Topps heritage high number 2020 provides updates of the heritage series. Normally, Topps heritage high number is released in the summer. However, due to Covid-19 pandemic, most sports cards were delayed last year and Topps heritage high number 2020 was released at the end of 2020. So collectors who like the throwback design did wait for a while.
This time, I got two White Sox relievers cards. One is Jimmy Cordero and the other is Aaron Bummer. Jimmy Cordero tossed 26.2 innings last season, posting a 6.08 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. But back in 2019, Cordero had 30 relief appearances in the White Sox uniform and he threw 36 innings. Cordero’s ERA was 2.75 and his WHIP was 0.97. Aaron Bummer made 9 relief appearances in 2020. He threw 9.1 innings and struck out 14 batters. Only 9.1 innings, so we might say small sample size, however, Bummer was pretty good in 2019 as well. He made 58 relief appearances in 2019 and his ERA was 2.13 and he had a 0.99 WHIP. Bummer only gave 9.1 innings to the White Sox bullpen and Cordero did not have a good season in 2020. Nevertheless, the White Sox was actually doing well last year.Last season, Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers each had a very solid bullpen, posting a below 3 ERA. The White Sox relievers posted a 3.76 ERA, ranking 7th in the majors.
When we look at WHIP, the Dodgers bullpen had a 1.04 WHIP, leading the majors. The Athletics, the Indians and the Rays each had a reliable bullpen, posting a below 1.20 WHIP. Meanwhile, the White Sox bullpen had a 1.25 WHIP, also 7th in the majors. In addition, we see that Athletics bullpen was very solid in 2020. One reason is that they had Liam Hendriks, one of the best closers in the league.
When we look at the numbers, Hendriks and Colome each had a pretty good 2020. In the shortened season, they each collected more than 10 saves while posting a below 1 WHIP. Colome’s ERA was only 0.81 and Hendriks’ ERA was 1.78. Batters only hit .163 against Colome and batting average against Liam Hendriks was only .161. They did give hitters a hard time. However, one big difference is that Hendriks threw much more strikeouts than Colome did last year. Hendriks and Colome each made 24 and 21 relief appearances. On average, Hendriks approximately threw one more strikeout than Colome did per appearance.
The White Sox relievers had 9.29 strikeouts per 9 innings, which was 18th in the majors. Now, Liam Hendriks becomes the White Sox closer, we can probably foresee that the White Sox bullpen will have a higher SO/9 in the 2021 season.
The White Sox not only hire a new manager but also upgrade their bullpen by signing Liam Hendriks, one of the most reliable closers in the majors. Additionally, the White Sox selected flamethrower Garrett Crochet in the 2020 draft. His average four-seamer velocity hit triple digits last season and we can expect to see him throw hard this year. Evan Marshall posted a 2.38 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Matt Foster did a good job in his rookie season with a 2.20 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP last year and Codi Heuer also did a fantastic job in his first year in the majors with a 1.52 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. If Cordero can bounce back in 2021, La Russa will surely have more flexibility in the White Sox bullpen. Thus, the White Sox bullpen may play a big role to help the White Sox win the first division title since 2008.
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