ALDS Games One, 2021

The first game today is White Sox at Astros, 1:07 PM PDT, TV: FS1

Each starting pitcher is named Lance; how about that, as Curt Gowdy would say. It’ll be RHP Lance Lynn (11-6, 2.69 ERA) for the Sox and RHP Lance McCullers (13-5, 3.16 ERA) for the Astros in Minute Maid Park.

I don’t know much at all about the White Sox; I know more than I’d like about the Astros.

The second game is Red Sox at Rays, 5:07 PM PDT, TV: FS1

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-8, 4.74 ERA) takes the mound for the Red Sox at Tropicana Field while LHP Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.43 ERA) does the same for the Rays.

The Sox are somewhat familiar, as are the Rays after last year’s World Series.

On this date in baseball history in 1950 rookie Whitey Ford got his first World Series win (he’d end up with a 10-8 W-L record in the postseason), Curt Flood was traded to the Phillies, precipitating his challenge to the reserve clause, the Dodgers came from behind to win Game Three of the 1977 NLCS against the Phillies, the Dodgers beat the Phillies in Game Four of the 1978 NLCS to win the pennant, and Benny Agbayani hits a homer in the 13th inning of Game Three of the 2000 NLDS to end the longest game in divisional playoff history.

Lineups:
White Sox:

Astros:

Red Sox and Rays:

27 thoughts on “ALDS Games One, 2021

  1. I can’t work up any great enthusiasm for the AL, but here’s hoping the Asterisks get Lanced.

  2. No really strong feelings about the Sawx and Devil Rays, either, but I’d like to see the old friends do well.

  3. So many things about the Astros still offend me, including the fact that they somehow persuaded Dusty Baker to manage them. And now they are killing the White Sox.

    • Dusty was still ticked off at getting fired by the Nationals in 2017, after, as he said at the time,

      “I really thought this was my best year. We won at least 95 games each year and won the division back-to-back years.

      “It’s hard to understand.’’