The fastest way back to the wild and crazy World Series days is to promote a can’t-miss phenom, it seems.
The hype over Michael Kopech’s first start for the Chicago White Sox reached tumult level, as reporters who remembered where Sox Park stood giddily tweeted out “Kopech stretching” pics
and the 24-year-old received standing ovations for merely finishing his warm-up tosses.
But those pregame highlights proved mere appetizers for the short main course to come.
Kopech scuffled through traffic in both the first and second innings, before the rain that kissed his second confrontation with Joe Mauer turned angry during the inning break, prompting a 52-minute delay.