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Out of the White Sox's 33 preseason games, 23 can be watched in one form or another. It's kind of funny how far we've come. A couple of years ago, we might be able to see a handful of spring training games. Now, the free webcast announcers become so familiar that they breed contempt.
What's also funny -- not ha-ha funny, though -- is how little has changed with the White Sox themselves.
Last year, they played respectable baseball on the road, but they really lost the season by failing to show up at home. They posted a 36-45 record at U.S. Cellular Field, which was one of the saddest disparities in franchise history.
The trend has continued into this young spring, because whenever White Sox fans are able to watch their team, well, there's nothing to watch. When the cameras are off, however, that's when the Sox offense goes to work.
In the two games that didn't air, the White Sox have put up a combined 12 runs and 24 hits.
In the five viewable games, the Sox have scored a total of 16 runs on 36 hits.
Today's doubleheader showcased the study in contrast. In the day game, broadcast on the web and 670 The Score, Texas' Colby Lewis threw four perfect innings. Tack Lewis' work onto the White Sox's five hitless innings to end their 5-1 loss to the Cubs, and they went 28 batters without a single Sox reaching base.
The Sox did manage to scrape together three runs to beat the Rangers, but it was in no way thrilling. We got to see the return of the Wild Pitch Offense and a game-winning infield single by Kenny Williams Jr.
In the nightcap? Tyler Flowers apparently hit a no-doubt three-run homer. That would have been nice to see, because no member of the presumptive 25-man roster has left the yard in games we could watch. Not that I'm unappreciative of Jared Mitchell showing some pop.
At least Don Cooper gets off easy, because we can't effectively poke fun at the way his one-on-ones with Jhan Marinez and Simon Castro failed to bear fruit. Marinez gave up a game-tying homer to Jerry Hairston Jr. on the first pitch he threw, and Castro fell apart in the ninth in his spring debut, giving Nestor Molina some company in the ugly ERA department (33.75).