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Angels-White Sox Preview

Jul 6, 2010 - 4:25 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (46-38) at Chicago (42-38), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Although Jered Weaver experienced similar frustration a year ago, it doesn't make dealing with another disappointment any easier.

After learning he was left off the AL All-Star roster for a second straight season, Weaver looks to continue his dominance over the Chicago White Sox when he takes the ball for the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

Weaver (8-3, 2.82 ERA) appeared to be a strong candidate for the All-Star team, leading the AL with 124 strikeouts and ranking sixth in ERA. He has been one of baseball's top pitchers over the past few weeks, going 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 35 strikeouts in his last four starts.

Despite that impressive resume and the fact the Angels (46-39) are hosting the Midsummer Classic, Weaver was omitted from the team. The right-hander has also been excluded from the Internet fan voting for the final roster spot.

"I don't know personally how a guy who leads the league in strikeouts and has a sub-3.00 ERA doesn't make it," teammate Joe Saunders told the Angels' official website. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

The disappointment is nothing new for Weaver. He was also left off the 2009 All-Star team despite being tied for third in the AL in victories and having the league's ninth-best ERA at the break.

"Making an All-Star team is something I've dreamed about since I was 9 years old," said Weaver, who allowed two hits over seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win over Texas on Thursday. "I was a little disappointed I didn't make it last year, so I didn't want to get my hopes up too high.

"I didn't make it again. It is what it is."

The White Sox (43-38) probably feel Weaver should have been named an All-Star considering how he's pitched against them.

Weaver is 4-0 with a 0.52 ERA in five career starts against Chicago and has given up one run over 19 2-3 innings in winning all three outings at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Angels dropped Monday's series opener in Chicago 9-2 and have lost three of four to sit 3 1/2 games back of the AL West-leading Rangers.

White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin hit two homers and made a spectacular diving catch in the first inning to save a run. Quentin, hitting .333 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in his last 13 games, is hitless in six career at-bats against Weaver.

The White Sox, a major league-best 19-5 since June 9, are five games over .500 for the second time this season and one game behind AL Central-leading Detroit. Chicago's starters are 15-5 with a 2.62 ERA in the last 24 games.

"I think if our pitching staff stays on the same level, that's our hope. If not we're going to be up and down, but if it stays on the same level, we can compete," manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Guillen will give the ball to Jake Peavy (7-6, 4.70), who hopes to bounce back from his first defeat in a month.

Peavy carried a three-start winning streak and 21-inning scoreless stretch into Wednesday's game at Kansas City. The scoreless streak ended with two outs in the first inning, and the right-hander went on to lose for the first time since June 5 after allowing three runs and seven hits in six innings in a 7-6 defeat.

Peavy will be facing the Angels for the first time since getting knocked around for six runs and eight hits in six innings of a 6-5 loss May 20.