Gamethread: White Sox “at” Dodgers

Nearly 100 comments for a non-broadcast Cactus League opener? Well done, SSS.

In contrast to the “regular season” starting lineup trotted out yesterday for Chicago’s spring training debut, the White Sox go full Cactus crazy with today’s lineup for their away-home game at Camelback Ranch:

Tomorrow’s a split-squad game where every regular will see some action, so this mishmosh of players actually does make some sense.

Alex McRae gets the start for the White Sox, and if you’re saying “who?”, I’ll throw in with you. McRae is a non-roster invite who was let go by the Pittsburgh Pirates after four years in their system. The righthander is a career 0-5 pitcher in the majors, with an 8.18 ERA and 1.970 WHIP. This may be less a Coop’ll Fix ’Em and more a Someone’s Gotta Pitch in Charlotte.

On the flip side, Mookie Betts is leading off for L.A., and that just doesn’t seem quite fair.

Ross Stripling was ticketed for the Angels in the Joc Pederson trade, so he must be feeling swell in the locker room. Maybe that’s why he’s listed in parenthesis on the Dodgers lineup card.

TAKE ADVANTAGE of the bounty dealt you, as this game is the first of just six NBC Sports broadcasts this spring, and the only one until March 13 vs. the north side bumblers. It’s a 2:05 p.m. CT tipoff. Let’s cross the century mark today!