ALDS Game 2 - Chicago @ Houston - 1:07pm CDT

[Snopek]

Outplayed, outmanaged and totally exposed as the team we all hoped they weren't. 

So many different decisions and outcomes to be upset about. 

This hurts.

[hankchifan]

4 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

JFC can someone please account for what RF that Hahn would have acquired would have won game 1? Or today’s game? pitching lost us both games. 

The Sox have a chance to win two games at home - where they play much much better btw - and if they do that anyone can win one game. 

 

With a good RF acquired at deadline, we would have probably won the HFA. 

[ChiSox59]

3 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Pretty sure Heuer would have easily gotten you Marte.

Exactly. Marte and Escobar instead of Kimbrel and Cesar and we get HFA, And are simply a better team. And still have Madrigal. And probably Heuer too. 

Edited October 8, 2021 by ChiSox59

[chitownsportsfan]

2 minutes ago, Snopek said:

Outplayed, outmanaged and totally exposed as the team we all hoped they weren't. 

So many different decisions and outcomes to be upset about. 

This hurts.

it sucks donkey balls. not only today but going forward a lot of holes have been exposed.

[hankchifan]

Just now, Snopek said:

Outplayed, outmanaged and totally exposed as the team we all hoped they weren't. 

So many different decisions and outcomes to be upset about. 

This hurts.

As we cannot get rid of the whole team, TLR needs to go.  The buck stops with him, and he must be held accountable for totally mismanaging all the resources and weapons provided.  In a normal private sector business,he would have been let go already.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 minute ago, Slewpy said:

I agree there.  Wholeheartedly think lucas is the softest pitcher in the world.  So in conclusion, Larussa missed his opportunity to make the correct change and therefore he probably did start the decline with that decision.   

I don't think Lucas is soft. Watch the other playoff games and see how early some of the starting pitchers are being pulled. Seems like an equal amount of guys don't go 5 inning as do go 5+ . It's a tough road to hoe pitching against Houston in Houston. Even Lucas at his worst hung in there . But LaRussa should ve had Kopech warming in the 4th and if he was going to let Gio start the 5th he should've been out of the game after the lead off walk.

I asked the question in the game thread who should be pitching the 5th as did another poster and only 1 guy wanted to answer that question . He said let Gio start the 5th and pull him if he let's anyone get on .  I told him I think I agree but would've been fine with Kopech starting the inning. I'm also pretty sure I was the only one in the game thread who mentioned Kopech so everything you're seeing now about not using him is hindsight by everyone except me.

[fathom]

5 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Exactly. Marte and Escobar instead of Kimbrel and Cesar and we get HFA, And are simply a better team. And still have Madrigal. And probably Heuer too. 

Truly believe they thought Engel was their man for RF this postseason. I guess that lasted 6 at bats.  Just horrible decision making at the deadline.

[almagest]

6 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Exactly. Marte and Escobar instead of Kimbrel and Cesar and we get HFA, And are simply a better team. And still have Madrigal. And probably Heuer too. 

Miami got Luzardo for Marte. He's been bad but has a huge prospect pedigree. I don't think Heuer gets that trade done. Probably Crochet or maybe ReyLo + something else.

 

That said, Marte is a free agent this winter and is my top choice for RF.

Edited October 8, 2021 by almagest

[Dick Allen]

5 minutes ago, fathom said:

Meanwhile I’m watching two teams in the Braves and Brewers that used in-season acquisitions to significantly bolster their lineups

One team has 2 runs and one team 1.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

Everyone talking about holes being exposed and it being problematic for the future...

I honestly came away from this game realizing that this team is a good manager and strategic analyst away from being tied 1-1 going home. Those are certainly much easier to find than good players.

Team hasn't played well and with proper leadership and decision making could honestly be in a great position to take the series. The players are fine. It would be nice to have a better RF and 2B, sure, but the Sox have a SS, 1B, CF who have balled out. They have a Catcher who is fine and a weapon easily when compared to others, and a 3B who is flashing leather and making big plays. Teams problem is they're a little sloppy, and they have not been put in a position to succeed.

[hankchifan]

11 minutes ago, bighurt574 said:

I was surprised we didn’t see Kopech.  Even if we’re counting on him for several innings in Games 3 or 4, with the day off tomorrow, I’m not sure why he couldn’t pitch an inning today.  
The biggest mistake was leaving Giolito in as long as he did, even if you’re going to bring in Crochet.  One base runner max in the 5th and he should have been pulled.  

Too many walks hurt Giolito today.

[maloney.adam]

The Sox are still a young team that have a lot to learn. Look at this, the Dodgers didn’t win the World Series until last year. It took them awhile. Even the Astros, had to go through some bumps in the road or obstacles to get where they are now. All good teams do. Strange things happen in the playoffs but I don’t think this is the year we’re going the distance.

Edited October 8, 2021 by maloney.adam

[fathom]

4 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

it sucks donkey balls. not only today but going forward a lot of holes have been exposed.

What this team needs is Eloy to turn into a beast and Vaughn to be a plus hitter going forward. The lineup just isn’t as dangerous as it needs to be given the “names” involved.

[maloney.adam]

1 minute ago, fathom said:

What this team needs is Eloy to turn into a beast and Vaughn to be a plus hitter going forward. The lineup just isn’t as dangerous as it needs to be given the “names” involved.

Putting that much pressure on a rookie is a lot to ask.

[chitownsportsfan]

2 minutes ago, fathom said:

What this team needs is Eloy to turn into a beast and Vaughn to be a plus hitter going forward. The lineup just isn’t as dangerous as it needs to be given the “names” involved.

I'm not convinced Eloy is anything but a 2 WAR player at this point. Critical season for him coming up.

Edited October 8, 2021 by chitownsportsfan

[almagest]

1 minute ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Everyone talking about holes being exposed and it being problematic for the future...

I honestly came away from this game realizing that this team is a good manager and strategic analyst away from being tied 1-1 going home. Those are certainly much easier to find than good players.

Team hasn't played well and with proper leadership and decision making could honestly be in a great position to take the series. The players are fine. It would be nice to have a better RF and 2B, sure, but the Sox have a SS, 1B, CF who have balled out. They have a Catcher who is fine and a weapon easily when compared to others, and a 3B who is flashing leather and making big plays. Teams problem is they're a little sloppy, and they have not been put in a position to succeed.

I'm concerned the problems are more organizational than managerial. Dusty Baker is basically LaRussa with 0 world series rings as a manager, but the Astros are clearly better coached and put in a position to succeed. Either LaRussa runs the whole show or the team isn't up to par with the Astros, Dodgers, and Rays.

[fathom]

Just now, chitownsportsfan said:

I'm not convinced Eloy is anything abut a 2 WAR player at this point. Critical season for him coming up.

I’m not sure I disagree. He’s never going to give you any value outside of his hitting.

[hankchifan]

2 minutes ago, fathom said:

What this team needs is Eloy to turn into a beast and Vaughn to be a plus hitter going forward. The lineup just isn’t as dangerous as it needs to be given the “names” involved.

7-9 hitters are a big weakness.

[fathom]

1 minute ago, maloney.adam said:

Putting that much pressure on a rookie is a lot to ask.

By going forward I meant next few seasons. Vaughn is a lost cause this postseason.

[Paulie4Pres]

1 minute ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I don't think Lucas is soft. Watch the other playoff games and see how early some of the starting pitchers are being pulled. Seems like an equal amount of guys don't go 5 inning as do go 5+ . It's a tough road to hoe pitching against Houston in Houston. Even Lucas at his worst hung in there . But LaRussa should ve had Kopech warming in the 4th and if he was going to let Gio start the 5th he should've been out of the game after the lead off walk.

I asked the question in the game thread who should be pitching the 5th as did another poster and only 1 guy wanted to answer that question . He said let Gio start the 5th and pull him if he let's anyone get on .  I told him I think I agree but would've been fine with Kopech starting the inning. I'm also pretty sure I was the only one in the game thread who mentioned Kopech so everything you're seeing now about not using him is hindsight by everyone except me.

Using Kopech was the obvious decision to me. We had the lead and Kopech is a dominating pitcher. If you need him to pitch 3 innings, and he's rolling, you just do it. You win the game in front of you right now and worry about later, later. I started laughing when I saw Crochett warming up... It was worse than Renteria's managing last season.

I'm convinced TLR has alcohol induced dementia. It's the only way he makes the decisions he makes, and says the things he says.

[Dan Pasqua]

My expectations were very low, but my post game feelings are much lower.  Need to stop investing my energy in this every year.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

1 minute ago, almagest said:

I'm concerned the problems are more organizational than managerial. Dusty Baker is basically LaRussa with 0 world series rings as a manager, but the Astros are clearly better coached and put in a position to succeed. Either LaRussa runs the whole show or the team isn't up to par with the Astros, Dodgers, and Rays.

Dusty isn't putting together positional cards. I've been harping on the White Sox defensive alignments all year. They're atrocious. They're one of the three worst teams in baseball in runs lost to positioning. The Sox aren't a terrible defensive team (they do throw the ball around too much), they're simply not positioned properly and metrics are against things like xBA. LaRussa has screwed them there, all season. His explanation for the defensive positioning today was comical. Look at the charts, the Sox went against what everyone else did multiple times. They're stuck in the stone age because their manager is a complete moron.

And honestly, I like Hahn for some things but I'm not excusing him for this. He knows it's bad, I guarantee it, and he doesn't have the balls to push and override the horrible decision making defensively.

[MexSoxFan#1]

21 minutes ago, Greg Hibbard said:

JFC can someone please account for what RF that Hahn would have acquired would have won game 1? Or today’s game? 
pitching lost us both games. 

The Sox have a chance to win two games at home - where they play much much better btw - and if they do that anyone can win one game. 

 

Gio needed to deliver us a strong performance, he didn't, that's what aces do so we still need to get an ace next off-season.

[JoshPR]

39 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Let's just win the next two games and gear all that fan energy into Game Five in Houston. Cmon. This Sox team has been on cruise control (albeit, injuries) for months now. How can they not get juiced at The Cell for hopefully two games? Packed place. All Sox gotta do is win Game Three the Sox way (home runs, adequate pitching). Then it'll be 2-1 and Sox ghosts of the past will help the team make up for blowing Game Four at home against the Orioles way back when when Dybber made the baserunning blunder. This time the series will go five (albeit the dreaded road) and maybe we'll get three pitchers to pitch three innings each and we win 2-0.

Don't give up the dream. Our crowd is gonna be intense and Houston isn't that good.

Dude big lol

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

5 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I'm not convinced Eloy is anything but a 2 WAR player at this point. Critical season for him coming up.

I have really really really soured on Eloy Jimenez this year. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't like the approach at the plate at all. He'll hit homers because his power is huge, but he hasn't adjusted his plane to get more lift, and he's a guess hitter with a bad idea about what pitchers are doing to him. It's not a good combination.

I hope he shuts me up next year, but I would listen to offers for Eloy. And I hope to god I'm wrong; really like Eloy the guy, but his game just doesn't appeal to me.