ILMOU

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jul 14, 2015 -> 09:15 AM) I don't mind going for high risk high reward guys, just prefer betting on players who have more than one tool. Not to mention, the disturbing tendency of the org to value BP displays over hitting approach. Raw tools over actual baseball skill. At least they waited til the 6th rd. this year for that kind of lottery pick.

QUOTE (Mike F. @ Jul 14, 2015 -> 09:56 AM) If I were Robin, I'd let Erik Johnson start after Shark on Friday and give Sale the ball on Sunday. I just don't see how Robin could just give one of these games away by putting in Danks. These are "must win" games, so a Danks should not pitch in this series. Sale will have 7 days rest if he pitches Sunday. He didn't pitch in ST. Why would they?: a. choose to do such an enormous favor to Ned and the Royals b. choose now, when there's an outside chance of getting back into semi-contention over the next few weeks, to give him the periodic "extra rest", can't that wait a couple weeks? UNLESS, they really don't want to face the conundrum and potential white flag-esque bad pub that would undoubtedly happen if they were to reach .500, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 back for the second WC, and still sold. Similarly, if they choose now to be extra-cautious with Abreu, I'll be suspicious. Never want to believe that a single game of 162 means too much, but it's just possible that Sunday's 2 hit anemia was the final nail in the org's consideration of competing. And maybe Sale will start Sunday - should be interesting.

If they wait til Tuesday for Sale, it will feel like a "really, we'd rather not maintain a charade of competing, and would like to do dome selling" kind of move.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jul 11, 2015 -> 02:32 PM) With Sale on deck? OOPs, forgot we were in NL, thought it was Eaton next. Gamedayin' it.

As much as I hate bunting, Sanchez needs to be bunting every time in that situation. Now you give Lester the chance for the quick inning.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 11, 2015 -> 01:02 PM) Buehrle gave up a quick first inning run, but 23 pitches in 3 innings. Hope he gets his 10th win today in KC, even though we should probably be rooting for KC in the game. Just 47 pitches through 5 innings. Dude is aging well. Hell, let's get him back in the offseason.

He could add a lot to the pen going forward if he can stay healthy

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jul 10, 2015 -> 12:00 PM) Boni has sucked goat balls but RV has no clue how to use him. Clearly he's sucked, but track record says he can be a decent bench piece against lefties. And what you said.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jul 10, 2015 -> 10:53 AM) Hahn really whiffed on EB. Eh maybe. Won't be at all surprised if he became productive again elsewhere

Well either give Boni a better shot than he's had this season or get his ass the f*** off the 25 man. How he has been (not) utilized this year is pointless. Hope Saladino is in the mix for getting a look soon. He's a higher upside utility guy, imo, than Sanchez. And pray Micah's ready to be the everyday guy whenever it is he returns.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 8, 2015 -> 07:40 PM) Because Vetura won't pull a starter until a pitch count is reached or the game is out of reach. A quick hook would've made sense after getting 17 of 18 innings from the starters the last two nights, but that's our Robin.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 8, 2015 -> 04:58 PM) That has been my point all along. if it is Robin's fault, no one should complain about the players. If you think KW put together a horrible team, you can't blame RV for the poor record. If you have to blame KW, RH, RV,JR, you can't blame them all. If it is Robin's managing that is keeping this team from contention, then the other guys have done their job. If KW has taken over and set the Sox back until the next decade, then you can't blame RV when the Sox lose. Good managers don't win with bad players. Bad GMs don't put together teams that should win but don't because of the manager. I agree with this, too, generally. But, these aren't all-or-nothing propositions. Of course Robin doesn't deserve all the blame, but I believe it's absurd to say that he deserves none of it. And I think RH (not KW) did put together a very flawed team, but one that should perform much better than it has. Exclusion or inclusion of the blame for one of the underperformers doesn't preclude blame of any of the others. PLENTY of blame to go around. RV is a PART of the problem, imo, and we're not going to agree anyway, so I'm done here. But if he's in our dugout in 2016, it will be the greatest example of our FO's hubris and lack of accountability. Just own that you eff'ed up and move on already.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 8, 2015 -> 03:17 PM) I'm not defending him, I'm just frustrated that everyone has concluded that he is the issue and that firing him will solve the team's problems. I'm not saying he's good, I'm just saying I don't think he matters. or at least there's no evidence to suggest he's causing this team to play poorly. He's not THE issue, which is ultimately JR, but he is among the issues, and the easiest to change. I think managers matter at least a little. Robin is a very smart guy and was (charging Nolan Ryan excepted) a very smart player. And yet, Ive never seen a dumber team on the field. Even despite the departure of Einsteins like Tank and de Aza. We get the details wrong like no other. Either the details aren't being communicated well, or they aren't given enough priority. It's on Robin. Drapes? no - margins between wins and losses are tiny. Yes, managing matters a little, or the title wouldn't exist or pay so well. Meathead? Debatable.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jul 7, 2015 -> 01:29 PM) I agree with SS2K: the entire team is pressing. I'd have rather RV ordered everyone to go get drunk, hookup with some slumpbusters, sleep it off and show up an hour before the game. But, ya know, it's a manager's job to read his team, and help them stay confident. Just one of RVs endless failings. Wouldnt be expecting any kind of "spark" from a firing, but it's an essential start to the housecleaning. Of course Robin has to go - his players don't respond to him in any way that helps their performance. This is obvious. I don't how Eminor, DA, or any otherwise intelligent poster can defend him. What aspects of the job, exactly, do you think he's performing well in? Aw forget it. Rhetorical. The only real fear here is that a FO completely lacking in accountability keeps a terrible Mgr around for another year after this, knowing that RVs failure is theirs too, because they don't have the balls to admit it.

QUOTE (Knackattack @ Jul 8, 2015 -> 12:56 PM) Honestly I was happy with the LaRoche signing but not platooning him is a crime. This. A smart org would have learned something from 4 years of the other Adam, but clearly ours did not.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jul 8, 2015 -> 06:34 AM) The problem is that there are 10 guys on the team who shouldn't be playing against lefties, but only four of them can be on the bench at any given time. Yes, but you can easily bench one of them to gain 300 points of OPS for each of at least 3 ABs, and yet aren't doing so on a team that can't score for crap. Of course, it's not a solution to overall problems of the offense, but baseball is a game of tiny margins, and it's precisely the little things that we fail at that other teams don't, that make a difference in a game like yesterday's. Deck chairs whatever. Dumb is dumb.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 7, 2015 -> 08:23 PM) LaRoche is getting the veteran treatment where he won't be benched, regardless of what the splits say. And that is ridiculous if true, and symptomatic of the old-school stupid that runs so deep with JR's crew. We lived through 4 years of Dunn and learned nothing - I've lost count of the ways our org is uniquely stupid.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 7, 2015 -> 08:00 PM) Sanchez is awful at the fundamentals A true product of our system.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 7, 2015 -> 07:55 PM) Q pitched a much better game than that Blue Jay. Q is dealing! It is a crime he is in position to actually lose this home game against a hack pitcher. All hail to Q tonight. Masterful. Q was great against a brutally tough lineup for LHP. Should be a win against Not-King Felix, but ya know, this run scoring thing.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 7, 2015 -> 07:46 PM) No reason for Soto not to be playing one of these games to give you a decent DH On the run-scoring side of the equation, RV is among the worst managers I've seen.

Robin still hasn't figured out that LaRoche is a platoon player now. Soto needs to DH against every lefty, obviously. I love our manager . He does so much to help this anemic offense.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jun 28, 2015 -> 02:15 PM) this is starting to, for me, is the reason why RV needs to go. why wasn't the pen being active at the 6 inning or the start of the 7. take out Jeff earlier. who is the manager, who cares if Jeff didn't want to come out. Peavy pushed him around too. Just not a leader. Please follow Ryno's lead. RV, and let's just agree that it didn't work out.

Unfortunately, what the article fails to mention is that NONE of the Hawks changes happen without the old set-in-his-ways owner kicking it. Folks who've lived a life like JR's don't change lanes as they approach 80. This will be a long, painful wait, I'm afraid. I will need to pay less attention to the proceedings just to get through it sanely. My eternal optimism has never been lower, so this point in time isn't much fun.

QUOTE (SCCWS @ Jun 14, 2015 -> 10:39 AM) If the Bulls fired a winning coach, why don't you think Robin could be in danger after this season??? Loyalty trumps performance in our beloved dysfunctional org.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jun 13, 2015 -> 05:00 PM) nitpicking is one thing, and i on occasion am guilty of that. however on the bolded, i am in total agreement with you and that is not nitpicking, that is telling the truth. i have been guilty again of saying as much, to a point, i am sure poster are tired of it. what i am and was defending is normal stuff that RV can do, like go and see his family on special events and yet get criticize from a group of soxtalk posters. or, while there, still get criticize for the managing of the game. FTR, I have no issues with RV taking the time off. Just a general frustration seeing that as the excuses for THIS season pile up, we'll undoubtedly head into NEXT season with the same bad manager and coaching/development staff - and this was the closest Robin-bashing thread available. I'm bummed out. We need a housecleaning and I damn well know it ain't happening.