White Sox manager Will Venable still prioritizes platoon matchups, despite Pete-Crow Armstrong's walk-off

First publishedAug 19, 02:12 UTC

Last updatedAug 19, 02:49 UTC · just now ago

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Chicago Sun-Times6White Sox manager Will Venable still prioritizes platoon matchups, despite Pete-Crow Armstrong's walk-offAug 19, 02:12 UTCOpen ↗

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<p>When rookie left-hander <b>Hagen Smith</b> faced <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs’</a> center fielder <b>Pete Crow-Armstrong</b> Monday night to open the 10th inning of their eventual 7-5 walk-off loss, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox" >White Sox</a> win probability had dwindled to 19.2%, per <a class="Link" href="http://fangraphs.com" target="_blank" ><u>FanGraphs.com</u></a>.</p><p>But if TV analyst <b>Steve Stone</b> <a class="Link" href="https://x.com/stevestone/status/2089773130495537251?s=20" target="_blank" ><u>invoking the “Man in the Arena” passage</u></a> from president Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 speech at the Sorbonne in Paris is any indication, those odds did but so much to soften the blowback to manager <b>Will Venable</b>’s decision to pitch to a National League MVP candidate with first base open.</p><p>“All these decisions are tough,” Venable said. “But I trust the information that we have, that's been part of our process this entire year.”</p><p>The Sox’ information said Smith, a low-slot lefty tabbed to pitch with relievers <b>Grant Taylor</b> and <b>Sean Newcomb</b> unavailable, profiled better against fellow southpaws Crow-Armstrong and <b>Michael Busch</b>, and should intentionally walk <b>Seiya Suzuki</b> and his .976 OPS against left-handed pitching between them. Factors like Crow-Armstrong sitting at 3-for-4 with a homer and a walk on the night, or the idea of not letting the opposition’s best player beat you, were given less weight.</p><p>Despite the White Sox overperforming preseason expectations to lead their division in August, Venable’s adherence to platoon matchups over gut feel decision-making has been a flashpoint.</p><p>Ironically, Venable playing the matchups also produced the high point of the Sox’ Monday night. Entering the eighth, <b>Randal Grichuk</b>’s fourth inning three-run blast had accounted for all of their scoring.

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  White Sox manager Will Venable still prioritizes platoon matchups, despite Pete-Crow Armstrong's walk-off

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