Carlos Rodon's velocity is absent, but his results were good

Carlos Rodon

What do we make of Carlos Rodon's start Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds? If you look at his pitching line, you can't help but be pleased.

The White Sox left-hander worked five shutout innings in a 6-1 victory. He allowed only one hit, while striking out four and walking two. And he was efficient, needing only 69 pitches to record 15 outs; 43 of those pitches were strikes.

However, this was a depleted Cincinnati lineup. The Reds were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday, and their two best players -- Joey Votto and Nick Castellanos -- received a day off Wednesday.

The big concern from a Sox perspective ... Rodon's velocity just wasn't there. For the season, his fastball has averaged 96 mph, and topped out at 99. In this game, his average fastball velocity was 90.9 mph. He topped out at 92.7 mph.

Velocity comes from the shoulder, and we know Rodon has been dealing with nagging shoulder soreness.

Rodon also threw more changeups that he normally would, and strangely, the velocity on his change (82 mph) was a tick higher than the average velocity on his slider (81 mph). But he did get three swinging strikeouts with his slider. 

You can't argue with Rodon's results. He shut the Reds down with good command, good sequences and changes of speed. The question is whether that's going to be enough in the postseason against a strong Houston Astros lineup.

But assuming Rodon is healthy coming out of this start, he has earned the right to pitch a playoff game. He's 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA this season -- without a doubt his finest campaign as a member of the Sox.

He's made 24 starts, and the Sox are 16-8 in those games. I think we're going to see Rodon on the mound in either Game 3 or Game 4 of the ALDS against the Astros, and we'll see if he can find a way, just as he did Wednesday against the Reds.

Miguel Cabrera has 40 and 120 -- with a quarter of a season left

If Miguel Cabrera played for a team that wasn't in the American League Central, I would really like him. Come to think of it, the only reason I dislike him is because he plays for the Detroit Tigers -- a hated rival of the White Sox.

The guy is just an awesome hitter, and as a fan of baseball, I respect just how good Cabrera is at his craft. The reigning Triple Crown winner slugged his 40th home run of the season Sunday in the Tigers' 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. Cabrera also had an RBI single in the game, lifting his season RBI total to 120.

Cabrera, who leads the American League with a .360 batting average, became just the third player since 1921 to have at least 40 homers and 120 RBIs while batting .350 or better through 116 games. The other two names on that list are Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx.

As baseball fans, I think the Steroid Era made us all feel like 40 home runs and 120 RBIs in one season isn't much of an accomplishment anymore. In recent weeks, I've heard two different radio commentators in Chicago opine about how one day Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is going to "hit 40 home runs and drive in 120 runs every year."

Really? Even if Rizzo develops into an All-Star hitter, he isn't going to do that. I don't think people respect just how hard it is to put up 40 and 120 in a single year.

For Cabrera, as great as he is, this is only the second time he's had 40 and 120 in the same season. Frank Thomas accomplished the feat just three times in his brilliant 19-year career. Albert Pujols, who preceded Cabrera as the best hitter in the game, has done it four times. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, who is beloved by statheads as an OPS machine, has never totaled 40 and 120 in the same season.

Even noted steroid cheats Alex Rodriguez (six times), Sammy Sosa (four times) and Barry Bonds (three times) didn't hit 40 homers and drive in 120 every year.

Those are difficult plateaus to reach, and that makes what Cabrera is doing this year all the more impressive. At the rate he's going, 50 home runs and 150 RBIs are well within his reach.