ILMOU

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 27, 2015 -> 10:02 PM) He had actually been really good for most of the season until recently. Didn't they use LaTroy Hawkins once or twice this year, or was that last season? Don't really follow the Rockies at all... LaTroy started as the closer this year - that's just sad.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jul 27, 2015 -> 09:53 PM) That was Axford's 4th blown save in a row. Wow. Yeah, the Rocks will never have enough pitching. How many teams would have even trotted him out for #4?

My guess for at season end: 1. Fulmer 2. Anderson 3. Montas 4. Micah (if still a prospect) 5. Danish 6. Trey 7. Adams 8. May 9. Adolfo 10. EAlvarez (out on a limb) 11. Hawkins 12. TThompson

If the Russians are as good as SBowman thinks they are, the Hawks will be as fast, high-flying and exciting as ever. Could add a different element, even. Can't wait to see Teuvo in a big role for the full slate. If they're able to develop Dman depth over the first half of the season, they'll be in great shape again when it counts. Can't wait.

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Jul 27, 2015 -> 03:39 PM) If not even less. Well, at least LaRoche sits. One problem at a time I guess. Keep on with the winning, White Sox!!! I can't believe I'm kind of excited about a game that Danks is starting. What's wrong with me?! Well, the guy he's up against has more than a full run worse ERA and especially lately, so plenty of reason for confidence. Just need something close to a QS, hopefully. BoSox have some bad mojo - gotta keep our good stuff going. And yeah, where's Geo? Makes the kudos for LaRoche benching more grudging.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 27, 2015 -> 03:06 PM) The pace/schmace rebuttal always wins Thank you, that's my personal Chewbacca Defense.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Jul 26, 2015 -> 07:03 PM) Don't see it. #MNTwins playing .531 ball & are 2nd wild card. That's on pace for 86 wins. #WhiteSox would have to go 40-26 to do that -- very tall order. https://twitter.com/CSNHayes/status/625458965921562625 This was my response @CSNHayes 40-26 would be sox going on a .600 winning percentage for rest of year. Pretty much winning every series here on out.Can't see it https://twitter.com/whisox05/status/625461892857860096 And hayes agreed with me Sorry, but pace/schmace - Twins might well be 82-83 win frauds. But yes, trade Shark for a bat or other good value if possible.

QUOTE (Baron @ Jul 27, 2015 -> 01:32 PM) There's so much bulls*** in that entire section I dont even know where to start. You said it best Baron, but I will try. Greg, baseball, for as much as you comment on it, is something you spend a fair amount of time watching, I'm going to assume. Then you know that games are frequently, commonly, decided by the smallest of factors - the 42 that Hawk talks about, knowing that you're going to win 60 and lose 60 of the rest. You seem to want to throw up your hands in hopelessness at the hands of the Mighty Royals or take comfort in "we suck" platitudes whenever incremental improvements are discussed. Literally no one here is confusing Soto with anyone good, let alone Bench. But most of Soto's suckage is on the defensive side, which makes him nice for the DH. It's a game of increments. Our offense is woeful, yes, and Soto vs. LaRoche will not make a huge positive difference, more than likely. But Soto is hitting better overall, and about 400 OPS points better against LHP over the past few years. This is a game of every little bit helps, and our not-so-daunting-despite-a-season-of-suckage-deficit tells me a few little bits could make a big difference. LaRoche isn't doing his future value any favors having his woeful performance vs. LHP drag down his numbers, so I seriously doubt that the Sox feel compelled to play him everyday - more likely, some veteran/respect stupidity rearing its ugly head, imo. Just one more thing that needs a purgin'

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jul 27, 2015 -> 08:38 AM) At this point, Geo should be starting as much as he can take. If he can take all starters besides Sale, great. Maybe give Tyler one more start a week, but Geo gives the Sox a much better chance to win. Would also like to see Emilo DFA'd or traded for a bag of balls immediately and call up Micah to DH a few days a week, or maybe better yet, DL LaRoche so Micah can DH everyday. Time to try go for this thing. It is really do or die time. I heartily endorse this.

As we sit here on decision Monday with the trade deadline looming, and ample new threads popping up, discussing buy or sell, remaining schedules and return for selloff etc. I thought that this one, the closest RV bashing thread at hand, very much indeed needed another bump. With merely Lexi, Melky a 2B and Eaton playing with a level of competence expected all along (but with LaRoche corpulent, Abreu bad-hand powerless, Avi mediocre, Gillaspie having cratered all-around, Flowers less lucky, etc, etc. ) the team is, in fact, competitive. Our division is tough, but the main advantages our ALCentral opponents seem to have on us are psychological/strategic. I'll concede the Royals are significantly better - they're the best team in the AL. We're over 500 against the rest of the AL and NL. Before I continue, let me say this on a sober-as-a-heart-attack Monday morning: There is not a trace of a shadow of a doubt in my mind that our beloved Sox would be in a buying position if they had a better Manager and Coaching Staff in 2015. The standards have changed in the 5 team format - massively flawed teams WILL make the playoffs this year and others. I have never bought the argument that we're a bad team and a long, long ways away. It seems to suit the "see, we sucked all along " narrative from a few that feel the need to feel correct. The fact is that Toronto and the rest of the contenders with massive 2-3 game leads on the Sox know that they're chasing a (for now) fraudulent Twins club. This Molitor could be a good manager. But, back to the WC teams we're chasing - they're all massively flawed, too. Toronto, with a terrific offense, is the best of the bunch, and MB56 (all due respect) is their ACE? Dickey is their two, and I'm not sure he matches up well against 4's/emergencies on other playoff clubs. And, the BEST teams don't always win or even get to the WS, not by a long a shot. Even with the added importance of winning the division, we see time and again that getting in the 10 team tourney is most paramount (Pirate fans may disagree, granted) I've been preaching for months that the margins in this game are infinitesimal, and right now, that margin is 2 games. Easily the difference between competent managing/coaching and Robin and Co's active badness. We've accumulated more baserunning badness in 95 games than any team ever has (since they've been keeping the stats) in a full 162 season. Correcting that alone could have made enough of a difference, not the mention the failure to platoon LaRoche, Zombie-level April energy, or the countless strategic blunders that we don't need to rehash. All this said, we are woeful offensively, and if we can get a serviceable bat (preferably) or otherwise real value for Shark and others, they should be dealt - such is the position we're in. At any rate, it is imperative to find out if EJ and Micah are parts of next year's equation. There is plenty of room for CS, TS, MJ, and AR to share the AB's of 2B, SS and 3B the rest of the way in '15, and CS should also get a few games in LF. The chief goal needs to be to find out what we have for '16 in real games, against real, trying-their-best competition - spring training is illusory, but I digress. Look around the league at who's leading their divisions: Are Girardi's Yankees really 5 games better than that division? I don't think so. Bochy holds the Giants together with dust tape and baling wire. Scioscia has the respect of his players without question. Say what you will about Yost, but he had has guys honed to a fine edge of preparedness to start this season - the opposite of our staff. Uber-talented Wash and Det seem to be under-achieving - managing? Two or three lousy games. As a guy who's never felt that Managing/Coaching were a gigantic part of the formula, I'll close my longest-ever post with an attempt at Yogiesque wisdom. Managing matters enough to matter.

LaRoche and Flowers by far the worst. This absolutely screams more Soto, as many of us have been chiming for. Cannot, Cannot , Cannot let LaRoche start against LHP anymore. We'll see what happens tomorrow against Miley.

QUOTE (rodh @ Jul 26, 2015 -> 03:08 PM) I watched Cooper pitch for 2 years as the Friday starter for the University of Hawaii. His fastball averaged 87-90 mph but he comes extremely over the top with his pitching motion resulting in a good downhill plane even though he is only 6' tall. It did not appear he had much more projection in his body but I hope the Sox coaches are able to coax 2-3 mph out of him. His plus pitch was a big breaking curve ball that he commands well. This is my first post. I have lived all my life in Hawaii but became a White Sox fan when Chuck Tanner was hired as their manager back in 1970. Coach Tanner had great success managing the Hawaii Islanders (PCL) which my father and I had season passes. Very cool, and welcome!

OK, so I forgot Tim Hudson, who's at 219, but I imagine this is his last year, too. MB56 should be leading by mid-season next year at the latest, unless I'm forgetting someone else.

If Mark Buehrle wins tomorrow, he will be 1 win behind Sabbathia and 2 wins behind Colon for the lead among active pitchers. He will likely soon pass those two and reign as the active leader for as long as he wants to play. He's only 36, so he could hold this title for awhile. Has he said what his plans are beyond this year? He's as good as ever, and should get a healthy deal from someone if he wants to keep going. Sure hope he does. Has a real chance at the Hall, imo.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 24, 2015 -> 09:30 PM) i hate to say anything that appears to give you an idea of i am seeing him or have any inside info. sorry. but my take is if rondon was moved, then they are working out eddy at ss over rondon. which seems to be the case. It's all about the bat for Rondon, imo. They know what he can do with the glove. Eddy has a bat that could maybe someday play in the bigs, especially if he can man short while doing it. I like their strategy. Eddy will still be old for level at 26 in B'Ham in 2016, but we'll have a good idea by this time next year if he has a future in the bigs.

Put Matt Cooper on a fast track til he fails, how about? Foolin' em pretty good at Kanny.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 03:04 PM) This is exactly why I want to see us move Alexei. I think picking up Alexei's option is crazy with how he's played this year, so play the kids. See if you can manufacture either a cheap utility guy or maybe even a starter/trade candidate out of one of them. Worst case scenario...Tim Anderson takes the position in 2017 and we still need to find a utility guy. Big loss. Agreed on moving Alexei, and now's as good a time as any. I like Sanchez and Salad both as utility guys, and I suppose I could deal with ONE of them as a stopgap starter next year if enough other improvements are made.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 02:55 PM) I think Sanchez's trade value in the minors was probably comparable to what Leury Garcia's was when the White Sox dumped Rios's salary for him. To get something decent for him we've got to get him to produce decently in the bigs. Oh I know. The emoticon was to indicate a half-joking stance. He may get semi-competent with the bat after enough MLB AB's. But that semi-competent bat will best play at SS, if he's up to it defensively.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 02:14 PM) Yordano Ventura optioned to AAA. Good to see him struggle after all the stupid s*** he pulled early in the year. Glad to see "Diapers" getting sent down - not a fan.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 01:23 PM) I don't see Sanchez being entrenched at all. In fact I'd say his grip is quite tenuous. And if you are saying he might, over time, get to Pods level, then imagine just how bad he'll be in the years before then. Yeah, nothing in the same area code as entrenched. And I don't think he brings as much to the table, tools or versatility-wise, as Saladman, for the utility role. So I wonder if there's a future for him on the South Side, or should be In hindsight, Sanchez should have been traded already. If he's a starter, he'll have to do it at SS as the stopgap/bridge between Lexi and Tim A, imo.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 09:51 AM) Still don't want Micah up unless he has improved defensively. I don't either, ftr. Would be nice to get a more recent report on this - saw the 2 errors in past 36 games thing, but the footwork and positioning as well as a "softer" glove are probably most important. Is Buddy Bell/Charlotte Mgr. the main source of input to the FO for this type of decision typically?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 09:28 AM) Wrong. No Cubs fan thinks they'll all pan out. Bryant, Soler and Russell are locks. Even if the latter two are inconsistent, they pass every eye/smell/etc test you can come up with. All they have to do is find a position for Schwarber and you've got 4 locks. Who cares about the rest. 2017. It's not going to be fun around these parts. Really, Soler's a lock? His successful stints were in the tiniest of sample sizes. He certainly MIGHT be terrific, eventually. And he might be the right-handed Domonic Brown.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Jul 21, 2015 -> 12:40 AM) Are you trying to rain on the Micah parade? I don't think anybody is looking for Micah to be a 10+ home run guy in the majors so his home runs really don't mean much Well, they mean a little bit. I'm not expecting a major power surge either, but even Adam Eaton can be a 10 HR guy this year. More likely, it shows me that he can get some XBH with a bit of pop and legging singles into doubles, and won't be completely reliant on the SB to get into scoring position.

I want to see a power bullpen with Montas and Jones added. Sale Q Rodon Fullmer EJ rotation, if not in April, then June.

Another big night for Micah.