barely surviving —see the Orioles —everyone is gassed from a first half highlighted by home runs, strikeouts, rain and more rain.
As we catch our breath and pray some of the runaway divisional races will become more competitive, here are some of the highlights and lowlights of the season:
BEST FREE-AGENT WALK YEAR
Jose Abreu entered the weekend with 41 RBIs over his last 80 at-bats and was tied for the American League lead with 63 RBI. He was hitting .357 off left-handers with a .977 OPS and had a .330 average and .947 OPS with runners in scoring position.
With the White Sox in rebuild mode, he would seem to be trade fodder. But no one seems to think the Sox will pull the trigger.
“If I would be the owner, I would sign myself here,” Abreu said Wednesday after hitting a walk-off home run against the Tigers. “Hopefully, yes, I want to stay here.”
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Chris Sale was the American League All-Star starter the last three years and got the final three outs in the Red Sox’s World Series clincher in October.
He began the season with a five-year, $145 million contract extension and is 3-8 with a 4.04 ERA while the Red Sox are 6-12 in his 18 starts, falling 11 games behind the Yankees in the AL East and having to settle for being a wild-card contender.
“I’m supposed to be a big part of this team and a big part of this pitching staff,” Sale said. “I know who I am and who I’m supposed to be for this team, and I haven’t even been anything close. What am I, 3-8? That’s absolutely embarrassing. That’s not what I need to be and that’s not who I need to be for this team.
“On a team like this, they need me to be better, and I haven’t been there for them. I’m standing before you as frustrated as I’ve ever been, just to be honest. … I’m not locating fastballs, my changeup is terrible, breaking ball is hit or miss. I just haven’t been myself for a while. I just haven’t been good.”
BEST-PITCHED INNING
Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg threw an immaculate inning last week against the Marlins, becoming the 91st pitcher to do so in major-league history (97 times). An immaculate inning is one in which a pitcher strikes out the side on nine pitches.
BEST-PITCHED GAME
While A’s right-hander Mike Fiers threw a no-hitter against the Reds on May 7, it might not have been as impressive as Kyle Hendricks’ 81-pitch shutout against the Cardinals on May 3 at Wrigley Field. After Matt Carpenter struck out to begin the game, the next 24 Cardinals put the ball in play, a stretch that ended when Harrison Bader was called out on strikes to end the eighth. In an era of home runs and strikeouts, Hendricks’ masterpiece, known as a “Maddux” —a complete-game shutout in less than 100 pitches —was an anomaly.
WORST-PITCHED INNING
White Sox left-hander Manny Banuelos gave up 10 straight hits in a nine-run third inning during a 15-2 Red Sox rout on May 4 at Guaranteed Rate Field. The streak ended when Carson Fulmer came in and walked Andrew Benintendi. The all-time record is 11 straight hits by the Rockies against the Cubs during a 17-2 win July 30, 2010, at Coors Field. “You can’t do that very often,” Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster said that night. “That’s why it never has been done before.”
BEST TURNAROUND
White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito had a 6.13 ERA in 2018, worst in the majors among qualified starters. He changed his delivery in spring training, making it more compact, and refused to lose confidence. Giolito entered his start Saturday with a 2.72 ERA, ranked eighth among starters, and was tied for the league lead with 11 wins. “It’s fun to finally be able to do what I know I’ve been capable of,” he said. “I just haven’t shown it.”
WEIRDEST FACTOID
The Orioles had lost 13 of 14 games when they posted back-to-back 13-0 victories over the Indians on June 28-29, becoming the first team in history with consecutive shutout wins of at least 13 runs. It was the first time they had won two straight since May 4-6. The O’s finished June with a 6-20 record and are well on their way to back-to-back seasons of 100-plus losses.
WORST UMPIRING
This category could be debated for days, but first-base ump Vic Carapazza gets the nod for making history June 28 when replay overturned four of his calls during a Cardinals-Padres game. Even Enrico Pallazzo had a better day in “The Naked Gun.”
