ChiSox59

Yeah. They'll figure it out. THeir stated plan is to stretch him out by working up to a multi-inning reliever role. Hopefully by the time we reach the spot on the calendar that it makes sense to convert him to a SP to keep his innings where they need to be, but also allow him to pitch into the fall, he'll be ready for it. If not, and he needs to go to Charlotte to make a couple starts and we have live with a Stiever/Lambert start or two, so be it. I don't like the plan. Kopech should be at the alt site, and then AAA working short starts until late May when they stretch him out a bit more. But it is what it is. You're always harping on how fucked up it is when teams manipulate service time. They aren't doing that here (even tho they most definitely should be). It'll work out. No point in just constantly assuming everything will go awry.

The season hasn't even started. He is going to have limited innings this year. Hopefully he is in the pen working somewhat sparingly the first 4-6 weeks. Slowly starts to work a little longer outtings. As mentioned above, maybe piggybacking off another starter. And then maybe goes back to AAA for a few starts to work up to 4-5 innings. There are ways to do it. *In no way is this an endorsement of what they are doing with Kopech. I hate it*

I think you answered your own question in this post. If someone goes down, Lopez fills in while Kopech gets stretched out. Another option would be piggybacking a mixture of Lopez/Kopech/Crochet to stretch out Kopech more slowly until he's ready to go 5+. I am confident the Sox still see Kopech as a SP, and while I hate what they're doing I refuse to believe he won't be starting at some point this season.

There is no way the Sox are only going to platoon Vaughn. It makes no sense at all. Right? RIGHT!? RIGHT!!!!???!?!?!? Seriously tho, that's even dumber than this stupid AF Kopech plan if thats true. I just don't see it. TLR already said he wants to give everyone ABs this series, and with LHP going Fri/Sun for the Angels, today made sense. As others have guessed, I bet Lamb is at DH on Saturday with Vaughn in LF. I am sure that is all it is. Or at least I hope.

Kopech will be in this rotation by July at the latest. Rodon and Lopez aren't lasting the season as the #5.

It is strange.

Yeah. I had a brain fart when typing that message but based on the context of my paragraph I clearly meant RHP. I had just said Leury/Engel suck at hitting RHP. And I’m not too concerned about Vaughn “learning” how to crow hop.

90-72. 1st place. Twins win 86.

Tim Anderson - AL MVP and Batting Champion. Yoan Moncada - top 5 AL MVP voting.

Yeah, but Bummer can't pitch every game. There are plenty of ways to skin the cat.

Where do you see that? It literally has this listed as the projected lineup: Projected lineup 1) Tim Anderson, SS 2) Adam Eaton, RF 3) José Abreu, 1B 4) Yoán Moncada, 3B 5) Yasmani Grandal, C 6) Luis Robert, CF 7) Zack Collins, DH 😎 Andrew Vaughn, LF 9) Nick Madrigal, 2B

Ehhh. I mean its not like Crochet couldn't cover innings 6-8 after a 5 inning start from whoever. I think there are ways to make it work without handling the SP any differently than you normally would. But I agree, it will definitely a challenge to surpass 80 innings if he's in the MLB pen all year.

Yah, but it doesn't take being a rocket scientist to figure out that isn't their plan. Mercedes makes no sense on this roster if Collins isn't DHing regularly. Collins isn't DHing regularly if Vaughn isn't in LF. The only fit for Lamb on this roster is playing against RHP which he traditionally has hit quite well. Leury and Engel both suck balls at hitting RHP. If their plan was to run Engel/Leury out in LF most days against RHP, Lamb makes absolutely zero sense as a part of this roster. And then we have the fact that Vaughn has played exclusively LF since Eloy got hurt. Vaughn may not be in LF everyday, but I think he's going to at the very least be out there against LHP. I also don't understand where this Vaughn cannot throw stuff comes from. Wasn't he a reliever in college? Have to imagine he can throw a bit unless he had a shoulder injury or something.

Yeah. I think he'd need to be regularly making 2-4 inning relief appearances following poor starts to make it work. Which IMO, he should be doing if the plan is actually to have him start in 22. But the Kopech this is just dumb. I literally cannot come up with a single redeeming factor of this plan.

Crochet I guess I am ok with what they are doing. He is such a weapon out of the pen and I am still not convinced he is a SP moving forward, so I can understand why you wouldn't want to "waste" those innings in the minors. However, I hope they plan to have him piggyback Rodon on games Carlos doesn't pitch well but Sox are still in. They need to get Crochet to at least 80-100 innings this year if he has any chance of being in the rotation next year. Kopech? I have absolutely no idea what they're doing and I hate it. They can't possibly think that Rodon/Lopez is going to get them through the season in the 5 spot. I hope this is merely a way to control Kopech's innings, and he'll be starting games by mid summer. We need him starting games down the stretch. But this whole plan is dumb - he should be making short AAA starts until June to keep his innings in control and then call him up. This pen stuff is trash.

I still absolutely loathe this plan with Kopech. Dude should not in the majors and he should not be pitching out the pen.

Nah. Billy Hamilton will be gone. TLR basically said today they need three catchers because 1 is going to be at DH most days. I don’t see this as a short term thing as long as Yermin hits. Which wilL be interesting to see.

I imagine Zavala, Flores and then Gonzalez would be the first 3 on the chopping block. Frankly amazing Zavala has lasted this long.

Right!? These people must not actually watch the Sox very much. Dude comes up gimpy or hobbled like once a series.

INSERT NAILED IT GIF!

Exactly. It also solved the Eloy LF issue. And the Eloy/Abreu/Vaughn 3 players 2 positions issue. I think its a great development for the future if he can stick in LF.

That is true about Lamb never playing left field, however, you are not going to be nearly as concerned about messing with him as you would be with say, Vaughn or Moncada. Leftfield should not be a challenging position for an athletic guy like Lamb. it’s not like anyone is expecting him to be a gold glover. Sox seem fairly committed To AV in left field though, and I think if he proves himself to be suitable out there that’s a pretty good development for the future.🤞🏼

Yeah, I think I'd rather just run out Collins at DH versus RHP assuming Vaughn can actually passably play LF. If Vaughn isn't a close to everyday answer in LF and needs to DH most the time, not sure what you can do really against RHP. The mental gymnastics that Lillian took to get to that conclusion were a bit funny, but I'd probably take my chances rolling with Lamb in LF occasionally against RHP. Leury's career slash line against RHP: .243/.283/.351/.634 Engel career slash line against RHP: .207/.264/.324/.588 Lamb career slash line against RHP: .257/.342/.463/.805

That way, you’re certain to be pleasantly surprised if he returns before 2024!

I didn’t say he was guaranteed to be better. I said Mendick isn’t going anywhere. If Lamb sucks, you DFA his ass and Boom! Mendick is still there. Depth is not a bad thing. And i also just don’t think Mendick is good, so there’s that.